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The Wonder-Working God
Do you believe in miracles? Walking on water. Multiplying the fish and the loaves. Raising Lazarus from the dead. The miracles of Jesus may be well known, but they’re often misunderstood. In The Wonder-Working God , pastor Jared Wilson wants to help us see that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the miraculous events recorded in the Gospels. From the humble wonder of the incarnation to the blinding glory of the transfiguration, this book shows how Jesus’s miracles reveal his divinity, authority, and ultimate restoring us and this world to a right relationship with God.
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2014
16 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Jared C. Wilson
58 books942 followersJared C. Wilson is the Director of Content Strategy for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Managing Editor of For The Church (ftc.co), and Director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author of numerous books, including "Gospel Wakefulness," "The Prodigal Church," and, most recently, "The Imperfect Disciple." Wilson blogs regularly at gospeldrivenchurch.com, hosted by The Gospel Coalition and is a frequent speaker at conferences and churches around the world.
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December 7, 2019
Jared Wilson remains one of my favorite authors. His work is clear and forceful, even though there is much disarming and enlightening humor generously sprinkled throughout. His desire is that the reader would love the Lord Jesus more and, through that love, seek to live a life that honors him by making him known. This is another book that, I believe, will help many to that end.
This spring Wilson released The Storytelling God, a work that focused on the parables of Christ. His newest work is a sequel of sorts(compendium?...follow-up?...it goes together well!). In The Wonder Working God,Wilson takes the reader through the miracle of Christ, all the while pointing the reader to the Kingdom of God and the King himself.
In a work like this, on a subject like this, what words mean are of great import. The way "miracle" gets tossed around in common speech and in Christian circles makes it difficult to get the proper understanding of the miracles of Christ. In a world where many "feel no such compunction" to avoid cheapening the word "miracle" and where phrases like “Choose your miracle.” and “Every day is a miracle.” and others "proliferate in both spiritual and secular Western culture, popularized on TBN or the Oprah show. In this milieu,(where) a miracle is a fulfillment of your personal dreams and ambitions, and the accumulation of accolades and treasures," it is crucial that we have a proper understanding of what a "miracle" actually is.
Wilson provides a good, working definition for this study where miracle is defined as "a supernatural act of God that glorifies Jesus." He also explains how miracles are "normal" and "glimpses of the way the world is meant to be, glimpses of the way the world is actually becoming". Wilson adds that, "In and through Jesus, the kingdom is coming, and God’s will is being done on earth as it is done in heaven. Jesus’s miracles are the very windows into heaven, and through them heaven is spilling into earth like sunlight through panes whose shades have been violently rolled up."
Wilson covers Christ’s control over nature, his healings, his exorcisms, his resurrections and his own resurrection in order to help the reader see:
*The miracles demonstrate the “at hand”-ness of the kingdom of God.
*The miracles are acts of heavenly normalization, which is to say they are isolated snapshots of the transformation of the broken world to the way it will someday be.
*Because the miracles are acts of heavenly normalization, they are acts of revolutionary subversion against the corrupt course of the world and the realm of the Evil One.
*The miracles point to Jesus Christ himself as the source and summation of the three acts above.
Wilson's treatment of the eschatological wine of Cana is a great start. His dealing with the feeding of the 4,000 continues well. Encouraging the reader to see beyond simply the physical nature of this lesser known feeding miracle, Wilson points out that,
Wilson is immensely quotable.
Speaking of the situation before Christ calmed the sea--"The disciples’ snoring Sovereign is snoring because he is sovereign."
When Lazarus is called forth by Christ- "Lazarus does not need seven steps or tips about how to achieve a successful exit from the tomb."
Referencing the provision of water in the desert God gave the grumbling Israelites-- "he graciously turns their whine into water by instructing Moses to strike a rock."
Dealing with suffering and sovereignty--"the God of the Scriptures, the one true God, is sovereign over all things. And that is scary sometimes. It is spiritually discombobulating."
Though they may exceed microblogging etiquete, his longer quotes are equally profound if lacking in 140-character pith.
On why Wilson confront false teachers, like Joel Osteen, publicly and harshly?
On the ultimate end of our ultimate enemy he adds,
On faith,
Wilson adds five ways to battle unbelief which, coupled with his beautiful chapter on depression from Gospel Wakefulness, make a great starting point to encourage yourself and others to persist in faith and persevere even through the darkest of times.
Wilson closes with the resurrections Christ performs, culminating with the "cosmic exorcism" that was his very own resurrection from the dead. "In the Gospels, we are viewing the kingdom of God coming into the world through the works and words of his Son, Jesus Christ, and he is steadily and certainly filling all things (Eph. 4:10). He fills even the grave with life."
Wilson continues,
You can download a sample of the work here. Be careful though. While the sample is free, it will ultimately cost you the price of a book because it is hard to read some of this one and not want the whole thing!
Endorsements:
“Into a world where naturalism is the prevailing philosophy, Jared Wilson casts a fresh vision for the wonder-working power of the God-man, Jesus of Nazareth. This biblically engaging, Christ-exalting, and never-boring book deserves your close and attentive reading.”
