At Camp Kedron this week we are discussing the amazing things Jesus taught and His mighty deeds. The miracles Jesus did weren’t an end in themselves but were signs which pointed people to Him being the Messiah: the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the promised Saviour. John 20:30-31 is a foundational verse for the talks: “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.”
It would be a silly thing to stop in wonder at a sign but not continue to the intended destination. The purpose of signs is to give direction, to point to something more important than itself. Can you imagine going to Disneyland and stopping at the sign out front in the carpark? It would do little good to follow directions to a house and stop at the street sign or at the letterbox with the number on it and imagine there was no need to go further. The idea is to follow the directions to the correct street, continue past the letterbox, and go beyond the door into the home. Spending all day at the sign outside Disneyland would save money, but any who did so would fall far short of experiencing the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
A lot of people see Jesus as a brilliant teacher or even a curious miracle worker but have gone no further and missed the point. As believers it is good to acknowledge the miraculous signs Jesus did but not hijack them to support the emphasis of healing, deliverance, or social justice ends. Jesus healed all who came to Him because He has power and authority over all diseases and spirits. If any had proved too difficult for Him, then we would rightly question His ability to forgive sins, heal body and mind, or save. He did not heal to suggest people of faith should never experience sickness, suffer, or to seek medical help is a faithless denial of Him. These healings were signs pointing to His identity as the Son of God, the Saviour sent by the Father to seek and save the lost. Stopping at the sign—making the sign the end in itself—is to fall short of the primary purpose they were graciously provided.
God desires people would know Him, come to the knowledge of the truth, and be saved from hell and experience the abundant life He provides. He demonstrated great compassion, love, and power through more signs and miracles than could be written to the end lost sinners would have life in His name. It is likely those healed from their diseases at some point suffered another severe malady down the track, and those physically raised from the dead eventually went the way of the earth. But those who were born again, forgiven of their sins, and trusted in Jesus Christ were saved for eternity! Don’t stop at the sign: keep going to fulfill their purpose in knowing Christ as LORD and Saviour.
It would be a silly thing to stop in wonder at a sign but not continue to the intended destination. The purpose of signs is to give direction, to point to something more important than itself. Can you imagine going to Disneyland and stopping at the sign out front in the carpark? It would do little good to follow directions to a house and stop at the street sign or at the letterbox with the number on it and imagine there was no need to go further. The idea is to follow the directions to the correct street, continue past the letterbox, and go beyond the door into the home. Spending all day at the sign outside Disneyland would save money, but any who did so would fall far short of experiencing the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
A lot of people see Jesus as a brilliant teacher or even a curious miracle worker but have gone no further and missed the point. As believers it is good to acknowledge the miraculous signs Jesus did but not hijack them to support the emphasis of healing, deliverance, or social justice ends. Jesus healed all who came to Him because He has power and authority over all diseases and spirits. If any had proved too difficult for Him, then we would rightly question His ability to forgive sins, heal body and mind, or save. He did not heal to suggest people of faith should never experience sickness, suffer, or to seek medical help is a faithless denial of Him. These healings were signs pointing to His identity as the Son of God, the Saviour sent by the Father to seek and save the lost. Stopping at the sign—making the sign the end in itself—is to fall short of the primary purpose they were graciously provided.
God desires people would know Him, come to the knowledge of the truth, and be saved from hell and experience the abundant life He provides. He demonstrated great compassion, love, and power through more signs and miracles than could be written to the end lost sinners would have life in His name. It is likely those healed from their diseases at some point suffered another severe malady down the track, and those physically raised from the dead eventually went the way of the earth. But those who were born again, forgiven of their sins, and trusted in Jesus Christ were saved for eternity! Don’t stop at the sign: keep going to fulfill their purpose in knowing Christ as LORD and Saviour.
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