Note This is last of a series of articles I’m writing regarding the 7 miracles of Jesus as seen in the book of John. This journey asks important questions about each of these events. You can read the prior ones in Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6
The seventh miracle shows us the largest miracle of all, found in John Chapter 11.
Note This is sixth of a series of articles I’m writing regarding the 7 miracles of Jesus as seen in the book of John. This journey asks important questions about each of these events. You can read the prior ones in Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5
The sixth miracle contains a number of interesting points, found at the beginning of John chapter 9.
Note This is fifth of a series of articles I’m writing regarding the 7 miracles of Jesus as seen in the book of John. This journey asks important questions about each of these events. You can read the prior ones in Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3 and Part 4
While easy to miss, the fifth miracle of Jesus, walking on water, is no less significant than the others. Found in John chapter 6, right after the fourth Miracle,
Note This is third of a series of articles I’m writing regarding the 7 miracles of Jesus as seen in the book of John. You can read the prior ones in Part 1 and Part 2.
Perhaps one of the best known miracles, Jesus feeds thousands with just a few loaves and fish by the power of God.
John 6.1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 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.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
1. What does this story say to you about people?
First, it shows that hey, we all get hungry. 🙂 Honestly, it shows that we all depend on God, each and every day, for our existence and sustenance. Next, it shows we lack faith more times than not. And, finally, in the last part, it touches how we always seek to put someone in charge, especially in religious matters. We saw this same issue when Israelite wanted a king instead of the judge system God had set up. Instead of taking personal responsibility for our spiritual matters, we find someone who excels in that area, and put them in charge of us.
2. What does this story say to you about Jesus?
Jesus loves us and has authority and power to sustain us. Like the bread, Jesus overflowing love for us completely satisfied and strengthens us.
3. What does this story have to say about you?
I forget, many times, that God ultimate takes care of all my needs, including the physical ones. If the money gets a little tight, or something along those lines, I panic and immediately look to my own ways to resolve the issue. I need to have more faith in Him, as he is more than sufficient to take care of me. Furthermore, if I do experience a crisis in that area, it is his wisdom and for his glory that it happens.
4. Who needs to hear this story?
Everyone, of course 🙂
Note This is third of a series of articles I’m writing regarding the 7 miracles of Jesus as seen in the book of John. You can read the prior ones in Part 1 and Part 2.
The third miracle, the healing at the pool, shows us the mercy of God and the hypocrisy of man.
This is the second in a series of articles about the miracles Jesus performed recorded in the book of John.
As I mentioned earlier, I believe we can learn much by studying the seven miracles recorded in the book of John. Jesus performed more than seven miracles, yet these are the 7 that John chose to record. By asking some basic questions about each, we can learn much about God.
Jesus Heals an Official’s Son
John 4.43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
First, its worth noting Jesus’ comment about how people would not believe unless they see signs. I know many Christians struggle with the fact their friends stubbornly refused to come to the faith. We are not alone! Jesus understands as he saw this firsthand, himself.
Next, I believe God is moved by our prayers. Jesus could have revealed himself through any number of miracles, yet chose to heal a boy after his father pleaded on his behalf.
God’s sovereignty shines through, as Jesus simply says “Your son will live,” and it comes to pass. This demonstrates again how Jesus, the Son, works with God, the Father.
Because of the above, this passage teaches me that Jesus loves us very much. He listens to us, and advocates our needs to the Father. His power and sovereignty reign supreme. What do you learn about Jesus and God when you read about this miracle?
Salutations.
It was once recommended that I read the book of John, where seven of the miracles that Jesus did were recorded, and write down my thoughts. Jesus did numerous miracles, yet John chose seven to write about. Neil Cole challenges us to read these miracles and ask some basic questions.
1. What does this story say to you about people?
2. What does this story say to you about Jesus?
3. What does this story have to say about you?
4. Who needs to hear this story?
So, I take up the challenge, with the first miracle found in the second chapter.
Jesus Changes Water Into Wine (John Ch 2)
2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[b]
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and 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.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Wow. The bible makes it clear in the 11th verse, that these signs and miracles revealed his glory. And, for His first miracle, he turned water into wine for a party! Before moving forward, I would like to address a common misconception. Some churches would teach that Jesus turned the water into grape juice, and not wine, par se. Yet, take a look at verse 10. The statement about bringing out the cheaper, lower quality wine does not make sense unless you consider it in the light of people drinking fermented beverages and, by extension, become less critical about what they drank as they went along. And no one really talks about guests drinking too much ‘grape juicy’ at a party…they certainly DO discuss people having too much alcohol.
With that said, I find it incredibly fascinating that Jesus chose to turn water into wine for a party as the mean in which he firsts reveals His glory to others. Could you imagine the Pharisees’ faces after they were told this transpired? Recently, I heard of a hard working pastor who was kicked from his denomination for drinking one beer in a bar as a way to reach out to the un-lost who could be found aplenty in such establishments. I wonder what those churches would do if Jesus worked among their number performing these types of miracles?
Many think that living the Christian life means living a very boring life filled with rules and regulations. Yet, Jesus tosses the book out of the window with his first miracle alone. Many believe that God does not care about our happiness or well being, yet Jesus does this miracle at the request of His mother despite his statement “My hour has not yet come.” Now, please do not misunderstand me. I do not believe that the bible condones a drunken lifestyle or that God places our happiness above His own glory at any time. I simply offer the idea that the opposite, that God requires a lifestyle completely without alcohol and/or happiness, is also just as wrong.
What does this miracle say to you?
—————
Lightwaves 