The Message of Jesus-Faith and Miracles
The Message of Jesus
February 15th and 16th, 2003
The Law of Miracles and Faith
-We have been looking at the life of Jesus on Wednesday Nights and the message of Jesus on the week-ends.
-There is going to be some overlap because fortunately the life and teaching of Jesus matched and overlapped.
-We looked at the law of sowing and reaping. This week-end we are looking at the law of faith and miracles.
Matthew 4
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, a Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
[1]
Matthew 9
35 /Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [2]/
-I recently saw the statistics of Jesus’ public ministry as recorded in the gospels.
Miracles and healings account for:
44% of Matthew
65% of Mark
29% of Luke
30% of John
(Source: Jon Ruthven from Regent)
Additionally; Acts is 27.2% healing and miracles compared to 22.5% of sermons and speaking.
-If we are going to be honest with ourselves, we haven’t given the adequate role to healing and miracles as Jesus did and as the early church obviously picked up.
-In order to follow Jesus more effectively, we are going to have to move healing and miracles up the priority list.
-We have a tendency to see it as weird or as something “faith healers” do and then steal people’s money or something.
-Jesus made some remarkable claims.
Matthew 19
26 /Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” [3]/
Matthew 21
22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
/[4]/
Mark 11
22 /“Have a faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. [5]/
-Jesus obviously expected miracles. He also thought we should expect miracles.
-What is a miracle?
MIRACLE
an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs[6]
an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment[7]
It is altering or suspending the known scientific laws due to some “supernatural” or beyond natural means. Especially from an act of God.
-The law of miracles in the Kingdom of God “shows that God is willing to disrupt the natural order to accomplish His purpose.”-Pat Robertson
-At least 1/3 of Jesus’ ministry was spent in this area.
Matthew 8:23-9:8
-This is a cluster of miracles that we looked at Wednesday night.
-Jesus exercised power over NATURE/DEMONS AND EVIL/SICKNESS AND DISEASE
Matthew 8:1-17-VIDEO CLIP
(NIV word for word from video)
HOW DO WE RECEIVE MIRACLES FROM GOD?
1. WE MUST BELIEVE IN HIS WILLINGNESS TO HELP
Matthew 8:1-4
-The man with leprosy believed Jesus could do it, he just wasn’t sure He wanted to.
-Jesus said, I WANT TO/ I WILL.
-Faith begins where the will of God is known.
-It begins by us believing that God loves us, cares about us and wants to see us well.
-Do you believe God wants to help you?
-Convince yourself He does.
2. WE MUST BELIEVE THAT JESUS CAN DO IT
-The centurion who was over 100 Roman soldiers understood the principle of authority.
-He knew that he took orders and gave orders.
-He knew Jesus was from God and demons and sickness were under Him and they had to obey Him.
-He also expressed faith that Jesus worked spiritually.
-Jesus said it would be better when He went because He was sending the Holy Spirit.
-The centurion believed that Jesus’ words had the same power as He did.
Acts 4
7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone. a’ b
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
-Jesus commended this man for his faith.
-He understood authority.
3. WE MUST BELIEVE JESUS’ PROVISION INCLUDES US
Matthew 8: 16-17
-This is a quote from Isaiah 53 talking about the provision of the Messiah for believers.
-He provided healing and deliverance for our SPIRIT/SOUL/BODY.
-Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
-He didn’t tell us what He did for others in the Bible to show contempt for us who didn’t live in “Bible Days”.
-There never was an age of miracles; there is a God of miracles.
-Jesus’ first sermon in Luke focused on “TODAY’.
-Religion says someday or yesterday. Jesus says NOW TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE.
4. WE MUST BELIEVE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE MIRACLES FROM GOD
-Faith creates the atmosphere for God to work in.
Matthew 13
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
/[8]/
NCV-
But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
[9]
-Faith is your heart’s response to the grace of God.
-Seeing how wonderful God is-is like breathing in. Breathing out is how your heart responds to God’s goodness.
-Jesus said to have faith in God. God must be the object of your faith, not your ability to believe.
-Either you do or you don’t. You believe what you are willing to act upon.
Mark 9
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil a spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
[10]
Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here.” They brought him. When the demon saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a seizure, causing him to writhe on the ground and foam at the mouth.
He asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been going on?”
“Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!”
Jesus said, “If? There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.”
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, “Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!”
[11]
MESSAGE
-What miracle do you need from Jesus?
-Act on what you believe.
PRAYER LINE
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a That is, the Ten Cities
[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version, Mt 4:23-25. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
[2]The Holy Bible : New International Version, Mt 9:35-36. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
[3]The Holy Bible : New International Version, Mt 19:26. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
[4]The Holy Bible : New International Version, Mt 21:22. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
a Some early manuscripts If you have
[5]The Holy Bible : New International Version, Mk 11:22-24. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
[6]Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Includes index. 10th ed. Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster, 1996, c1993.
[7]Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Includes index. 10th ed. Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster, 1996, c1993.
a Or cornerstone
b Psalm 118:22
[8]The Holy Bible : New International Version, Mt 13:53-58. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
[9]The Holy Bible : New International Version, Mt 13:53-58. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
a Greek unclean
[10]The Holy Bible : New International Version, Mk 9:23-27. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.
[11]Peterson, Eugene H. The Message : New Testament With Psalms and Proverbs, Mk 9:1. Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress, 1995.