Jesus - Miracle Worker Series

Sermon Brief

Date Written: February 26, 2011

Date Preached: February 27, 2011

Where Preached: OPBC (AM)

Sermon Details:

Series Title: Falling in Love With Jesus

Sermon Title: Jesus - Miracle Worker

Sermon Text: John 6:1-21 [ESV]

Introduction:

1After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. 4Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" 10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost." 13So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!" 15Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

Feeding 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish is quite an amazing thing – but having 12 baskets of leftovers … That is even more incredible! When we allow Jesus to do things in our lives where we see NO way or massive shortages of resources for our needs… Jesus can deliver! Jesus can deliver and Jesus can make a way when it seems impossible! Not only will Jesus make a way, but He will do it with great abundance – FAR beyond anything we could ever expect!

Walking on water – is not only an amazing thing but from a scientific and physical standpoint it is IMPOSSIBLE! It goes beyond the natural laws of this world, as solid sinks in liquid… but Jesus goes beyond the natural laws of this world because Jesus is SUPERNATURAL! Jesus takes the impossible and can make ti possible!

Jesus can even empower us to do the works of the supernatural as well… We know that Peter was able to walk on water as long as he was focused on Jesus, but when his focus was not on Jesus… he began to sink! When we allow Jesus to guide us, there is NOTHING we cannot do thru Him!

Miracles are a part of who Jesus is… miracles remind us how Jesus is beyond the natural and the finite! Jesus is supernatural and infinite! Jesus can go beyond the impossible and can take us with Him on that journey if we will let Him. But miracles are not a thing of the past as many people seem to believe… they still happen today!

They had been married 11 years when he decided to leave her, and now for 3 years she had been taking care of her son, and working menial jobs as she did not have the education for anything better. She was working a back breaking job as a nurses aide, doing a lot of work for very little pay, but it paid the bills…

The day before when she got home from work she found a letter from the State of Maryland with many legal papers stuffed inside…after 3 years, what had been her worst nightmare was now a legal reality, she was now officially and legally a single mother… the shame and heartache welled up inside her, but she remained stoic in front of her young son, just 12 years old.