Are You the One?
When John the Baptist was imprisoned, he sent some disciples to Jesus to ask if He was the Messiah. The story is in Luke chapter seven.
‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
Luke 7: 19
Jesus didn’t answer them directly but explained:
“Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
Luke 7:22, 23
Jesus didn’t defend Himself, but had the disciples see the proof through the miracles Jesus did. In John’s Gospel, Jesus said:
“If I do not the works of My Father, do not believe in Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”
John 10: 37, 38
The miracles Jesus worked were confirmation that:
- He was the Messiah
- The Father was in Jesus, and Jesus was in the Father
- Of the heart and character of the Father
Jesus glorified the Father by doing what He saw the Father do, so the miracles and healings were the perfect will of the Father. Jesus, through all He did, revealed the heart, character, and will of the Father. Jesus healed all who came to Him sick, seeking healing. Jesus would never have healed a person unless it was the express will of the Father.
We are going to study the miracles of Jesus and learn from them.
The Wedding in Cana
Verses: John 2: 1-11
Location: Cana of Galilee
We are told it was the “third day,” and Jesus was at a wedding in Cana, Galilee. His mother was also at the wedding.
“Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mothers said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.”
John 2: 2-5
Jesus then instructs them to fill the waterpots with water. Then He commanded them to draw some and give it to the master of the feast. The master tried it and said:
“And he said to him, ‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!’ This was the beginning of the signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”
John 2: 10, 11
John informs us that this was the beginning of the signs and that He revealed His glory through them. Interestingly, Jesus had no intention of doing anything until His mother asked Him to.
The jars were not clay jars but stone ones, which suggested the family was rich. The stone jars were not subject to purity laws (Leviticus 11: 32-34). In this miracle, we saw that the Lord had no plan on doing anything but didn’t want to embarrass His mother, but honored her faith. I also love that Jesus declared in this miracle that the best was yet to come.
Jesus Heals the Official’s Son
Verses: John 4: 46-54
Location: Capernaum in Galilee
We are told that Jesus returned to the same place where He had turned the water into wine when a nobleman whose son was sick came to him.
“When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.’ The nobleman said to Him, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your son lives.’ So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went away.”
John 4: 47- 48
The man is then met by his servants, who inform him that his son lives. The father asks when the child recovers and knows it is the moment Jesus says, “Your son lives.”
We are told:
“This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.”
John 4: 54
The nobleman had traveled a several-day journey to meet Jesus because he knew Jesus was his answer. Jesus didn’t work the miracle the way the man wanted, but He did work a miracle. Capernaum was around 25 miles from Cana. This is not the same healing as the centurion’s servant.
Jesus Drives out An Evil Spirit
Verses: Mark 1: 21-27
Location: Capernaum in Galilee
Jesus begins preaching in the synagogue, and we are told:
“And they were astonished at His teachings, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
Mark 1: 22
The scribes and Pharisees had natural authority, not spiritual. Jesus, on the other hand, had spiritual authority, and the enemy immediately challenged it.
“Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are- the Holy One of God!’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come out of him!”
Mark 1: 23-25
The demon recognized that Jesus was part of the Trinity, but Jesus immediately took authority over him and cast him out. Sadly, this man had been part of this synagogue for some time, and no one set him free.
Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law
Location: Capernaum in Galilee
Verses: Matt 8: 14-15, Mark 1: 29-31, and Luke 4: 38-39
“Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left. And she served them.”
Mark 1: 29- 31
Jesus rebuked the fever (Luke 4: 39) and laid hands on the woman, and she was healed.
Jesus Heals Many Who Were Sick and Oppressed
Location: Capernaum in Galilee
Verses: Luke 4: 40-41
“When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of God!’ And He, rebuking them, did not allow then to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.”
Luke 4: 40- 41
Word had spread quickly about Jesus, and so people brought to Him those whom they loved who were sick or oppressed by the enemy. We are told that He healed them all. No sickness or devil was too great for Jesus.
We are told it occurred as the sun set or the Sabbath was over.
Miraculous Catch of Fish
Location: Sea of Galilee
Verses: Luke 5: 4-11
Simon (Peter) was a fisherman, and his team had been out all night fishing with no success. Jesus instructs them
“Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, ‘Master we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
Luke 5: 4, 5
Jesus says, “Nets,” but Peter lets down the net. Bundling the net after fishing was a lot of work, so Peter did not expect to catch fish, so he let down one net.
They catch so many fish that the boat is full, and Peter falls to Jesus’ knees. Peter is overcome with incredible conviction. The Lord calls Peter and tells him that He will make him a fisher of men.
The Man Healed of Leprosy
Location: Galilee
Matthew 8: 1-4, Mark 1: 40- 45, Luke 5: 12-14
In this story, we see that the leper is persuaded that the Lord can heal, but is unsure if He will.
“And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, ‘Lord if You are willing. You can make me clean.’ Then He put on His hand and touched him saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately the leprosy left him.”
Luke 5: 12- 13
Despite the disgusting nature of leprosy, Jesus touched Him. This would have made Jesus unclean, but the instant Jesus touched Him, the leper was cleansed. Jesus responded to the man, “I am willing.”
In this case, Jesus instructs the man to present himself to the priests to be confirmed that he was clean according to Leviticus 14: 1 7.
Jesus Heals the Centurion’s Servant
Location: Capernaum in Galilee
Matthew 8: 5-13, Luke 7: 1- 10
A centurion sent servants to Jesus to ask Him to heal one of his servants.
“And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He did this was deserving, for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”
Luke 7: 4, 5
Jesus offers to come to his house, but the centurion tells Jesus he is unworthy and that all Jesus has to do is say the word.
“For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go, and he comes; and to my servant ‘Do this,’ and he does it. When Jesus heard these things He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, ‘I say to you. I have not found such great faith, not in Israel. And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.”
Luke 7: 8- 10
Jesus Cures the Paralyzed Man
Location: Capernaum in Galilee
Matt 9: 1-8, Mark 2: 1-12, Luke 5: 17- 26
The paralyzed man is brought by his friends to Jesus to be healed, but the crowd around Him is too great for them to get close to Him. They then decide to go on the roof and let him down through the roof.
“And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tilling into the midst before Jesus. When He saw their faith, He said to him, ‘Man, your sins are forgiven you.’ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, ‘Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Luke 5: 19- 21
Jesus tells the religious elites He has the power to forgive sins, and the proof was that the man was healed.
Man with the Shriveled Hand
Location: Capernaum in Galilee
Mark 3: 1-5, Matt 12: 9-14, Luke 6: 6-11
The tension between Jesus and the religious elites continues to grow, and in this healing, Jesus dares to heal on the Sabbath. The Scribes and Pharisees are carefully watching Jesus to see if He will heal on the Sabbath.
In the synagogue, there was a man with a withered hand, and Jesus, knowing the thoughts of the religious elites, said:
“But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Arise and stand here.; And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy. And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.”
Luke 6: 8- 11
Jesus Raises the Widow’s Dead Son
Location: Nain
Luke 7: 11-17
Jesus travels through the city with His disciples when they come to the gate. Here, they encounter a funeral procession for a widow’s son.
“When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. Then fear came upon all and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen up among us’; and, ‘God has visited His people.”
Luke 7: 13- 16
The Lord is a Father to the fatherless and a Husband to the widow. The widow didn’t ask, but the Lord simply acted in compassion.
