Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Sign Posts

We have at last reached John's statement of the theme of his book. "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presents 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).

John focused on the following signs: 1) turning water into wine 2) telling the woman at the well her past 3) healing the man by the pool of Bethesda 4) healing the nobleman's son from a distance 5) feeding 5,000 men with three barley loaves and two small fish 6) giving sight to a man who was born blind 7) walking on water.

How do these particular signs point to Jesus as the Christ? 1) power over the elements 2) intimate knowledge of our lives 3) power over the ravages of sin (remember in this case Jesus warned him not to sin lest a worse thing comes upon him) 4) Power to heal without being physically present 5) power to provide 6) power to create what is not there 7) power over the laws of nature.

Only God has this kind of authority.