It’s all about Jesus: Healing Miracles (Pt.2)

(Pt. 2)

 “Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking and the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.”-Matthew 15:30-31.

 Jesus healed a range of sicknesses and diseases, cast out multiples of demons, and raised the dead; with each miraculous event Jesus proved that no sickness, disease, or spiritual affliction was outside the scope of his healing power. The diversity of people touched demonstrated that healing transcends all social classes, gender, race, cultures, and nationalities. He even used a variety of methods from simple prayers to the laying on of hands; and although many were healed instantly, some were healed progressively:

“So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked and said, “I see men like trees, walking” Then He put His hand son his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.”-Mark 8:23-25.

Healing is a restorative work which makes is a central theme of God’s Kingdom message. Jesus came preaching this message proclaiming victory over sin, sickness, and Satan:

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.”

He then commissioned his disciples to carry out that message in Matthew 10:7-8:

“And as you go, preach, saying ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”

And even to us today He gave us this message and a mandate:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”-Mark 16:15-18.

The kingdom of heaven is near and the power of the Lord is present to heal! God is looking to restore His relationship with mankind; may we carry that message to the ends of the earth and demonstrate God’s power as we pray and lay hands on the sick.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

It's all about Jesus: Healing Miracles (Pt. 1)

(Pt.1)

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.”-Matthew 4:23-24.

Of the nearly 40 recorded miracles Jesus performed in the gospels; two-thirds of them were healing in nature. Why did Jesus do so many healing miracles? Sickness has a way of draining us physically, emotionally, and spiritually; because of this healing is uniquely personal.

Each time Jesus performed a miracle he demonstrated that he had the power to address those things affecting a person from the outside; whenever Jesus would heal he demonstrated that he was also able to address those things afflicting them on the inside as well. Each healing, like other miracles, demonstrated Jesus’ divine nature, was designed to bring people to the saving message of redemption, and bolster the believer’s faith.

However, healing also communicates a distinct message of its own:

-Healing communicates the compassion of Christ towards those who are hurting:

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”-Matthew 14:14.

-Healing communicates a covenant benefit of a child of God:

“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.”-Psalm 103:1-3.

-Healing confirms and fulfills prophecies concerning Jesus Christ:

“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet he considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”-Isaiah 53:4-5.

-Healing communicates and proves His mission by demonstrating Christ’s ability to forgive sins:

“Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins…”He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”-Mark 2:9-11.

-Healing communicates Jesus’ power over the devil:

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”-Acts 10:38.

-Healing, above all else, communicates the Glory of God:

“Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking and the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.”-Matthew 15:30-31.

Healing is still significant today because it is very much a part of the Kingdom message!

 Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

It's all about Jesus: His Miracles (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.”-Mark 2:1-2

As we study the miracles of Jesus, we find that another reason he performed signs and wonders was to draw people near to hear the life-giving message. Miracles were not some marketing ploy designed to draw people out in large numbers; Jesus was just as willing to heal one man privately as he was the masses. This is because he was moved by compassion to help those who were lost, sick, and hurting. Matthew 14:14 declares:

“When Jesus landed and saw the large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”

These miraculous works, however, had to take a back seat the gospel message of repentance and forgiveness of sins. In Mark 2 as Jesus was preaching some men came to him carrying a paralyzed man. Unable to reach him, because of the sheer number of people crowded around him, they made an opening in the roof and lowered the man down. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralyzed man: “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

This began a stirring among the teachers of the law seated around Jesus. They murmured against and mocked the idea that Jesus could forgive sins. Jesus sensing their disdain asked:

“Which is easier; to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”-Mark 2:9-11.

Ultimately we learn from this passage that Jesus’ miracles confirmed his ability to forgive sins; which is at the heart of the gospel message.

Finally, miracles were also designed to bolster the believer’s faith:

“One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake,” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”-Luke 8:22-25.

Romans 10:17 assures us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. So then, miracles do not produce faith.  However, miracles can certainly bring lift to our faith; especially in times of adversity. They remind us that our God is not confined to our finite understanding or the laws of nature. They embolden us when we feel we have reached the end of ourselves and can’t go on. They renew our passions when our drive and pursuit of God has grown cold. They cry out that there is more of God to be experienced and seen.

Jesus was and always will be in the miracle working business as long as there are lost, sick, and hurting people that need to hear the gospel message.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

 

It's all about Jesus: His Miracles (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”-John 20:30-31.

There are over 35 miraculous signs performed by Jesus or associated with him recorded in the gospels. It would be virtually impossible to have a dialogue about him without mentioning the supernatural events that characterized his life and ministry.

However, anytime you have extraordinary activity, there is the danger of people becoming fascinated with the supernatural act rather than the originator of the miracle. Jesus warned these miracle chasers in Matthew 16:4 that it is a corrupt and perverse generation that seeks miraculous signs. In order to properly appreciate Jesus’ miracles we must first understand what a miracle is, why they are important, and discover their purpose.

A miracle is an unusual or significant event which requires the works of a supernatural agent and is performed for the purpose of authenticating the message or the messenger. These are not parlor tricks performed to impress an audience, but demonstrations of divine power confirming the deity of Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 28:18, Jesus declared: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” For this statement to be true Jesus had to demonstrate that he had power over the human body to heal the sick, power over the spiritual world to cast out demons and forgive sins, power over the physical world to defy nature, and power over death!

With each miracle that Jesus performed he confirmed his divine nature:

“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.”-John 14:11.

If Jesus was who he claimed to be; he would have authority over all creation. Time and time again these demonstrations of power confirmed his Lordship!

