Miracles Pointing To God?

Miracles pointing to God?. Jesse Bennett

John 4:46-50

Jesus did not come to perform miracles/// Jesus came to save souls

What we need to do is move beyond miracles ///and on to JESUS

I believe in miracles but /// I don’t trust in miracles /// I trust in JESUS

Jesus turned water into wine in John Chapter 2.

That tells us that Jesus is Gods answer to mans disappointment.

The wine of this world will run out but///

The JOY that Jesus offers will always be FRESH FULL AND FREE.

Now the nobleman was asking JESUS to heal his son

But he had a hard time believing in JESUS (so what does this tell us?)

Not only is JESUS God’s answer to man’s disappointment

JESUS is God’s answer to man’s doubt.

Do you have doubt? What we need is a strong faith!!!

Doubt sees the night /// faith sees the light!!!

Doubt sees the obstacles /// faith sees the way…

Doubt fears to take a step /// faith sours on High.

Doubt questions, who believes? /// faith answers I!!!!

Now I know you want faith and that you need faith but you need a faith that posses you!!!

(Read the passage John 4:46-53)

Here was a man who had a problem he was a nobleman had prestige but he had a problem he couldn’t fix “his sick son”

Jesus scolds the man “unless you see miraculous sign and wonders you will never believe”

This man is in desperation he begs: Jesus says your son lives.

I OBSTACLES TO STRONG FAITH….. SECOND HAND FAITH

1. Second had faith he heard that Jesus had come

a. he heard others talk about what Jesus had done.

(Everyone needs to hear about Jesus) ALL HE HAD WAS hearsay.

a. You can’t go to heaven on your mother’s faith

b. You can’t go to heaven on your father’s faith

c. You can’t go to heaven on your pastor’s faith

d. Second hand faith doesn’t do you any good

e. Second hand faith can’t save you

SECOND HAD FAITH IS NOT STRONG FAITH.

Jesus asked his disciples “who do people say I am?” then He asked them (the more important question) “who do you say I am’

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT JESUS? OR DO YOU KNOW JESUS?

IS YOUR FAITH SECOND HAD FAITH? OR IS YOUR FAITH FIRST HAND FAITH?

II OBSTACLE -- … SIGN DEMANDING FAITH

Jesus said unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.

Jesus was not approving the man when he said this

Jesus was rebuking the man when he said this!!!

a. Jesus said in another place “an evil and adulteress generation looks for a sign”

b. Even when Jesus was on the cross the people said “come down from the cross and we’ll believe”

Here were these people saying give us a sign and we’ll believe…

Are you in that category?

Are you saying to God if you’ll just give me a sign I’ll believe in you?

Are you saying if God will perform miracles for me I’ll believe?

Seeing is believing-- NO IT’S NOT- SEEING IS SEEING -AND -BELIEVING IS BELIEVING

1) Miracles are not VERY good tools for evangelism.

2) Jesus turned water into wine.

3) Many believed in his name because of the miracles he did.

4) They believed in Jesus but He did not believe in them.

Look at verse John 2:24

He knew men and what was in there hearts.

He knew they were following him because of his miracles… they were following the signs

What is wrong with asking for signs and wonders?

What is wrong for demanding signs and wonders>> it dishonors God..

(illustration)

What if you told your son “ I put 100 dollars in the bank for you and he said are you sure I want to see the deposit slip” YOU SAY SON YOU’VE GOT TO BELIEVE ME he says well maybe I can just withdraw it look at it and put it back. Dad can you give me some proof

How would you feel?

Dishonoring God>>>

I need some proof that God keeps his word/// Thomas asked to see the sign of the nail marks and wound in his side. “Jesus said blessed are those who have not seen and believe”

Seeking signs a wonders dishonors God /// And can be dangerous to man

II Thessalonians 2:9 (Description of the antichrist. A super deceiver.. A man of sin…)

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

Antichrist will be a master magician

Antichrist will have power to do miracles

By those sign and miracles many will be DAMMED TO HELL because of these lies…

Revelation 13:13-14 Talking about the Antichrist>>>13 And Deut. 13:1;Mat. 24:24;2 Thess. 2:9;ch. 16:14he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.