—Sam Storms, Lead Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
“Christianity is supernatural. We read the Bible and see God doing things that can’t be explained rationally. That is the God we long for, One who can do extraordinary things in and around our ordinary lives. But Christianity is about God, not just what God does. I love this book, because Jared Wilson helps us worship the miracle worker, and not settle for just wanting and worshiping miracles.”
—Darrin Patrick, Lead Pastor, The Journey, St. Louis, Missouri; Vice President, Acts 29; Chaplain to the St. Louis Cardinals; author, The Dude's Guide to Manhood
“Could it be that Jesus’s miracles were not the paranormal, but actually the true normal breaking into our world of paranormal sin corruption? Wilson gets to the biblical heart of why Jesus performed miracles—these harbingers of God’s mission to set right all that has gone so terribly wrong. Along the way, Wilson helps us hear what Jesus has to say to enlightened postmoderns, skeptics demanding apologetic proofs, and the paranormally fascinated. A soul-refreshing, gospel-drenched read.”
—Jon Bloom, President, Desiring God; author, Not by Sight and Things Not Seen
From the Publisher:
Do you believe in miracles?
Walking on water. Multiplying the fish and the loaves. Raising Lazarus from the dead. The miracles of Jesus may be well known, but they’re often misunderstood. In The Wonder-Working God, pastor Jared Wilson wants to help us see that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the miraculous events recorded in the Gospels.
From the humble wonder of the incarnation to the blinding glory of the transfiguration, this book shows how Jesus’s miracles reveal his divinity, authority, and ultimate mission: restoring us and this world to a right relationship with God.
* I received an ARC of this work from the publisher to offer a review.
This spring Wilson released The Storytelling God, a work that focused on the parables of Christ. His newest work is a sequel of sorts(compendium?...follow-up?...it goes together well!). In The Wonder Working God,Wilson takes the reader through the miracle of Christ, all the while pointing the reader to the Kingdom of God and the King himself.
In a work like this, on a subject like this, what words mean are of great import. The way "miracle" gets tossed around in common speech and in Christian circles makes it difficult to get the proper understanding of the miracles of Christ. In a world where many "feel no such compunction" to avoid cheapening the word "miracle" and where phrases like “Choose your miracle.” and “Every day is a miracle.” and others "proliferate in both spiritual and secular Western culture, popularized on TBN or the Oprah show. In this milieu,(where) a miracle is a fulfillment of your personal dreams and ambitions, and the accumulation of accolades and treasures," it is crucial that we have a proper understanding of what a "miracle" actually is.
Wilson provides a good, working definition for this study where miracle is defined as "a supernatural act of God that glorifies Jesus." He also explains how miracles are "normal" and "glimpses of the way the world is meant to be, glimpses of the way the world is actually becoming". Wilson adds that, "In and through Jesus, the kingdom is coming, and God’s will is being done on earth as it is done in heaven. Jesus’s miracles are the very windows into heaven, and through them heaven is spilling into earth like sunlight through panes whose shades have been violently rolled up."
Wilson covers Christ’s control over nature, his healings, his exorcisms, his resurrections and his own resurrection in order to help the reader see:
*The miracles demonstrate the “at hand”-ness of the kingdom of God.
*The miracles are acts of heavenly normalization, which is to say they are isolated snapshots of the transformation of the broken world to the way it will someday be.
*Because the miracles are acts of heavenly normalization, they are acts of revolutionary subversion against the corrupt course of the world and the realm of the Evil One.
*The miracles point to Jesus Christ himself as the source and summation of the three acts above.
Wilson's treatment of the eschatological wine of Cana is a great start. His dealing with the feeding of the 4,000 continues well. Encouraging the reader to see beyond simply the physical nature of this lesser known feeding miracle, Wilson points out that,
In Christ, we are eternally satisfied, abundantly satisfied, mightily satisfied. And because the miracles are not ends in themselves but signs pointing to Jesus himself, we are reminded here that we are not merely saved but eternally saved, abundantly saved, mightily saved.
Through the gospel, let us remember, we are satisfied with seven baskets besides: regeneration, pardon, justification, adoption, union, sanctification, and glorification—and still more. His mercies, like the bread of heaven sent to the children of Israel, are new every morning.
Wilson is immensely quotable.
Speaking of the situation before Christ calmed the sea--"The disciples’ snoring Sovereign is snoring because he is sovereign."
When Lazarus is called forth by Christ- "Lazarus does not need seven steps or tips about how to achieve a successful exit from the tomb."
Referencing the provision of water in the desert God gave the grumbling Israelites-- "he graciously turns their whine into water by instructing Moses to strike a rock."
Dealing with suffering and sovereignty--"the God of the Scriptures, the one true God, is sovereign over all things. And that is scary sometimes. It is spiritually discombobulating."
Though they may exceed microblogging etiquete, his longer quotes are equally profound if lacking in 140-character pith.
