Evidence of Jesus’ Power

GOLDEN TEXT: “Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the Gospel is preached.” —Luke 7:22

LUKE 7:11-23

THE teachings of Jesus and of the Bible have no vital meaning apart from our faith in the miracle-working power of God, the Creator, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Author of the great divine plan of salvation revealed in the Scriptures. Creation was a miracle. Crossing the Red Sea and the River Jordan by the Israelites were miracles. The crumbling of Jericho’s walls was a miracle. Jonah remaining alive in the stomach of a great fish was a miracle. The handwriting on the wall was a miracle. The birth of Jesus without a human father was a miracle. His resurrection was a miracle.

In today’s lesson we are told of many miracles which Jesus performed, and by which the power of the Creator operating through him was made manifest. Our attention is called particularly to the awakening from death of a young man, the son of the widow of Nain. The only hope of life after death is based upon God’s promises to restore the dead to life. For this hope to be sustaining and comforting it is essential to believe that the power which created life will be exercised to restore life.

The hope of the resurrection is set forth throughout the Old Testament, and the Jews, except the Sadducees, believed it. In his defense before Agrippa, Paul said, “Now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: … for which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.” Then Paul asked Agrippa, “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” (Acts 26:6-8) Why should it be thought a thing incredible with any that God should raise the dead? His entire plan of salvation is based on the fact that this is what he intends to do.

Had it not been for the redemption provided through Jesus’ death, the penalty for sin, would have been eternal extinction. But because “Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man,” and thus provided payment for the penalty, God now looks upon the dead world of mankind as merely sleeping—sleeping until the dawning of earth’s new day, when by divine power they will be awakened from the sleep of death.

The awakening of the son of the widow of Nain was an illustration of what will be done for all mankind during the thousand years of Christ’s reign. So was the awakening of Lazarus. (John 11:43,44) Those whom Jesus then awakened went back into death, for the time in the divine plan for them to be restored to perfection of life and live forever had not yet come. But in the time of the general resurrection, the awakened ones who accept the provisions of God’s grace through Christ and obey the laws of his kingdom will not die again, but will live forever as perfect human beings. The only exceptions to this will be those who, during the present age, respond to the “high calling of God in Christ Jesus” and receive spiritual life in the resurrection.

As a result of the miracle of the resurrection which Jesus performed, his fame spread rapidly. Some of the remaining disciples of John the Baptist—who was now in prison—reported it to him. Due to his imprisonment, John was evidently having some difficulty in maintaining his faith that Jesus was truly the Messiah, so he sent two of his disciples to Jesus to inquire, “Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?”

Even “in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.” In the words of our Golden Text, Jesus’ reply to John simply was that these miracles were being performed; that tokens of the blessings which God had promised would flow out to the people through the messianic kingdom were being enjoyed by many. This report would prove to John that the power of Israel’s God, who had made the promises by “the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began,” was actually being manifested in the ministry of the One whom he had announced to be “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”—John 1:29

John the Baptist did not need to know more at that time. Jesus did not need to explain to him that the time had not yet come in the divine plan for this program of miracles to be expanded world-wide and continue operating until all the sick were healed and all the dead were raised. John was beheaded. He fell asleep in death, and when awakened it will be time for the promises of God to be fulfilled, and he will rejoice for the assurance which was then given to him that Jesus was the Messiah, the One sent of God. John will then be one of the “princes in all the earth,” co-operating with the spiritual phase of the messianic kingdom in giving life to all.

QUESTIONS

How important is it for Christians to believe in miracles?

Should it be thought incredible that God will raise the dead?

Explain how the redemptive work of Christ makes possible the resurrection of the dead.

How will the experience of those raised from the dead during the kingdom age, differ from the experience of those awakened by Jesus at his first advent?

Why would the answer Jesus sent to John the Baptist concerning his messiahship be so convincing?

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