(This sermon was preached this Sunday, by Pastor Richmond Leigh, my husband)

During this Sunday service, Pastor Richmond Leigh preached from the Book of John. “So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 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 his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household” (Jn 4:46-53).

Pastor Richmond Leigh said that the signs, wonders and miracles are manifestations of supernatural powers. In particular, the miracles in the New Testament proved the divinity of Christ. Even with the advance of science, the miracles that Jesus performed have not been replicated by men. For example, nobody could change water into wine, walk on the water or make a man who was born blind to see.  These miracles had two effects upon those who witnessed them. Some were attracted to Jesus and believed that He was sent by God, because no one could perform such miracles except by the power of God. Others, sadly, rejected the Lord, in spite of witnessing the miracles.

As Christians, our faith is not based on miracles. We believe that Jesus is Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus did some of the miracles because He had compassion upon the needy men and women. But the primary reason why He did them was to reveal His glory to men on earth. “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him” (Jn 2:11). Our Lord was the greatest Teacher. The miracles were like ‘visual aids’. He was teaching the people to believe in Him, that He is the Messiah. He wanted the people to trust Him as their Savior; that He came to die for their sins.  Salvation is God’s supernatural work. The people must believe the Word of God and become born again. But many of the people who listened to Jesus wanted only His miracles and not His Person or His teachings. They wanted the miracles but not the Word of God. The purpose of the miracles was to lead them to the Word of God so that they can believe. Our Lord Jesus Christ wanted them to believe in Him even without miracles.  Men of little faith want to see miracles before they believe in Jesus.

In the story found in John Chapter 4, the son of a noble man was very sick, to the point of death. The father came to Jesus looking for a miracle.  The father trekked 20 miles from Capernaum to Cana, to meet with the Lord. Jesus had compassion on him. Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. What Jesus did was ‘to connect’ the miracle to the Word of God. Jesus did not go with him to Capernaum. But He gave him the Word. The father believed! With the word in his heart, he trekked back another 20 miles.  He had enough time to meditate upon that Word of God that produces faith. He discovered that the son was healed at the very hour Jesus spoke the Word! It was like Jesus healed the son by ‘a spiritual remote control’. The father believed the Word and the son was healed!

This is a good lesson for all of us. The primary purpose why the Son of God came to earth was not to perform miracles. It was to die for our sins! It was for our salvation! But He also performed miracles because He was compassionate. The true miracles done in the name of Jesus are intimately connected with faith in the Word of God! Miracles should lead us to the Word of God. Faith in the Word produces miracles! These days, many false prophets try to deceive the people who fake miracles (Mt 24:24). They do it to attract crowds so that they can collect money or become famous. But the true children of God cannot be totally deceived because their faith is not based on signs and wonders, but on the Word of God, which stands forever! Amen!

These are some honest questions: Pastor, do you get angry if the Lord does not do miracles in a crusade? Do you get angry with God if He does not do miracles to prove that you are a child of God? You people in the choir, what is the purpose of your singing? Is it for a show? You people who play instruments, why are you doing it? Is for fame or money? Or is it for the glory of God? Christian women, what is the purpose of your dressing up each Sunday with expensive clothes? Is it to seduce men or it is for the glory of God? Christian men, what is your attitude to money? Do you pay your tithes and offerings? Do you desire to contribute to the expansion of the Kingdom of God, or not?

Let’s never forget! God exists! Jesus Christ is the Lord! Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God! He died that we might live! We are not justified by miracles. We are justified by faith the Lord Jesus Christ! The Cross is the greatest miracle this universe has ever seen! Salvation is the greatest miracle offered to man! Nothing compares with this! This is the will of God, that men will be saved! Miracles are good but their effect is temporary. Salvation is eternal!  Become born again! Worship the Lord!