Friday, April 17, 2009

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 8

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 8

Narrated In 1 Gospel

Gospel Of Luke

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out - the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. (Luke 7:11-17)

Nain was a small village about 6 miles southeast of Nazareth. Just before coming to Nain, Jesus was in Capernaum where he had healed a centurion’s servant on seeing the great faith of the centurion. Jesus had exclaimed, “"I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." (Luke 7:9)

Great crowds followed him to experience and witness miracles. He did not have to go far into town to be moved by a sight that aroused compassion in his heart. Luke writes, “a dead person was being carried out - the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.” In the laws given through Moses, widows were a category that God had set certain specific laws for because he knew how lonely and destitute they often felt. A few verses that showed God’s care for them were:
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 10:18)
Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. (Deuteronomy 24:17)
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. (Deuteronomy 24:19)
When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. (Deuteronomy 24:20)
When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. (Deuteronomy 24:21)
When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. (Deuteronomy 26:12)

Luke continues, “When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still.”

How hard it must have been for the woman who had lost her only support and confidant in life. We know nothing more about the widow or her son, yet the scenario was one that would have moved the hearts of many that day. The “why’s” of life are not often promptly answered but this was an occasion where the “why” did not matter because Jesus was here, “the resurrection” himself was here. If he was in Nain, he was on official duty and not there to while away his time. We all are here on earth to complete the missions that God has called us to and not to just go through the motions of life.
What can saying “Don’t cry” help someone who has lost her only son? Some of us have wondered this when we have said the same to someone who has lost a loved one. Hollow words when we have said it, but powerful when spoken by the one who said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” His saying, “Don’t cry” meant that he still could help her whether she believed it or not.

“Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still.” There may have been quite a few expectant eyes peering over shoulders to see what they were going to witness. And all he said was, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" That simple! No questions asked, no one to argue with the command too. And the effect: it was immediate… The dead man sat up and began to talk….Well, well, well...what must have he been talking? Would it be his near death experience? Perhaps he was asking the coffin bearers why they were carrying him. Put me down, he must have said.

“Jesus gave him back to his mother.” Jesus had done this miracle specifically for her because she had lost someone who was irreplaceable. No words would have comforted her, but this miracle she would remember forever. She would be a living witness and so would her son be. And so would be the people who saw it all.

Luke concludes this wonderful miracle by writing, “They were all filled with awe and praised God.”A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

God has come to help his people, the witnesses said. How very true. He has come and is with us as “Immanuel” and will come again soon to receive his faithful unto him. Till then it’s our official duty to proclaim his saving grace and power.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 7

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 7

Narrated In 1 Gospel

Gospel Of Luke

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11)


“One day” as Luke the Physician starts the account here, was a special day for a fisherman called Peter. Though some of his fellow fisherman also witnessed a great miracle, this day was marked “special” for Peter.

There must have been a sizable crowd thronging which made Jesus get into one of the boats so that he could teach the people without being hassled. It was not just a chance happening that Jesus got into Peter’s boat. He knew what would happen very soon because “he” “knows everything from beginning to end”. Simon must have been happy that the Lord had chosen his boat for sitting and teaching the people. But soon he was to learn a thing or two about the kingdom of God and also a couple of things about fishing.

After Jesus had finished speaking, he asked Peter to do two things; one, to put the boat into deep water and two, to let down the nets for a catch. The fisherman instinct in Peter made him protest immediately even as he rowed out into the deep waters. He addressed Jesus as Master, but politely told him the facts that he had witnessed. More like the weathermen who give out the forecasts. He said, “"Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.” It’s no use, Peter was telling him. He was a fisherman and that too “a pro.” What could the carpenter from Nazareth teach him about fishing?

Still Peter didn’t want to disappoint the teacher whom so many adored and so he reluctantly said, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Peter didn’t know that a great “shoal of fish” had already been commanded to appear at the place where the nets were let down.

And then the miracles happened- one in the waters and the other in Peter’s heart. It was simultaneous. Luke writes, 1) “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.”
2) When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

Why should a miraculous catch of fish change a man’s heart? “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man,” Peter said; meaning, “Lord, I am not worthy to be associated with you.” Jesus had not come to belittle him in any way but to change his calling in life. Jesus knew that Peter was one of God’s chosen ones to bring many into the kingdom of God even though he had several imperfections. Jesus had begun a work in him that would be completed only after his (Jesus’) resurrection where Peter would be brought to repentance by him and then he would finally be empowered by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost day and become the “Apostle to the Jews.”

"Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." said Jesus. Now what did that mean? Peter must have wondered. So would have James and John, his partners in the fishing business. Well, they didn’t ask Jesus immediately. They just left their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Many who are called to the Lord’s work shrink back because of their imperfections. Jesus calls because he has chosen and he can work through the imperfections like he did with Peter and create a totally different person when his work is completed.

Whatever happened to all the fish they caught? Perhaps the watchers (Jesus’ listeners) had a great feast that day.

