Jesus performed many miracles during His earthly ministry, but John, in his gospel, records only seven of them, referring to them as signs. These signs serve as markers, directing us to our Lord Jesus. Wonders and miracles astonish us and fill us with awe. However, when we witness miracles in our lives, which are the work of God, whether small or large, we should recognize them as evidence of God’s Kingdom at work among us. These miracles are manifestations of His Kingdom, which is continuously growing and evident in the world among and around us. We should not focus solely on the miracles themselves, as they are signs pointing to a greater reality.
N.T. Wright describes the meaning of signs in the Gospel of John like this: “The whole point of signs is that they are moments when heaven and earth intersect with each other. The point is not that they are stories which couldn’t have happened in real life, but which point away from earth to a heavenly reality.” Wright rightly states that these signs are moments when heaven and earth are connected—moments when heavenly reality becomes earthly reality. What the Jews believed happened only in the temple, the connection of heaven and earth, Jesus brings in His person. He is now the connection point between humanity and God. When Nathanael was astonished because Jesus said He saw him under the fig tree, Jesus told him that he would see greater things: “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (John 1:51).
I pray that we are not just admirers of God’s miraculous works among us, but that we move on to cling to Jesus, who is the author of life.