REMEMBER:- This too SHALL PASS!
What is a miracle?
A Miracle is an unusual-extraordinary event that is caused by God because it does not follow the usual laws of nature.
A sign is more than a miracle. A sign signifies and indicates something beyond itself.
The book of John records seven signs-miracles that show Jesus’ astonishing power.
First Sign: The wedding at Cana. John 2:1-11
From the Wedding at Cana, we learn what happens when we invite Jesus into our life.
That it was the Holy Spirit, Who prompted Mary at this moment to make her request, “They have no wine”. John 2:3. Mary was the first to notice the problem of the wine, at the wedding and bring it to Jesus’ attention. She is our mediator who intercedes for us.
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." John 2:5 It means; follow Jesus’ instructions. (All of it.) It is wise to obey Mary’s direction: Do whatever he tells you.
- We see, Mary in the beginning of her Son’s ministry at the wedding at Cana and again at the end of John’ Gospel at Calvary.
- At Cana wine flowed from vessels intended for the cleansing of impurity while at Calvary the blood of Christ flowed from His side, which cleanses us from all sin.
- In Cana Mary intercedes when “the hour” has not yet come. And at Calvary, when “the hour” has come, Mary in her silence offers to the Father the redeeming death of her Son. Mary accepts from Jesus the mission to be the mother of all, where John represents us.
Jesus could in one instance let the water be filled in the jars. BUT...
Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. John 2:7
Jesus wanted the cooperation of the servants-the workers. They filled the jars to the brim, they did their job wholeheartedly. They could have filled it halfway through or maybe 3/4ths of it. Jesus did not give them any specifications to the amount, Jesus left it to them. There are many people in the world today who take their job for granted. They complain about so many things. Many times, people don't give it their all, not so with these servants. They trustingly did their work. The servants were blessed because in faith they obeyed without question. When you fill something completely, it only means you give it with all your heart. You give your heart to it.
That is how we must be, when Jesus tells us to do something, to do it perfectly-completely; whole-heartedly.
The water jars were filled to the brim. Jesus wasn’t going to add something to the water; He was going to transform water into wine.
It still was water, when He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast." So they took it. John 2:8. It was a risk. So, when did the water turn to wine? Probably, when in surrender marked with obedience and faith, they did what was asked of them.
The answer to our prayers, is in the words of Mama Mary, "Do whatever he tells you."
YES! The water turned to wine, and the best wine.
the steward of the feast called the bridegroom…. you have kept the good wine until now." John 2:9-10
Jesus got the servants, cooperation and their whole-heartedness in doing the job and their obedience to the point of appearing as fools.
This is how we must be when we come in prayer to Jesus. "Do whatever he tells you."
God can take something ordinary and make it into something beautiful, as the Wedding at Cana.
Our lives are to be in complete surrender to Jesus Christ. If Christ can turn water into wine by His will, He can do the extraordinary in our lives.
I believe Jesus means to let us know, what obedience truly is and how we must come to cooperate with God in doing His will and when we do, the transformation in our lives occur. Blessings follow!
My favourite miracle! (There is so much, to understand in this fabulous miracle. I absolutely love it.) I try to keep it short, but it is so difficult to do.💖
Second Sign: Jesus heals an Official’s son. John 4:46-54
Jesus had come to Cana in Galilee. An official came to ask Jesus to heal his dying son in Capernaum.
Jesus said, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." John 4:48. Jesus was stressing the need of faith.
Jesus was testing the official's faith. This man believed that if Jesus was actually at the bedside of his son, his son would be healed.
Without moving, Jesus told him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. John 4:50.
Jesus granted the request, but made the man prove out his own faith by letting him leave with no proof that his request had been granted.
The cure of the official’s son at Capernaum, simply by the word of Jesus at a distance (Cana in Galilee), signifies the power of Jesus’ life-giving Word.
Third Sign: Jesus heals on the Sabbath. John 5:1-15
Jesus is able to give life no matter how sinful a man is.
By the pool of Beth-za’tha, Jesus saw a man who had been disabled for 38 years. Here, the man has made no requests of Jesus whatsoever. So when Jesus asked, “Do you want to be healed?” John 5:6 the paralyzed man complaints about having no one to help him. And he replied, many times, when he was moving towards the pool, someone would always step down before him.
Then Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.” John 5:8.
Jesus called the paralyzed man to do the impossible. The man BELIEVED in Jesus and walked.
Jesus to the healed man, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." John 5:14- reveals that this ailment which had affected him was due to his own sin.
Even when we forget to seek Him, God in His mercy reaches down to us and heals us.
Every day Jesus speaks a word into our lives. When you hear that word, trust it. There is healing, hope and power in that word!
