After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him. [John 7.1-5]
As it would appear, seeking a sign from Jesus is the telltale sign of unbelief. The Pharisees did it. Herod did it. And now, Jesus' own brothers were demanding that Jesus prove Himself with signs. Jesus compared this unbelief to "yeast" which, in the smallest amount, would leaven an entire loaf. Unbelief is infectious.
Unbelief requires Jesus to perform a sign. Faith, on the other hand, performs miracles with or without Jesus. Let me clarify...
Jesus left the presence of the Father and came to earth. He did not require God to be present at all His miracles! Instead, knowing God's will (in fact by God's very presence in Him), Jesus simply acted upon the authority He had been commissioned with by healing the sick and raising the dead. He didn't have to "pray about" doing what He already knew He had come to do (all that communication with God had already been settled). In fact, Jesus was entirely confident of God's presence within Him and so He worked accordingly.
Are you ready for where this is going?
Jesus commissioned His followers in the same manner in which He was sent. In fact, two profound references to this are included in the Gospels.
First, in His prayer to God for His followers in John 17, Jesus stated clearly:
Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. [John 17.18]
Then, in some of His final instructions Jesus gave this commission to His followers:
Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” [John 20.21]
The Apostle Paul had a revelation of this as is revealed in His letter to the Church at Colosse:
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. [Colossians 3.10-11]
The foundation Jesus laid was for us to understand our position in Him and His residence in us. When we comprehend our mission, we don't need constant and repeated signs from our Commission-er. Instead, we simply need to do what we KNOW His will to be without hesitation or need for further justification. We simply need to do what Jesus modeled for us to do:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12]
And here is where our ignorance of God's Living Word, Jesus, as recorded in the entire Bible, betrays us. If we do not know the Bible, we do not know Jesus. Consequently, in our ignorance of Jesus, it is impossible to do the same works He did and exponentially more impossible to do even greater works than He did.
Bottom line: people indeed need to see Jesus. But, if they don't see Jesus in us, all our pleading for Jesus to perform a sign is in vain - at best, it is powerless, infectious unbelief.
Father, may I be found increasingly more confident in the presence of Jesus in me and my place in Him. Instead of longingly wishing for Jesus to show me or others a sign, may I faithfully perform every manner of miracle I am commissioned (commanded) to do as needed in real time in whatever circumstance I find myself. So be it. Christ in me!
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