On why Wilson confront false teachers, like Joel Osteen, publicly and harshly?
This is why: because he’s sending people to hell. He gives people who are suffering, poor, and in need of a theology of the cross of Christ a nonexistent genie in a magic lamp, and when they aren’t fixed, healed, or made prosperous, great doubt and confusion inevitably set in. They think: “Maybe God isn’t loving. Maybe God isn’t powerful. Maybe I don’t have real faith.” All because the prosperity gospelist has invited naïve people to ask comfort into their hearts and invite material goods to be their personal lord and savior. All their faith has been placed in mortal things and not on the God who purposes pain.
On the ultimate end of our ultimate enemy he adds,
There is a well-worn rule of playwriting that goes like this: if you introduce a gun in the first act, it must get fired in the last. And because God is an excellent storyteller, what has been suggested in the first act (Gen. 3:15) shows up in the last:
And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. . . . [A]nd the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Rev. 20:2, 10)
On faith,
Faith is an empty vessel. It’s an open hand. It’s an openness to be filled with Jesus. When we come to Christ in faith, we are saying, “I need you and I want you; therefore, I trust you to save me eternally.” Don’t bring any works. That’s not an empty hand. Don’t bring a sense of righteousness. That’s not an empty hand. Bring your messed-up, broken, sinful self. Jesus came only to save sinners. If you’re not a sinner, you can’t have Jesus.
So, “all things are possible for one who believes” isn’t some inspirational, self-helpy Dr. Phil “keep your New Year’s resolutions” mantra. It is a promise that trusters in Christ will not be conquered.
Wilson adds five ways to battle unbelief which, coupled with his beautiful chapter on depression from Gospel Wakefulness, make a great starting point to encourage yourself and others to persist in faith and persevere even through the darkest of times.
Wilson closes with the resurrections Christ performs, culminating with the "cosmic exorcism" that was his very own resurrection from the dead. "In the Gospels, we are viewing the kingdom of God coming into the world through the works and words of his Son, Jesus Christ, and he is steadily and certainly filling all things (Eph. 4:10). He fills even the grave with life."
What may happen when the miracle of the gospel lands squarely in your heart, when it becomes real, the reality that God—as in, God—loves you?
... As it pertains to having the living God draw near to us, the experience of fear and trembling assumes it is truly God and the glorious Christ we have encountered and not some pitiful caricature. The god of the prosperity gospelists is a pathetic doormat, a genie. The god of the cutesy coffee mugs and Joel Osteen tweets is a milquetoast doofus like the guys in the Austen novels you hope the girls don’t end up with, holding their hats limply in hand and minding their manners to follow your lead like a butler—or the doormat he stands on. The god of the American Dream is Santa Claus. The god of the open theists is not sovereignly omniscient, declaring the end from the beginning, but just a really good guesser playing the odds. The god of our therapeutic culture is ourselves, we, the “forgivers” of ourselves, navel-haloed morons with “baggage” but not sin. None of these pathetic gods could provoke fear and trembling.
Wilson continues,
But the God of the Scriptures is a consuming fire (Deut. 4:24)...This is the God who leads his children by a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire. This is the God who makes war, sends plagues, and sits enthroned in majesty and glory in his heavens, doing what he pleases. This is the God who, in the flesh, turned tables over in the temple as if he owned the place. This Lord God Jesus Christ was pushed to the edge of the cliff and declared, “This is not happening today,” and walked right back through the crowd like a boss. This Lord says, “No one takes my life; I give it willingly,” as if to say, “You couldn’t kill me unless I let you.” This Lord calms the storms, casts out demons, binds and looses, and has the authority to grant us the ability to do the same. The Devil is this God’s lapdog.
And it is this God who has summoned us, apprehended us, saved us. It is this God who has come humbly, meekly, lowly, pouring out his blood in infinite conquest to set the captives free, cancel the record of debt against us, conquer sin and Satan, and swallow up death forever.
This is a great book worth reading and sharing. Short, clear, fun, encouraging. Get one, gift one. It is money and time well spent.
You can download a sample of the work here. Be careful though. While the sample is free, it will ultimately cost you the price of a book because it is hard to read some of this one and not want the whole thing!
Endorsements:
“Into a world where naturalism is the prevailing philosophy, Jared Wilson casts a fresh vision for the wonder-working power of the God-man, Jesus of Nazareth. This biblically engaging, Christ-exalting, and never-boring book deserves your close and attentive reading.”
—Sam Storms, Lead Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
“Christianity is supernatural. We read the Bible and see God doing things that can’t be explained rationally. That is the God we long for, One who can do extraordinary things in and around our ordinary lives. But Christianity is about God, not just what God does. I love this book, because Jared Wilson helps us worship the miracle worker, and not settle for just wanting and worshiping miracles.”
