Introduction
Memory Text: “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30, 31, NKJV).
John explained that why He wrote his gospel is “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31, NKJV). John calls these miracles “signs,” miraculous events that point to a deeper reality: Jesus as the Messiah. The Gospel of John contains examples of people who responded in faith. And these examples invite us to do the same.
What sign did Jesus do at Cana, and how did this help the disciples in coming to believe in Him?
Jesus Christ performs the miracle of changing water into wine and this provided evidence in favor of the disciples’ decision to follow Jesus.
How does Jesus’ first sign identify with the Israelites?
Moses was the leader of the Israelites, and he brought Israel out of Egypt by many signs and wonders. God prophesied through Moses that a prophet would come who was like Moses whom they should hear. Jesus’ first sign of turning water into wine pointed back to the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt. The River Nile was changed to blood as a plague to the Egyptians that should lead to the Israelite’s deliverance, Jesus performed similar miracle but, instead of turning water into blood, He turned water into wine. The water came from six water pots used for purification purposes in Jewish rituals, linking the miracle even more closely to biblical themes of salvation. In summary, by recounting the incident of changing water to wine, and thus referring back to the Exodus, John was pointing to Jesus as our Deliverer.
What did the master of the feast think of the unfermented wine that Jesus provided?
He was indeed surprised by the quality of the drink and, not knowing the miracle that Jesus had performed there, thought that they had saved the best for last.
What second sign did Jesus do in Galilee?
Jesus healed a nobleman’s son.
Why does John make a connection back to the miracle at the wedding feast?
By pointing back to the first sign at the wedding in Cana, John seems to be saying, The signs that Jesus did will help you see who Jesus is. Then John adds, “This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee” (John 4:54, NKJV).
What lesson can we learn from Jesus’ healing of the nobleman’s son?
The nobleman made the healing of his son a criterion for believing in Jesus, we should not look to miracles as evidence for the power of God. Satan too, can perform “miracles,” that is if we see miracles as supernatural acts. A true prophet or person of God will say and do according to God’s will, he will speak according to the scriptures.
What was the problem with the man at the pool of Bethesda?
Of course, the obvious problem was that He was disabled and needed healing, but the other problem was that he was looking for the solution to his problem in the wrong place. Sometimes we go to the wrong place for solutions, meanwhile the Healer is very close by, even in our hearts.
How did Jesus help this man with an infirmity believe in Him?
Jesus does not ask the man with an infirmity thirty-eight years to exercise faith, but rather Jesus said to him to rise up and walk. It is at this command from Jesus that the man anchors his faith and then he believed in Jesus and He was made well.
What was the problem with the religious leaders who the healed man in John 5:1-9 reported his healing to?
Their hearts were corrupt, their false belief that the Messiah would save them from the Roman Rule blinded their eyes. Their hearts were hardened and would not accept the truth.
What points can we draw from Jesus’ sign of healing the man with infirmity thirty-eight years?
Healings were allowed on the Sabbath only in an emergency, but the man with infirmity was disabled for thirty-eight years. One would think that someone with the power from God would not break the Sabbath by instructing another to take up his bed and walk. Jesus in performing this miracle of healing this man with infirmity for thirty-eight years was seeking to take them to deeper biblical truths beyond the man-made rules and regulations that had, in some cases, stifled true faith.
Why was Jesus persecuted for His action of healing the man of infirmity on the Sabbath?
He was persecuted because it was supposed that Jesus was breaking the Sabbath and that Jesus was claiming equality with God.
Did Jesus break the Sabbath by healing the man with infirmity?
A closer look at John 5:16-18 shows that Jesus’ “work” on the Sabbath is in line with His relationship to His Father. God sustains the universe even on the Sabbath, Jesus’ activity on the Sabbath was part of His claim to divinity.
How does Jesus defend His actions on the Sabbath?
He defends His actions in three steps. First, He explains His intimate relationship with the Father, that everything He does is in harmony with the Father, Jesus had power to judge and raise the dead. Second, Jesus calls four “witnesses” in rapid succession to His defense – John the Baptist, the miracles Jesus does, the Father, and the Scriptures, each of these give testimonies in favor of Jesus. Finally, Jesus sets the contrasts between His ministry and the self-seeking of His accusers. Their condemnation, Jesus says, will come from Moses, the one in whom they have set their hopes.
In Conclusion,
Jesus is truly the Son of God and in Him is life, and we are not to fall into the trap of self-seeking and hardheartedness. May God help us to fully surrender to Him, because in so doing we will be protected from rejecting the truth, in Jesus’ name.
