“And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’” – Mark 1:27
The miracles of Jesus were primarily done to draw people to His teaching. His jaw-dropping power was proof that His stunning words should be listened to and obeyed. Jesus didn’t speak, teach, or preach like anyone else on earth. He didn’t debate, discuss, or equivocate. He didn’t stand on the ideas and interpretations of rabbis and scholars. He spoke directly and authoritatively as the Son of God on earth. Given that radical difference in teaching style and content, why should anyone listen to Him? Because He also had the power of God’s Son!
It’s helpful for us to understand the relationship between the miracles of Jesus and His words. Miracles were never the main event – they were performed to draw attention to the fact that God’s Kingdom had come into the world through Christ. That’s most likely why there tend to be relatively few dramatic miracles in parts of the world where the words of Jesus are well-known, widely taught, and at least respected. Miracles draw crowds but the word of Christ raises the spiritually dead to life!
To this day, we sometimes get so focused on the miracles of Jesus that we think more about them than we do His words. Make no mistake, the words are far more important! His words are life. His words are truth. He taught with authority. He proved that authority by the miracles He did. So, what are you doing about that authority? Do you take His words seriously? Do you view them as a matter of life and death? Do you pray for God’s hep to live in obedience to the words of Jesus? Have you submitted to the authority of Jesus as your Lord? #FollowJesus