Stairway to Heaven – John 1:43-51

stairwaytoheaven

“Jesus responded to him, ‘Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.’ Then he said, ‘I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.’(John 1:50-51, NLT).

Many if not most of the words spoken by Jesus and recorded in the Gospels either reference Old Testament scriptures or allude to Old Testament events. That is the case in this story of the calling of Nathanael to become one of Jesus’ twelve disciples.

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Signs Everywhere – John 2:11

“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.” During political campaigns, signs begin to be posted everywhere advertising a person running for a certain office. The miracle of turning the water into wine at the wedding at Cana was Jesus’ first miracle and a sign, as John referred to Jesus’ miracles. It was not a public miracle but rather a miracle to be seen and understood by a select few–His disciples. The miracles of Jesus that John included in his gospel were signs that attested to His identity as Messiah and Son of God and generally meant to lead unbelievers to faith (see vs. 23). The miracles or signs John writes about revealed Jesus’ divine nature by the performance of an exceptional or outstanding accomplishment: a large quantity/high quality of wine (2:6, 10), the official’s son healed over a long distance (4:47, 49–50), the invalid’s recovery from a 38-year medical condition (5:5), the large quantity of food produced (6:13), the man’s recovery from lifelong blindness (9:1–2), and the raising of Lazarus from the dead (11:17, 39). While these miracles showed the glory of Jesus as the sovereign Creator and ruler of the universe, He is still working personal and private miracles today in the hearts and lives of individuals. His signs are posted everywhere advertising that He can be your Savior.