How to See Life in 321 - a Guide to John's GospelSample

What does God’s power look like?

On Day 5, we thought about what it would look like for God to show up. Today, we’re considering something similar: what would it look like for God to prove that he’s shown up? What would be a true sign that this is God we’re dealing with? The shock of John’s Gospel — the shock of the whole Bible — is the way Jesus reveals his divinity.

John’s Gospel records seven selected miracles as a way of uncovering Jesus’ divine identity. He tells us why he does it at the end:

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

Notice that John calls the miracles of Jesus ‘signs.’ They are not raw displays of power, they are signposts, pointing to the identity of Jesus. In particular, they show him to be two things: ‘the Messiah, the Son of God.’ Firstly, ‘Messiah’ means ‘the Anointed One.’ In Greek, it’s the word ‘Christ.’ It means he’s “anointed” by God—filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Secondly, ‘Son of God’ means that Jesus is the eternally beloved Son—the One who, by the Spirit, has always cried out ‘Father’! This is who God is: a loving union of THREE: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

This is why Jesus’ miracles (or ‘signs’) take the shape that they do. When you think about it, the miracles of Jesus are quite surprising. He does not come to planet Earth with a show of force or spectacle. Instead, he secretly serves a couple on their wedding day (John 2:1-12); he heals an official’s son (John 4:43-54); he heals a man who was paralyzed for 38 years (John 5:1-15); he feeds a hungry crowd (John 6:1-15); and even when he walks on water, he doesn’t merely Wow the disciples, he is saving them from the storm (John 6:16-21). The miracles point to the divine nature of Jesus, but notice what kind of divinity they highlight! Certainly, it takes immense power to heal and feed and calm storms. But even more, it demonstrates his compassion. Jesus exercises his divine authority in order to bless and bring peace. That’s the kind of God he is. As you read of Jesus’ two most famous miracles in John chapter 6, ask yourself: What kind of God do they reveal him to be?