What’s your signature?

If you are driving your car and if you see a “red sign”, the message that it would convey would be that you need to “STOP” your vehicle. Signs are expressions of messages. The book of John has a set of seven

miraculous signs mentioned in it. In this article I will share with you the message each of these signs convey to us…

(1) The first miraculous sign Jesus ever did was to turn water into wine. Scripture testifies that this was the

first of His miraculous signs Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. [John 2:11]. The message that comes with this sign? JESUS, Master over QUALITY.

(2) The second miraculous sign Jesus performed was to heal a royal official’s son, who lay sick at his home. The official begs Jesus to come with him and heal his son, but Jesus says, You may go. Your son will live. [John 4:50]. Scripture goes onto say…This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee. [John 4:54]. The message that comes with this sign? JESUS, Master over DISTANCE.

(3) Now Jesus enters Jerusalem and there He meets with a paralytic who had been an invalid for 38 long years [John 5:5]. Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. [John 5:8-9]. The message? JESUS, Master over TIME.

(4) Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick [John 6:1-2]. We all know what Jesus did here with the 5 loaves and 2 fishes.. He gave thanks and there was multiplication of food, that even after distributing the food to over 5000, there remained 12 baskets more! The message? JESUS, the Master over QUANTITY

(5) Now Jesus sends His disciples in a boat to the other side while He Himself stays back, but when they had rowed about 3 and half miles, they saw Jesus approaching them, walking on the water [John 6:16-19]. This sign terrified the disciples! I’m sure we’d be caught up with the sign too, and would’ve missed the message the sign carried with it… JESUS, Master over NATURE.

(6) Later on in John 9, we read of Jesus and His disciples meeting with a blind man. The disciples are curious to know what caused this man to be blind, whether it was his sins or his parents’ sin that caused him to be blind [though we all know that it was the original sin that opened doors to all kinds of mishaps]. I’m sure most of us have come across such situations in our life… we don’t know what caused it. We ponder on why it happened, how we could’ve avoided it, and so forth. But Jesus tells His disciples...this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. [John 9:3]. The message? JESUS, Master over MISFORTUNE.

(7) Now we are taken into the incident where Lazarus dies and Jesus goes to the tomb 4 days late. We are all familiar as to what happens here… Jesus went in to the tomb and called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” [John 11:43] and Lazarus was brought back to life… JESUS, Master over DEATH.

The Apostle John goes onto tell us: Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. [John 20:30-31]

My friends, all these signs are given to us to point to the centrality of the message… JESUS. He is the message. Many of us are seeking only the signs and have left out the message contained in it. Are we guilty of seeking healing, rather than seeking the Healer?…are we guilty of seeking blessings, rather than the One Who blesses?

We ourselves are signs too. We are carriers of messages too. But what message do our lives carry to others? Can they see the Savior, the Lover, the Comforter, the Gentle, the Compassionate, the Healer, the Miracle Worker, the Powerful, the Protector… ?

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. [Mark 16:17-18]

Let’s set aside theological debates and let’s analyze ourselves… do we fit in God’s description of a person who believes? Do you leave the signature of the King of Life wherever you go?