The Way: In Miracles Series

The Way: In Miracles

I. Introduction

Jesus’ life was wholly devoted to one thing, going to the cross and offering Himself as a sacrifice there for the sins of the world. This Way or Path to Jerusalem is a compilation or collection of several topics. Jesus taught the disciples, Jesus taught in parables, Jesus discerned good and evil, and Jesus performed many miracles throughout His ministry.

In the Bible, there are 36 recorded miracles performed by Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. Every one of these miracles were and continue to be significant. Every miracle that Jesus performed was quite different than the one before. But, every miracle was surrounded with events, circumstances, and lessons.

Rather than looking at each one of the 36 individual miracles, let’s look at the circumstances and situations surrounding a few of these miracles and try to categorize them into a modern applicable concept, or, that is, what was going on behind the scenes? What were the thoughts, the actions, the lead-in events, or the hidden agendas? What were the reactions and applications for onlookers?

The lessons that we can learn from the miracles that Jesus performed are easily applied to our way of life today. The various sentiments and reactions displayed by the New Testament believers and non-believers parallel society and are very much typical of our lives today.

As we cover the first seven of the many miracles that Jesus performed, we need to keep in mind the thought and deeds of Jesus that are described and recorded by scripture and interwoven into each miracle.

Not only should we keep in mind the thoughts and deeds of Jesus as He performs the miracles in recorded scripture, but we should pay attention to the thoughts, words, and actions of the various people participating in the miracle.

II. The Message

A. His Blood

The Miracle: Turning Water into Wine (John 2)

John 2:1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." 11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee.

The first miracle of Moses was to turn water into blood, to show that the grace of God was running out for Egypt. However, the first miracle of Jesus was to turn water into wine, a LOT OF WINE. The comparison of the wine to the blood of Jesus is quite valid in this miracle as well as the abundance of the wine that was produced (almost 600 liters).

I find this significant in the fact that Jesus, while in the upper room, told His disciples (Matthew 26:28) while speaking about wine, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

And, then later, Paul confirms in 1 Corinthians 11:25, “In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."

Prior to this and in Genesis, God said that He could hear the cry of Abel’s blood from the ground. In Deuteronomy, it says that the life is found in the blood, and therefore, Abel’s life was crying out to God after Cain had killed Him.

(Genesis 4:10) The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.

(Deuteronomy 12:23) But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.

When Jesus was at the festival in John, Chapter, 2, the master of the banquet said "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."