The Forgotten Jesus预览

Messianic Miracles

Throughout His earthly ministry Jesus was facing crowds of people who were asking Him to prove that He was the Messiah. If they were going to believe His claim, He would have to prove it. First-century Jewish people had expectations of what the Messiah would do, how He would act, and how He could prove Himself. Jesus acted in very specific ways to demonstrate everything they could have asked for. 

Whether Jesus is the Messiah is one of the most important questions we’ll ever have to answer. In fact, it’s so important that John wrote his Gospel for the express purpose of convincing his audience that Jesus was the Messiah so that we can believe in Him. Miracles were a means for Jesus to demonstrate that He is the Messiah. The Pharisees weren’t asking about signs and miracles. They were asking about messianic signs. Specifically they expected that the Messiah would 1. Heal a leper 2. Cast out a demon from a man who was deaf and unable to speak and 3. Heal a man who was born blind.

Studying Jesus’ miracles in the proper context helps us immensely as we engage in gospel conversations. It helps us understand the Gospel accounts and what prompted Jesus to say things the way He said them. It also helps us understand the proof Jesus gave about His identity. The man who was born blind would become a testimony of the grace of God and a walking advertisement that Jesus is the Christ. Though our story might not be as dramatic, it is still important to share. Do not underestimate the power of your personal testimony. All of us were once blind, but now we can see. Jesus changed this man, and He has changed us. He expects that we communicate that change to others. 

The question remains for us today: Do you believe Jesus is the Messiah? Why? And if He is, what are the implications of your belief?