CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS #31: PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW

 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS: MIRACLES

 

FIFTH MIRACLE - PETER’S MOTHER IN LAW HEALED

 (MATTHEW 8:14-17; MARK 1:29-31; LUKE 4:38-39)

 

MANY HEALED AT SUNSET

(MARK 1:32-34; LUKE 4:40-41)

 

Location of Miracle: Capernaum

 

Set the Scene: 

o   Jesus had called His first disciples – Peter, Andrew, James & John. 

o   Jesus had just cast out an evil spirit from a man in the synagogue. (Mark 1:21-27)

o   He walked a short distance from the synagogue to Peter’s mother in law’s house. 

o   The event took place on the Sabbath day, which is a holy day where people are not allowed to work to include performing miracles. After leaving the synagogue, many of the men that were worshipping came with Jesus to Simon Peter’s house and were planning to eat together.

o   In those days, the woman of the house typically prepared the meal for the men, but the woman of this house, Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, was extremely ill. When she tried to greet Jesus, she was too weak and collapsed. Although it is not known exactly what her illness was, the Scripture says that she had a very high fever, making the woman weak.

 

READ Mark 1:29-34. 

 

Big Take-Aways:

o   Peter was married?! Of course, he was! Men in the Jewish culture were married as soon as they made enough money to support a family and build rooms onto the family home. 

o   This is a simple story about an ordinary woman who was never explicitly named because the focus of the story is on Jesus’ miracle, yet her story demonstrates the power and love of Jesus.

o   What also is notable about this miracle was Jesus ‘rebuked’ the fever. We see the word ‘rebuke’ on several other occasions, including the miracle to end the storm on the Sea of Galilee when He ‘rebuked’ the wind and rain, as well when Jesus ‘rebuked’ the demon during the exorcism in the synagogue. The word means, “to censure or admonish.” There are times when the solutions to our problems may require rebuke or strong admonition.

o   No one enjoys being on the receiving end of a rebuke, yet if healing is to occur, sometimes it takes a strong word or a strong will.

 

 

Call to Action:

o   Anyone can play a vital part in God’s plan. The Lord’s miracles in our lives are often quiet and ordinary. It’s the small miracles that are performed behind closed doors that allow ordinary people to lead lives pleasing to the Lord, to serve Him and show others His love.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS #30: THE OFFICIAL'S SON

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS: MIRACLES

SECOND MIRACLE – OFFICIAL’S SON HEALED (JOHN 4:46-54)

 

Location of Miracle: Jesus was in Cana; the healing was in Capernaum.

 

Set the Scene: 

o   Jesus had just revealed himself as the Son of God to the woman at the well in Sychar, in Samaria. 

o   Jesus was traveling to Galilee, as this was His new home, since He was not honored in Nazareth. 

o   Jesus stopped off in Cana, site of His FIRST miracle. He had been in Cana for several days -- long enough for word to reach Capernaum that Jesus was back in Galilee. Immediately upon hearing that Jesus is in Cana, an important man with a dying son rushes up the road from Capernaum to Cana, a distance of about 20 miles, and a rise from the Sea of Galilee of about 1,250 feet, a good two days' journey on foot -- probably less on horseback, since this man was a wealthy official. 

 

READ John 4:46-54.

 

Big Take-Aways:

o   When the man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he made the journey of more than 20 miles. When he reached Jesus, the official addressed him as “Sir,” and begged for Jesus to come back with him to heal his son who was close to death. Even though the man had legal authority, he was submitting to Jesus.

 

o   The royal official had probably heard Jesus when he had come to Capernaum previously (2:12). He has seen him do miracles of healing there (Luke 4:23; Matthew 11:23). He is desperate! He knows Jesus can heal his son, but he must find the Master. His faith is based on the miracles he has seen, but it is strong enough to sustain him on a two-day mountainous journey.

o   The father was desperate, and BELIEVED in the power of Jesus. The verb is in the imperfect tense, which means that he asked and kept on asking. He didn't stop or take "No" for an answer. Jesus' first response is a rebuke not just of the official's faith, but of all the Galileans, who were more interested in signs and wonders rather than in who Jesus actually was.

 

o   Time and distance are not obstacles for God’s miraculous powers. Just like the man in this story, we must ask and move forward believing that our prayers will be answered. When we do this, our faith is exercised, and it will grow and be strengthened. We should demonstrate to others how God’s blessings come through our faith in Him.

