1: Signs That Point the Way – Teaching Plan
Key Thought: John called Jesus’ miracles signs. Turning water to wine, restoring health to the sick, and healing the paraplegic at the well. All point to Jesus as the Son of God.
October 5, 2024
1. Have a volunteer read John 2:1-11.
- Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
- How did this help the disciples believe in Him?
- Personal Application: What about your reasons for believing and following Jesus? What have you seen in your life? Share your thoughts.
- Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Even if we were to see a miracle, doesn’t the Bible say demons can perform miracles? What must we consider before automatically assuming it is from God?” How would you respond to your relative?
2. Have a volunteer read John 5:1-9, 14.
- Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
- Because everyone at the pool was there to get healed, why did Jesus ask the paralytic if he wanted to get healed? And why didn’t He heal everyone there?
- Personal Application: How can we submit our wills to God in the face of adversity and trials without denying Christ like Peter, or running away like John, or trying to physically fight like Peter? Share your thoughts.
- Case Study: One of your friends states, “What is the relationship between sickness and sin? How do we discern that not all sickness is a direct result of sins in our lives, yet Jesus says here that sickness can be a result of sin?” How would you respond to your friend?
3. Have a volunteer read John 5:10-16.
- Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
- What lessons can we take away from the hardness of the religious leaders hearts in response to Jesus and the miracles He just performed?
- Personal Application: Are there some “rules” that we may cling to that may actually be destroying another person’s ability to experience God’s power in their lives? Share your thoughts.
- Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “Do you know anyone that has maybe become spiritually hard regardless of evidence in the Bible and in their lives? Are prayers going up for them so that Jesus could make a miracle in their lives?” How would you respond to your neighbor
4. Have a volunteer read John 5:16-18.
- Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
- Why was Jesus persecuted for His action on the Sabbath and what did He say to help the leaders see Him for who He is?
- Personal Application: How can we be careful to not just believe in God and have correct doctrines, but not surrender fully to Christ? Share your thoughts.
- Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.
(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).
(6)
The gospel of John is a book of signs that we may believe that Jesus is the predicted Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing, we may have live in his name. (John 20:31) These signs are pointing so some salvation event performed by Christ.
The miracle of changing water into wine is the first sign that Jesus did, revealing his glory in and through that miracle-sign. If this sign was pointing to some salvation event, what sin-saving event might that be?
The ultimate point of salvation by faith and grace is eternal life, as pointed out above. (John 20:31) Considering this connecting link, we are reminded of a sermon that Jesus preached, declaring that he is the bread of life having come down from heaven to give life to the world. (John 6:33) The prior context shows Jesus performing a miracle-sign feeding five thousand peopel with five loaves of bread. The passover was at hand with Jesus as the passover lamb. (John 6:4;John 1:29) Looking closely at the passage, we notice that Jesus is acting a sign by using the formula of the later Institution of the Lord`s Supper. (John 6:11; Mark 14:22)
At the end of his sermon, Jesus has the Lord`s Supper in view, he instituted prior to his death at the cross in connection with eternal life as the ultimate point that these miracle- signs are pointing to: Unless you eate the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eates my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at he last day. (John 6:53-54)
Thus, the miracle-sign of changing water into wine as the very first sign of Jesus, is pointing to the Lord`s Supper as the ultimate salvation event, cleansing us by the blood of Christ within and not just without by the water in the stone jars at the wedding.
Winfried Stolpmann