Signs of Divinity - 240402

SPEAKER A Hello. I'm Rosemary Malkiewycz. Welcome to let God speak. The book of John portrays Jesus as the divine and eternal son of God. Yes, God and creator veiled in humanity. Today we're going to discuss three amazing miracles of Jesus that stand as definite proof of his divinity. We're going to see the reaction of the people who. Who witnessed these incredible miracles. And we invite you to join us as we let God's word speak. On our panel today, we have Cassie Sollano and John Kosmeier. Welcome. Good to have you here. And before we start, let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for Jesus. We thank you for the Holy Spirit to inspire us as to what you have said. We pray for the Holy Spirit to speak through us. Speak to us, and speak to those who are listening. And may we learn from you today wonderful things from your word. We ask it in Jesus name. Amen. SPEAKER B Amen. SPEAKER A Right. Well, let's get started. I'm going to read a verse in the Bible. It's John, chapter six, verses one to four. So we're going to look at John six first before we go on to somewhere else. As says, after these things, Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs, which he performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. Now, the Passover, a feast of the Jews was near, so it was nearly time for the Passover that year. And which Passover, Cassie, which Passover was this for Jesus? SPEAKER C This was the Passover in AD 30. So it was actually the third Passover in Jesus ministry. The first was when Jesus cleansed the temple in AD 28. And this is in John 213 16. The second was when he healed the man by the pool of siloam in John five one nine. So we can deduce that John skips a year of Jesus galilean ministry between John five and six, and suddenly we're near the third Passover. SPEAKER A Sometimes they do miss things, don't they? That's why we have the other gospels to fill in the different parts. So some of those following our discussions may not understand what the Passover is. John, can you just explain that for us? SPEAKER B The Passover, according to Exodus, chapter twelve, was an event that happened 1500 years before Jesus told this story in the Book of John. And it was when Moses was called by God to lead his people out of Egypt, where they were slaves, to take them back to the promised land. Pharaoh wouldn't let them go. And so what God then did, he said to the people now, he said, get the blood of a lamb and put it on the doorposts of the entrance to each house. If you don't do that, then the firstborn that is in that house will die. SPEAKER A Firstborn son. SPEAKER B Firstborn. And when it occurred, many, many firstborn died, including the pharaoh's firstborn son. And when that happened, he said, all right. And this is where the name Passover came. Because when the angel came through to cheque on the firstborn in each house, he passed over the houses that had the blood covering the door. Lentil. And so Moses led them out of Egypt. And the Passover was the memorial of it happening. SPEAKER A Excellent. Thank you for that explanation. I'm sure some people have learnt something new. So let's continue with the miracle in John, chapter six. And what happened with that miracle? SPEAKER C Well, we've just read that in verse two. John records that Jesus had a great multitude following him because of the miracles he had performed. And we can assume that in addition to the size, it's a great size. They're not exactly a calm crowd following someone that's just performed miracles. So Jesus went up to the mountain to find a solitary place. And then we can read in John six, five six, it says. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and seeing a great multitude coming toward him, he said to Philip, where shall we buy bread that these may eat? But this he said to test him. For he himself knew what he would do. The multitude still had followed him up to the mountain. So Jesus took this opportunity to test the faith of the disciples and who he was. So he asked Philip how they could feed this multitude. SPEAKER A Okay, so with the women and the children, if we've got 5000 men, we can expect that there's at least 10,000 people gathered before him on this mountain. And they're all hungry. How are you going to feed 10,000 people? This was a great multitude. Indeed. I then the disciples knew it was impossible to feed this many people. So why would jesus ask the disciples, how are you going to feed them? Let's get everybody to sit down in groups. Why get them to sit in groups? SPEAKER B Let's read it in John, chapter six and verse eleven to 13. And I'll read from the new King James version. John, chapter six, verse eleven. And Jesus took the loaves. And when he had given thanks. It's interesting that Jesus prayed before a meal. That's why we in christian homes, we say grace. Well, here it is, verse eleven. And when he had given thanks, he distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down, and likewise of the fish as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, he said to his disciples, now you gather up the fragments that remain so that nothing is lost. Therefore, they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten. SPEAKER A So, John, why would he ask them to get them to do that? SPEAKER B John, his main