 

Call to Action: 

John chose to record this particular miracle because it demonstrated that Jesus had the power to heal a dying child 20 miles away. This is the faith that all believers should practice—although we may not see it visibly, we must trust in our faith in God.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS #29: Water into Wine

 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS: MIRACLES

FIRST MIRACLE - WATER TO WINE (JOHN 2:1-11)

 

A miracle is considered an event that occurs outside the bounds of natural law. Recorded in the Gospels, Jesus performed more than 40 miracles including healing the sick, changing the natural elements of nature and even raising people from the dead. Looking at Jesus’ miracles help us begin to understand the depth of His love for us.

 

Location of Miracle: Cana of Galilee, nine miles north of Nazareth

 

Set the Scene: 

·      Jesus was attending a wedding. Weddings in these days may have lasted up to a full week. 

·      Mary may have been the groom’s aunt.

 

Read JOHN 2:1-11.

 

Big Take-Aways:

·      Jesus was 30 years old and had yet to perform a miracle. Why now? The water-to-wine miracle is more than a miracle, it shows us exactly who Jesus is and why He came to earth. 

·      The miracle removed shame from the family. It saved the family from looking like poor hosts.

 

·      This miracle is not about drinking wine or getting drunk; it’s about the fulfillment of OT 
prophecies about the new covenant and its accompanying sign – wine. While drinking wine was a normal custom in the Jewish culture, drunkenness was not  (Isaiah 5:11) 

 

·      Significance of the wedding: The wedding is a direct imagery to Heaven. The picture of the kingdom of God as a feast is prominent in Judaism and in the Gospels… And the abundance of wine is a feature of the feast. 

§  Isaiah 25 – a picture of kingdom plenty

§  Jeremiah 31 – the sign of a new covenant; the presence of wine & great rejoicing

·      The new covenant is in no way anti-Jewish. It is inclusive! It includes all Jews & Gentiles who repent & receive the long-awaited Messiah! 

§  Amos 9:11, 13 – the restoration of the Davidic kingship (new wine will drip…)

·      Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of David, who comes to fulfill Judaism and bring the expected kingdom of God. 

·      Six Stone Jars: Jars were stone because stone vessels could not contract uncleanness. The mention of the Jewish purification water jars makes it clear the Gospel author wishes to suggest that Jesus replaces the rituals and institutions of early Judaism with something more life-giving and enduring. The water = purification. Cleansing by water = old covenant. Cleansed by Jesus = new covenant. 

·      The disciples “put their faith in” or “believed in” Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus become his possession. As a result of believing in Jesus, there should be a total difference in the way we live, in how we use our money, in how we think, in what we watch on tv, in how we treat our families, in how we spend our free time… Believing in Jesus changes EVERYTHING. 

 

Call to Action: God showed His faithfulness in sending Jesus to fulfill Old Testament prophecies. How has God shown His faithfulness to you in the past months? How do you need to put your faith in Jesus? 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS #28: Jesus said, "I AM the True Vine."

Please excuse the three videos! Our connection dropped, and dropped again! 

OT Background: Two vineyard songs: Isaiah 5:1-7 (the desolate vineyard) & Isaiah 27:2-6 (the fruitful vineyard).

NT Fulfillment: John 15:1-6

 

·      What’s your favorite juice? 

Synopsis: Jesus speaks of a vine, a common OT symbol for Israel (God’s people). The language of the unfruitful branches is tied to Israel as the desolate vineyard in Isaiah 5, but Jesus says the people of God have life and fruit now by being in him, as pictured in Isaiah 27:2-6. Jesus is not simply saying Christians are fruitful by resting in him, but He’s making the redemptive-historical claim He is the new Israel.

 

He both fulfills Israel’s destiny (because Israel never could) and is the one in whom the people of God find true, flourishing, fruitful life. He is the true and better Israel, succeeding where they failed, bringing flourishing life and fruit where they dried out and offered nothing on the vine.

 

READ John 15:1-7.

·      How does the vine and branches metaphor relate to understanding fruit bearing in the kingdom of God? 

 

READ Galatians 5:16-21.

·      What are things that hinder us from connecting to the vine? 

·      How does an unconnected life compare to a connected life?

 

READ Galatians 5:22-23 & James 2:14-26.

·      This is the fruitful vineyard! 

·      If a believer is truly connected to the vine, what sort of “fruit” manifests in their life?

·      True or false: Any deed done in love is greater than simply doing a nice thing or an obligatory service?