And His Disciples Believed in Him

John 2: 1-11

Today we read about Jesus’ first recorded miracle. It is a familiar story to most of us as Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana. What John wrote in 2:11 was especially significant to me: “What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him”.

My study bible notes on this verse state “John always refers to Jesus miracles as “signs”, a word emphasizing the significance of the action rather than the marvel. They revealed Jesus’ glory.”
For me, this is a good reminder that while Jesus certainly performed miracles out of love and compassion for hurting people, he also performed miracles to “reveal his glory”, to tell us who he truly was so that we might believe in him.

Jesus was fully Man, but Jesus was also fully God. This idea can be hard to grasp, but Jesus leaves no room for doubt that he is God. In John 10:30 he states, “I and the Father are one.” Ultimately he was crucified for his claim of Divinity. The Nicene Creed, written in the fourth century, addressed some controversy on this topic. It states that Jesus was “God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made”. Christians have repeated these words for over 1600 years as a statement of faith.

As believers we are blessed to have the testimony of Christians who have gone before us and the written record of Jesus’ words and actions found in our bibles to help us know who he is and to help us believe. And… we live with the benefit of the greatest miracle of all, being made right with God through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

John seems to summarize things nicely in chapter 20, verse 30: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe[a] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Amen!

SIGNS OF SPRING

Scripture Reading:  Matthew 24:6-35

 

“Spring is in the air.” Really?!? It snowed this week, the wind is bitter-cold, snow squalls are predicted once more. It seems like winter wants to hang around indefinitely. Will spring ever come?  In my funk about our seeming perpetual winter, a voice within encourages, “Look at the trees, check out the flowers.”  Buds are beginning to appear, green foliage has pushed up from the ground, and many spring flowers have bloomed.  Yes, though winter still has us in its grip, there are signs that spring is just around the corner. 

 

Jesus used such as analogy in talking to his disciples about the end times and his eventual return. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its young shoots become tender, and it puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near; so you, too, when you see all these things [taking place], know for certain that He is near, right at the door (Matthew 24:32-33, AMP).”  What things would signal Christ’s return?  We’ve heard these before: “wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution of believers, increasing wickedness (Mt 24: 6-9),” …and are we not seeing these things taking place in our world today?  He is right at the door.

 

When I think about Jesus’ return, I must admit I wonder how we will know for sure it is He who has come. Jesus warns us to not listen to people who try to convince us that Christ has returned (vs 23, 26). There will be plenty of false prophets and “Messiahs.”  It helped me to read verse 27 of Matthew 24: “For as the lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” We won’t have to go looking for him among the counterfeit.  He will come swiftly and suddenly – like lightning – to be seen and known by all!

 

 

The promise of spring is sure – we have come to rely on the signs, and we look forward to its coming, especially after a hard winter.  Just so, we have heard Jesus’ words about his return. We see the signs, his promise is sure.  He has told us that heaven and earth as we know it, will pass away, but “[his] words will never pass away.” We look forward to his coming, especially so after all the hardships of this life.

 

Dear, Jesus, thank you for the sure promise we have as your children that you will be returning soon.  Thank you, too, that we can rely on your words – they will remain faithful and true.  Come Lord Jesus, Come quickly!  Amen.