Knowing Jesus

Lesson Four
"Knowing Jesus Through His Signs"

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Jesus said to the servants,

"Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.  Then He told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. . . .  He said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then  the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink;   but You have saved the best till now." This, the first of  His miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He  thus revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in  Him (John 2:7-9,10-11).

Jesus gave much more than a gift at this wedding party. He gave a  "sign" with important messages. The disciples had first believed  through the witness of John the Baptizer. Their faith had grown  through meeting Jesus personally. They began to see how He fit the  old prophecies. Now, seeing His first miracle, they began to really  trust in Jesus. They "put their faith in Him."

A TRUE SIGN

The Bible first mentions such "signs" in Exodus 4. God used miraculous signs to prove the authority of Moses. Israel could be sure by the signs that God had sent Moses. Through that same Moses God promised to send a Prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:17-18). Some Old Testament prophets did work miracles. Yet none of them had used miracles as fully and powerfully as Moses had (Deuteronomy 34:10-12).

The last famous miracles of the Old Testament were in the time of Daniel. That had been over 500 years before the births of John the Baptizer and Jesus. If the disciples were not used to seeing miracles, what made them so sure that they had seen a real miracle at Cana?

John wrote as one who was present (John 20:30; 21:24). He knew the exact day of this first sign (John 1:43-2:1). Jesus came to join in blessing the newly married couple. What a blessing He gave them! There was nothing more for their guests to drink, and Jesus cared enough to solve their problem. He used the six large jars that were already there. John 2:6 says that each jar held about 20 to 30 gallons (75 to 115 liters) of water. This made a total amount of at least 120 gallons (450 liters). When they took some of the water to their leader, they found that it had become wine!

Could there have been some trick? Many were present to examine all the facts:

The wine had the finest taste - there was nothing poor or watery about it. All could test the wine's quality.

They could also check that the large amount of water had been supplied only by the servants. The servants had filled the water pots to the very top (John 2:6). Nothing else could have been added.

In the same way, John's report is clear and full. No room is left in John's report for a mistake of memory or a trick. Nothing important has been left out. In nature God does use water to make grape juice. In the plant - the grape vine - water is slowly changed into juice with the help of sunshine, soil and air. What God does gradually through nature, He did in one moment through Jesus. Here was the power of God at work in a Man. Here was a true sign that only Heaven could give!

Messages Of Power

The miracle at Cana was just the beginning. For over three years Jesus did many miracles, showing powers that even Moses had not shown. Here are a few examples:

Jesus and His disciples were caught by a storm at sea. The boat seemed to be ready to sink. The disciples woke Jesus, crying,

"Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"

He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked,

"What kind of Man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!" (Matthew 8:26-27).

During another storm, Jesus came to their boat, "walking on the lake" (Matthew 14:25). When Peter was invited by Jesus, he also walked on the water. Then Peter looked at the strong waves and high winds, and he began to sink. Jesus rescued him and helped him back to the boat.

This happened soon after another memorable miracle. As the fame of Jesus grew, so did the crowds. They followed Jesus even to the lonely mountains east of Lake Galilee. Jesus told His disciples to find food for the crowds (Mark 6:38). Andrew came back and said,

"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish (John 6:9-11).

Armies use many supplies, many cooks and much money to feed such numbers. Jesus used just a handful of food to make enough to fully "satisfy" 5000 men, besides women and children (Matthew 14:21-20).

Honest eyewitnesses could not have been mistaken about such reports. Some ask, "Could Jesus' followers have made up a false story?" Thousands who were there could have proved them liars. The whole Jewish nation would have laughed at such wild stories. The nation did not laugh. It took the reports so seriously that it divided over them (John 7:12,43; 9:16).

Many recognized the miracles as signs from God. Others saw the miracles as a threat to their own ruling positions. When Jesus raised the dead, they took the miracles seriously enough to seek the death of Jesus (John 11).

Messages Of Mercy

With such powers, Jesus could have become very rich. Instead, He lived and died with almost nothing. He never used His miracles selfishly (Matthew 4:1-10; John 4:3-8).

Some miracles of the Old Testament had destroyed people. Jesus came on a mission of mercy. "I did not come to judge the world, but to save it" (John 12:47). Thus His miracles did no harm, even to enemies. His miracles carried a clear message of love and help for all, especially for the needy and suffering. When the 5000 men followed Jesus east of Lake Galilee, He "had compassion on them and healed their sick" (Matthew 14:14).

At another time, when Jesus fed over 4000, He said,

I have compassion for these people . . . I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way. (Matthew 15:32)

He Himself was fully human, feeling much hunger, thirst, fatigue, sadness and pain. So He could feel with the pains and needs of others. Jesus often reached out and touched sick people (Mark 6:5; 7:33; 8:23; Luke 4:40; 13:13). Even those with the worst illnesses, and with diseases that can be passed to others, were not left out.

A man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged Him,

"Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 

Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.

"I am willing," He said. "Be clean!"

And immediately the leprosy left him (Luke 5:12-13).

Knowing Jesus Through His Signs

Were these true miracles of healing? Take a closer look. Jesus visited a pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem.