—Darrin Patrick, Lead Pastor, The Journey, St. Louis, Missouri; Vice President, Acts 29; Chaplain to the St. Louis Cardinals; author, The Dude's Guide to Manhood
“Could it be that Jesus’s miracles were not the paranormal, but actually the true normal breaking into our world of paranormal sin corruption? Wilson gets to the biblical heart of why Jesus performed miracles—these harbingers of God’s mission to set right all that has gone so terribly wrong. Along the way, Wilson helps us hear what Jesus has to say to enlightened postmoderns, skeptics demanding apologetic proofs, and the paranormally fascinated. A soul-refreshing, gospel-drenched read.”
—Jon Bloom, President, Desiring God; author, Not by Sight and Things Not Seen
From the Publisher:
Do you believe in miracles?
Walking on water. Multiplying the fish and the loaves. Raising Lazarus from the dead. The miracles of Jesus may be well known, but they’re often misunderstood. In The Wonder-Working God, pastor Jared Wilson wants to help us see that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the miraculous events recorded in the Gospels.
From the humble wonder of the incarnation to the blinding glory of the transfiguration, this book shows how Jesus’s miracles reveal his divinity, authority, and ultimate mission: restoring us and this world to a right relationship with God.
* I received an ARC of this work from the publisher to offer a review.
August 12, 2017
Outstanding. Wilson explains how Jesus' miracles act as an inbreaking of the Kingdom: not a suspension of the natural order but a revelation of it. Joyous stuff.
January 19, 2025
“Even today the New Testament miracles do not serve so much to prove that there is a God, but that the Lord is God and we are not.”
“The miracles in the Bible never appear to be God proving himself, so much as God showing himself.”
“The miracles in the Bible never appear to be God proving himself, so much as God showing himself.”
June 28, 2021
I had thought this book would be different, but it wasn’t bad for what it was.
“So often we try to have Jesus without his cross. We carry on, assuming the Christian life should be typified by comfort rather than suffering, assuming sin will disappear without its being intentionally killed, assuming Jesus saves us because we are essentially awesome people.”
“So often we try to have Jesus without his cross. We carry on, assuming the Christian life should be typified by comfort rather than suffering, assuming sin will disappear without its being intentionally killed, assuming Jesus saves us because we are essentially awesome people.”
February 19, 2020
Good summary
Wilson does what he always does...points us to Jesus. Always what I need. It has also been helpful as I’m preaching through Mark and deal with some of the miracles Jesus performed.
Wilson does what he always does...points us to Jesus. Always what I need. It has also been helpful as I’m preaching through Mark and deal with some of the miracles Jesus performed.
February 20, 2018
Strong mix of practical theological and devotional material from JCW. His take on miracles has a Bavinckian ring.
August 26, 2021
As Wilson works through the miracles of Jesus, mostly from the book of Mark, we see more of Jesus and the whys behind his work. I love Wilson's writing style and way of seeing the world.
April 21, 2022
Good presentation on how he would preach on particular miracles. It was hard to understand his thesis, and at times his little jokes/quips felt awkwardly placed.
April 23, 2022
Thankful for this good, solid book on the miracles of Jesus. Plenty of helpful insights and practical application. Grew my amazement of Jesus!
April 21, 2025
A light yet still insightful read, full of simple reminders of the wondrous nature of our God and his kingdom. I enjoyed it!
February 4, 2017
Excellent book. Tons of great analogies and illustrations that I will be freely sampling.
August 16, 2014
In March, I reviewed Jared C. Wilson's The Storytelling God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Parables. I was happy to be able to review The Wonder-Working God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Miracles. Both books are excellent, by the way. Both focus on God's glory as revealed in Jesus Christ. Wilson argues that "miracles are pictures of what happens when God's will is manifest on earth as it is in heaven."
From the introduction:
The Wonder-Working God is a book that closely examines the miracles performed during Jesus' ministry. There is a big-picture focus: how do the miracles fit into the big picture of the kingdom? what do they reveal? what do they reveal about us? what can they teach us about ourselves? what do they reveal about God? what can they teach us about God? But Wilson spends plenty of time focusing on the details of some of the miracles. Again stressing what miracles reveal about the kingdom of God. By the way, if you're looking for a deeper understanding of the phrase "kingdom of God" and what it means, then, this book has it! This is a King-exalting book!!!
and
I loved this book. I loved it because I learned so much from reading it. I loved the focus on Scripture. And I loved some of the insights the book provides about what the gospel is and what the kingdom is. I loved the focus on Jesus' ministry, the closer examination of his preaching and healing, of Jesus' disciples, of the crowds both believing and unbelieving.
From the introduction:
What if the miracles in the Bible— and miracles today, should they still occur— are not God trying to convince us he’s “up there somewhere,” looming out there in heaven and trying on earth to get us to acknowledge him, but are actually God showing us that he is right here and right now in charge? What if, in other words, God is not an interloper in our world, but the things we find so familiarly “everyday”— sin, corruption, injustice, decay, death— these very “laws of nature,” are interlopers in his? When we are able to see the world that way, we get closer to the heart of the gospel. The miracles of Jesus serve that end, and when we see the world through the reality of the kingdom of God, the miracles become just as provocative, just as scandalous, in this day as they were in first-century Palestine. We post-postmoderns pride ourselves on being beyond all that superstitious hokum, but we place our hopes in the same sorts of sentimental magic as the ancients. We worship our accomplishments and our knowledge, because we worship ourselves.
