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Signs and Wonders
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Signs
and Wonders Manifest by Jesus |
Throughout the New Testament we see more signs and wonders manifest by
Jesus Christ than by Moses and all the prophets and apostles combined.
Jesus raised the dead, cleansed the lepers, gave sight to the blind,
gave hearing to the deaf, caused the dumb to speak, gave strength to the
lame, restored the shriveled limbs to be normal, healed all manner of
sickness and disease, cast out all manner of unclean spirits, passed
through walls, appeared and disappeared before peoples eyes, commanded
the howling wind and boisterous waves to cease and they did, fed the
multitudes with two fishes and five loaves of bread, on another occasion
fed a multitude of several thousand with seven loaves and a few small
fishes, walked on water, turned water into wine, arose from the dead,
and ascended into heaven.
Certainly, the
signs manifested by Jesus declare unto us that he is the Son of God.
While, even Nicodemus noted: "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher
come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except
God be with him." Jesus, however, did not just come from God; he was God
manifest in the flesh. He is the eternal Son of God. John chapter 1
tells us concerning Jesus: John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the
beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was
not any thing made that was made." The creation and the signs manifest
by Jesus declare the eternal power of God. They also show the compassion
of God through the multitude of healings, feedings of the multitudes,
and raising of the dead.
Many of the
signs and wonders have a spiritual application unto us today. Jesus
raised the dead. Likewise, he raised us up when we were dead in
trespasses and sins and gave us spiritual life: John 5:25 "Verily,
verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead
shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."
Also, Eph. 2:1-5 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses
and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this
world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that
now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had
our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the
desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of
wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love
wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us
together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)"
Additionally,
when we were blind in our understanding of spiritual things, the Lord
enlightened our eyes to see: Eph. 1:18-20 "The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of
his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who
believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought
in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own
right hand in the heavenly places…"
Moreover, he
gives us spiritual ears that we may hear: Rev. 2:7 "He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;" To the children
of Israel the Lord said: Deu. 29:4 "Yet the LORD hath not given you an
heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day."
But unto us the Lord said: Matt. 13:9 "Who hath ears to hear, let him
hear."
As the Lord
raised up the lame, we also read: Rom. 5:6 "For when we were yet without
strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Likewise, Paul said:
2 Cor. 12:9 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for
my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I
rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon
me."
The Lord fed
the multitudes with natural loaves. He feeds us today with spiritual
food:
1. 1 Pet. 2:2 "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby:"
2. 1 Cor. 3:2 "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto
ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."
3. (1 Pet. 5:2 "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the
oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy
lucre, but of a ready mind;"
4. Acts 20:28 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the
flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed
the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."
Moreover, as
the Lord controlled the elements with his voice, so he controls when one
is born of the Spirit: John 3:8 "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and
thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and
whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
Furthermore,
the Lord cleansed the lepers of their leprosy. Spiritually, this is
equivalent to the Lord cleansing us from our sins and making us
righteous before God:
1. 2 Cor. 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
2. Heb. 10:14 "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that
are sanctified."
3. Rev. 1:5 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the
first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood…"
In conclusion,
the manifest signs of Christ tell us who he is. They tell us about his
eternal power and his compassion to his people. They also manifest what
he has done and is doing to us spiritually today.
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