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There are a lot more, of course, but John depicts eight which John MacArthur points out. Studying each of these will give a broad view of Jesus’ authority. John used the word signs to indicate significant displays of divine power which drew, through the eyes of faith, direct attention to deeper divine realities. Each act was a physical event which depicted a deep spiritual truth. We find the all through scripture.

In John 2:1-12— Jesus is the source of life – Jesus turns water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Mark Lowery said, “You gotta love a guy that starts His ministry with a party!” Amen. This not so simple act was so very understated, in fact Jesus put no hand to the stone water jars, He spoke no word such as “Alakazam!” He quietly told the servants to pour water into the six stone jars which held about twenty to thirty gallons each, then to bring the master of ceremonies a cup of it. The result was the best wine had been “saved” for last. The jars were empty, filled with water, and wine came out. The great spiritual truth of this miracle is that Jesus is the source of life. John makes this clear in the third chapter when Jesus speaks with Nicodemus. Unless a man is born of water, and born of the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Once the human soul is bonded to the Holy Spirit through faith, that person is a brand new creature. Water went in, and wine came out. Jesus does not have to physically touch us, nor must He speak some magical words over us. We have believe, we have faith, and we are given life eternal from that instant.

John 4:46-54—Jesus rules distance— The nobleman came to Jesus and begged that He go down with him to heal his son. Jesus said, “Unless you people have signs and wonders you’ll never believe.” The man begged again and Jesus told him to “go your way, your son lives.” While this seems obvious, it has a more deliberate intent for the spiritual truth. With this one miracle, Jesus proved that no matter where He was physically, He would heal the sick and brokenhearted. Now, even more than then, Jesus is master over space because the distance between the physical and the spiritual realms cannot be crossed by physical beings, but Jesus can and does quite regularly. Jews are literal people. They have a show me attitude that rivals the state of Missouri. Jesus was telling them in an oh so subtle way that He is the Master and things will get done that He desires to get done regardless of physical presence or not.

John 5:1-17—Jesus rules time—In fact, Jesus created time. A lame man was lying beside the pool of Bethesda which was the pool of healing. An angel would come and stir the pool and the first person in the pool would be healed. On the Sabbath, Jesus passed by the pool. Amazingly, the five porches were full of the lame, the blind, and the withered. All eyes were on the pool waiting for the waters to move, not one person reached out to Jesus who could heal with a thought. How sad we humans are so blind to the real hope and help. Jesus looked upon the man and knew he had been lame for a very long time. It was supernatural knowledge. Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed. Pathetically, the man said he had been waiting by the pool for a very long time, but when the waters were stirred, there was no one to help him get into the pool thus someone was always there before him. Jesus healed the man and told him to take up his bed and walk. We can never depend upon other humans to save us. The man did what Jesus told him to do. There was no question this was a miraculous healing as all knew the man had been sitting by the pool for nearly four decades. It affirmed beyond doubt that Jesus considered healing above the Sabbath, and not works as the oral law proclaimed. He had no need to wait for the next day, nor did He require the help of the angel to stir the waters. Once again, Jesus did not touch for the healing nor did He speak a word for the healing. Here we receive the definitive of our purpose. Once we are forgiven and healed from our sin, we are to live our life in obedience to the Lord God Almighty. We should not live in conformity with mankind, nor conform our actions to approval of others. We are to doggedly do what God requires of us looking neither to the right nor to the left giving Him full reign over our hearts, our bodies, and our strength of will.

Next week we’ll study the other signs.

"Refreshment in Refuge" from Gina Burgess

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