Jesus' Second Miracle

Series: That You May Believe
Message: Jesus' Second Miracle
Scripture: John 2:12-25

Theme of the Book of John:

“These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31

Important Points 

1. The importance of why you need to follow Jesus with your whole heart and soul. 
2. The importance of why you need to accept him as Savior 

“After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.”  John 2:12  

Three Conflicts

Conflict 1:  Worship in the temple

Conflict 2: The Jewish religious leaders

Conflict 3: The hearts of men

Conflict # 1 Worship in the temple

The miracle of cleansing of the temple

“The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.  And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.  And he told those who sold the pigeons, ‘Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.’  His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.’”  John 2:13-17  

Why Passover was moved into the temple

1. A blood sacrifice                                              
2. Financial gain for the Jewish Leaders
3. Temple tax                                  

“For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”  Psalm 51:16-17

Conflict #2 The Jewish religious leadership

“So the Jews said to him, ‘What sign do you show us for doing these things?’  Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’  The Jews then said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?’  But he was speaking about the temple of his body.  When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.”  John 2:18-22  

“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.’”    John 2:19

“For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,  ‘We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” Mark 14:56-58

“Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.  And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’”  Matthew 27:38-40 

“The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?’”  John 2:20

“But He was speaking of the temple of His body.”  John 2:21

“When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture…”  John 2:22

What Scripture? All the Scripture from the Old Testament about the Messiah, including his death and resurrection and exaltation. They believed the Scripture and the Word which Jesus had spoken.

“For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.”   Psalm 16:10

Conflict #3 The hearts of men 

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.  But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”     John 2:23-25 

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my real disciples…”   John 8:31-32

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’  He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’  He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.’  (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’”  John 21:15-19 

The importance of following Jesus and accepting him as Savior.

1. Because of his power over the temple
2. Because of his power over death
3. Because of his power over our past and future