Greater Expectations

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.  John 20:30-31

We should have greater expectations of the possibility of miracles.

We should have greater expectations of the power of miracles.

We should have greater awareness of the problems of miracles.

There is a problem of supernatural deception.  Revelation 13:11-14

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. 12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast ^bin his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform ^din the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.

There is a problem of selfish deception.  John 6:26

Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.

There is a problem of sign seeking deception.  Matthew 12:38-39

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; 40 for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

We should have greater understanding of the purpose of miracles.

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.  John 20:30-31

This statement tells us a few things that we should note.

• Jesus performed many signs that were not recorded in this book.  The word “signs” is the Greek word, semeion which means a miracle with a message and with meaning.  We will talk about that more later.
• The signs or miracles that are recorded are recorded for a distinct purpose.  That purpose was for people to believe.  They were to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God.  
• The result of believing this is that you may have life in His name.

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