point is that Jesus was God. Only God can do things like that. I mean, to create enough bread and fish out of that few to feed so many. SPEAKER A Mm hmm. SPEAKER B Remarkable. And so we have, first the story of the blood, the Passover, and now we have the story of the bread. SPEAKER A Yes. And if the disciples didn't believe jesus could do it, by asking them to get the people to sit down, he's getting them to actually actively participate in the miracle that's going to happen, which is wonderful. So what impact did this miracle have on the people? Cassie? SPEAKER C Well, of course it had the immediate impact. Well, they satisfied their hunger, but perhaps the deeper impact it had was that they knew a miracle of God had taken place. There was no other explanation for what had happened. They knew Jesus could heal the sick and how they knew he could feed an army. So from this, they're thinking of all these material advantages. They think, we should make this man our leader. So that's what they do. So let's continue reading. Just in verse 14, which says then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, this is truly the prophet who is to come into the world. SPEAKER A So they're referring to a comment or prophecy by Moses back in deuteronomy. So let's have a look at that. Deuteronomy, 1815, where Moses makes quite an interesting comment. He says here, the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren, him you shall hear. So this is the prophet that was to be like Moses. And this is what their crowd is saying. What are some of the parallels between Moses and Jesus? Because he said it would be a prophet like me. SPEAKER B When you go to the book of Exodus, chapter 32 and read the verse 32, this is what it says. Now, if you will forgive their sin, but if not, Moses is praying here, blot me out of your book, which you have written. And that's exactly what Jesus did. He said, lord, I will lay down my life for the guilty, and I who am innocent will become the saviour of those people. And so here is a direct parallel between Moses and what Jesus was going to do and what he was going to be. And so just like Moses led the people out of Egypt and the wilderness into the promised land, Jesus is able and has done the same for us. We are just on the journey and it won't be long before he too will lead us to the promised land after he returns a second time. SPEAKER A I'm looking forward to that promised land. It's eternal. SPEAKER B I've been looking out for that for 80 years. SPEAKER A It'll be a wonderful, wonderful place and I'm so looking forward to that. So what was the outcome, Cassie, of the people's belief in Jesus as that prophethood? SPEAKER C Let's read verse 15 which says therefore, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he departed again to the mountain by himself alone. The crowd weren't thinking of this eternal place. They were thinking Jesus now is going to be the Messiah and have this earthly kingdom and they would be freed from roman occupation and Israel would be restored to its former glorious state. They decided, because it was obvious Jesus that wasn't his intention, that they were just going to physically force him to be king. The disciples even would have been encouraging this excitement because they would have been feeling it too. But before this could happen, jesus saw this is what the crowd intended to do. He removed himself and departed again to be apart and alone from the multitude. SPEAKER A Yes, he had to do that sometimes. After this, Jesus and his disciples got in the boat and went to Capernaum. And the next day the crowd of followers caught up with him in Capernaum. He couldn't get away from them. So what did Jesus say to them then? SPEAKER B John, chapter six of John again. And the story goes on, verse 26. Jesus answered and said, most assuredly, I say to you, you seek me not because of because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life which the son of man will give you because God the father has set his seal on him. And so Jesus pointed out to them that his mission was a spiritual mission, not just the mission of a king who was going to come in, conquer nations. SPEAKER A Yep, that's right. He was doing a completely different work to what the people had expected. After jesus spoke to the people, what was the outcome? Cassie? SPEAKER C Well, they didn't want to hear about a spiritual application. They were too busy thinking about these materialistic things. Health strength, riches, and freedom from the Romans. So they didn't accept it when he said, no, you're not thinking the right thing. It's a spiritual mission. They didn't want to hear that refusal to be Israel's king. So we can skip ahead to the end of John six. We'll read verses 65 to 67. And it says, and he said, this is Jesus. Therefore, I have said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by my father. From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more. This was a spiritual test that he put to them. Do you want to accept this thing that isn't going to be your immediate selfish wants? Many failed this test. Their hearts were not with God. SPEAKER A That's right. So let's move on to the next miracle that we're going to look at. And this is about six months later, and it's in chapter nine, and it's the healing of a man born blind. So I'm