John was a Jewish man who had gone from being a “son of thunder” (Mark 3:17) to a disciple that spoke of love. Many of his fellow Jews had a preconceived idea of what Messiah would be and Jesus didn’t match it. This is why so many had rejected Jesus as Messiah. John wanted them to know the life that Jesus gave; it was his purpose for writing his Gospel. John 20: 30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name. [1]
Signs or miracles that Jesus did were always about leading people to faith and for people to continue to believe that He was the Messiah. These signs showed the power of God. They showed that Jesus spoke the truth. Moreover, these signs told us Jesus was who He said He was: “The Son of God.”
Are you waiting for a sign from God?
God can send signs in many ways: healings, miracles, or visions. Most importantly, God provides signs using His Word. I cannot stress enough how important it is to confirm all perceived signs by the Bible. You must ask yourself, does this sign agree with what the Bible teaches? For the devil would love to counterfeit a sign and lead you astray.
One of the ways God communicates to His people is by His word. Therefore, we can be sure that the guiding principles outlined in the Bible are signs of what we should do. Let’s look at three times in the New Testament writers used passages in the Old Testament to confirm their beliefs:
- Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3, when being tempted by Satan in Matthew 4:4.
- Paul says in Romans 3:10 “There is none righteous, no, not one:” which he references from Psalm 53:3
- Peter explains (1 Peter 2:6) that Christ is the cornerstone by quoting directly from Isaiah 28:16.
Are you searching for discernment from God? Perhaps, you want to go in a particular direction, and you want to make sure. During your prayer time, ask God for clarity, dive into His Word and trust in His promise to give you wisdom. Proverbs 2:6For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. [2]
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for being willing to communicate with me. Thank you for being clear in Your word about the ways You give signs. Help me to know for sure when a sign is coming from You. Give me a discerning eye and continue to guide me through this Christian journey. Amen.
To hear more of the beloved disciple’s encounter with Jesus, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/encountering-jesus-with-the-beloved-disciple
[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
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