The Wonder-Working God is a book that closely examines the miracles performed during Jesus' ministry. There is a big-picture focus: how do the miracles fit into the big picture of the kingdom? what do they reveal? what do they reveal about us? what can they teach us about ourselves? what do they reveal about God? what can they teach us about God? But Wilson spends plenty of time focusing on the details of some of the miracles. Again stressing what miracles reveal about the kingdom of God. By the way, if you're looking for a deeper understanding of the phrase "kingdom of God" and what it means, then, this book has it! This is a King-exalting book!!!
But in the proclamation of his kingdom, something special, something different, is happening. The reign of God is finally and directly being pressed into the brokenness of the world— the sins of men and the rebellion and injustice of mankind— fulfilling God’s promise to one day set things back to rights. The church often gets “the kingdom” wrong, because we equate it so often with the church or with the place of paradise we call heaven. But while both the church and heaven are integral to the purposes of God’s kingdom, neither is itself the kingdom. The kingdom is God’s reign, his sovereignty, his will being done… The kingdom of God broke into the world in and through the person of Jesus. There can be no kingdom without a king, and ours comes announcing that God is now forgiving sins, restoring peace and justice, reversing the curse, and setting in motion the end of days. This is— finally— good news for a creation that is groaning for redemption. All that is left for us to do is repent and believe, and the kingdom blessings will be ours, too. But only through Jesus. No Jesus, no blessing.
and
Because the entire world has been affected by mankind’s sin, the way the Bible talks about the kingdom’s coming seems somewhat cataclysmic. This place is broken, but because we have become so accustomed to living with the brokenness, the very restoration of the place can seem like a breaking. And it is. It is a breaking of the way things have been and a resetting to the way they ought to be.
I loved this book. I loved it because I learned so much from reading it. I loved the focus on Scripture. And I loved some of the insights the book provides about what the gospel is and what the kingdom is. I loved the focus on Jesus' ministry, the closer examination of his preaching and healing, of Jesus' disciples, of the crowds both believing and unbelieving.
August 30, 2014
Jared C. Wilson wrote and narrates this ChristianAudio.com title. Jared reads his book in a slow mellow voice. There is little emotion in Jared's voice. He speaks of atheist belief in science and the belief among them that if you can prove a miracle they would believe. In Jared's preface he writes that miracles are not supernatural in as much as they change the natural but that miracles are returning the unnatural to its natural state.
Jared speaks of miracles as valid only if they glorify Jesus. He calls other so-called miracles, witchcraft. He has no place in his belief system for the modern preachers who believe that you can have your micacle today. A belief that every good thing that happens is a miracle. I believe Jesus is Glorified through every good action and should be praised for it.
I agree that all miracles must glorify Jesus and that God throughout the entire bible used miracles as a fore shadowing of the coming messiah. When man asked Jesus for a sign he rebuked them because he himself was the sign manifested for all time before them.
When disciples forgot so quickly of Jesus's previous miracles, Jesus reminded them once again that He has the ability to take a little and make it into something abundant. Jared wants to explain the miracles of Jesus in a super spiritual and religious way that takes the humanity and joy out of the miracles Jesus performed.
Jesus performed many miracles and many times his miracles created an abundance, of fish, bread, wine, or a coin from a fish that more than pays the taxes due for Jesus and Peter. Jared wants to ignore this in an effort to take jabs at pastors who preach prosperity to their flock.
Jared goes so far as to say he "Hates, Hates, Hates Prosperiety preachers" and calls Joel Osteen a false teacher and says that "Joel Osteen is leading people to hell."
Jared's belief in a weak, beat up, sickly and poor church is not the Church of a Micacle Working and Reserected Savior. The Church of the Reserected Christ is a Church of Power, Miracles, Prophesy and Prosperity. Jesus died and rose again taking Death, Hell, and the Grave away.
John 10:10 says The THIEF comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give you Zoe, or Abundant Life (Life as God Lives It). Deuteronomy 28:13 says of the People of God, who we whom are born again are, The Lord shall make them the head and not the tail, above always and not beneath. This does not sound like a weak, poor, impoverished and miracles people. Anyone preaching a Gospel that ignores what Christ did on the Cross and preaches a weak, poor, lacking body of Christ is preaching false doctrine.
I cannot recomend this book because of the flawed views of the author. Hate has no place in the Body of Christ. Jesus was the Son of God but also a Man. A man filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and Love. He was, and is, a Miracle working Son of God and we are Miracle working Sons and Daughters of God. Above Only and not beneath, the Head and not the Tail walking and talking representatives of God. Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12.
