JESUS' SPECIAL SIGN MIRACLES POINT US TO FAITH IN HIM FOR ETERNAL LIFE
I. JESUS' SPECIAL SIGN MIRACLES
A. Significance of Sign Miracles
B. Great Periods in History where God uses Special Sign Miracles
1. Moses -- theocracy
2. Elijah / Elisha -- the Kings
3. Christ / the Apostles -- the Church
4. End Times
C. Importance of Written Revelation from God
D. Analysis of 7 Sign Miracles in Gospel of John
Smokescreen: People often ask for additional signs or contemporary signs before they will believe; but if they reject these signs, more revelation will not help them.
II. THE PURPOSE OF REVELATION -- TO GENERATE FAITH
A. Concept of Faith -- Definitions
the hand of the heart receiving the blessings of God and relying on them
B. Illustrations
C. Contrasted with Works -- cf. swimming to Hawaii
D. Progression of faith
III. CLAIMS OF CHRIST
not the amount of faith, but the object of our faith is critical
sincerity alone will get you nowhere
A. Jesus is the Christ -- the Messiah
1. connection to OT prophecies
2. the Anointed One in OT
a. Prophet
b. Priest
c. King
B. Jesus is the Son of God -- significance of "I am" sayings
1. Background -- Exodus 3:14
"I am" refers to the name God uses for Himself; Jehovah
Christ is often identified as the Jehovah of the OT
2. Conditions for this being a claim to Deity
a. person speaking must be Christ
b. Word order must be "I am" with nothing intervening
c. sentence structure --
no predicate
or with predicate consisting of a definite article and
a predicate nominative
3. Analysis of "I am" statements in Gospel of John
IV. BELIEF = CONDITION FOR HAVING ETERNAL LIFE
Personal Testimony
Physical Life
Spiritual Life
John 17:3
V. ASSURANCE OF SALVATION -- How do you know for sure you are a believer?
