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The Relationship between Jesus’ Miracles and Atonement

Lee Irons has a helpful post here—with a link to his recent sermon—on how to understand the purpose of Jesus’ miracles (which are not primarily designed to demonstrate his deity or to give us hope that we can be similarly healed). Rather, Lee argues, the main purpose is that “each miracle points to Christ’s atoning death and resurrection.” “Each healing,” he writes, “is a sign of the ultimate ‘healing’ (i.e., salvation) that he will accomplish on the cross. The miracles of Jesus are a ‘yellow brick road’ that leads us to the fulfillment of salvation via the atoning death and resurrection of the Christ.”

His post closes by asking, “So how can we derive spiritual benefit from the miracle stories?”

His answer? “By seeing ourselves in the text.”

First, we see our own desperate and miserable condition when we see the sick, the lame, the mute, and those oppressed by demons.

Second, we identify with the poor and needy as they come to Jesus in faith crying out, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

And third, we receive afresh the assurance of the pardon of all our sins when we hear the words of Jesus, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

In this way, through the Gospels as a means of grace, our personal relationship with the living Lord Jesus is deepened.

Read the whole thing—or listen to the sermon—here.

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