I received this book for an honest review from ChristianAudible.com
Jared speaks of miracles as valid only if they glorify Jesus. He calls other so-called miracles, witchcraft. He has no place in his belief system for the modern preachers who believe that you can have your micacle today. A belief that every good thing that happens is a miracle. I believe Jesus is Glorified through every good action and should be praised for it.
I agree that all miracles must glorify Jesus and that God throughout the entire bible used miracles as a fore shadowing of the coming messiah. When man asked Jesus for a sign he rebuked them because he himself was the sign manifested for all time before them.
When disciples forgot so quickly of Jesus's previous miracles, Jesus reminded them once again that He has the ability to take a little and make it into something abundant. Jared wants to explain the miracles of Jesus in a super spiritual and religious way that takes the humanity and joy out of the miracles Jesus performed.
Jesus performed many miracles and many times his miracles created an abundance, of fish, bread, wine, or a coin from a fish that more than pays the taxes due for Jesus and Peter. Jared wants to ignore this in an effort to take jabs at pastors who preach prosperity to their flock.
Jared goes so far as to say he "Hates, Hates, Hates Prosperiety preachers" and calls Joel Osteen a false teacher and says that "Joel Osteen is leading people to hell."
Jared's belief in a weak, beat up, sickly and poor church is not the Church of a Micacle Working and Reserected Savior. The Church of the Reserected Christ is a Church of Power, Miracles, Prophesy and Prosperity. Jesus died and rose again taking Death, Hell, and the Grave away.
John 10:10 says The THIEF comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give you Zoe, or Abundant Life (Life as God Lives It). Deuteronomy 28:13 says of the People of God, who we whom are born again are, The Lord shall make them the head and not the tail, above always and not beneath. This does not sound like a weak, poor, impoverished and miracles people. Anyone preaching a Gospel that ignores what Christ did on the Cross and preaches a weak, poor, lacking body of Christ is preaching false doctrine.
I cannot recomend this book because of the flawed views of the author. Hate has no place in the Body of Christ. Jesus was the Son of God but also a Man. A man filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and Love. He was, and is, a Miracle working Son of God and we are Miracle working Sons and Daughters of God. Above Only and not beneath, the Head and not the Tail walking and talking representatives of God. Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12.
I received this book for an honest review from ChristianAudible.com
August 7, 2015
What are miracles, really? Sure, we read about them in the New Testament--the healing of the blind, the resurrection of Lazarus, the casting out of demons--all performed by Jesus, the Son of God. And yes, the are striking. Astonishing, actually. But they tend, at least for me, to raise more questions than answers.
Such as "Why did Jesus use spit on a couple of occasions?" and "Why did He choose to heal seemingly selectively as opposed to every person during that time who needed healing?" and the biggie--"Why don't we see such astonishing acts today?"
Jared Wilson, author of The Wonder-Working God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Miracles, does exactly what his title suggests--he shows us the glory of Jesus, the Son of God, through the miracles that He performed. And it is a brilliant glory. Nearly blinding, in and of itself.
I received this review copy of this book from Crossway Publishers. I was unsure of what I was looking for in reading it. I found out that I wasn't looking for something--I was looking for someone.
Wilson walks us through, chapter by chapter, several miracles. Miracles that, if you are familiar with Sunday School, then you've probably heard before. But Wilson also dusts off the accumulated layers of time and repetitiveness to offer a fresh look at not only the actual event, but the underlying current that courses through each event. No, he doesn't add extra-biblical insight into these wonders. Instead, he points us to see what is truly there: Jesus.
In fact, His last chapter, titled "The Singular Miracle of the Eternally Begotten" is about the greatest miracle of all. Jesus, Himself. And as I read that chapter, I was woefully reminded how often I forget--or rather, do not even comprehend--the fact that Jesus is a miracle. The greatest miracle. And if we can't grasp that, then none of his other miracles make any sense.
Wilson's writing didn't answer my "biggie" question, of why we don't see such blatant miracles today that we read about in Scripture. But, then again, in reading his book, that question of mine actually shrank just a bit. Scripture is truth. And so I found my "biggie" question slowly overshadowed by the sheer awe of who Jesus was and is today, and who He will continue to be in the future. He is the Miracle of the Eternally Begotten. And as such, I was deeply convicted by this paragraph in Wilson's Conclusion:
"Our boredom at any time, then, is a sin. Sin is, at its essence, a failure of worship, and failing to worship is failing to be astonished by the presence and activity of God in the world. Sin is a failure to marvel at and be motivated by the miracle of the gospel."
I do not want to fall prey to boredom, ever, in regards to the miracle of the gospel. Being reminded of who Jesus is, and that God is a Wonder-Working God, prods me to worship and marvel. As it should be.
Such as "Why did Jesus use spit on a couple of occasions?" and "Why did He choose to heal seemingly selectively as opposed to every person during that time who needed healing?" and the biggie--"Why don't we see such astonishing acts today?"
Jared Wilson, author of The Wonder-Working God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Miracles, does exactly what his title suggests--he shows us the glory of Jesus, the Son of God, through the miracles that He performed. And it is a brilliant glory. Nearly blinding, in and of itself.