going to read chapter nine of John, verses one and two. Now, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Why would the disciples ask a question like that? John? SPEAKER B Very simple. If somebody, if something happens to somebody where they get sick or have an accident, do something, it's because they've sinned. SPEAKER A That's what they. SPEAKER B Because that's how God deals with people. And Jesus said, no, no, no. There are some people who are sick or who have accidents happened to them, and it's got nothing to do with previous sins. And here was this man, when you read it in verse three, Jesus answered, neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. And so if something happens to us or sickness comes, God has allowed that to happen so that his name will be glorified as a result of what happens. SPEAKER A That's right. Well, let's read John nine, four to seven, and I'll just read that section. I must work the works of him who sent me. While it is day, the night is coming, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had said these things, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva. And he anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay. And he said to him, go wash in the pool of Siloam, which is translated, sent. So he went and washed and came back seeing. How amazing is that? And so when this happened, the Pharisees were in a jam. Because this man, who was born blind, could now see. So why did Jesus heal with the clay? Why did he put that on the eyes? SPEAKER C Well, the key point of this is that the man was healed. Because he obeyed Jesus by doing these things and washing his eyes in the pool. And it was his faith and obedience that brought about the healing rather than the clay itself. Jesus was, of course, the creator. And he could make anything from clay. And it's important to remember that as well. And the controversy that followed this action was that when he was healed. Those who knew him did not believe this could be possible. Was born blind. How could he suddenly see again? They. Then they took him to the Pharisees. And some of them, seeing this. Didn't even believe it could be the same man. We can read still in John 914 16. Which records this happening now. It was the sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, he put clay on my eyes. And I washed and. And I see. Therefore, some of the Pharisees said, this man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath. Others said, how can a man who was a sinner do such signs? And there was a division among them. And this was a very strong division. Some Pharisees declared that healing him, that made him a sinner. But others said, if he's a sinner, then how can he heal? So there's an obvious contradiction then that brought strong division between them. SPEAKER A It did. And the Pharisees were so stuck with their hatred of Jesus. That they claimed the man had never been born blind. They had to get the parents in. And the parents said, yes, he was born blind. We can tell you that. And they were in a jam. But what we need to go on to is, with the ongoing interrogation that continued in a number of these verses. What was the curious development that was occurring between the Pharisees and the healed man? SPEAKER C Cassie, the healed blind man. Came to see spiritual issues with greater and still greater clarity. He had been the person that had experienced a miracle. And his belief in Jesus only grew stronger. By contrast, the Pharisees only became more and more blind. Even though the man who was blind got healed. They're doing the opposite of. They were divided over Jesus identity and his integrity. And they refused to believe that he was who he said he was. That he was God. And that answered really all of their contradictions. So we can read this. In verse 29 of John nine it says, we know that God spoke to Moses, as for this fellow, we do not know where he is from. SPEAKER A And they tried to contradict who Jesus was. So what was the final outcome, John. SPEAKER B When you read verse 30 to 34, the man answered and said to them, why this is a marvellous thing that you do not know where he is from. Yet he has opened my eyes. Here was this man trying to say, well, I can now see, I'm no longer blind. And then since the world began, it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing. They answered and said to him, you were completely born in sins and are you teaching us? And they cast him out. So they not only threw Jesus out and remember, he was the one who had not just taken the clay from the eyes, but he was the one that had taken Adam from a whole ground full of and turned him into a man. And so they threw the poor man out as well. But he could still see. SPEAKER A He could see. And that is the wonderful thing. Jesus healed a man born blind. The final miracle that we're going to look at is in John chapter eleven. And this one was towards the end of Jesus public ministry. It was the crowning act actually of his ministry. So Cassie, this was the raising of Lazarus from the dead. So who was Lazarus? SPEAKER C Lazarus was actually a close friend of Jesus and he lived with his two sisters, Martha and Mary. They lived at Bethany, which was just outside Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Jesus often stayed with them because he found genuine