What a Miracle Can Teach You About Creativity

By Xlibris US

Jesus knew how to draw a crowd. Wherever he traveled, people clamored to get close to him. His teaching amazed them, but his miracles astounded them!

Jesus performed these signs to serve the needy and to identify himself as the Messiah. But of all his miracles, the multiplication of the loaves of bread and the number of fish reveals another reason: to train his disciples in the creative ways of the kingdom of God.

Today books, articles, and podcasts about creativity abound everywhere. It’s a popular subject because people want to learn how to produce special works of significance and make their mark on the world. Through the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus demonstrated how we can operate in creativity that glorifies God and blesses people.

If you seek to discover and cultivate your inner creativity, then read how Christ’s miracle of the loaves and fish can teach you the principles that will help you make a positive and lasting impact.

Bob Condly is a pastor and teacher who’s dedicated to helping people grow spiritually as disciples of Jesus Christ. He’s a credentialed minister and has worked in churches in California and Wisconsin.

Bob earned a bachelor’s degree in New Testament from Oral Roberts University, a master’s in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in theology and spirituality from Marquette University.

Dr. Condly has conducted pastor training conferences in Haiti, Kenya, South Africa, Swaziland, and Trinidad. He’s also served in mission trips to England, Lesotho, and Mexico and has lectured at TCA College in Singapore.

Bob currently serves as the VP of Academics at West Coast Bible College and Seminary (www.westcoastbible.org) and writes a blog, Discipleship Matters, which you can find at www.discipleshipmatters.org.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984554918

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

From the fields of the countryside to the scattered cities and villages, word spread everywhere. No one could keep the news to themselves; they didn’t want to. What they’d seen and heard was astonishing, almost unbelievable. But this wasn’t a collection of fairy tales or rumors; as incredible as the reports sounded, they were for real!

Reactions

The miracles of Jesus—like healing the sick and casting out demons—had repercussions throughout society; they captured the attention of the people and compelled their responses. No one was neutral.

Approval

Some folks loved what He was doing and couldn’t get enough of it. His works dazzled them and they held Jesus in awe.

A great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. - John 6:2

Apprehension

But His miracles provoked others. Skeptics sought to probe and investigate these wonders to determine if they were authentic. They weren’t sure about this religious upstart from Galilee because He hadn’t attended their schools. With that strike against Him, they wanted to doublecheck His legitimacy. Did Jesus deserve the fawning treatment He received from commoners? Cautious leaders aimed to find out.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. - Matthew 16:1

Anxiety

The authorities also sweated over the ramifications of Jesus’ growing impact. Would the turmoil He stirred lead to a civil war in the nation of Israel? Could it foment a rebellion against Rome, one which the Empire would quash with devastating effect? Either way, these leaders worried about the destruction of the Jewish society which they managed. They feared that Jesus was on the verge of overthrowing the established social order. They fretted over what they imagined was a dark future.

The chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. ‘What are we accomplishing?’ they asked. ‘Here is this man performing many signs. ⁴⁸If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.’ - John 11:47-48

Arrogance

Still others dismissed Jesus with an attitude of condescension and cynicism. His words and actions didn’t fit within their narrow theological categories, so suspicious scholars had a problem. How do they account for miracles without ascribing them to God? Their solution—grant the reality of Jesus’ miracles but challenge their source. Attribute His great deeds to the power of the devil. An ingenious maneuver, this approach. They could concede that Christ’s signs were supernatural, but of a diabolical sort that must be opposed and rejected by all God-fearing Jews at all costs.

The Pharisees said, ‘It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.’ - Matthew 9:34

Amazement

But the crowds didn’t go along with the explanation of the Pharisees. Instead, they cheered and celebrated Jesus’ marvelous works. His acts reminded them of the stories in the Bible. Every Sabbath, the Jews in Christ’s era gathered in synagogues to listen to the accounts in the Scriptures of all the glorious things God had done for the ancient Israelites through the patriarchs and prophets. But now the people were witnessing similar wonders through the ministry of Jesus! The God of the Bible was visiting His people just as in the days of old.

Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. So he said to the man, ¹¹I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home. ¹²He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, We have never seen anything like this! - Mark 2:9-12

Why did Jesus perform miracles? Was He trying to draw attention to Himself? Although signs and wonders certainly had the ability to attract an audience, that wasn’t His primary goal. At least, He didn’t want to amass a crowd for the sake of numbers. The Lord had purposes for the people He served. The gospels reveal that Jesus had three main reasons for conducting His miracle ministry.

Reasons

1. Compassion

Christ cares! In miraculous ways, He demonstrated compassion toward those who struggled and suffered with the problems endemic to a fallen world. A keen observer of the human condition, Jesus didn’t hide Himself from the deprived and the impoverished. He felt the pain of their misery and was powerful enough to alleviate their distress wherever He found it. No trouble was too difficult for Him to vanquish. As overwhelmed as folks may have felt by their difficulties, they learned that Jesus valued them and wanted to deliver them. The gospels are full of examples of Christ’s compassion in action.

And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ ⁴¹Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ ⁴²Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. - Mark 1:40-42 (NASB)

Unfazed by the leper’s contagion, Jesus’ heart went out to this afflicted soul. With no fear of defilement or disease, Christ touched the outcast’s ruined skin and restored his appearance and his health. Having been healed, the man could return to his family and community without hesitation; he was blessed!

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. - Matthew 9:35-36

No problem was too great for the Lord. Regardless of people’s ailments, He delivered them. Jesus didn’t blame the sick for their illnesses, nor did He rebuke the powerless for being lazy. And rather than criticizing the ignorant, He instructed them. The Lord guided the crowds into a fresh and rejuvenating encounter with the kingdom of God. People with debilitating infirmities and hardships found hope rekindled in their souls. By listening to Him and hearing the testimonies of His miracles, they flocked to Christ because they were convinced that He cared enough to help them.

Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us! ³¹The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us! ³²Jesus stopped and called them. What do you want me to do for you? he asked. ³³Lord, they answered, we want our sight. ³⁴Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. - Matthew 20:30-34

Crying out to the Lord for mercy, these blind men had no guarantee Jesus would hear them, much less answer their pleas. What would these desperate souls do if He ignored them? Or complained that He was too busy to deal with their distraction? How many times had others let them down? How many of their prayers had gone unanswered?

But Jesus didn’t disappoint them. Kindness spurred the Son of God to heal the eyes of these resolute beggars. And in gratitude, they made the best use of their new-found sight that they could—they followed the One who healed them. They kept their eyes on the Man who restored their vision.

As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, Don’t cry. ¹⁴Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, Young man, I say to you, get up! ¹⁵The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. - Luke 7:12-15

Healing miracles are awesome, and the accounts of Christ’s acts of redemption spread as fast as people could tell the tales. No doubt reciting incidents of God’s power in action motivated folks to long for and pursue their own healing. But death is a different story; it defeats hope. The opportunity for recovery vanishes with the final breath.

But not in Jesus’ mind. His heart of compassion reached out to the widow, but His power was extended to her dead son. Refusing to tolerate her grief, Jesus gave back to this woman what only He could—her child, now alive and healthy.

No matter how hopeless any situation, including yours, may appear, Christ cares. He doesn’t have to choose between feelings and actions. His heart goes out to you