I received this review copy of this book from Crossway Publishers. I was unsure of what I was looking for in reading it. I found out that I wasn't looking for something--I was looking for someone.
Wilson walks us through, chapter by chapter, several miracles. Miracles that, if you are familiar with Sunday School, then you've probably heard before. But Wilson also dusts off the accumulated layers of time and repetitiveness to offer a fresh look at not only the actual event, but the underlying current that courses through each event. No, he doesn't add extra-biblical insight into these wonders. Instead, he points us to see what is truly there: Jesus.
In fact, His last chapter, titled "The Singular Miracle of the Eternally Begotten" is about the greatest miracle of all. Jesus, Himself. And as I read that chapter, I was woefully reminded how often I forget--or rather, do not even comprehend--the fact that Jesus is a miracle. The greatest miracle. And if we can't grasp that, then none of his other miracles make any sense.
Wilson's writing didn't answer my "biggie" question, of why we don't see such blatant miracles today that we read about in Scripture. But, then again, in reading his book, that question of mine actually shrank just a bit. Scripture is truth. And so I found my "biggie" question slowly overshadowed by the sheer awe of who Jesus was and is today, and who He will continue to be in the future. He is the Miracle of the Eternally Begotten. And as such, I was deeply convicted by this paragraph in Wilson's Conclusion:
"Our boredom at any time, then, is a sin. Sin is, at its essence, a failure of worship, and failing to worship is failing to be astonished by the presence and activity of God in the world. Sin is a failure to marvel at and be motivated by the miracle of the gospel."
I do not want to fall prey to boredom, ever, in regards to the miracle of the gospel. Being reminded of who Jesus is, and that God is a Wonder-Working God, prods me to worship and marvel. As it should be.
August 15, 2014
The gospels are full of miracles. Bible readers are familiar with those accounts. But, what should we really learn from them? Are Miracles there to impress us? Are they there to identify Jesus as Messiah? Is something more going on?
Jared Wilson’s new book, The Wonder-Working God, takes a close look at the miracle accounts of the New Testament with an eye toward going deeper than we often do. As Wilson dives in, he shows us how the miracles of Jesus do more than remind us that Jesus is God or that Jesus is powerful; they also display for us the message of the gospel and the glory of God in great and life-changing ways.
One of the beauties of this book is Jared Wilson’s ability to write in a very relatable style. While he does a good job of digging deep into the theological implications of Jesus’ miracles, the author does not bog his readers down in the process. I have always found Wilson to be pleasant to read, and this book does nothing to change that view.
One thing that readers of this book might find interesting is that Wilson groups miracles together. Rather than study each individual miracle in its own separate chapter, Wilson has chosen to put similar miracles or miracles with a similar message together. This is helpful, as readers are then able to see the consistent message of the gospel writers. It can also be a little difficult, as at times I wanted to stick with one miracle account a little longer.
I would happily recommend The Wonder-Working God to anyone who wants to have a deeper grasp of the miracles of Jesus. I could picture this book being a great red for any individual. It would also make a solid source of material for a Bible study group or a helpful resource for a pastor wanting to do a topical series on Jesus’ miracles.
I received a free audio copy of this book from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. The recording of this work is of the highest quality, as are all of the work sold by this company. Jared Wilson reads his own book in this audio recording. Were I to choose, I believe that I would prefer to have one of ChristianAudio’s other narrators. This is not to say that Wilson narrates poorly—far from it—however, I find that I generally do not enjoy listening to authors read their own works. Something in the intonation seems to lack when an author works through his own material. However, this would not at all prevent me from recommending the audio version of this work as well.
Jared Wilson’s new book, The Wonder-Working God, takes a close look at the miracle accounts of the New Testament with an eye toward going deeper than we often do. As Wilson dives in, he shows us how the miracles of Jesus do more than remind us that Jesus is God or that Jesus is powerful; they also display for us the message of the gospel and the glory of God in great and life-changing ways.
One of the beauties of this book is Jared Wilson’s ability to write in a very relatable style. While he does a good job of digging deep into the theological implications of Jesus’ miracles, the author does not bog his readers down in the process. I have always found Wilson to be pleasant to read, and this book does nothing to change that view.
One thing that readers of this book might find interesting is that Wilson groups miracles together. Rather than study each individual miracle in its own separate chapter, Wilson has chosen to put similar miracles or miracles with a similar message together. This is helpful, as readers are then able to see the consistent message of the gospel writers. It can also be a little difficult, as at times I wanted to stick with one miracle account a little longer.
I would happily recommend The Wonder-Working God to anyone who wants to have a deeper grasp of the miracles of Jesus. I could picture this book being a great red for any individual. It would also make a solid source of material for a Bible study group or a helpful resource for a pastor wanting to do a topical series on Jesus’ miracles.
