THE GREATEST MIRACLE OF ALL TIME

Highlights from Pastor Jerry's message on Resurrection Sunday, April 20.

The Resurrection of Jesus was the greatest miracle of all time!  You must understand it! Hebrews 2:3 tells us that we have something new to consider: “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord…”

In Isaiah 5:13 God says, “My people go into captivity for lack of revelation knowledge of Me!” We need to know what covenants we are entitled to in this Christian Walk – We need to know the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly …” (John 10:10) and in John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Me should not perish but have everlasting life.”  God is talking about eternity.

In the New Testament miracles started with Jesus being born of a virgin, we read of the miracles of Jesus’, In Isaish 5:13 God said, “Let there be a revelation of Me,” and in Genesis 3:15 God promised that a “SEED” would come!

What is the rhythm of God? “If you seek Me, you will find Me” (Jeremiah 19:13). It is time for the Church to come to the aid of the Church. The Resurrection of Jesus was a miracle and when Peter gets up and preaches the Gospel 3,000 are saved (Acts 2). Don’t limit God! Reach out!  When God starts to move you have to be ready!  The most important words, “Come follow Me!”  God is saying, “When are you going to turn to Me?”

How many know the importance of encouragement? When you fall Jesus lifts you up (Like a mother kissing sore knee.)  When Jesus enters any of your circumstances, He comes with miracle working purposes. It brings peace to you!  (Luke 2:14) His power is the miracle!  Don’t short circuit the Holy Spirit.  Wait for the Holy Spirit!

Illustration: Charles Wesley’s mother was disciplining him – she plunked him down in a chair. She saw an expression on his face that said, “I am sitting down on the outside, but standing up on the inside!”  How many of us are standing up in our traditions and not receiving all that God wants you to know?

In the last two weeks we walked with Jesus to Calvary. Today we are going to walk with the Resurrected Jesus!  In Luke 24:1 we read where the women went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. They knew He had died, but they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.  The SEED had gone into the ground, now they could not find the dead body. Angels ask, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, He is risen!” (V. 7) “Remember, how He spoke to you?”  The women went to tell the disciples in the Upper Room.  To them it seemed like “idle tales” (v9). Peter, however, got up and ran to the empty tomb (v. 12).

Think back… When did you first know He was alive? We don’t want to be found wanting like the two disciples on the Emmaus Road going in the opposite direction talking about all that had happened.  Jesus drew near and conversed with them, asking them why they were sad. (He already knew the answer – they were hoping he would rise on the third day… v 15-17). Jesus rebukes them for being “foolish and slow of heart to believe” the prophecies about the Messiah’s suffering and glory (v. 25). The He expounded to them from the scriptures all the things concerning Himself.   In v. 30 it says that “their eyes were opened” when Jesus “breaks bread” with them. 

Remember… Jesus had told his disciples He wouldn't have communion with them again until they were together in the kingdom of God. (Luke 22:16; Matthew 26:29) and related it to the Last Supper where Jesus instituted communion.  They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” They then returned to Jerusalem to tell the others all that had happened and how they recognized Jesus. (v. 33-34) The fire had been snuffed out by tradition. 

Jesus Appears to the Disciples (V. 36-53) While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate it in their presence.”

 V. 44-49:  He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”  Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  I am going to send you what My Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

In Philippians 3:10 the Apostle Paul prayed: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain[b] to the resurrection from the dead.”

In Ephesians 1:15-21 he prayed for the Church  – “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your [f]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,  and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality[g] and [h]power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”

JESUS CAME BURSTING OUT OF THE TOMB!

He rose from the dead before dark for those still in the dark!

In the depth of darkness there is the Light!!