The Word And The Sword

The Word And The Sword

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#19 The MiraclesofJesus Part 1

Are there still miracles today? What is a miracle? Miracles What is or was the purpose or miracles?

The Miracles of Jesus They were instant. They superseded all natural law They were never done for personal gain No apostle performed a miracle for personal gain. They were exceptional events. Raising the dead, Restoring sight, Healing the lame, the deaf the infirm and gravely ill.

The Temporary Nature Of Bible Miracles Always done to confirm the words of the one that spoke to be from God. No one had a New Testament to carry around. Revelation of God’s Word was not complete. Later this was one of the purposes for spiritual gifts among Christians. NO ONE today can perform authentic Bible miracles. Many claim to do so but those who have been tested have been disproved.

Miracles Confirmed The Word Spoken We now have a confirmed word. 2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Miracles Confirmed The Word Spoken We now have a confirmed word. Gal. 1:8-10 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Gal 1:11-12 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Certified Gospel • Galatians 1:11-12. • Definition of “certified”- to make known or assure, (Vines). • Paul assures all men for all time that the gospel he received was not adulterated by any mixture of man. It came directly from God and can most assuredly be counted on. In verses 8-10- no man or angel can preach any other. To do so incurs the wrath of God.

Continuous Revelation? We have preachers and others going on TV and telling their listeners that God spoke directly to them- Can this be true today? It is not a question of whether God can do something- He is God! It is a question of whether His revealed perfect will is enough for us or not.

Continuous Revelation? Once someone begins to tell you that God is talking to them today, it is hard to reason with them. If God talks directly to man today, who is right? The Pope? The Mormons? The Pentecostals? The Baptists? The Jehovah’s Witnesses? All claim that God has or is revealing things to them today.

Continuous Revelation? Question- Did God Lie to us? He told us in Gal. 1:8-10 no one has the right to say anything other than what has been revealed in the pages of His Word. In 2 Tim. 3:16-17- All scripture is given…that the man of God might perfect and throughly furnished unto every good work. If God’s word furnishes us completely and perfectly, why do we need further revelation today?

God Says No AddingOr Subtracting Rev 22:18-19 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Miracles In John’s Gospel John records only 7. They reflect Jesus’ Lordship over: Quality- water into wine; Space- healing of nobleman’s son from a distance; Time- healing of a man who had been lame for 38 years; Quantity- the feeding of the 5000; Nature- walking on the water and causing Peter to do so; Misfortune- healing of a man born blind; Death- the raising of Lazarus

John 2:1-11 Water to Wine 1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

John 2:1-11 Water To Wine 6 And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

John 2:1-11 Water To Wine 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

Water To Wine • Did Jesus Endorse drinking alcohol? • No- The Greek word for wine is “oinos” and is inclusive of everything from grape juice to intoxicating wine. • We know by implication that Jesus did not make alcohol because: 1. They had consumed all they had and he provided for them the equivalent of 120-180 gallons more. This would have been Jesus a contributor to drunkenness. 6 jars each containing 2 or 3 firkins ( 18-27 + gallons each).

The Miracle of Water To Wine It was far from harvest season (Jn. 2:13- the Jews Passover was at hand). Passover was in the month Abib or first month of the year- not harvest time (Ex 12:2; Deut. 16:1). Jesus never touched the jars, he never did anything but tell them to fill the jars with water.

The Miracle of Water To Wine He never spoke a word over the jars. This was a supreme declaration of His Deity. He willed it to be so and it was. No word, no touch. Magnificent declaration of Him being what Nathaniel had said he was In Jn 1:49- “ Rabbi you are the Son of God, You are the king of Israel.”

The Miracle of Water To Wine **He willed the water to be turned into oinos in its best form (first fruit of the grape- the juice). Jesus is showing his power over nature, in that what normally took a season to grow and a season to harvest, he did without a word or touch. He willed it to be so. What a great miracles to introduce His power to mankind.

Barnes On “The Best Wine” [The good wine] This shows that this had all the qualities of real wine. We should not be deceived by the phrase "`good wine.'" WE often use the phrase to denote that it is good in proportion to its strength and its power to intoxicate; but no such sense is to be attached to the word here. Pliny, Plutarch, and Horace describe wine as "good," or mention that as "the best wine," which was harmless or "innocent" - poculo vini "innocentis."

Barnes On “The Best Wine” The most useful wine - "utilissimum vinum" - was that which had little strength; and the most wholesome wine - "saluberrimum vinum" - was that which had not been adulterated by "the addition of anything to the 'must' or juice." Pliny expressly says that a good wine was one that was destitute of spirit (lib. iv. c. 13). It should not be assumed, therefore, that the "good wine" was "stronger" than the other: it is rather to be presumed that it was milder.