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 6

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 6

Narrated In 1 Gospel

Gospel Of Luke

And He said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, `Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.' "And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. "But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. "And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, He went His way. (Luke 4:23-30)


The miracle part in this passage comes only in the last verse where Luke writes that Jesus passed through the midst of the crowd and he went his way. Jesus got involved in what we call nowadays as “Mob Fury.” Well, the mob happened to be people who had come to worship God in the synagogue. That’s nothing new I guess. Jesus touched a few raw nerve endings by his telling them how hypocritical they were. This enraged the people in the synagogue and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff.

How could he pass through their midst without them knowing? It was an impossible situation. Yet for him, everything was possible. Did he make himself invisible? Did he change his appearance by a divine miracle? Or did he move in their midst with lightning speed? We don’t know how he did it, but he managed to escape from their clutches, for his time had not yet come.

He did not resist the people who came to arrest him in the garden of Gethsemane, for he knew it was in the plan and will of God. He had to go through that to reach the cross and thus he did not resist. If he wanted he could have asked his Father for help and it would be have been available to him in the twinkling of an eye. As he himself said, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). But he did not ask for help, knowing that it was his Father’s will for him to undergo the insult and sufferings that followed.

Here, in the passage above, Satan was trying to nip Jesus’ ministry in the bud and this he wouldn’t allow. The devil was trying hard to finish him off and that Jesus didn’t allow. He knew he had much more to do before dying on the cross for providing salvation to humankind. He always moved according to the Father’s plan. And so should we.

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 5

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 5

Narrated In 1 Gospel

Gospel Of Mark

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."(Mark 8:22-26)


Jesus healed the blind in many ways. Sometimes he just said a word to heal, at other times he touched their eyes. In the gospel of John Ch.9 we read that, to cure a blind man, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes and then told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam and the man went and washed, and came home seeing. Here, in the Gospel of Mark, we again see him doing something unusual. Mark writes that “some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.”Jesus acted here out of compassion and also seeing the faith of the people who brought the man. They must have wondered what Jesus was doing? Taking the blind man by the hand and leading him outside the village. Then he did the unimaginable. He spit on the man’s eyes. Most of the people following him must have cringed at that, but soon they would be witnesses to yet another glorious miracle. He did not command anything here after spitting, but put his hands on the man’s eyes and asked him whether he saw anything. His sight was restored but not to perfection because the man replied, “I see people; they look like trees walking around."

What could that imply? Why wasn’t the man’s sight restored to perfection when Jesus put his hands on the man initially? Did he not have enough faith to do the miracle? Impossible, because giving sight to the blind or any other healing, deliverance or restoration was as simple for him as the blinking of the eyes or like the respiration of a healthy person. No undue effort taken, just the natural. When God does a miracle, it’s a miracle for us; for Him it’s a simple thing. God who can call “light” out of nothingness by just saying, “Let there be light” can do anything that he wishes. And that too with perfection.

Perhaps Jesus wanted to see the reactions of the people who followed him when he did not stand up to their expectations, even if it was for just a moment. He knew what went on in the minds of everyone around and maybe he was just checking. Of course, many thought he had failed them, when he submitted to his opposers when his time had come to be crucified. Many may have asked themselves, “Why can’t he just destroy his foes for he is all powerful?” Just a word from him would have been enough to crush his enemies. But Jesus was on another mission which not many realized or understood.

Would the man have been happy with such imperfect vision? Depends! If he was one who had good vision earlier and then gone blind due to some sickness, he would have known what it was to see clearly and so would have desired perfect vision. Perhaps he would have then doubted the healing powers of this prophet from Nazareth. If he had been one who was born blind, he wouldn’t know what perfection was and would have settled for less.

To lay all doubts and arguments at rest, Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes again. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Another glorious miracle was witnessed by his followers.

God can choose to heal in any way that he desires. We don’t have to tell him how to do it; just pray that he does it.

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 4

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 4

Narrated In 1 Gospel

Gospel Of Mark

Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mark 7:31-37)


Travelling on foot, by boat and whatever transportation available in that era, Jesus was always where the heavenly Father wanted him to be. Interestingly, in this passage, we see that God does not and need not perform things according to how we would want it to be but chooses to do things his own perfect way. The results however would be as we would have desired.

People brought to Jesus, a man who was deaf and dumb and wanted him to place his hand on him and heal him. But Jesus chose to act differently. He did not place his hand on the man; instead he took him aside, away from the crowd. Why, away from the crowd? Because he was going to do something unusual; things not many would have appreciated. Another thing we observe here is that Jesus was willing to do as the Father showed him because his desire was always to do his Father’s will and glorify him. Jesus said,
“The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.” (John 14:31)

Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears; not something that the ENT specialist would approve, then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. Then came the most important part of the whole miracle- The Command! Ephphatha, said Jesus, which meant “Be opened” and it was done!
The command of God has been effective since the 1st chapter of the Bible where he said, “Let there be light and there was light.” No questions asked, no arguments entertained.

His command is perfect and so is the end result. Here the deaf and dumb man heard and spoke immediately. The Bible says, “his tongue was loosened”; something was binding his tongue, something physical or spiritual, but all the bondages were broken at the single command- Ephphatha.

