THE MIRACLES OF JESUS

Sermon Notes, March 5, 2017

Rev. George Stevenson

            Rev. George Stevenson, Assistant District Superintendent of the Virginia District Church of the Nazarene, was our special guest speaker this week.  His sermon was titled "The Miracles of Jesus."  His scripture basis was the Gospel of John, with emphasis on John 3:16.  John describes Jesus' ministry in detail.  He loved people.  Jesus is calling the  church to be alive and well and minister to people.

            In Chapter 1 John the Baptist's message was "Repent!  The Kingdom of God is at hand!"  Then he introduced Jesus: "Look! The Lamb of God!"

            In Chapter 2 Jesus begins His ministry with the Wedding in Cana.  When they ran out of wine, Jesus' mother told the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."  They filled the water jars as He said.  Then He told them to take the water-turned-to-wine to the master of the banquet.  They did, and he told the bridegroom that the best wine had been saved until last.  Jesus was concerned about people.

            In Chapter 3 Nicodemus, a ruler of the temple, comes to see Jesus at night.  Jesus tells him that he must be born again in order to see the Kingdom of God.  Although he didn't understand at first, eventually Nicodemus came to believe and became a follower of Jesus.

            In Chapter 4 Jesus talks to the woman at the well.  It was not natural for Him talk to her--she was a woman, a Samaritan, and it was the middle of the day.  He asked for a drink of water, and had a religious discussion with her.  He talked about the Living Water, and told her about herself.   She went back to town and called everyone, "Come see a man who told me everything I ever did.  Could this be the Messiah?"  Many people in that town believed in Jesus because of her testimony.  Jesus cared for people.

            In Chapter 5 there is the story of an invalid who had been at the pool in Bethesda for 38 years,  Jesus asked, "Do you want to be made whole?"  The man replied that he had never been able to get in the pool when the water was stirred.  Jesus said, "Pick up your bed and walk." and he did.  Jesus loved people.

            In Chapter 6 Jesus feeds 5,000+ people with a little boy's lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fishes. It was just enough.   There were 12 baskets of leftovers.  Jesus keeps giving  and wants to meet people's needs.

            In Chapter 9 Jesus heals a man who was born blind.  He made mud from clay, put it on the man's eyes, and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam.  He did, and he came home seeing.  When the Pharisees questioned him, he said "I was blind, but now I see."

            In Chapter 11, Jesus' good friend Lazarus has died.  Four days later Jesus comes.  Mary and Martha both say "Lord, if you had been here, he would not have died."  Jesus saw how they mourned, and He wept.  He was God, but He was also man.  "Where have you laid him?"  "It's been four days--by this time there's a bad odor!"  But Jesus prays, for the sake of the mourners, and calls Lazarus forth.  He comes, and Jesus tells the people, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

            What are you weeping for?  How long has it been since your heart has been broken about the lost?  We need to be weeping over the lost.  Someone in your life, your home, your work needs to find Jesus. The ministry of Jesus is all about winning people to Him.