Tag: miracles

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The Prophet

Read John 6:1-15 and SOAP John 6:14

When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”

John 6:14
Miraculous Sign #4

Following His conversation with the Jewish leaders about who He was and His relationship with God the Father (chapter 5), Jesus got away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Because such a large crowd, somewhere around 5000, was following Him He decided to feed them. This was only possible by a miraculous sign involving 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread that, after Jesus gave thanks, became enough to feed the crowd with 12 baskets left over.

The People Saw

The miracle couldn’t be missed. 5 loaves and 2 fishes and approximately 5000 who ate all they wanted and had left overs for 12 more. That my friends is what we call a miracle and the people were talking about it – connecting it with something they remembered from the teachings of Moses, referring to Him as the “prophet” they were expecting. Keep in mind that Jesus was doing the miracles knowing they would reveal His glory, John 2:11, so He wasn’t surprised that they were talking about who He was. However, He also knew “the time had not yet come”, so once again He quietly slipped away, alone.

Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.

Deuteronomy 18:15
They didn’t miss it – are we?

There is much to be seen in this passage – such as Jesus’ attentiveness and how He looks for ways to reach the people and is willing to meet their needs. I love seeing how He uses these opportunities to give them a glimpse of who He is. Surely we should learn from this and live and love like Him in this way. However, I also noticed how the people weren’t too busy to notice what Jesus was doing either. Sure they were following Him with the intent of seeing miracles but how easy is it to get in a crowd and especially in times of hunger or other needs become distracted and miss what is going on around us. They didn’t miss it. They were attentive to Him. Then, they talked about it – and were reminded of what was said through Moses and passed down through the Scriptures and generations. A reminder for us – that we should know the Scriptures – so that we too don’t miss the signs of what God has made known about what is to come.

Prayer

Father, You are good and You are attentive to Your children. You care about us You use need and opportunities to reveal Your glory – to show us who You are. You have given us Your Word that we might know Your Son – the image of You – and that we might know Your love and Your purpose and plan. Help us be attentive to You Father and to the signs and the wonders of the day. Guard us from distractions that would take our attention away from You and help us to not miss Him and the work You are doing around us or the signs of Your coming. – All of this for Your glory – Amen and amen!

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When it Becomes Personal

Suggested Reading: John 4:43-54 and SOAP: John 4:53-54

 Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. 54 This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.

John 4:53-54 NLT
Miracle Worker or Jesus?

What drew you to Jesus? The official in our story today had heard about Jesus, the miracle worker. So, naturally, when he heard Jesus was back in town he went looking for him – not just to gawk at the “miracle worker” but to ask him to help his sick son. The official pleaded with Jesus to “come down and heal the boy but instead, Jesus simply told the father that the boy would live and sent him home. The father did not continue to beg and plead but chose to believe what Jesus had said and headed toward home – no doubt to see the boy for himself and confirm the miracle – which is exactly what happened. Actually, before he even saw the boy he was greeted with the news that his son was going to live and that the improvement had happened at the time Jesus had told him, “your son will live.” Because of the miracle, not only did the boy’s father believe but his servants believed. The official had heard about a miracle worker and sought him out to heal his son – but he found so much more – for he found Jesus, the Son of God.

Life-Changing

It is a life-changing moment when we see Jesus not just as a miracle worker but as the life-giving Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He is the real and present, intimately involved with His people, Son of God. The One who sees us and hears us and the One who gives and restores life. We must come to Him believing, but like the official in today’s account of the second miracle, we must often move forward believing without seeing … believing expecting Him to do great and wonderous things … believing and knowing He will do what is good and right and perfect according to His plan … believing and trusting and rejoicing that what is done will be for our good and His glory … believing and sharing our hope all along the way.

Prayer

Father, surely we are attracted by the wonder of who You are and what You can do- but there is nothing so special as when we know You to be a personal God full of grace and mercy, and power and love. May we not hide but share Your miraculous works

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

The Gospel of Mark: Week 3, Friday – “Listen to Him”

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Read: Mark 8: 34-9:29; SOAP: Mark 9:7

Following Jesus

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

9 Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!”

The Transfiguration

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. 4 Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

5 Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.

7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.

9 As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.”

11 Then they asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?”

12 Jesus responded, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.”

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15 When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.

16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.

17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.[e] So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

19 Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.

He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if …. Read the rest

The event of Jesus’ transfiguration was a remarkably personal event. Jesus didn’t even allow all twelve of His disciples to witness it, only Peter, James, and John.

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There are so many things the Father could have said about Jesus, but what He said was simple and yet so important. 

“This is my one dear Son. Listen to him!” – Mark 9:7

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