Sermon summary (click on the title)

Miracles and Transformation Matthew 4:23-25

May 1 2016

Lorna Laister

What is a miracle? It is something that only God can do

I want to show you that all the miracles you can read about or hear about can point to OR lead to an even greater miracle. I believe that the miracle itself is NOT the point. But there is a greater point or reason. It is possibly the biggest reason for miracles happening at all.

One purpose of miracles is to authenticate or confirm or endorse God’s servants in his-story. So when God chose his servants – like Moses – (who are the first one) miracles gave some sort of proof that they were authentic or truly sent form God.

God was continually revealing himself to humanity. Miracles validate this revelation too. And the miracles themselves revealed God’s power over the cosmos.

John 29:30

The miracles were written down in a very matter-of-fact way. They are not sensational like an epic movie.

But they show purpose and caring. They are not wonders for their own sake but for the purpose that WE WOULD BELIEVE

Yes they proved that Jesus was/is God and that he was Messiah and had the power to remove sin’s destruction

Yes they revealed his power.

Yes they showed that Jesus is Lord of all – over all human disorders – mental, physical, nervous; over cosmic (universal) forces, on land or sea, organic and inorganic; over the spirit world and represented by Satan, the demons and DEATH – which is one of the greatest miracle of all

Mark 1:21-28

• Why were those at the synagogue amazed at Jesus’ teaching?
• Why did the spirits have to obey Jesus?
• How did Jesus use authority?

Miracles should increase our faith in God, our trust in him.

And there the miracle of transformation. Of God working in our minds and hearts and making us completely new.

Matthew 13:11

John 14:16-26

1 Corinthians 2:10,14

But this miracle is more than understanding. The spirit provides a motivation to overcome human weakness and follow God and his way.

By a miracle, our minds can be given spiritual power to live a new life. In this greatest of all miracles, we can receive a token of God’s will and character. It is a power “of love and of a sound mind,” wrote Paul (2 Timothy 1:7). But this greatest miracle of all cannot occur if you do not respond to God. How are you responding? Are you being transformed?

• Miracles authenticate or confirm or endorse God’s servants
• The miracles themselves revealed God’s power over the cosmos
• They proved that Jesus was/is God, and that he was Messiah and had the power to remove sin’s destruction
• They showed that Jesus is Lord of all
• The miracles give us some proof that Jesus was/is God
• Miracles should increase our faith in God, our trust in him.
• The miracles are not wonders for their own sake but for the purpose that WE WOULD BELIEVE

Romans 12:1-2