friendship and quietness in their home amidst his public ministry that was often chaotic and busy. SPEAKER A That's right. So let's read John 11 41 44. Then they took away this. He's come to their place where they have buried Lazarus already. He's been dead for four days. And Jesus does the unthinkable in this. He says, then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me and I know that you always hear me, but because of the people who are standing by, I said this, that they may believe that you sent me a now when he had said these things, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, loose him and let him go. So who witnessed this amazing event, Cassie. SPEAKER C There were many witnesses. Lazarus had been a prominent man in Bethany. And a number of verses indicate that there were even professional mourners and many other friends who had come to comfort the sisters in this time. If we read just before these verses still in John eleven, verses 32 to 37 say, this is when Jesus arrives. Then when Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who came with her weeping, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And he said, where have you laid him? They said to him, lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, see how he loved him. And some of them said, could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept this man from dying? SPEAKER A Yeah. Referring back to the opening of the eyes of the blind. And so this was an amazing thing that many people saw. But, John, what was the impact of this event and on those who saw this most amazing thing? SPEAKER B Verse 45 gives us the answer to that. Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary and had seen the things that Jesus believed in him. But some of them went away. What do you have to do to get somebody to believe that Jesus is actually God? Some of them believed, yes. Others, even in the face of a resurrection. And when we go back over what we've just studied, now you've got the blood, you've got the bread, you've got what happened just before. And now you've got a burial. And some people still don't believe. And so he had turned this man from a decomposing corpse to a living, breathing human beings. SPEAKER A And if you read a little bit further, these people who left went to the Pharisees, told them what had happened. And the Pharisees then said, what shall we do for this? Mandev works many signs. If we let him alone like this, everyone will believe in him. And the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. And they decide that he has to die. He has just wrought this wonderful miracle. He has to die. So, Cassie, what are the three incredible miracles? The feeding of the 5000. We've looked at them giving sight to the Mendez born blind and the raising of Lazarus. Through these miracles, Jesus provided powerful evidence for his divinity. However, what were the final results of everything? SPEAKER C Well, the people that do not believe, even after seeing these miracles, they're so hardened in their hearts that all comes of it is more division. Jesus actions challenge the existing wrong theology and prevailing views and it forced a decision one way or another. Do you believe in him or are you going to go with these other people and say, oh, we need to kill him? Jesus was either God or he was not. Some responded with that faith and some refused the evidence that was right before them and walked away. SPEAKER A Yeah, that's right. So, John, what lesson can we take away from all of this? SPEAKER B In the Old Testament there's a book of Isaiah, Gospel, prophet, and in chapter eight and verse 20 to the law and to the testimony. If they do not speak according to this word, there is no light in them. And this is where God gives us the evidence that we need for our believing. And all we have to do is if they speak according to the law and to the testimony, then salvation comes. SPEAKER A Because there's times when people can do amazing miracles, isn't there? And things can happen, even with statues and all. And people believe that this is the working of God, but if it's not according to the word of God you've said, it's not the truth. Is that the way it is? SPEAKER B Yes. And when you go back over these things here, the people had to decide for themselves as to what was right and what was not to be believed. SPEAKER A So we can't necessarily accept what our eyes tell us. That's really the bottom line. We have to accept the word of God. So in the gospel of John, it records the miracles of Jesus that stand as definite proof of his divinity. John wanted to emphasise that Jesus Christ is the eternal son, one with the father, underived and uncreated. He is the creator of all that was made and we can put our total trust in him to lead us through life's challenging times as we wait for his soon return. We're glad you joined us today on let God speak. Remember, all past programmes, past teachers notes are available on our website, 3abnaustralia.org dot au. Email us and we look forward to seeing you next time. SPEAKER B You have been listening to let God speak, a production of 3ABN Australia television. To catch up on past programmes, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au. Call us in Australia on 02 4973 3456. Or email [email protected]. we'd love to hear from you.