The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:29 ESV)
Miracle
^δυναμεις (dunameis)- force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself).
^It would have done Jesus no good if he only talked about the Kingdom and didn’t do anything about it. Yes, he taught discourse through sermon and taught in the Synagogue but there’s only so much talking you can do.
^Through miracles Jesus showed proof of the arrival of the kingdom on earth. Miracles did not produce lasting faith in those who saw them though- they were to be paired with his teaching and the Scripture to get the full picture.
^It would have done Jesus no good if he only talked about the Kingdom and didn’t do anything about it. Yes, he taught discourse through sermon and taught in the Synagogue but there’s only so much talking you can do.
^Through miracles Jesus showed proof of the arrival of the kingdom on earth. Miracles did not produce lasting faith in those who saw them though- they were to be paired with his teaching and the Scripture to get the full picture.
Mark 2:1-12
^I call this is the "Ceiling Healing"
^Think of the scene for a minute: You hear that Jesus is home and you know that he can perform miracles and that he teaches with authority. You walk up to the house and see that you can’t get within a block of the place: what would you do?
^Most of us would turn around and walk home, but this group was determined to have Jesus heal the paralytic man so they climbed up on the roof and let the man down so he could be healed.
^In verse 5 we read that Jesus healed the man because he saw their faith; this is the key to all healings.
^Think of the scene for a minute: You hear that Jesus is home and you know that he can perform miracles and that he teaches with authority. You walk up to the house and see that you can’t get within a block of the place: what would you do?
^Most of us would turn around and walk home, but this group was determined to have Jesus heal the paralytic man so they climbed up on the roof and let the man down so he could be healed.
^In verse 5 we read that Jesus healed the man because he saw their faith; this is the key to all healings.
Ceiling Healing Cont.
^Notice that Jesus says, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” This was said to prove a point.
^In verse 10 Jesus lets everyone know that he was the Son of Man and that he had authority on earth to forgive sins.
^The Pharisees knew that only God had the right to forgive sins (so Jesus was saying that he was God).
^In verse 10 Jesus lets everyone know that he was the Son of Man and that he had authority on earth to forgive sins.
^The Pharisees knew that only God had the right to forgive sins (so Jesus was saying that he was God).
Exorcisms
^Of Christ’s miracles exorcisms are the most frequent; this was to show that the Kingdom of Heaven had come to overthrow Satan’s earthly rule.
^Jesus says, “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28 ESV)
^Jesus used the miracle of exorcism to show the people that the Kingdom was present on earth and was battling Satan but like his other miracles- exorcisms were not intended to produce lasting faith in those that saw them performed.
^Jesus says, “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28 ESV)
^Jesus used the miracle of exorcism to show the people that the Kingdom was present on earth and was battling Satan but like his other miracles- exorcisms were not intended to produce lasting faith in those that saw them performed.
Mark 5:1-20
^Reduced to living out in the tombs outside the town and the demons had given this possessed man super-human strength.
^He was too strong for any man to take him down and he broke all the chains that anyone used to bind him. This man would have been a nightmare in the prison system!
^As soon as Jesus steps out of the boat Jesus tried to tell the demon to leave the man but instead the man cries out and says, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” This is when Jesus asks for the demon’s name.
^He was too strong for any man to take him down and he broke all the chains that anyone used to bind him. This man would have been a nightmare in the prison system!
^As soon as Jesus steps out of the boat Jesus tried to tell the demon to leave the man but instead the man cries out and says, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” This is when Jesus asks for the demon’s name.
Gerasenes
^It is most likely that the multiple demons involved in “legion” did not respond to Jesus’ initial request because he addressed them as if there were only one demon. Once the demon has a name (there were upwards of 6000 troops in a Roman Legion to put it into perspective) the demon(s) has to obey Jesus.
Gerasenes Cont.
^It is unknown why the demons want to go into the pigs but when the pigs play lemming everyone gets a full view of what they would have done to the possessed man!
Mark 9:14-29
^When dealing with a demon, there needs to be faith. The father dares to say to Jesus, please help us if you can. Jesus isn’t looking for ifs- Jesus is looking for faith.
^“‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Jesus is stressing that when it comes to miracles that having faith is of the utmost importance. With faith, all Jesus needs to do is command the demon by name (deaf and mute spirit) to leave.
^Finally, the Disciples ask why they couldn’t cast out the demon and Jesus tells them that “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
^“‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Jesus is stressing that when it comes to miracles that having faith is of the utmost importance. With faith, all Jesus needs to do is command the demon by name (deaf and mute spirit) to leave.
^Finally, the Disciples ask why they couldn’t cast out the demon and Jesus tells them that “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
Demon Exorcism 101
^In Acts, the fame of Paul and Jesus had spread so much that non-Jesus believing Jews decided that merely using Jesus’ name would help them perform an exorcism.
^“I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”… But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:13-15 ESV)
^Don’t try to command a spirit out in Jesus’ name if you don’t know Jesus.
^The keys to Exorcism: 1) Command in Jesus’ name, 2) Faith on your part, 3) Prayer
^“I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”… But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:13-15 ESV)
^Don’t try to command a spirit out in Jesus’ name if you don’t know Jesus.
^The keys to Exorcism: 1) Command in Jesus’ name, 2) Faith on your part, 3) Prayer