There was no way one could see the miracles of Jesus and not be forced to make a decision about who He was. Unlike the “miracles” of televangelists of our day, His miracles were always instantaneous, complete healing and never a failure. He immediately restored hands visibly deformed, cleansed those whose leprosy was obvious to all, and He even raised the dead. What an amazing contrast between what He did and those pseudo-miracles of our day.
Look at the impact of Jesus’ miracles on the multitudes. Jesus said to the crippled man who was let down through the roof to see Him, “I say to you, take up your bed and go to your own house.” When that man picked up his bed and walked home, everyone saw it. “So they were all amazed and glorified God saying, ‘We never say anything like this’” (Mark 2:11-12)!
When the Jewish leaders saw the crippled man healed by the apostles, they met to discuss how to handle it. “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it” (Acts 4:16). Look at the verse again. It is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem. The evidence was so powerful that they added, “We cannot deny it.”
Those who saw the miracles were forced to make a decision. One response was that of the religious leaders in Mark 12:22-24. Jesus cast out the demon which had caused a man to be blind and mute. Immediately he could see and began to talk. “All the multitudes were amazed and said, ‘Could this be the Son of David?’” It was obvious to all. The power of the religious leaders was threatened so they responded, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” They openly rejected the evidence.
These leaders kept seeing the evidence and note what happened, “Among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42). Did this change their lives? The Bible describes why they did not change. “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” One cannot be a disciple of Jesus when what the world thinks of them has such control of their lives.
Could this happen today? Could it happen to us? Think of how easy it is to know about the miracles of Jesus and believe they happen, yet there is no change. There were those who saw His miracles and openly rejected Him. There were others who saw His miracles and secretly rejected Him.
What about you? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe His miracles? Has it changed your life? One really cannot be His disciple secretly. Let Him change you today!