November 16, 2021 | Wonders
Since the beginning of time, at least since the moment when sin entered the picture, the people of Jesus’ time had yearned for a Savior to rescue them from the mistakes of their past and, during this time, they placed their hope on the promise that God the Father had made to deliver one.
Because sin and death are such a mighty foe, they expected a mighty warrior to be the one to rescue them, one who would come with a sword to strike down anyone who would get in His path. God said to Moses in Exodus 3:20, “So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go,” and they were expecting these same kinds of wonders and power to save them from their sin.
Then came that Savior, born in the likeness of a humble babe laying in a manger to an unassuming, god-fearing family. This boy would grow up in the town of Nazareth, a town with a reputation that was far from positive. This young man would grow to be a gentle rabbi preaching love and peace instead of vengeance and retribution. His message would be to love your enemies, submit to authority and to put others before yourselves.
Even His own cousin, John the Baptist, would question Him, sending His own students to ask Jesus if He was truly the one they had been waiting for since the promise of God was first given. Jesus’ response would speak volumes, “Go and tell John what you hear and see; the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have Good News preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matthew 11:4-6).
The proof of Jesus’ divinity would not come by way of violence and war but by way of wonders. With Godly love, Jesus would make the deaf to hear, the blind to see, and the lame to walk. He would win hearts in love, defeat the devil with righteousness and overcome death with sacrifice. He would do more in three years then all the greatest warriors would do in their lifetimes, combined.
Yet, wonders were not enough for the people of Jesus’ day. Sin had built too big a wall around those with worldly power. They would witness the same wonders as everyone else, but rather than seeing them as proof that Jesus was who He said He was, they saw them as a threat to their own glory. Immediately they sought to destroy Jesus because the Devil would not go down without a fight.
Despite this threat, the message of Christ would not change, and His methods would not be tarnished. Even being so bold as to heal on the Sabbath Day. He would continue to preach peace through love. His actions would not waver from the purpose He had been sent for. Even to the end He proved that He came to serve and not to be served.
His greatest wonder would happen three days after He would willingly sacrifice Himself for the benefit of all mankind. On that day he would rise from the dead, proving His power over death. In three days, He had defeated man’s greatest foes, sin and death, something only a God of wonders could do.
Soon after Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven, the Apostle Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke to those gathered around Him saying, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:22-24).
These words cut to the heart of the people standing there as they should still today. Despite the wonders, we still question the one doing the wonders. Those same walls built around worldly men stand today as so many see Jesus as a threat and not as God. Only the faithful can change that.
God still does wonders among us every day. Miracles are as real today as they ever have been if we take the time to acknowledge them. Jesus still works in the hearts of all believers through the power of the Holy Spirit. He still advocates for the lost, the lonely, and the less fortunate. He still works through the hands and feet of the faithful to heal the sick and to bring comfort to the downtrodden. He still preaches the Good News of salvation through His servants to people in desperate need of hope.
Wonders continue and will continue for all eternity for those who place their hope and trust in Christ. Together we will witness that great wonder when Jesus comes again. Will you see it as proof or will you see it as a threat? Please pray with me:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the wonders You have made and for the wonders to come. Keep us steadfast in faith so that we might witness them forever. Amen.