In John 2:1-22 he proved he was Lord over the molecular by turning water into wine. In Luke 8:22-25 he proved he was Lord over nature by calming the storm. In Mark 6:45-52 he proved he was Lord over natural law when he walked on water and in Matthew 21:18-21 proved he had the power to give and take life when he cursed the fig tree.

In every instance Jesus’ miracles established his claims of divinity and relationship with God.

 

 Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

It's all about Jesus: The Olivet Discourse (Pt.3)

Part 3 of 3

Jesus’ teaching on deception, persecution, and tribulation found in the Olivet Discourse culminate and point to one specific moment:

“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.”-Mark 13:26-27.

Jesus’ teaching on the end of days is not intended to encourage us to set dates, or to try and identify the anti-Christ, or decipher the meaning of the blood moons; but instead he instructs us to be on guard and remain alert for what is coming:

“No one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”-Mark 13:32-33.

By declaring that no one knows the day or the hour of his return, it is clear that Jesus never intended for us to focus on his return as an event to be diagramed, studied, and forecast. The assurance from Jesus of his return is to guide us toward living a life that honors God so that when he returns we will be found ready:

“It’s like a man going away; He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!”-Mark 13:34-37.

The Gospel of Matthew drives home this point with three amazing parables: Parable of the Virgins, The Parable of the Talents, and the Parable of the Sheep and Goat.

The Parable of the Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) encourages us to evaluate our own spiritual condition in light of his coming. In the parable, ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were unprepared and had failed to fill their lamps with oil. Five were wise and took oil with them so that they would be prepared in case the bridegroom was a long time in coming. When the cry rang out that bridegroom was coming the five foolish virgins were forced to leave and go buy oil because their lamps were going out. Because they were unprepared they were shut out of the wedding banquet. It is a dangerous thing to believe that you can wait until the last minute to begin living for Christ. He will come when you least expect it and you will find yourselves shut out of the kingdom because you were not prepared for his coming.

The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) teaches us how to invest our lives in light of his coming. This passage describes how the Lord will reward those who are good stewards of the faith, gifts, and talents that God has given each of us to use for His glory.

 

The Parable of the Sheep and Goat (Matthew 25:31-46) teaches us how to invest in others in light of his coming:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Jesus declared that whatever you do for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Jesus teachings on the Mount of Olives are designed to condition us to live for God, reject sin, embrace holiness, and to do the work of God until he comes to receive his church.

Are you ready?

 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

It's all about Jesus: The Olivet Discourse (Pt. 2)

(Part 2)

“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”-Mark 13:9-13

Jesus never sugar coated the Christian life. His teaching from the Mount of Olives confirms that Jesus foresaw that in addition to the deception that would come upon the earth in the last days there would also be an increase in persecution towards those who call themselves followers of Christ. Jesus warned that those who followed him would fellowship in his sufferings and be hated by all men because of him.  

He warned that as the persecution comes there will be a great falling away or turning from the faith:

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.”-Matthew 24:9-10.

Yet through all the hatred, betrayal and persecution the gospel of Jesus Christ will be preached to all nations. Persecution and the preaching of the gospel will go hand in hand.

In addition to the deception and persecution that will plague the earth will also come a time of tribulation that will be unequaled to anything else in history:

“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong- let the reader understand- then let those who are Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now-and never be equaled again.”-Mark 13:14-19.

It is during these days that the antichrist will arise and pollute all that is holy. Persecution will break out against the people of God. It will be a dreadful time to live upon the earth. Even the earth and heavens will be shaken:

“But in those days, following that distress, “’the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; that stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”-Mark 13:24-25.

Because of the severity of what is to come, Jesus instructed his disciples to be careful and pray that they may escape it:

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”-Luke 21:34-36.

Deception, persecution, and tribulation are coming and together they point to a specific event: the second coming of Christ!

 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

 

It's all about Jesus: The Olivet Discourse (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

“On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half the mountain moving north and half moving south.”-Zechariah 14:4.

Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ, the Old Testament Prophet Zechariah proclaimed that when the Lord returned (at His second coming); He would come back to a specific location east of Jerusalem known as the Mount of Olives. It was from this site, after His resurrection, from which Jesus chose to ascend into heaven:

“After he had said this, he was taken up before their eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.-Acts 1:9-12.

So it isn’t surprising that when Jesus taught regarding the end of days and His second coming that he communicated the majority of his teaching from the Mount of Olives. This teaching is commonly referred to as the Olivet Discourse. The Olivet Discourse can be found in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke; and although there are subtle differences between them in style and emphasis, they each relay three very significant truths regarding deception, persecution, and tribulation that will prevail on the earth in the last days.

Jesus begins his teaching by pointing to several signs that will herald the nearness of His coming:

“Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.”-Mark 13:5-8.

It is significant to note that of all the signs to which Jesus could have pointed to initially; the first he pronounces is the flood of rampant religious deception that will prevail on the earth just prior to his coming. He warns that there will be many false teachers and false prophets that will come. They will claim to speak and teach on Christ’s behalf. Some will even go as far as to claim to be Jesus and many will follow them believing that they are the Messiah.

 Equally, if not more concerning, is the erosion of morality, the discounting of holiness, and the abandonment of absolute truth that is plaguing the church. Many wolves in sheep’s clothing have infiltrated the Body of Christ preaching a message of false grace. William Booth, Bible preacher and founder of the Salvation Army, warned that this day was approaching when he said:

“The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”

Jesus warned his followers from the Mount of Olives to be prepared and that the increase in religious deception is a sign of his soon return.

 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church