John Part 2 - Could You Gimme A Sign?

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If we can all take a moment and be honest with ourselves, there probably isn’t a person in the room who hasn’t, at one point or another, asked God for “a sign”. Sometimes we even demand it. And sometimes we ask God for signs about stuff that, looking back, is just flat embarrassing.

Why do we do this? Because we are creatures of “see it, smell it, touch it, kiss it.”[1] We have to get our hands all over something in order to believe it exists. Fortunately for us, Jesus understands that about human nature and generously shows us eight signs in the gospel of John to back up what He’s already told us: 

“I AM God.”

These signs break down into 3 visible categories within the Gospel:

[1] “Look What I Can Do” miracles

I can almost hear Jesus saying (in that sometimes-playful, usually sarcastic, always loving voice of His)

“If I WASN’T God, would I be able to do…THIS?!?”

(John 2:1-11)

(John 6:5-14)

(John 6:16-21)

“No. No I wouldn’t. Ergo, I’m Jesus. And God. In one super-accessible package deal.”

[2] Healing Miracles (John 4:46-54; 5:1-18; 9:1-7)

These miracles hit me in a very personal and internalized way lately… ...particularly right where my appendix used to be.

Let me explain…no. There is too much. Let me sum up.[2]

It happened one late December evening...and into the rest of that month...

There is something very special about your body not working the way it is supposed to, and then because of the power of Jesus’ healing you are made whole again.

Jesus showed His character and His divine nature by stepping into people’s lives and healing them in ways that a physician or medicine-man of that day an age wouldn’t have been able to touch. In His healing ministry, Jesus showcased the healing power of God for the world to see.

[3] Resurrection miracles
        Raising Lazarus from the dead (11:1-45)
        The resurrection and appearance of Jesus (20:1-29)

These are like…the grand finale of miracles. Like, if someone reading the text doesn’t get the picture by now, then we have serious trouble.

Throughout the Bible God has been the ONLY ONE able to give life. He is the giver of life and creation in Genesis. He brings people back from the brink with His healing. He tells Death who to take and who to leave alone (for example, Job, when God said Satan could do WHATEVER he wanted to Job, but he was NOT allowed to kill him.)

That Jesus is able to command death at all is the highlight of His proclamations of Godhood.

 ...    ...    ... .... .....     ...

The one thing I know for 100% certain is that if Jesus really did come back from the dead – if He indeed raised Himself from death and reappeared to as many witnesses as He did – then Jesus IS who He says He is.

He IS the bread of life.
He IS the light of the world.
He IS the gate to the heavenly pastures.
He IS the good shepherd.
He IS the way, the truth, the Life.
He IS the resurrection and the life.
He IS the true vine
He IS Yahweh.

John himself said that Jesus performed so many other miracles that all the books in the world would not be able to contain what He did. He also said that the miracles included in his book are the ones that best showcase that Jesus is God.

So if Jesus is God…what then?

If you come away with nothing else from this Gospel, my dear reader, I hope you come away with this: That the signs written in the book of John are to show that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God – so that you and whoever else sees and reads of these signs will believe in Him and have eternal life in Him.

It is my prayer that you take these signs and statements and the funny little pictures with you as reminders to do exactly that.

Hear the statements. See the signs. And believe.

Thanks for playing, I hope you’ve enjoyed this project as much as I have! Stay classy and have a Merry Christmas!

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                [1] Phrasing taken from The Producers.

                [1] Princess Bride quote.