<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Untitled Document Eight Signs in the Gospel of John

Introduction.
It is clear from Scripture, and especially from the words of the apostle John, that Jesus did many signs (John 20:30-31). What was the purpose of these signs?—To validate belief in Jesus (John 3:2; 7:31; 20:8). This is true not only to those who personally experienced theses signs (John 20:27-28), but also for those who would read about them in the biblical record (John 20:29).

Given that we are told that Jesus did many other signs, it leads us to ask why the signs that are recorded were preserved for us. What do they specifically indicate to us that can motivate and validate belief? This morning let’s look at eight signs recorded in the book of John to consider what they teach us about Jesus, His nature, and His power.

I. Water to Wine (1st) – Power Over Chemistry (John 2:11).
A. Why is it that water is not as valuable as gasoline? Because it is of a different chemical makeup. What if one was not limited by the chemical makeup of a substance?
B. Jesus shows here the power to change the quality of something by altering its very chemical makeup.
C. How should we respond to One with such power?

II. Healing a Sick Child (2nd) – Power Over Distance (John 4:48; 4:53-54).
A. Why do airlines do such good business? Because often we need to be in one place to accomplish something we can’t while in another place. What if space did not affect our ability to do whatever we needed to do?
B. Jesus did not have to be physically in contact with something to affect it—He was not limited by space and distance.
C. How should we respond to One who could do this?

III. Healing a Crippled Man – Power Over Time (John 5:5-9).
A. Temporary conditions sometimes pass away on their own. When a person as had a condition for an extended period it is less likely they will ever recover. What if someone was not subject to the amount or length of time something had existed or been in place?
B. Jesus was not hindered by the duration of the condition.
C. How would we feel to be in the presence of such a powerful being?

IV. Feeding of the Multitude – Power Over Quantity (John 6:2; 6:14).
A. What determines wealth in our world? The quantity of something that someone possesses. What if quantity was not a limited constant?
B. To Jesus a limited number was no limit on His power. He (as Creator) had the ability to generate new matter where none had existed before.
C. How should we approach One who so changes our entire picture of what is truly valuable?

V. Walking on the Sea – Power Over Natural Law (John 6:19-20).
A. Natural law controls everything about our lives. It is why we fall down and not up. It is why we can pick up a solid object but our hand can pass through a liquid or gas. What if none of those laws constrained one’s actions?
B. Just as we saw in His ability to alter matter by changing its quality or its quantity Jesus showed a power over the very laws of nature by altering them at His own will.
C. What must be our attitude toward the One who controls the laws of nature, because He Himself established these laws?

VI. Healing of the Blind Man – Power Over Misfortune (John 9:16-21).
A. It is not always easy to explain why people come into this world with certain conditions. Genetics? Behavior of parents? Accident of DNA sequencing? What if none of these baffling circumstances held power over a person?
B. Similar to the issue of time, Jesus could take a condition of birth—regardless of its cause—and transform it.
C. What would you do to have a relationship with One who can reverse the most devastating misfortune?

VII. The Resurrection of Lazarus – Power Over Death (John 11:15; 11:42-48; 12:10-11).
A. The Lord has allowed man to make some amazing breakthroughs in medicine and science, yet one obstacle we will never be able to overcome is death. We may slow it, delay it, for a brief period prevent it, but no man can reverse it. What if one had power over death?
B. In this miracle Jesus foreshadowed what He would ultimately do for Himself—He had power to lay down His own life and take it up again!
C. How should we relate to One who can conquer the most insurmountable enemy?

VIII. Jesus’ Resurrection – Power Over Sin. (John 20:1-8; 19-20).
A. To understand what Jesus’ resurrection demonstrates we must first understand why He died in the first place.
B. He came as the sacrifice for sin (John 1:29).
1. He laid down His life willingly (John 10:14-17).
2. In doing so He destroyed the power sin had over man (Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8).
C. What should be our responsibility toward One who died to deliver us from sin and death?

by Kyle Pope 2015

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