John 4:46-53
46So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." 49The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 50Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." 53The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." And he himself believed, and all his household.
Miracles were an essential part of the ministry of Jesus. Not only that he made it clear that His disciples and all those who were to preach the gospel were to do so with "accompanying signs and wonders". Why is it so?
The human mind is so built that it seeks to "prove" the validity of the things we hear. While we believe many things that we hear, what really strengthens our faith is when there is evidence/signs to confirm what we hear. Jesus intended that "signs and wonders would confirm the word that His disciples preached".
Here we see a nobleman who came to Jesus with a need to have his son healed. And Jesus says "you people will not believe unless you see signs and wonders". What belief was Jesus talking about here?
Certainly, it was not about Jesus being able to heal his son. Because this man did have faith that Jesus could heal and that is why he had come to Jesus in the first place. Also, we see that this man immediately believed the word that Jesus spoke saying "Go, your son lives".
That is just the first level of faith that believes that Jesus can meet our physical need - be it health or material needs. But Jesus wanted this man to believe something else!
What was that? Verse 53 says that this man "believed" again when he saw his son well. What was this belief? This was "faith in Christ" i.e not only could Jesus meet his physical needs but He was also who He claimed to be - the one who was Saviour of the world! That was what Jesus wanted this man to believe.
Many a time we see people believing the word about Jesus i.e Jesus can heal, Jesus can supply our needs, Jesus can give peace, Jesus works miracles etc. etc. But that is only the first level of faith. What God intends through miracles is that people would go to the next level of faith i.e of believing in Him as Lord and Saviour. And that is what miracles are ultimately intended for.
God Bless!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
A greater requirement
Matthew 19:21-22
21Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
We see here a sincere young man who comes to Jesus. This man, like many of us wants to know what deeds he needed to perform in order to save his soul. He might most likely have come with a certain degree of self assurance since he believed that has been good at keeping the ten commandments.
Jesus sees his heart and says, "If you would enter life, keep the commandments". The young man admits that he has been keeping all these from his youth but he still felt that he lacked something.
Jesus, who sees every man's true condition loved this young man's honesty. The Gospel of Mark says that Jesus looked at him and loved the young man. But that did not mean, that he would flatter this young man and send him on his way!
Jesus says, "you lack one thing - go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
It was not that Jesus was opposed to this man having wealth. But Jesus saw that this was a young man who was possessed by his riches to an extent that it held him back from truly following God. In other words, this young man had kept all the commandments but was not able to keep the first one i.e to love the Lord his God with all his heart and mind and all his strength.
Religion teaches us to many good things. But we miss the point many times - God is interested more in offering ourselves to Him than in what we want to offer him.
Let's examine our hearts. Do we truly love God or do we love his gifts more?
God Bless!
21Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
We see here a sincere young man who comes to Jesus. This man, like many of us wants to know what deeds he needed to perform in order to save his soul. He might most likely have come with a certain degree of self assurance since he believed that has been good at keeping the ten commandments.
Jesus sees his heart and says, "If you would enter life, keep the commandments". The young man admits that he has been keeping all these from his youth but he still felt that he lacked something.
Jesus, who sees every man's true condition loved this young man's honesty. The Gospel of Mark says that Jesus looked at him and loved the young man. But that did not mean, that he would flatter this young man and send him on his way!
Jesus says, "you lack one thing - go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
It was not that Jesus was opposed to this man having wealth. But Jesus saw that this was a young man who was possessed by his riches to an extent that it held him back from truly following God. In other words, this young man had kept all the commandments but was not able to keep the first one i.e to love the Lord his God with all his heart and mind and all his strength.
Religion teaches us to many good things. But we miss the point many times - God is interested more in offering ourselves to Him than in what we want to offer him.
Let's examine our hearts. Do we truly love God or do we love his gifts more?
God Bless!
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