SIGNS OF LIFE

Sermon Summary, “Signs of Life, ” 4/26/15  John (selected verses)

Last week Sandra gave us a wonderful report on her ministry to Vandalia Women’s Prison where she and her friends ministered to over 100 women and brought 7 to Christ (I need to have her teach me to do altar calls!) Yet, the recidivism rate exceeds 50 percent.  On Tuesday at Rotary I learned of Primrose Hill Teen Challenge for addicted mothers with Children, a faith-based holistic program of 12 to 14 months with an 85 percent success rate measured over 8 years.  Faith-based, 85 percent!  That’s what Jesus does!

We’re in John tells us that Jesus performed many signs but he “wrote these that we may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that in so believing we may have life in his name.” (v. 20:31)  That’s that what these young mothers are experiencing, life.  Jesus said, “I come that you have life and it to the full, it abundantly.” 

So John tells seven signs, more than physically miracles, each with a deep spiritual meaning.  For example, the wedding at Cana (2:1-11), “There were six stones jars standing there for the Jewish rites of purification each holding 20 to 30 gallons.” Six, a number of incompleteness, imperfection, telling us of bankruptcy of the old ways, but when the steward tasted the water now become wine, life becomes vibrant, exhilarating, and with 180 gallons of wine, extravagant!

The second sign of the healing of the royal official’s son (v. 4:46-54) is one of pure grace; of the paralytic at the pool (v. 5:1-18) of the frustration of the old and the power of the new; the feeding of the 5000 (v. 6:5-14) where 12 baskets were left over, of spiritual feeding and abundance; of walking on water (v. 6:16-24), stilling our fear when we accept him; of the man born blind (v. 9-1-7) and amazing grace (I once was blind and now am free); and of the raising of Lazarus (v. 11:1-45) to the glory of God. 

Some say the eighth sign is the resurrection of Christ, but it would not have been enough. How would we have known of life without the seven: of the exhilaration of life without water into wine; of grace, amazing grace without the story of the royal official’s son and the man born blind; of abundance of life with Christ in the feeding and in the 180 gallons of wine; of the serenity of Christ when steps into our midst; and how would we have known that the resurrection applies to us without Jesus telling us “I AM the resurrection and the life”? These were written for these women, these mothers, for us, that we may have life abundantly, life in his name.  Amen.