RWJ/Pottersville UMC 01/20/13 Sermon - “Miracle Worker” (The Natures of Christ Series, Part 3 of 5)

Sunday 01/20/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “Miracle Worker” (The Natures of Christ Series, Part 3 of 5)                                                                                     

Scripture Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

                                             

Gospel Lesson: John 2:1-11

          Good morning and welcome brothers and sisters! I greet in you the name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ! I hope and pray that you have all had good and blessed weeks, and I am happy to be worshipping with you here this morning!

          This morning, I am continuing on with the “Natures of Christ Series.” In this New Year, I think we could all benefit from a fresh look at Jesus Christ, and a fresh look at why worship him. A fresh look at why he is our savior. You see Jesus has and continues to come to us in many different ways. Jesus came to us a baby, as a child, as a man, and as the “King of Kings” here on earth. Jesus came to us and still comes to us as our savior or the “Messiah,” and Jesus came and still comes to us in several other ways. In this series of sermons then, I seek to broaden our understandings of Jesus Christ, our savior, the reason in which we gather here this morning. Jesus had and has many natures then, and came and continues to come to us in many ways.

          This morning specifically, I want to talk about Jesus Christ as a “Miracle Worker”. You see for many people that encountered Jesus Christ during his time of ministry here on earth, they didn’t always know fully who he was when they encountered him. In fact, for some people here on earth, they only heard him speak, or only saw him perform one or more miracles. They might not have seen much more than this. These miracles though defied logic, defied human reason, and are in the realm of what we might even consider impossible. This nature of Christ then is Jesus as the one who can do the impossible. This nature is Jesus Christ, as a “Miracle Worker”.

          You know I have seen on television and read stories of miracles that have not just occurred in the Bible, but in the modern day as well. I have heard stories of people who had fourth stage cancer, and the doctor told them to “go home and get there affairs in order.” They were told that there days were numbered. Yet within a few days of that pronouncement from that doctor, the people of God gathered and prayed over that person. Amidst the praying and calling upon the Holy Spirit, a warm feeling surged through one or more of the people that were praying. The Holy Spirit was flowing abundantly, and person who was terminally ill felt better, and different. The person then went to the doctor, and the doctor was immediately struck by the person’s color being restored to their face, and how full of life the person was. After conducting fresh tests, the doctor gasped at his clip board when his nurse handed him the results, and then he walked into the waiting room were the terminally ill person was. He looked at her, and said, “Maam, I have no medical or scientific explanation for this, but according to these test results your cancer is 100% gone”!

          In the modern day brothers and sisters we still have these miracles, for in the books of Acts the apostles went out and healed and did might acts in the name of Jesus Christ. God gifts us all differently, and according to scripture, some of us in fact have been given the gift of healing and performing miracles. Of course almighty God does all the healing, but He uses us as his vehicles. Are we willing to pray for and over the sick and suffering?

          One of the reasons as a minister that I take the visiting of the sick and the suffering so seriously, is because the people of God have a Biblical obligation to love and care for those who are sick and suffering. With the knowledge that God still performs, signs, wonders, and miracles, we must believe in the healing power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Which means we should not choose to visit and pray for the sick and suffering, but that Jesus Christ requires us to visit and pray for the sick and the suffering.

          It is interesting to know, that in the New Testament of our Bible Jesus performed many miracles. In fact, most sources say he performed 37 miracles. Numbers vary depending on what we count as a miracle. Some count the birth of Jesus for example as a miracle he performed, but I am more talking about the miracles that Jesus performed during his life and his actual ministry. Let me mention just some of the miracles that Jesus performed. Jesus’ first miracle of course was turning water into wine, which comes to us in today’s gospel of John reading. Interesting that Jesus’ first miracle was turning water to alcohol. You would think that a picture of Jesus would be hanging in every fraternity house in America, as he would be there biggest hero! In the gospel of Luke, it says that Jesus healed a man that was afflicted with disease, in the gospel of Mathew Jesus healed and cleansed a leper.  In the gospel of Mathew, Jesus healed a roman centurion’s slave. Jesus healed the apostle Peter’s mother in Law, Jesus calmed the violent storm on the sea of Galilee, Jesus drove out demons, Jesus healed the paralytic, Jesus healed the women who had been bleeding for twelve years. In the gospel of Mathew, Jesus also raised Jarius’ daughter from the dead, Jesus healed the blind, Jesus healed a demon possessed mute man, Jesus healed a man with a paralyzed hand, Jesus feed the 5,000, Jesus walked on water, Jesus healed the gentiles mother’s daughter, Jesus feed the 4,000, Jesus healed the epileptic boy, Jesus healed the demon possessed man in the synagogue, Jesus healed a deaf and mute man, Jesus made a miraculous catch of fish happen, and in the gospel of Luke Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

