The Son, Signs, and Saving Faith - John 2:23-25; 20:30-31

The Son, Signs, and Saving Faith

John 2:23-25; 20:30,31

Introduction: John’s Gospel is an eyewitness account of the story of Jesus written to reveal the glory of the Passover-King, and to evoke faith, trust in who He is and what he did for us. John didn’t claim to write an exhaustive “biography” of Jesus, telling everything he said and did.  In fact, he wrote in the very last verse of the Gospel, 

“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). 

He was selective and purposeful. We’ve looked at his statement of purpose in 20:31,

 “Many other signs did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book. These have been written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His name.”

  John wrote to lead his readers to authentic faith, the faith that saves. That same desire was affirmed in the introduction to the Gospel when John wrote: 

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (Jn 1:12,13). 

    In the final verses of John 2 John is saying that Jesus didn’t overtly reveal his identity to some who responded favorably to his miracles at the outset.  There was a kind of faith that was superficial, looking for signs, rather than simply taking God at his word.  His disciples “believed in Him” after the first sign at Cana (2:11), after the temple cleansing in the previous scene they remembered and thought about the Scriptures, and then after the resurrection they believed the Scripture and the Word of Christ. We’ll see repeated request for a “sign”: 2:18; 4:48; 6:30; 6:64; 7:4,5: 20:24-29… The Gospel is calling us to take God at His Word, to receive and believe the written Word, which points us to the Word Incarnate, Jesus.

In these verses John is showing that faith that requires signs is only partial and at best incomplete. Genuine saving faith may start with “evidence” but involves a supernatural work of God. He must give us eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart to understand. He enables us to hear the master’s voice, and to follow him.

The Big Idea: Jesus knows our hearts intimately and calls us to faith:  to believe who He is, to take Him at His word, and to trust in His saving work. We’ll see that 1) The Works of Jesus revealed His glory only through faith (23); 2) Jesus calls us to faith, to take Him at His Word (24); and 3) His glory is reveal through His omniscience (25).

I. The Works of Jesus revealed his glory only through faith (2:23). 

“Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.”  

The statement of the setting echoes v.13, and reminds us again of what Jesus came to do… Jerusalem, at Passover, during the feast… Jesus would walk with his disciples for three more years before the hour came for him to reveal himself as the Passover-King, the Messiah who was also the Lamb who would bear our sins in his body on the tree. The setting reminds us of what was coming, of what needed to happen: the Lamb had to be slain, but it was not yet time. 

“…many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He did…” John doesn’t tell us what signs Jesus did in Jerusalem, but they were apparently done publicly and attracted attention of the crowds. In the next scene in chapter 3, Nicodemus will also testify, “We know you are a teacher sent by God for no one could do the signs you do except God be with Him” (John 3:3). The signs gave an opportunity of the people to consider who Jesus was.  Though John gives us a few such general statements about Jesus doing “many” signs before the people, he only gives us the details of seven signs. Each miracle especially emphasizes the convincing nature of the miracles: the large stone jars, over 120 gallons of water turned into wine. The official son in John 4, healed from a distance (“Go home, your son will live!” And he did!), the man who had been paralyzed for 38 years in John 5, the feeding of 5000  in chapter 6, the man born blind in John 9, Lazarus, dead and buried for four days raised to life in John 11. So, already in chapter 3 

“Nick at night” could say, “no one could do the signs you do except God be with him.” This is quite a statement, seemingly reflecting something like the “belief in His name” of the “many” in 2:23. It is the same word that is used to describe saving faith, for example, in John 1:12,

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

In this context it is clear that the “belief” of the crowds in John 2:23 (and at least for now, the faith of Nicodemus) falls short of saving faith. They “believed” when they saw the signs that He was doing. Recognizing miracles as supernatural acts, even as divine acts of power, is not saving faith. Many people claim to believe something about Jesus. Some people would say they believe He was a great teacher, a man of God who showed us how to live. Some, like Muslims, would say He was a prophet. Some, like Jehovah’s Witnesses, would say he is a unique, but created being, sent by God, pre-existent, more than a mere man, but not God. Many who saw Him would say he was “from God” or that God is “with him.” What he does are “signs” of God’s power in him. That could be described as a kind of faith. But it’s still not saving faith. 

Remember 1:14, “…we beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth…”  For those who had eyes to see, His works revealed Grace, His words were received as absolute Truth. Saving faith involves believing correctly who Jesus is, and trusting what He did for us. He was in Jerusalem, at Passover. He came to teach. He came to live a sinless life in obedience to the Father, but He didn’t come to wow the crowds with works of power. He came to save a people for Himself. He came to give His life, so that we could have life, by grace, through faith. In chapter 4, after Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, we see a striking statement about the Samaritans’ response to Jesus,

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did."  40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.  41 And many more believed because of his word.  42 They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world" (John 4:39-42).

The woman’s testimony, and then the words of Jesus himself, effectively evoked faith that Jesus is the “Savior of the world.” In contrast, in the next scene, an official whose son was close to death sought out Jesus and asked him to come and heal his son. Jesus responds,

48 So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."  49 The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."  50 Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way… (John 4:48-50).

John wants us to see that faith means believing God, taking Jesus at His word. ***Jesus knows our hearts intimately and calls us to authentic faith:  to believe who He is, to take Him at His word, and to trust in His saving work.”