Here a great number of disabled people used to lie - the blind, the lame, the paralyzed . . . . One who was there had been an invalid for 38 years. .. . Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked (John 5:3,5,8-9).

The best medicine could not have done what Jesus did. The man was so crippled that he had not walked in 38 years! Even if modern doctors might find a cure, they could never strengthen his leg muscles immediately. After the muscles were stronger, they would still have to help the man learn how to walk. Jesus healed and gave instant ability to walk. Here is a report from another visit to Jerusalem:

As Jesus went along, He saw a man blind from birth . . . . Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes.

"Go," He told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" . . . .

So the man went and washed, and came home seeing (John 9:1,6-7).

Many knew this beggar who had been born blind. Jesus' enemies had to admit that God's hand had been at work (John 9:24). But they did not want to honor Jesus. So they tried to say that Jesus was a "sinner." The healed man did not know Jesus well, yet to such things he replied,

"Whether He is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (John 9:25)

The healed man also said to them,

"Now that is remarkable! You don't know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does His will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." (John 9:30-33)

Some became upset that Jesus healed on the Jewish day of rest, the Sabbath. Jesus replied to them,

"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 5:19)

Jesus' miracles showed God's own will and work. God cares for His people. He reaches out to meet their needs. Through Christ He sets right the things that are wrong.

Messages Of Faith

Jesus used many lessons to prove God's willingness to help.

He used examples of God's care in nature (Matthew 6:25-26).

He used examples of family love, showing "how much more" the heavenly Father cares (Matthew 7:9-11).

He also used the miracles themselves as examples for building faith in God's power and kindness. He told a healed woman,

"Your faith has made you well."

He told a soldier,

"It will be done just as you believed it would" (Matthew 8:13).

When Jesus did an amazing miracle to a tree, He used it as an example for His apostles. Yet He used words showing that the basic lesson - "have faith in God" - was a lesson for all ("anyone"):

"Have faith in God . . . I tell you the truth, if any one says to this mountain, "Go, throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:22-24)

The miracles served as spiritual windows. Through them people could look into the power of God at work in Christ. Jesus did not heal every ill person in the world, or even all the sick in the land of Israel. Jesus did heal every case of every kind of illness brought to His attention (Matthew 4:23- 24; 8:16; 9:35). He never failed. Thus He proved God's power to help every person who comes to Him.

Jesus used the healing of man's diseased body to prove that He could also heal man's sinful spirit (Luke 5:17-26).

He used the healing of the blind to prove that He could give spiritual insight to all who are willing to learn (John 9).

He used the feeding of the 5000 to prove that He is "the living bread" for eternal life (John 6).

He cast out demons to prove His power to throw Satan out of any person (Luke 11).

He raised the dead to prove that He has power to raise up the spiritually dead as well as all in earthly graves (John 5: 25-29; 11:1-45).

Jesus did not raise up every dead person in Palestine. He raised up enough to serve as clear examples. These and His other miracles were sufficient to make His message plain: Place your faith in God and in His Son, Jesus. God has the desire and power to help each of us who comes to Him through Christ. Jesus said to His followers,

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me." (John 14:1)

Messages Of The Messiah

When God promised to send the Prophet like Moses, God said, "I will put My words in His mouth, and He will tell them (Israel) everything I command Him" (Deuteronomy 18:18). When Jesus came, He kept claiming to speak as the Son faithfully speaking for His Father. He spoke only what God commanded Him.

"My teaching is not My own. It comes from Him who sent Me." (John 7:16)

There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded what to say and how to say it." (John 12:48-49)

Knowing Jesus Through His Signs

How could Jesus prove such great claims? The same way Moses did - by great acts from God Himself! Speaking about the healing at Bethesda, Jesus said,

"The very work that . . . I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent Me." (John 5:36)

Later He said,

"The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for Me." (John 10:25)

Many Jews began to understand the message of the miracles. Many in the crowd put their faith in Him. They said,

"When the Christ comes, will He do more miraculous signs than this Man?" (John 7:31)

[Peter said]

"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a Man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know."  (Acts 2:22)

Jesus' miracles had the same purpose as Moses' miracles. They showed the right, given by God, to lead and to speak for God (Exodus 4:12-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 2:1-4). Yet, as great as Moses had been, he had never said, "Trust in Me." Moses did not say anything like these words of  Jesus:

"Believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father (John 10:38). Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father . . . . Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." (John 14:9,11)

Jesus' miracles were greater, especially in giving life. He did "what no one else did" (John 15:24). Therefore His signs had a greater message. While proving that Jesus was the Prophet, they also proved much more. Jesus' claims about Himself and His Father were not empty words. The disciples began to understand this message when Jesus walked on the sea.

Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33).

After seeing the power of Jesus, Peter confessed,

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16)

John also saw the signs of Jesus. Near the end of his report, John showed the message of the miracles:

"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:30-31).

Let's Sum It Up

If God really did send Jesus, how could God prove that fact to men? By showing powers that only God can give. Jesus had those powers. He showed full control over every part of nature. He gave immediate healing from every sickness. He proved His complete power over death. Many witnesses saw and reported these signs to us. The signs have an important message for each one of us - Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Belief in Jesus leads to life.

If you wish to read more about TRUE MIRACLES, ask your study helper for 
the e-mail tract by that title.

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