          These are but some the miracles that our Lord and savior performed. I also think of the ear that got off the servant of the high priest in the garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus picked up and put it back on the servant’s head, healing him. You see, Jesus performed many miracles during his ministry, and God still today performs signs, wonders, and miracles today. I don’t know if God will have any of us turn water into wine, like Jesus did in the gospel of John reading from this morning, but God still does perform healings and miracles. In fact, I heard a pastor say one time, “Doctors treat, but Jesus heals”.

I heard a story recently about two pastors who preached in the same town, and they were often quite competitive with one another over there ministries. They would often pass each other on the street and inquire to one another about how things were going with their ministries. In fact, one day as Reverend Jones walked by Reverend Smith he said, “Well hello Reverend Smith, how are things with your church?” Reverend Smith said, “You know Reverend Jones, the usual, Sunday morning worship, preaching the gospel, telling people about Jesus, and church dinners”. Reverend Smith then said, “well, how are things with your church Reverend Jones”? Reverend Jones just smiled at Reverend Smith and said, “Well, you know Reverend Smith, the usual, just signs, wonders, and miracles”.
          I would like to close this sermon this morning with a story about Christian miracles. This story comes to us from a man named Tim W., from Montrose, Pennsylvania, and is called the “The Power of Prayer”. Here is how the story goes: Late one mid-winter day when the snow lay three feet deep on the central New York ground, some Christmas lights twinkled on porch railings and windows to remind us of the birth of our Savior. In another part of town, our sixteen-year-old son, Bryan, lay on the ice hockey rink, unconscious. Seeing him crumpled like a fallen brick wall made my blood run as cold as the thermometer outside the rink, which read ten below zero that January day. Three years before, a Bishop at a men's rally had challenged his audience to "Pray for your children daily." And so my prayer life began to take a turn. Praying daily for someone seemed redundant to me, as the Bible warns of praying vain repetitious prayers (Matthew 6:7). But I continued.

Bryan continued to lay motionless on the ice. I searched like a hawk for the slightest movement. Nothing came. Time dragged. Coaches and trainer hovered over his still body, the rink of spectators silent. Still no movement came from our son. Bryan could take a hit as well as anyone, but this time his lights hadn't come back on. My mind flashed back to my high school days, when a boy on the football team had died after taking a similar hit.

Following much discussion with God, I dropped to my knees. This is a public place, Lord, I thought. "Pray," came the command. The floor was cold and wet. "Pray," He said. On the dank floor, I asked our Father to "Please touch Bryan and keep him alive." My right knee became damp and cold. I raised myself up, feeling much older than my years. I peeked over the boards that separated the ice from the fans. Numbly, I blinked, finding it hard to swallow.

Still no movement came. And then I saw it: Bryan's right foot moved. He's alive! Hallelujah! Thank you, Father. Another motion, then another and another. His coach helped him sit up. Leaning on one arm with his legs stretched straight out, Bryan sat on his cold battlefield like a wounded knight. Helmet on. His head tilted down to one side.

The crowd began to chant: Bryan! Bryan! His trainer helped him to his feet. Coach and trainer at his sides, they guided him off the ice through the door to the team box and a seat.

He was not only alive, but skating off the ice -- slowly, but on his own. My face beamed through tears. Thank you, Father, for hearing my prayer, I uttered.

On that bleak afternoon in a hockey rink, God grafted to my heart to pray for my family members by name everyday. I believe that when we do this, God honors the effort. Also, when crisis comes, we are able to go fast to prayer at the point of need.

Help us, Father, to "pray without ceasing" for our families, friends, leaders, neighbors, church, pastors, missionaries, parachurch workers, authorities, community and whomever else You bring to mind. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

You see brothers and sisters, Jesus came to us as a “Miracle Worker,” and he still performs miracles, even today. He still heals, and his power is just as strong today as it ever was. As you go forth this week, pray for those whom are sick, and ask God for healing. For our savior was and is a “Miracle Worker”. Amen and praise the name of Jesus.