MIRACLES #1
Miracles have been around since the beginning of the world that was a miracle in of its self. Every age has asked for miracles to assure themselves that God is still around. So how do miracles happen, where do they come from? Who can work miracles and are all the miracles in the world done for the uplifting of God? Two sermons in this first one we will look where miracles come from, what is required to work them and by whom can they be worked. We will use most the words of the New Testament to find our answers.
A. Where do miracles come from?
1. Through the power of God
JOHN 3:2
2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
ACTS 15:12
12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
ACTS 19:11
11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
2. Of the Holy Spirit
MATTHEW 12:28
28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
ROMANS 15:18 19
18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed,
19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
3. In the name of Christ
MARK 16:15 17
15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
17 "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
ACTS 3:16
16 "And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.
B. We now know where these come from, but what is required to work miracles? Who can work them and why are there certain miracles? 1. Faith required in those who perform
MATTTHEW 17:20
20 And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
MATTHEW 21:21 22
21 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, "Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen.
22 "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
ACTS 6:8
8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
2. Faith required in those for whom they were performed now this is in the miracle of healing.
MATTTHEW 9:28 29
28 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said.to Him, "Yes, Lord."
29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith."
MARK 9:22 24
22 "It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if
You can do anything, take pity on us and help us! "
23 And Jesus said to him, ""If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes."
24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief
ACTS 14:9
9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well,
3. Power to work, given the disciples
MARK 16:17 20
17 "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.]
4. Demanded by unbelievers
MATTHEW 12:38 39
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."
39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet,
LUKE 11: 16
16 Others, to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven.
LUKE 23:8
8 Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him.
Through out both the Old and New Testaments we have untold miracles preformed. (name some) So why today do we not see miracles like these? As some have said these miracles were needed to show the power of God and Christ, but today we have the Bible and do not need to see the miracles we can read about them. I’m not sure that is the real reason. Could it be we do not have the faith to do these? I do believe that miracles are in our everyday life the miracle of birth and some of the miracles of medicine are examples of these. But, the really true miracles of raising the dead, healing the lame, opening the eyes of the bind, where are they do we not need them anymore or can we not do them anymore?
PLAN OF SALVATION
ROMANS 10:
17
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 10
HEBREWS 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
ACTS 2:38
38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
ROMANS 10:9 10
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
MARK 16:16
16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
MATTIFIEW 7:21
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