Fourth Sign: Feeding the Five Thousand. SAME DAY 🔻
John 6:1-14, Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:34-44 and Luke 9:10-17. (1 of the 7 signs to appear in 4 Gospels)
Andrew, an Apostle of Jesus found a boy who had two little fish and five barley loaves.
Jesus took the loaves and when He had given thanks He handed it out to His disciples to be distributed along with the fish! The people ate and were satisfied. The disciples then gathered up and filled twelve baskets full with fragments.
Jesus fed a crowd of over 5,000 people.
Little is much when God is in it. Give all that you have to Jesus and let Him do the rest.
“I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst." John 6:35
SAME DAY 🔻🔺
Fifth Sign: Jesus walks on water. SAME DAY 🔺
John 6:15-21, Matthew 14:22-33 and Mark 6:47-51
Jesus walks on water & Feeding of the Five Thousand (4thSign)-same day.
A strong wind stirred up the sea. As fishermen, with experience, the terrified disciples strained at the oars to make it to the shore.
In the midst of the storm they see Jesus approaching but they do not realize Who it is and they are terrified of Him. Jesus announces, “It is I; do not be afraid.” John 6:20. Jesus walked on the water and calmed the storm.
A look at this event in terms of the Passover:
What Jesus said can be translated:-“I am”, an Old Testament term for God.
The Fourth sign-Feeding the Five Thousand RELATED to God providing manna to the children of Israel from Heaven and as they moved from Egypt to the Promise Land.
In the Exodus Journey, we learn how God freed His people from the hand of the Egyptians by parting the Red Sea for their escape to the Promised Land.
John makes it clear that the God who rescued Israel manifests Himself, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”
Jesus came to the disciples. As Jesus, got into the boat… and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. John 6:21
Jesus is the One Who brings about the new exodus, that is, the true liberation of God’s people from slavery to sin.
Let’s say, being stuck in a storm, is scary, BUT, being scared we do not find answers.
God is in Charge! God is powerful! We need to invite God into our lives and when we do, troubles don’t stand a chance. “It is I; do not be afraid.”
To read further on Calming the Storm, please refer to:-
Calming the storm - is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels, in Matthew 8:23–27, Mark 4:35–41, and Luke 8:22–25.
To read further, please also refer to:-
Sixth Sign: A man born blind receives sight. 9:1-41
“I am the light of the world” John 9:5
In the miracle, the healing of the blind man, we see the man growing in his faith in Jesus by his obedience. The people said "Is not this man he who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he;" others were not sure. The healed man answered, "I am the man." They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"
v11 He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, `Go to Silo'am and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight."
"The man called Jesus"-all he knew of Jesus at the beginning of the miracle. They took him to the Pharisees. The Pharisees missed the point that the man born blind could now see. All they saw, was that Jesus had broken the Sabbath.
v17 So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."
Confronted by the Pharisees the blind-healed man received a stronger faith. The Pharisees told the healed man to give praise to God and they stated that Jesus is a sinner. The man had grown in his belief. At first he stated "The MAN called Jesus". Now he says, "A Prophet".
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out. John 9:31-34
v35-38. Jesus found him and said "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "And who is He, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen Him, and it is He who speaks to you," He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshipped him.
Increased faith in the healed blind man:
V11 “The man called Jesus”
V17 “A Prophet”
V35-38 “The Son of God”
Seventh Sign: The RAISING OF LAZARUS. 11:1-44
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26).
When Lazarus died, his sisters hopes died with him. However, Jesus transformed their impossibility into the perfect opportunity to glorify God by bringing Lazarus back to life.
“‘What is impossible with men is possible with God’” Luke 18:27.
Lazarus, although dead, heard the voice of Jesus and responded.
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in order to give us the sign that HE IS LORD OF ETERNAL LIFE!
Jesus asks the people to roll the tombstone away. When Jesus can bring Lazarus back from the dead, then Is He not able to roll this stone away?
But by asking the people to, He is teaching us that for miracles to happen; we have to co-operate with God. We are to do what we possibly can do and leave the impossibilities to God!
As humans they did roll the stone away. And Jesus, the Son of God raised Lazarus to life!
We are reminded that Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. Jesus, heard that Lazarus was ill, but remained for two days in the place where he was. Why did Jesus wait until he is dead? Why did Jesus delay for four days before He brought Lazarus back to life?
The answer is to reveal the Glory of God! God will always act at the right time in the right way.
Please continue to read on Lazarus: Lazarus 11:11
I Believe! Beyond Crucifixion, there is the Resurrection!
We can look upon suffering as a chance to embrace the love and compassion of God in the midst of tragedy.
In spite of the odds when we hold onto the faith; that God will never abandon us; that in itself is a true miracle. It is in this reality that, Impossibilities become POSSIBLE!
Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine!
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