Any study or pursuit of the person of Jesus Christ will prove to be exhilarating as well as exhausting. You will find Him to be as intimate as He is infinite. This is no less true when we examine and explore the miracles He performed. These actual historical events were a platform for His “kingdom agenda.” The miracles displayed His power over nature, evil forces, disease, and death. Extreme responses to them ranged from a lust for the sensational to conspiracies to kill Him. As we look into the miracles of the Gospels, certain aspects emerge….
Jesus appeared to be anxious to show compassion to anyone who pursued Him or sought His attention and help. He never viewed these people as an intrusion or as an interruption to His purposes.
Jesus usually demanded that those receiving a miracle should not publically reveal the event. They were only encouraged to return to their families or to a member of the priesthood. Going public would divert and hinder His greater message or further inflame His enemies.
Jesus provoked some to act on their faith with statements such as “What do you want me to do for you?” or “According to your faith, it will be done to you.” Conversely, Jesus was provoked by the faith of others, even by those acting on behalf of one in need.
These powerful and impressive displays of power did not deter Christ from His greater message of “the forgiveness of sins.” He used physical healing to prod others into considering spiritual healing. He also spoke of His impending death and resurrection as he performed or completed a miracle.
In many of His miracles He confronted supernatural forces of evil and the insidious, manipulative religious professionals. He set people free from this internal and external turmoil.
There is a scent of wildness and winsomeness about Jesus. There is creativity and symmetry in His ways. He always knew exactly what He was doing. Every move He made and every word He spoke was “sovereignly staged.” He walked on water, fed thousands, put His fingers in deaf ears and His saliva on mute tongues, turned water into wine, and miraculously provided fish for breakfast on a resurrection morning.
After observing the way of Jesus, as he healed a man who was deaf and mute, the people exclaimed, “He does all things well.”