Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord God. - Exodus 23:17
Last Sunday we began a brand new sermon series tiled “The Miracles of Jesus”. We studied the first of Jesus’ many miracles - turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana. When the host family ran out of wine during the wedding celebration, Jesus told the servants to fill 6 large pots with water. As they obeyed, He simply willed that the water become wine and it did. The party was saved! Although this was a remarkable sign Jesus chose to keep His actions mostly anonymous, stating that the time to launch His ministry publicly had not yet come.
In today’s message we will examine the next 2 occasions during which Jesus performed miracles. Just like last week, both of this morning’s accounts are found exclusively in the gospel of John. Remember that John does not refer to Jesus’ supernatural works as “miracles”, but rather as “signs”. His physical miracles were signs of His divine nature and identity.
I. VARIOUS MIRACLES IN JERUSALEM (John 2:23-25)
The Jewish Passover was near so Jesus traveled to Jerusalem. When He came into the temple He found money changers and merchants selling oxen, sheep, and doves. They were taking advantage of those who had come to make sacrifices by charging exorbitant prices for the animals and cheating them with a poor exchange rate on their currency. Jesus became angry and overturned their tables, poured out their coins, and then He drove them out with a scourge of cords. This was the first time that Jesus cleansed the temple. He would do it again a few years later just days before His crucifixion.
During the weeklong Feast of Unleavened Bread that followed the Passover, Jesus remained in Jerusalem and performed many signs and wonders. The Bible does not elaborate on these specifically, so we don’t know what types of miracles He did, how many, or the manner by which He did them. However, it is clear that He did them publicly and that many people believed in His name as a result. I believe this was the “official” launching of His ministry. What better time and place than at the temple in Jerusalem during the Passover celebration? Despite the crowds’ excitement and warm reception, Jesus didn’t get caught up in the hype. He knew what was in the hearts of men.
The amazing signs that Jesus did on this occasion caught the attention of a Pharisee named Nicodemus. He came to Jesus privately at night to speak with Him. During their conversation, Jesus taught Nicodemus what it meant to be born again. Though the Scriptures don’t state it explicitly, Nicodemus’ actions after meeting Jesus suggest that may have become a believer (John 7:50; 19:39). The bottom line is that while the miracles themselves weren’t even described, the people believing was stated and emphasized.
II. ANOTHER ENCOUNTER AT CANA (John 4:46-50)
A few months after the Passover had ended, Jesus and his first few disciples left Judea, where they had been baptizing, passed through Samaria, where they met a woman at the well, and then came into Galilee. Once again they made their way to the small village of Cana, where Jesus had turned water into wine. There they were met by a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. He had heard that Jesus was back in Galilee and went to meet Him. Capernaum was about 25 miles east of Cana.
Many Galileans had travelled to Jerusalem for Passover a few months earlier and had seen Jesus perform miraculous signs there. When they returned home they told others and Jesus’ fame had spread throughout the region. This royal official asked Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, for the boy’s illness was dire and he was on the verge of death. Jesus seemed a bit frustrated and said, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.” When the official asked a second time, Jesus answered, “Go; your son lives.” Hearing this, the royal official believed and started on his way to Capernaum.
Though it was still quite early in His ministry, Jesus was already expressing a degree of frustration with people who only seemed interested in seeing Him perform miracles. They were not asking Him about the Kingdom of God or pleading with Him for forgiveness of their sin. I am not trying to make light of the father’s anguish or the son’s sickness, but simply pointing out Jesus’ own statement. Jesus knew that earthly miracles were temporal at best, but He had come to offer something eternal. Still, He compassionately answered the royal official's plea.
III. AN ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD BELIEVES (John 4:51-54)
As the official hurried home toward Capernaum, some of his slaves met him along the way and reported that his son was still living and his condition had greatly improved. He asked them at what time did his son begin feeling better and they answered, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” The father realized that this was the very hour when Jesus had said, “Your son lives.” He continued to his home, most certainly hugged his son, and told his entire household what had happened. All of them believed in Jesus as a result.
The only people who saw this miracle take place, if anyone, were those in Capernaum who were actually with the boy at the moment of his instantaneous healing. The royal official only saw the results of the miracle when he got home the next day, while all of those in Cana who wanted to see a miracle didn’t witness anything. In other words, Jesus didn’t put on a show or try to dazzle anyone with His amazing feats. The emphasis of this passage, once again, was on the fact that the entire household believed.
CONCLUSION
In closing, last week I listed the 4 categories of Jesus’ miracles - natural miracles, healing miracles, exorcisms, and physical resurrections. The restoration of the royal official’s son was a healing miracle. As for the manner of this miracle, Jesus spoke and the boy was immediately healed. What makes this particular instance even more amazing is that Jesus and the sick child were several miles away from each other when it happened. The long distance between them did not prevent Jesus from being able to perform this remarkable sign.
When Jesus told the father to go home because his son had been healed, he could have very easily been skeptical and insistent that Jesus go with him. After all, he hadn’t actually seen anything happen. Jesus was teaching him to have faith, and to his credit he believed (Hebrews 11:1). In the same way, the Bible teaches Christians to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). If Jesus said it, we can live with certainty that He has done it or will do it.
Finally, it is worth noting that Jesus answered the royal official’s petition at the very moment he asked. However, the desperate father didn’t actually find out that his son had been healed until hours later. Sometimes there is a gap between the time of Jesus’ work and the revelation of Jesus’ work. Don’t assume that God hasn’t done anything just because you haven’t seen the proof yet. Have faith and believe. His answer may already be waiting just around the corner.
Next week we will discuss Jesus’ 4th miracle. A word of warning… If you're thinking about skipping church this coming Sunday to go fishing, don’t do it. We are going to read a fishing story that will completely blow your mind, and you don’t want to miss it!
