Believe Series

Miracles

Miracles Series: Sermon Title: Believe

Dr. Marty Baker / John 9:1-11/ November 13, 2005

www.stevenscreek.net

Good morning. Welcome to the Creek. For those of you that do not know the song you just heard is from the new television series Three Wishes. Amy Grant and the rest of the Three Wishes team travel to an American town every week to grant wishes to deserving people. It’s a feel good show. This past Friday there was a unique story about a high school music teacher that lost 70% of her hearing. Take a look at this:

VIDEO CLIP: Three Wishes, November 11, 2005

There is something in all of us that would like to have the ability and the opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life. Reality Shows like Three Wishes and Extreme Makeover Home Edition bring out the best in people and in a human kind of way perform miracles. These miracles are not true miracles but they amazing and wonderful occurrences. A true miracle is a marvelous event manifesting a supernatural act of God.

I love the fact that I am a member of a church that believes in miracles. Yes, we believe that God’s supernatural power is still available for people in need. Most of us would like miracles to take place in our lives, but if you are like me, you don’t want to be in a place to need a miracle.

Nobody wants to be in need. We don’t want to have to go through a situation where answers are not known and solutions are not evident. But, there will come a time where you will find yourself in a place of need. The question at that point will be: "Where do you turn for help or how do you find the answers that you need?

This morning I want to you about a miracle worker named Jesus Christ. His story is told in the New Testament section of the Bible. The first four books, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are called the gospels. They describe His life and His work. Today I want to continue our series on Miracles with a talk called Believe.

Matthew 21:22

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

It’s my goal to help you to come to the place where you can honestly say, "I believe." Some of you are like the man whose son was hurting. Jesus said to him:

Mark 9:23-24

23b "Anything is possible if a person believes."

24 The father instantly replied, "I do believe, but help me not to doubt!"

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve prayed a similar prayer. "God, I know that you are able to do this, but will you do it for me? Will you answer my prayer?"

Well, anything is possible if a person believes. What if I have some doubts? You are normal. We all struggle with periods of doubt. If you have never doubted anything, it may mean that you have never thought seriously about anything. The only way to never doubt is to never use your mind to question and try to figure anything out.

Doubting does not mean that your faith stops, it means you are trying to understand your faith at a deeper level. Honest doubt means that we are thinking and seeking to understand.

Maybe that’s why you are here today. You are investigating Christianity. You have your doubts, but those doubts are making you want to know more about God and experience him in new ways.

This morning I want to focus on a story in the book of John chapter nine. This story is somewhat perplexing. It’s a story about a man who was born blind. Jesus and His disciples ran into him one day in Jerusalem. Immediately His disciples asked, "Why? Why is this man blind? Was it his fault or his

parent’s fault?"

John 9:1-5

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.

2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

It probably did not occur to the disciples that this man was blind, but he was not deaf. He could hear their conversations. Imagine you are sitting there blind. Your life is bad enough already and you hear these theologians say, "Hmmm, his sin? His parents sin? What do you think?"