John 4:46-50
People Need Miracles to Believe
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
Mark 6:1-6
Few Miracles in His Hometown
1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.
John 20:24-29
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus could only do a few miracles in His own hometown, because of their faith...Do you have faith in him?...Do you miracles to believe in Jesus?...Sometimes I think I do...
Jesus healed the royal official's son, but added a comment around those standing around the royal official...“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”...Jesus teaches us that we need miracles to believe in Him and to believe that He is the Messiah...But we also need faith...This is proven when He went back to His hometown... His hometown people acknowledged that He had gained much wisdom from the last time they had seen Him...The hometown people also knew He had been performing remarkable miracles...But how could a mere carpenter (who they knew and had seen growing up) be doing these great things?...And, He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them...He was amazed at their lack of faith...So without faith they could not get a miracle to happen, except those few sick people that He actually touched...When He touched them (in His hometown) they were healed...
Jesus' miracles proves He is the One to come...His miracles prove that He is the Messiah...Would one miracle in your life allow you to believe and have faith?...Or would it take two miracles or maybe ten?...What if you had seen three years of miracles -would that be enough?...Our minds seem to play tricks on us, and sometimes we do not remember the important things in our lives, that were actually a miracle or miracles in our lives...For some reason, (especially in our younger years) we seem to remember the bad and tragic things that happen to us, better than how we remember our good and happy things of our life... And miracles seem to lessen in our minds and wear down and wear off -until we think well maybe that wasn't a miracle, maybe what happened was luck or some coincidence...Is it possible those that saw a few of Jesus' miracles, still went about their day and did not give them much thought?...
When we are burdened with our doubts, and plagued by our biases and prejudices -then our faith is lacking...Making mention that He was a carpenter, could be construed as a sign of a bias...This Carpenter could do miracles, and He did many...But because we do not associate men as able to do miracles, let alone carpenters, it was hard for His hometown to believe He was the Messiah...Are we biased on who is doing a miracle, should carpenters do miracles or put another way are carpenter's miracles less impressive than a doctor who can do miracles?...
We, as mankind, want and would like to see miracles, many miracles...This has not changed much since His time...I personally do not think one miracle from God would suffice in a strong faith for life in God and His Son for the average person...In reading of atheists and their arguments against God, many if not most say they would believe, if they would see a modern day miracle...I am not convinced one miracle would change one's belief system...I actually don't think God likes to do miracles, especially on a regular basis -or He would be doing them to prove His existence to man...Jesus seems a little flustered, when He said, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”...He wants us first to have faith, then the miracles will come...But we want to see and be shown His miracles (and not just one) and to see those modern day miracles (on a regular or semi-regular basis), and then we will believe Him, then we will have faith in Him...Or so we think...
Thomas needed one more miracle from His Master for He would believe...Thomas, one of the Twelve Disciples, had seen three years of many miracles and many, many mighty things...When Jesus, after one more miracle, tells Thomas that “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”...I wonder if Jesus might agree with this statement, blessed are those who have not seen a miracle of Mine and yet have believed?...
Could it be if we saw a regular miracle over a period of years, we might get used to them and considered them as not something very important?...After seeing miracles how would we react to them?...Would we go about our regular day and back to work or our regular routine after seeing the most amazing things ever done?....