Faith from the Miracles 

Larry Dickens

September 28, 2014 PM

 

Intro: Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ (Rom 10:17)

         A.      God attested Jesus with miracles (Acts 2:22)

         B.      Multitudes responded to the miracles (Matt 15:31) 

 

I.       Concerning Miracles:

         A.      Many exclaim "miracle" when none has occurred.

                  1.      When someone is healing rapidly.

                  2.      For the most natural of events.

                  3.      When someone escapes injury or death.

         B.      Claims of miracles: Apparitions, Delusions, Superstitions,

                  1.      Frauds

                  2.      Modern day fake "faith" healers.

         C.      Many do not believe in miracles today or in the Bible.

         D.      Others believe in miracles today and in the miracles of the Bible

         E.      Believers believe in the miracles of the Bible; but not in modern day miracless

         F.       Efforts are often to preach "faith in the miracles;" but need to be  preaching to produce faith via the miracles.

 

II.      The role of Miracles

         A.      Faith came from the Word  (Christ) (Rom 10:7; John 1:14)

         B.      God attested to Christ via miracles (Acts 2:22)

         C.      Today Faith comes from the Word revealed  (Rom 10:7)

         D.      The miracles were written that you might believe (John 20:30-31).

 

John 10:37  "If  I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." 

 

III.    What the miracles regarding Jesus tell us about Jesus.

         A.      Jesus is Lord of Creation.

                  1.      Chemistry

                           a.      Water into wine (John 2:1-11) -  The better wine.

b.      Feeding 5000 + women & children with 5 loaves, 2 fish …with 12 baskets leftover (Mt 14:21;16:9; Mk 6:44; 8:19; Lk 9:14; Jn 6:10)

                           c.       Feeding 4000  plus women and children (Mt 15:38; 16:10;  Mk 8:9,20)

                                    ... using 7 loaves with 7 "large" baskets leftover

                  2.      Biology

                           a.      Cursed the Fig Tree (Matt 21:19-22)

                           b.      His virgin birth (Isa 7:14; Lk 1:34-35)

                  3.      The Sea

                           a.      Walking on water (Matt 14:25)

                           b.      Peace be still (Mark 4:39).

         B.      Jesus is Lord over distance (space)

                  1.      Healing nobleman's son  (John 4:46-54)

                  2.      Healing Centurion's servant (Mt 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10)

         C.      Jesus is Lord over the curse of sin: sickness.

                  1.      Healing the blind man  (John 9)

                  2.      The lepers.  (Luke 17:1-19)

                  3.      The lame, crippled, dumb, and others (Mt 15:30-31)

         D.      Jesus is Lord over the Spirit world - Casting out demons         

                  1.      Seven demons of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2)

                  2.      The naked man and the Legion of demons which entered the swine (Mt 8:28-34; Lk 8:27-39)

         E.      Jesus is Lord over the curse: Death

                  1.      Raising son of widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17).

                  2.      Raising Jairus' daughter (Mark 5; Luke 8)

                  3.      Raising Lazarus (John 11)

 

John 14:11  "Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe on account of the works themselves. 

 

IV.     The blessing of believing in the miracles (Luke 7:22-23)

 

Luke 7:22-23   And He answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them.  "And blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over Me."

 

V.      The Resurrection of Jesus

         A.      God made Jesus both Lord and Christ by His resurrection (Ac 2:24, 32, 36)

         B.      The gospel message (1 Cor 15:3-4)

         C.      God raised up Jesus (Acts 3:15, 26; 4:10; 13:30, 37)

         D.      Declared the Son of God by the resurrection (Romans 1:4)

                  1. Therefore all men must confess Him (Rom 10:8-10)

                  2. All men must obey the plan of salvation (Acts 2:38-41)