Last Sunday we began a brand new sermon series tiled “The Miracles of Jesus”. We studied the first of Jesus’ many miracles - turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana. When the host family ran out of wine during the wedding celebration, Jesus told the servants to fill 6 large pots with water. As they obeyed, He simply willed that the water become wine and it did. The party was saved! Although this was a remarkable sign Jesus chose to keep His actions mostly anonymous, stating that the time to launch His ministry publicly had not yet come.
In today’s message we will examine the next 2 occasions during which Jesus performed miracles. Just like last week, both of this morning’s accounts are found exclusively in the gospel of John. Remember that John does not refer to Jesus’ supernatural works as “miracles”, but rather as “signs”. His physical miracles were signs of His divine nature and identity.
I. VARIOUS MIRACLES IN JERUSALEM (John 2:23-25)
The Jewish Passover was near so Jesus traveled to Jerusalem. When He came into the temple He found money changers and merchants selling oxen, sheep, and doves. They were taking advantage of those who had come to make sacrifices by charging exorbitant prices for the animals and cheating them with a poor exchange rate on their currency. Jesus became angry and overturned their tables, poured out their coins, and then He drove them out with a scourge of cords. This was the first time that Jesus cleansed the temple. He would do it again a few years later just days before His crucifixion.
During the weeklong Feast of Unleavened Bread that followed the Passover, Jesus remained in Jerusalem and performed many signs and wonders. The Bible does not elaborate on these specifically, so we don’t know what types of miracles He did, how many, or the manner by which He did them. However, it is clear that He did them publicly and that many people believed in His name as a result. I believe this was the “official” launching of His ministry. What better time and place than at the temple in Jerusalem during the Passover celebration? Despite the crowds’ excitement and warm reception, Jesus didn’t get caught up in the hype. He knew what was in the hearts of men.
The amazing signs that Jesus did on this occasion caught the attention of a Pharisee named Nicodemus. He came to Jesus privately at night to speak with Him. During their conversation, Jesus taught Nicodemus what it meant to be born again. Though the Scriptures don’t state it explicitly, Nicodemus’ actions after meeting Jesus suggest that may have become a believer (John 7:50; 19:39). The bottom line is that while the miracles themselves weren’t even described, the people believing was stated and emphasized.
II. ANOTHER ENCOUNTER AT CANA (John 4:46-50)
A few months after the Passover had ended, Jesus and his first few disciples left Judea, where they had been baptizing, passed through Samaria, where they met a woman at the well, and then came into Galilee. Once again they made their way to the small village of Cana, where Jesus had turned water into wine. There they were met by a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. He had heard that Jesus was back in Galilee and went to meet Him. Capernaum was about 25 miles east of Cana.
Many Galileans had travelled to Jerusalem for Passover a few months earlier and had seen Jesus perform miraculous signs there. When they returned home they told others and Jesus’ fame had spread throughout the region. This royal official asked Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, for the boy’s illness was dire and he was on the verge of death. Jesus seemed a bit frustrated and said, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.” When the official asked a second time, Jesus answered, “Go; your son lives.” Hearing this, the royal official believed and started on his way to Capernaum.
Though it was still quite early in His ministry, Jesus was already expressing a degree of frustration with people who only seemed interested in seeing Him perform miracles. They were not asking Him about the Kingdom of God or pleading with Him for forgiveness of their sin. I am not trying to make light of the father’s anguish or the son’s sickness, but simply pointing out Jesus’ own statement. Jesus knew that earthly miracles were temporal at best, but He had come to offer something eternal. Still, He compassionately answered the royal official's plea.
III. AN ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD BELIEVES (John 4:51-54)
As the official hurried home toward Capernaum, some of his slaves met him along the way and reported that his son was still living and his condition had greatly improved. He asked them at what time did his son begin feeling better and they answered, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” The father realized that this was the very hour when Jesus had said, “Your son lives.” He continued to his home, most certainly hugged his son, and told his entire household what had happened. All of them believed in Jesus as a result.
The only people who saw this miracle take place, if anyone, were those in Capernaum who were actually with the boy at the moment of his instantaneous healing. The royal official only saw the results of the miracle when he got home the next day, while all of those in Cana who wanted to see a miracle didn’t witness anything. In other words, Jesus didn’t put on a show or try to dazzle anyone with His amazing feats. The emphasis of this passage, once again, was on the fact that the entire household believed.
CONCLUSION
In closing, last week I listed the 4 categories of Jesus’ miracles - natural miracles, healing miracles, exorcisms, and physical resurrections. The restoration of the royal official’s son was a healing miracle. As for the manner of this miracle, Jesus spoke and the boy was immediately healed. What makes this particular instance even more amazing is that Jesus and the sick child were several miles away from each other when it happened. The long distance between them did not prevent Jesus from being able to perform this remarkable sign.
When Jesus told the father to go home because his son had been healed, he could have very easily been skeptical and insistent that Jesus go with him. After all, he hadn’t actually seen anything happen. Jesus was teaching him to have faith, and to his credit he believed (Hebrews 11:1). In the same way, the Bible teaches Christians to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). If Jesus said it, we can live with certainty that He has done it or will do it.
Finally, it is worth noting that Jesus answered the royal official’s petition at the very moment he asked. However, the desperate father didn’t actually find out that his son had been healed until hours later. Sometimes there is a gap between the time of Jesus’ work and the revelation of Jesus’ work. Don’t assume that God hasn’t done anything just because you haven’t seen the proof yet. Have faith and believe. His answer may already be waiting just around the corner.
Next week we will discuss Jesus’ 4th miracle. A word of warning… If you're thinking about skipping church this coming Sunday to go fishing, don’t do it. We are going to read a fishing story that will completely blow your mind, and you don’t want to miss it!