1. Why did Paul say that “Christ is the power of God”?

JEHOVAH showed his power through Jesus Christ in amazing ways. When Jesus was on earth, he performed miracles. We can read about some of them in the Bible, and they can strengthen our faith. (Matthew 9:35; Luke 9:11) Yes, Jehovah gave Jesus great power, so the apostle Paul could say: “Christ is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:24) But how do Jesus’ miracles affect us?

2. What can we learn from Jesus’ miracles?

² The apostle Peter said that Jesus performed “wonders,” or miracles. (Acts 2:22) What do these miracles teach us? They teach us what Jesus will do during his Thousand Year Rule. At that time, he will perform greater miracles that will benefit all humans on the earth. His miracles also help us to understand a lot about both his  and his Father’s qualities. In this article, we will discuss three of Jesus’ miracles, and we will learn how they can affect us today and in the future.

3. (a) Why did Jesus perform his first miracle? (b) How did Jesus show generosity in Cana?

³ Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding in the town of Cana. We do not know why, but there was not enough wine for all the guests who came. This could have been very embarrassing for the newly married couple, because it was their duty to be hospitable. Jesus’ mother, Mary, was one of the guests. Did she ask Jesus to help because she believed that he had the power to do so? After all, Mary must have meditated on all the prophecies about her son, and she knew that he would be called “Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:30-32; 2:52) What is clear is that both Mary and Jesus wanted to help the couple. So Jesus miraculously turned about 380 liters (100 gallons) of water into “fine wine.” (Read John 2:3, 6-11.) Did Jesus have to perform this miracle? No. He did it because he cared about people, and he was imitating his Father, who is generous.

4, 5. (a) What does Jesus’ first miracle teach us? (b) What does the miracle at Cana teach us about the future?

⁴ Jesus miraculously provided a lot of fine wine, enough for a large group. Do you see what this miracle teaches us? That Jehovah and Jesus are not stingy but are very generous. This miracle convinces us that they care deeply about people’s feelings. It also shows that Jehovah will use his power to provide plenty of food in the new world, no matter where we live on earth.—Read Isaiah 25:6.

⁵ Think of it! Soon Jehovah will give us everything we really need. Each person will have a nice home and good food. We feel very grateful when we think about all the wonderful things Jehovah will generously give us in the Paradise earth.

6. How did Jesus always use his power, and how can we imitate him?

⁶ Jesus never used his power for selfish reasons. Think about what happened when the Devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into loaves of  bread. Jesus refused to use his power to benefit himself. (Matthew 4:2-4) But Jesus was willing to use his power to help others. How can we imitate his unselfish attitude? Jesus said that we should “practice giving.” (Luke 6:38) We can do this by inviting others to our home for a meal. We can also spend time after a meeting helping someone, such as listening to a brother practice his talk. Or we may be able to give practical help and training to others in the ministry. We imitate Jesus’ generosity when we eagerly help others whenever we can.

7. What will always be a problem in Satan’s world?

⁷ Poverty is not a new problem. Jehovah told the Israelites that there would “always be poor people in the land.” (Deuteronomy 15:11) Hundreds of years later, Jesus said: “You always have the poor with you.” (Matthew 26:11) Did Jesus mean that there would always be poor people on the earth? No, he meant that there would be poverty as long as we live in Satan’s world. How different it will be when we live in the new world! At that time, there will be no more poverty. All will have plenty to eat, and all will be satisfied!

8, 9. (a) Why did Jesus feed thousands of people? (b) How do you feel about this miracle?

⁸ The psalmist said of Jehovah: “You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:16) When Jesus was on earth, he perfectly imitated his Father and often cared for the needs of others. He did not do this simply to show that he was powerful. Jesus truly cared about people. Let us discuss Matthew 14:14-21. (Read.) A crowd had followed Jesus on foot from the cities. (Matthew 14:13) By the evening, the disciples were worried that the people had become weak and hungry. So they asked Jesus to send the crowd away to buy food for themselves. What would Jesus do?

⁹ With five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus fed about 5,000 men, as well as women and children. Why did Jesus perform this miracle? Because he truly loved people and cared about them. And Jesus must have provided a lot of food, because the crowds “ate and were satisfied.” The food they ate would give them the strength they needed to make the long journey back home. (Luke 9:10-17) And, after all were satisfied, the disciples even filled 12 baskets with the leftovers!

