Ahh… so many rich things from this text.
The MIRACULOUS sign (note: John is the only Gospel writer who uses the word Semeion (greek for sign) instead of the word Dunamis (greek for power) as used by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. My commentary says it’s a deeper meaning word than Dunamis, in that it was not as “far-fetched an idea as others suggested it to be). He describes the miracles of Jesus as the WORKS of Jesus (erga in the greek), and considers them merely and supremely just part of the work God gave Him to do (17:4). He considered this natural work for the incredible Savior. John chooses to write about 7 miracles, including this one, with the purpose of highlighting fuller teaching. My commentary says, “They are signs of a new revelation and lead to higher faith.”
It also says Jesus REVEALED HIS GLORY. And yet somehow I think we only attribute this revelation of His glory to the BIG things we see Him do. Heal the cancer, restore the marriage, bring the wayward child to repentance. But I think it’s more than that! I think He reveals His glory all the time. I see Him do it in my quiet time a lot. I will admit not all the time… but I see it on MANY occasions. By feeling His presence. By worshipping at my computer and then being stirred by the enormous weight of something He’s pressing into me about. By the way the Holy Spirit will prompt me to pray a certain way for a certain thing and realizing the profound affect my words can have on another person simply because of my willingness to act on HIS behalf. Oh that we never miss the ways He’s revealing Himself to us every day. Beautiful sunset - JESUS! Kind note from a friend - JESUS! The sweet sound of the bird chirping outside of my windows - JESUS! Jesus revealed in His glory. Arriving to us in the common like the miracle at a wedding in Cana! (Many even considered this a miracle unworthy of Him.) Isn’t it like our Jesus to appear to us in the common, natural, everyday, ordinary places! GLORY!
And then it says, the disciples BELIEVED HIM. And it’s hard to read this without thinking, “Did they not believe Him before this?” They did. But their faith was CONFIRMED and STRENGTHENED by what they witnessed. I wonder if, for some, it was all in all ESTABLISHED. Before this, they had believed on the testimony of John the Baptist. Oh… but now… they saw with their own spiritually weak eyes that He was invested with almighty power and it secured their faith.
Ahh… there it is. The great chasm between BELIEF and FAITH.
According to my dictionary, the word BELIEVE means: to credit upon the authority or testimony of another. To be persuaded of the truth of something upon the declaration of another.
But FAITH means: the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another. Resting on His authority alone without further evidence. Faith is an affectionate, practical confidence in the testimony of GOD (ahh… what we are experiencing in our OWN lives).
So the Lord dropped this in my spirit to say today:
Faith is not only believing without the presence of proof… but also by the experience of His existence!We cannot ride of the coattails of anothers’ faith. We cannot be satisfied to BELIEVE in something because someone else says it so. We have to establish FAITH for ourselves. We have to engage with His Word, spend time in His presence, and strive for the life-transforming power that He brings. It’s the MIRACLE work He longs to display in your life that will allow your FAITH to be strengthened.
It’s the experiences of our personal experiments with God that changes EVERYTHING!
Like my pastor often says, “One encounter with Jesus can change everything!”
And I believe it!!
Be aware of the miracles He’s working in your life today!!!
GLORY!!!!
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