Life-spark: Jesus is living proof of unstoppable aliveness. (John 2:17-22)
The miraculous signs in the gospel of John point to the unending life that is available to those who believe into Jesus.
When Christ’s disciples saw Him cleanse the temple, they remembered a scripture about the Messiah’s passion: Zeal for your house will consume me. (John 2:17, NIV) Something clicked for eleven of them. A new piece of the puzzle went into place.
Others viewed the temple cleansing from a doubtful perspective. They got pushy and demanded a special miracle to prove that Jesus had heavenly authority to do what He did. They were sign seekers, but hardness of heart blurred their vision.
“OK,” Jesus said, “Here is the special miracle. Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days.” (John 2:19, NIV) I believe Jesus tapped His own chest when He said, “this temple.” It’s called body language. A temple is place where God meets with man, and Jesus is the ultimate place where God meets with man.
The hard-hearted sign seekers incorrectly assumed that He was speaking of the Jewish temple. They scoffed at what they interpreted to be His promise to destroy this Jewish jewel, forty-six years in the making, and raise it back up in three days.
But signs of life can be interpreted in more than one way. After the resurrection of Jesus, the eleven came to understand that the temple he had spoken of was his body. (John 2:21, NIV) Note these three words: Then they believed… (John 2:22, NIV) Some signs of life make sense when we first see them. Others must be noted, remembered and understood later. Have you ever heard God say something to you that didn’t make sense when you first heard it, but you just held onto His word, and had those very words eventually become faith-building proof of His authenticity and aliveness?
Is God the source of deep, unending aliveness? Can I connect with God through Christ and experience, now and forever, that aliveness? Yes; and yes. Jesus is living proof.
Life action: Think of one thing you God said to you that doesn’t make sense yet. Promise Him you will hold onto that word until He explains something further to you about it or until it comes to pass.
Edited to here; Blogged to here