As usual, to avoid unnecessary publicity to his ministry (unusual, when we see what many preachers do now) Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the effect was just the opposite. The more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.

People were amazed. They just couldn’t believe what they had witnessed. They concluded by proclaiming,” He has done everything well,” "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Amazing! Just Amazing! This miracle working Savior from Nazareth.

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 3

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 3

Narrated In 1 Gospel

Gospel Of Mathew

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" "Yes, he does," he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes--from their own sons or from others?" "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." (Matthew 17:24-27)


Peter, once a fisherman, now a catcher of men- in training, is asked by Jesus to do a task so unusual that his jaw must have dropped when he witnessed the miracle happening when he obeyed the master’s words.

This was an unusual way to find money for paying the 2 drachma tax. Well, actually 4 drachmas, 2 for Jesus and 2 for Peter. The knowledge and experience that Peter had acquired by being a fisherman for long may have questioned the validity of his teacher’s proclamation of finding a 4 drachma coin in the mouth of a fish, but nevertheless he must have been obedient to his teacher.

Imagine Peter carrying the fishing line and a few live worms to get this task done. He must have been thrilled of going back to the waters to catch fish. Actually it was a habit he found hard to give up in the initial part of his ministry, for we read in the gospel of John that when Jesus died and was buried and then resurrected, the disciples decided to go fishing again. Perhaps they missed the constant presence of Jesus and were getting impatient, so they decided to go fishing.

Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. (John 21:2, 3)

Coming back to imagining Peter walking towards the lake, line in hand, humming a few praises to God. People seeing him must have commented, “Good old Peter, back to fishing, seems like old times.”Yet he was here on a different mission, known only to him and his master.

There could have been a lot of “what if’s” going through the mind of Peter, yet he had reason to believe; he had seen enough miracles done by his master. And so he must have cast the line with confidence; confidence not in his prowess as a fisherman or the quality of the fishing line, but confidence in the words of his Lord and Master. That’s when the miracle must have happened, for we do not have verses which say that he found the 4 drachma coin in the fish’s mouth and paid the tax, but that is understood as far as those of us who believe in the mighty miracle working power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ are concerned.

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- A Bible Study- 2

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- A Bible Study- 2

Narrated in one gospel only

In the Gospel of Matthew:

While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.” (Matthew 9:32-34)


This is another miracle recorded by Matthew and not read in the other 3 gospels. Here is a case of demon-possession. The demon’s main affliction here is making the man mute. Demons can afflict any part of the body and in this man’s case, his speech was obstructed. Perhaps the demon had his tongue bound and hence the man could not speak. Or the origin, transmission and production were all obstructed by the demon.

Sickness can be healed, but demons have to be driven out. And that is just what Jesus did. Secondly, here the man was not in a position to express his faith and Jesus did not expect it either. So in cases of demon-possession, it is the faith of the one praying for the person that is important. One should not tell a person who is demon-possessed that if he has more faith, then he can be delivered. Demon-possession cannot be cured by medicines. Demons have to be rebuked and driven out in Jesus’ Name.

Well, not all get excited when great things happen and we see the Pharisees giving their own explanation of the miracle. They are here condemning Jesus and accusing Him of using demon power to perform the miracle.They were “blind” as Jesus called them.

Ministers need discernment from God to know when people are brought to us for praying, whether the person is suffering from a sickness or whether it is a case of demon affliction. Disease can be healed by prayer and medical-surgical interventions, but demons have to be driven out as Jesus very clearly demonstrates here.

Miracles of Jesus in the Gospels- Bible Study- 1

Miracles of Jesus in the Gospels- Bible Study- 1

Narrated in one gospel only

In the Gospel of Matthew:

1) As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region. (Matthew 9:27-31)


This healing was wrought by the Lord because of the express faith of the two blind men. They did not flinch when asked by the Lord whether they believed that He was able to heal them. They only had hearsay evidence for knowing that Jesus was able to heal the sick and the infirm. They had not yet seen any of the miracles that Jesus had done, but had put their faith in Him from what they had learned from others regarding His healing powers. And how wonderfully the Lord rewarded them for their faith. How true then the words of Jesus when He said, “Blessed are they who have not seen, yet believed.” (John 20:29b)

This is also another example of how the Lord Jesus healed people by touching them. Matthew writes, “He touched their eyes.” There are other instances in the Word where the Lord Jesus healed the blind without touching them, but here He chose to touch their eyes while healing them.

Matthew also states that Jesus forbid them from letting anyone know about the healing that He had wrought for them. One may wonder why? Perhaps Jesus didn’t want too much publicity so early in His ministry and bring about premature interference from the enemy.

Whatever it be, the once blind and now seeing men couldn’t keep their mouths shut because they considered their healing to be of major value and they went out and spread the news of their healing all over that region.
Come to think of it, they may have initially kept quiet obeying their healer, but many may have asked them,
“Can you see now?” “How did you receive your healing?” and they couldn’t keep their healing a secret for long. And Matthew ends the story by writing that they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.