10. In the future, what will happen to poverty?

¹⁰ Because of greedy and corrupt rulers, hundreds of millions of  people live in poverty. Even some of our brothers do not have enough to eat. But soon, people who obey Jehovah will live in a world with no corruption or poverty. Jehovah is the almighty God, and he has the power and the desire to make sure that everyone’s needs are satisfied. He promises to bring an end to suffering very soon!—Read Psalm 72:16.

11. Why are you sure that Christ will soon use his power over the entire earth, and as a result, what do you want to do?

¹¹ When Jesus was on earth, he performed miracles in a small area for only three and a half years. (Matthew 15:24) But as King, Jesus will help all mankind during his Thousand Year Rule. (Psalm 72:8) Jesus’ miracles assure us that he wants to use his power for our good. We do not have the power to perform miracles, but what can we do? We can use our time and energy to tell others about the wonderful future that the Bible promises. That is our responsibility as Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Romans 1:14, 15) When we meditate on what Christ will soon do, we will be eager to tell others about it.—Psalm 45:1; 49:3.

12. Why can we be sure that Jesus fully understands earth’s environment?

¹² When God created the earth and everything on it, Jesus was “beside him as a master worker.” (Proverbs 8:22, 30, 31; Colossians 1:15-17) So Jesus completely understands the earth’s environment. He knows how to use and control all the elements of nature.

13, 14. Give an example of how Christ can control the forces of nature.

¹³ When Jesus was on earth, he showed that he had God’s power by controlling the forces of nature. Think, for example, of how Jesus controlled a windstorm. (Read Mark 4:37-39.) One Bible scholar explains that the Greek word for “windstorm” in the book of Mark is used to describe a violent storm or hurricane. It refers to a storm that comes with black clouds, strong gusts of wind, thunder, and floods of rain. When it is over, everything is a mess. The apostle Matthew describes this windstorm as “a great storm.”—Matthew 8:24.

¹⁴ Imagine the situation: The waves were hitting against the boat, throwing water into it again and again. Despite the noise of the storm and the boat being tossed around, Jesus was asleep because he was exhausted. But the disciples were afraid, so they woke Jesus up and said: “We are about to perish!” (Matthew 8:25) How did Jesus respond?  He got up and told the wind and the sea: “Hush! Be quiet!” (Mark 4:39) The terrible storm ended, and “a great calm set in.” What an amazing example of Jesus’ power to control the forces of nature!

15. How has Jehovah proved that he can control the forces of nature?

¹⁵ Christ’s power comes from Jehovah, so we know that Almighty God can control the forces of nature. For example, before the Flood, Jehovah said: “In just seven days, I will make it rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights.” (Genesis 7:4) Also, at Exodus 14:21, we read: “Jehovah drove the sea back with a strong east wind.” And we read at Jonah 1:4: “Jehovah hurled a strong wind at the sea, and there was such a violent storm on the sea that the ship was about to be wrecked.” It is very good to know that in the new world, Jehovah will always control the elements.

16. Why is it comforting to know that Jehovah and Jesus have the power to control the forces of nature?

¹⁶ It is comforting to know that Jehovah and Jesus have the power to control the forces of nature. During  the Thousand Year Rule of Christ, everyone living on the earth will be safe. No one will be injured or killed by natural disasters such as typhoons, tsunamis, volcanoes, or earthquakes. We will not be terrified of any disasters because “the tent of God” will be with mankind! (Revelation 21:3, 4) We can be confident that Jehovah will give Jesus the power to control the forces of nature during his Thousand Year Rule.

17. What is one way that we can imitate God and Christ now?

¹⁷ Of course, we cannot prevent natural disasters. Only Jehovah and Jesus can do that. But there is something that we can do. We can apply Proverbs 3:27. (Read.) When our brothers suffer, we can help care for their physical and emotional needs, and we can comfort them. (Proverbs 17:17) For example, we may help them after a natural disaster. One widow whose home was damaged after a hurricane said: “I am so deeply grateful to be in Jehovah’s organization, not only for the physical help but also for the spiritual help.” Another single sister felt hopeless when a storm damaged her home. After the brothers helped her repair it, she said: “It is indescribable! I am unable to express totally how I feel.” She added: “Thank you, Jehovah!” We are grateful that our brothers and sisters truly care about the needs of others. Even more than that, we are grateful that Jehovah and Jesus Christ really care for us.

18. What impresses you about the reason why Jesus performed miracles?

¹⁸ During his ministry, Jesus proved that he is “the power of God.” But he never used his power to impress others or to benefit himself. Instead, Jesus used his power to perform miracles because he truly loved people. We will learn more about that in the next article.