More Albert Barnes On Best Wine • The wine referred to here was doubtless such as was commonly drunk in Palestine. That was the pure juice of the grape. It was not brandied wine, nor drugged wine, nor wine compounded of various substances, such as we drink in this land. The common wine drunk in Palestine was that which was the simple juice of the grape. WE use the word "wine" now to denote the kind of liquid which passes under that name in this country-always containing a considerable portion of alcohol not only the alcohol produced by fermentation, but alcohol "added" to keep it or make it stronger.

More Albert Barnes On Best Wine • But we have no right to take THAT sense of the word, and go with it to the interpretation of the Scriptures. We should endeavor to place ourselves in the exact circumstances of those times, ascertain precisely what idea the word would convey to those who used it then, and apply THAT sense to the word in the interpretation of the Bible; and there is not the slightest evidence that the word so used would have conveyed any idea but that of the pure juice of the grape, nor the slightest circumstance mentioned in this account that would not be fully met by such a supposition.

More Albert Barnes On Best Wine No man should adduce THIS instance in favor of drinking wine unless he can prove that the wine made in the waterpots of Cana was JUST LIKE the wine which he proposes to drink.

Healing Of The Blind Man Just as the result of water being turned into wine was deeper faith and acceptance of the words Jesus spoke, so it is with the healing of the blind man.

Healing Of The Blind Man John 9:1-7 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

John 9:8-11 The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. John 9:15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

John 9:18-21 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

John 9:25-27 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

John 9:35-39 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

The Blind Man’s Reaction He was not converted by the miracle performed on him. No one was ever converted simply by a miracle and not all who had miracles performed on them became believers (10 lepers) only one came back to thank Him. Miracles were to confirm the words spoken as being from God. Biblical miracles were supernatural events. Jesus’ miracles confirmed that He was the Messiah (Mt. 11:3-5; Isa. 9:6; 24:18,19; 35:5-6; 61:1 and Jn. 10:25).

Jesus Uses This Event To Teach For one to truly see Jesus He must become blind to his own preconceived invented beliefs. He urges the Pharisees who insist they see better than anyone, that they must become blind. Some will submit humbly to God’s will and others will argue with Him that their way is better. The path to becoming a Christian starts with a humble submissive spirit. Arrogance keeps us from seeing ourselves as we look into God’s mirror (the perfect law of liberty) the Bible.

The Blind Man Responds He did not know everything but he knew this one thing- I was blind but now I see. As he put the pieces of the puzzle together in his mind the more he was questioned the more ready he was to hear the words of the Messiah and believe on Him. What is our reaction to who Jesus is and what He tells us to do? Do we react as the Pharisees and deny the obvious? Do we stand neutral like his parents and compromise? Do we react as the blind man and submit to the Master?

The Blind Man Responds This simple blind man was smarter than all the Pharisees. He could see Jesus for who He was and they were walking around blinded by the traditions of their ancestors and their own preconceived ideas of the Messiah and His kingdom being physical. This one thing we all can know- we are blind but now can see.

The Nobleman’s Son John 4:46-53 And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

The Nobleman’s Son John 4:46-53 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

Jesus Overcomes Distance It is notable that in this second miracle of Jesus that it demonstrate His power over distance. The young man never came to Jesus nor did He speak a word over him or ever touch him. Just as in the Lord’s first miracle, he had not contact. He just willed it to be done and it was done. Once again His Deity is established and His credentials as the Son of God are firmly entrenched so that the Words He speaks will be heeded by those who are looking for Him and willing to receive the evidence before them.

Feeds 5000 John 6:2-15 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

Feeds 5000 John 6:2-15 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

Feeds 5000 John 6:2-15 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

The Result Of Feeding The 5000 Many believed who He was. They believed it so much that they were ready to make Him a king. He refused to accept such and separated Himself from them Once again we see Jesus not willing to accept a physically kingship. He did not come to set up His kingdom on this earth or He would have accepted coronation as King while here on the earth.

Jesus Walks On Water- Bids Peter Matt 14:22-31 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

Jesus Walks On Water- Bids Peter Matt 14:22-31 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Jesus Calms The Man The seas were tempestuous. Rather than calm the seas the Lord calms the man- Peter and the other apostles. He has never promised that serving Him would always be easy. We must navigate the seas of life and keep our eyes on our Savior. Too often we are distracted by how bad things are around us and we take our focus off of the Lord and begin to sink. Our faith is weak. He lifts us up when we reach out to Him. He is able to deliver us out of the trials of life (1 Cor. 10:13). We must reach out to Him and trust Him to carry us through.

Lazarus Is RaisedJohn 11:33-36 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

Lazarus Is 4 Days Dead & Buried John 11:37-39- And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

Get Up Lazarus John 11:41-43- Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

Some Believed- Others Tattle John 11:44-46- And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

The Word And The Sword