Missing the miracle?

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John 10:22-42
 An artist's impression of Solomon's Colonnade in the Temple of Jerusalem

East of the Jordan River where John baptised

Have you ever witnessed a miracle taking place? You might think about a birth, or an amazing change in someone, or a life and death situation that ended in life. Miracles leave us with our hearts in our mouths, with a chill running through us at the way something impossible has just happened in front of our eyes. It's different from a magic trick which we know must be false, even if we can't explain it. A miracle is wonderfully real.

When Jesus went to the temple in Jerusalem for the Winter festival of Dedication, known to us today as the Jewish festival of Hannukah or the festival of lights, he was celebrating a miracle that was not recorded in the Bible. It happened in the time between the writing of the Old Testament scriptures, about 167 years before his birth.

This miracle had enabled the Israelites to restore their worship of God in the temple in Jerusalem, after a period of time when it had been taken over by foreign powers. The temple was found in a complete mess and only one jar of purified oil was retrieved. Sadly, this jar would only last for one day. God had other plans. He enabled the oil to last for eight days, the required period of purification and dedication to bring his people back into relationship with himself. The Israelites didn't want to forget this. 

Jesus was among those returning to the temple to remember. Yet he was greeted with intense hostility by his own people. His own miracles were being ignored. Even though he had clearly told them who he was, they did not believe that he was sent by God and were even prepared to stone him.

In the very place that God had established so that his people could come and know him, they were missing the one who would open the gate and make that possible.

The passage ends with a startling contrast. Jesus goes to the East of the Jordan, where John had baptised many. 'And many came to him...and many believed in him there.' It didn't take a temple to be restored to God. Being with Jesus was enough.

Are we missing the miracle? Do we rely on being in the right place at the right time with the right people to make us feel that we are living life well? Or are we able to listen to Jesus' voice and follow him, knowing that all he has to give us is the best miracle of all?

Let's carry on being like those Middle Eastern sheep as we focus unreservedly on the voice of the Miracle Man!

John 10:22-42

22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’[d]? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apartas his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.

Footnotes:

  1. John 10:9 Or kept safe
  2. John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
  3. John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
  4. John 10:34 Psalm 82:6




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