I received a free audio copy of this book from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. The recording of this work is of the highest quality, as are all of the work sold by this company. Jared Wilson reads his own book in this audio recording. Were I to choose, I believe that I would prefer to have one of ChristianAudio’s other narrators. This is not to say that Wilson narrates poorly—far from it—however, I find that I generally do not enjoy listening to authors read their own works. Something in the intonation seems to lack when an author works through his own material. However, this would not at all prevent me from recommending the audio version of this work as well.
September 8, 2014
The whole of Jared Wilson's book, 'The Wonder-Working God', can be summed up in the phrase 'it's not about the miracle done, but rather the miracle-worker'. Like kids at a magic show, we are enthralled with the super-natural, with things that can't be explained. We want to understand how something was done and to take the awe out of the unexplainable. The beauty of looking at the miracles of Jesus is that the wonder never ceases. All of the miracles of the New Testament ultimately climax in the miracle of Jesus- His death and resurrection.
The greatest miracle of all time was when Jesus came to earth as fully man and fully God. His death on the Cross, resurrection, and ascension invite us into His miracle-working. We too are now part of His miracle-working. Because of Jesus death has lost it's power. Death on this earth is just the beginning of life.
One of the most powerful quotes, came in the conclusion,
"Our boredom at any time, then, is a sin. Sin is, at its essence, a failure of worship, and failing to worship is failing to be astonished by the presence and activity of God in the world. Sin is a failure to marvel at and be motivated by the miracle of the gospel." (Wilson, loc 2762)
After seeing the wonder-working God, how can our response be anything but worship?
Our tendency when we see the miraculous is to want more, to see more, to experience more. Unfortunately we often wrongly seek the miracle- which will never satisfy. Jesus, the miracle-working, however is more then enough. Desiring more of Him and seeking more of Him will never disappoint.
I received this book for free from Crossway’s Beyond the Page program. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For more information about this book, go here.
The greatest miracle of all time was when Jesus came to earth as fully man and fully God. His death on the Cross, resurrection, and ascension invite us into His miracle-working. We too are now part of His miracle-working. Because of Jesus death has lost it's power. Death on this earth is just the beginning of life.
One of the most powerful quotes, came in the conclusion,
"Our boredom at any time, then, is a sin. Sin is, at its essence, a failure of worship, and failing to worship is failing to be astonished by the presence and activity of God in the world. Sin is a failure to marvel at and be motivated by the miracle of the gospel." (Wilson, loc 2762)
After seeing the wonder-working God, how can our response be anything but worship?
Our tendency when we see the miraculous is to want more, to see more, to experience more. Unfortunately we often wrongly seek the miracle- which will never satisfy. Jesus, the miracle-working, however is more then enough. Desiring more of Him and seeking more of Him will never disappoint.
I received this book for free from Crossway’s Beyond the Page program. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For more information about this book, go here.
February 10, 2015
There are many books that focuses on the parables of Jesus, but I don’t quite recall any books that focuses on the miracles of Jesus. And that is why this book is a breathe of fresh air for christians. It reminds us about on one aspect of Jesus that we may often overlook.
First, Jared Wilson highlights to the readers how this generation do not really believe in miracles anymore. We are “too smart” for any miracles. Thereafter he comes to define the meaning of the word miracle, he narrows it down to it being supernatural, and it being a preview of what the world will be. In addition, the aim of miracles is always to glorify Jesus. With that. Wilson brings the readers through 9 different miracles.
In each of the miracles, Wilson brings out the context of the miracles, explains the meaning and also brings out application to the readers. Many a times, Wilson challenges the readers with the application of the text, making this book not only good for growing in understanding, but also in applying the text.
I found the explanation of miracles being a preview of what heaven to be very attractive, although this was the first time I had read about this. I also found this book very readable. I think the main audience of the book would lay christians who wants to grow in their knowledge of the miracles of Jesus, or just want a good dose of bible teaching in general. I have found these teachings to be helpful and applicable, and would recommend you to read it too.
Rating: 4 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
First, Jared Wilson highlights to the readers how this generation do not really believe in miracles anymore. We are “too smart” for any miracles. Thereafter he comes to define the meaning of the word miracle, he narrows it down to it being supernatural, and it being a preview of what the world will be. In addition, the aim of miracles is always to glorify Jesus. With that. Wilson brings the readers through 9 different miracles.
In each of the miracles, Wilson brings out the context of the miracles, explains the meaning and also brings out application to the readers. Many a times, Wilson challenges the readers with the application of the text, making this book not only good for growing in understanding, but also in applying the text.
I found the explanation of miracles being a preview of what heaven to be very attractive, although this was the first time I had read about this. I also found this book very readable. I think the main audience of the book would lay christians who wants to grow in their knowledge of the miracles of Jesus, or just want a good dose of bible teaching in general. I have found these teachings to be helpful and applicable, and would recommend you to read it too.
Rating: 4 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
June 3, 2015
An excellent assessment of what the miracles of Jesus signify. What were the truths that Jesus established and how it should be applied in our lives today. Jared writes in a very casual style and the insights are brilliant!
August 1, 2014
This was excellent!
January 16, 2017
Knocked my socks off! Blew me away! Wow!
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