II. Jesus calls us to faith, giving opportunity for people to take Him at His Word (24). 

“But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people…”

“But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them…” There is an interesting play on words here – many saw the signs He did and believed on his name… he did not entrust himself to them…  It’s actually the same verb that is used both times, pisteuo, “believe,” but also, in certain contexts, “entrust” (cf. Luke 16:11). They believed in Him in the sense that they recognized something supernatural in the miracles, but they still did not understand fully who he was, Nor were they looking to Him as their Savior from sin. Their faith was not the faith that saves. So, He didn’t entrust himself to them, he didn’t fully reveal his identity, or fully explain why He had come. He “…did not entrust Himself to them because He knew all people.” He knew their hearts. Sure, the “signs” that he did showed something supernatural, something from God, but the full implications of his identity and the full scope of his work still needed to be revealed. God’s plan had yet to unfold. The signs He did were meant to point to Himself, to draw people to see the truth about His person and work. Remember John 20:30-31,  

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;  31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

But “believing the signs” is not necessarily saving faith. We’ll see that as we continue in the Gospel. In the next scene, John 3:1-8, Nicodemus was not [yet] saved. With all his interest in Jesus, with the kind of “faith” he expressed, he still needed to be born again. Nicodemus had no spiritual life. He came to Jesus at night and he was still in the dark. What he had seen he recognized as something supernatural, but he didn’t yet understand His own spiritual need, nor the fact that Christ alone could meet his deepest need. He was still spiritually blind. He did not see through the signs to the glory of the only Son of God. He only saw the signs, and they were so impressive that the natural mind drew the conclusion they must involve God. This reminds me of the scene in John 6, after the feeding of the 5000.

14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!"  15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself (John 6:14-15).

This was a prophet they could deal with, this was a King they could vote for, free lunch, someone who could feed them! They didn’t yet understand who He was, nor did they understand their deepest need. Jesus knew their hearts, He knew their deepest need. He came as the Passover-King, the Lamb of God whose blood would be shed to save sinners… like them, and like us. In John 10:26-28 Jesus addresses a crowd obsessed with miracles and warns them,

….you do not believe because you are not part of my flock.  27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

What does it mean to hear his voice? It means to believe that what He says is true, to receive it as the Word of God. Notice in John 20:31, John says, “these were written.” He doesn’t emphasize the fact that the miracles happened. He points to the written word: These things were written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God…” Faith comes through the Word. Jesus says in John 10:27, “my sheep hear my voice…” Those who “believed in His name” in Jn 2:23 didn’t yet understand, and so Jesus did not entrust himself to them. On a communion Sunday it is good to remember that *Jesus knows our hearts intimately and calls us to authentic faith:  to believe who He is, to take Him at His word, and to trust in His saving work.”

III. His glory was revealed in part through his omniscience (24b,25). 

“… because He knew all men,  25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”

       This is a profound verse to consider every day, but there is no better day than a communion Sunday, to reflect on it. Remember that Paul told the Corinthians, “Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” He knows it all, there are no secrets from Jesus, he knows us better than we know ourselves. In the Gospel of John we see that some people thought they needed a sign to believe, but Jesus needs no “sign” and no “testimony” from anyone to know the truth about us all. He is omniscient. That means that there really are no secrets in your life or mine. Oh, we may hide something all our life from everyone on the planet. But you have not hidden it from Jesus, and he person who matters most. He is the King, the Lord of Lords, all will stand before Him, exposed. He is the person whose judgment matters, and He knows everything. There is not the slightest part of your heart unknown to Jesus, now, or ever. 

      You may be able to look others in the face and know that they do not know certain things about you. There is one, and only one, who actually and totally knows you. Your spouse’s knowledge of you, or your best friend’s knowledge of you, may be deep. They may know things that no one else knows. But they don’t know everything, right? You are fully known by only one person: Jesus Christ. Now, that might make us uncomfortable, but think about this: He knows the truth about you, He knows the things that that you wouldn’t want anyone else to know, and He still loves you! In fact, He loves you so much that He willingly died for you, He willing took all of the sin and darkness and rebellion hidden in your heart, past, present, and future, and he carried it to the cross. The words of Horatio Spafford come to mind, “My sin, Oh the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!”

     Do you recall Peter’s three answers to Jesus’ question after the resurrection, “Do you love me?” Jesus asked him three times, probably because Peter had denied Him three times. Peter said the first time, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said the second time, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said the third time, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you” (John 21:15-17). He knows everything. There is always one person who knows your heart perfectly, Jesus Christ. In the next chapter John will tell us, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17). The world was already condemned through the sin of Adam. Jesus came that we might have life!

This is why He came, this omniscient Savior, motivated by His gracious love, came to make a way. Jesus has a special covenantal love for those who trust him. He prayed in John 17:9, “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” In other words, Jesus intercedes for those whom the Father has given him. These are his disciples. These are his sheep. Those who hear his voice and follow him. These are the children of God. These are those who are born again. These are those who believe. Many other signs Jesus did that are not written in this book, these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His name. Believe, trust Him, because “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). The disciples would still have a trial of faith, but they affirmed in John 16:30, “We know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 

May God grant us eyes to see the glory of the omniscience of the only Son of the Father, the Lord of all who loves you, and laid down his life for you. Won’t you love the One who first loved you, and trust him, and follow him?

What is God saying to me in this passage? Jesus knows our hearts intimately and calls us to authentic faith:  to believe who He is, to take Him at His word, and to trust in His saving work.”

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? 

1) A bit further ahead in this Gospel Jesus will say “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give to them eternal life and they shall never perish…”    Think about that, he speaks to us in this book – do you hear his voice?  Believe!

2) He knows you, intimately, thoroughly, and you can trust Him, His way is best.  You can follow him by hearing what he says, believing him, and obeying him. Not because of signs, but because God’s word is true, he is good, and you trust him.

3) Let’s pause and examine ourselves, He is here, praise Him for His love. He knows us, and He loves us. For God so loved the world [that includes you] that He gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. AMEN.