This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him (John 2:11).

In His days walking the dusty roads of Palestine, Jesus was known for two things—His teachings and His miracles. But Jesus’ miracles are often misunderstood. Certainly He did incredible things. A storm went away at His command. He fed thousands of people from a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. He cured diseases and corrected birth defects. He even raised the dead. But the Bible calls these actions miraculous signs. In what way were Jesus’ miracles signs?

Our lives are filled with signs. Traffic signs point us in the right direction. Signs on buildings tell us what we can find inside. Computers and cell phones are filled with signs, simple little icons connected to large and complex computer programs.

Jesus’ miracles are like traffic signs. They point us in the right direction—to Jesus, who is the only source of truth and everlasting life.

Jesus’ miracles are like the sign on a building—they reveal what can be found inside. Only God can suspend the laws of nature; the fact that Jesus can do such things shows that hidden within His ordinary looking human body is the actual Son of God.

Jesus’ miracles are like the icons displayed on a computer screen. Through icons, complex applications are simplified for us; in the same way, the miracles of Jesus reveal a hint of God’s majesty in terms that we can understand. No sinful human can look at God and live, but in Jesus God is revealed to us in such a way that we are not overwhelmed by His glory.

The miracles of Jesus are signs—evidence of who He is and how important He is to us. His miracles command our attention so that we might open our ears and listen to him. And we need to listen, because the greatest of Jesus’ miracles are not about suspending the laws of nature or restoring health to the ailing—His greatest miracle is the one that reaches to the very core of your being and caresses your soul. The greatest miracle of all happens when Jesus says, "Friend, your sins are forgiven" (Luke 5:20).