People crave a miracle, they want a miracle in their life. Jesus’ conception, His birth, His life, His ministry, His teaching, His death, His resurrection, His appearances, and His ascension were all based on miracles. They were all astounding and undeniable miracles. When the church began her ministry, it was based on miracles. A stream of miracles flowed from the hands of the apostles, upsetting religious systems of that day, and even the Roman government trembled because of those miracles.
Matthew wrote by THE SPIRIT in Matthew chapter 11:
1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:
5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
John the Baptist had experienced the presence of Our Heavenly Father when he baptized Jesus at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. He was surely aware of Jesus spending forty days in the wilderness to be tested yet he questioned Jesus’ ministry. Why? John was in prison and Jesus did not exercise His power to deliver John from prison. Instead, He went to spread the Gospel to the surrounding areas according to His Divine calling. What were the confirming signs that Jesus was The One of whom John prophesied? The astounding and undeniable miracles!
Hebrews 13:8 declares: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Without those miracles, Christianity would just be another religion of man’s traditions, ideas, and ceremonies. In Mark chapter 7, Jesus challenged the religion void of FATHER’S Living Word:
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
What happened to FATHER’S miracle-working power among the Jews? Their revelation was lost to religion because of their hearts. Jesus went on to say:
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’
11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God),
12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,
13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
When tradition replaced communion with FATHER, the miracles ceased and tradition entered in. Religious ceremonies replaced true worship and the followers simply complied with those in charge, hoping that their ceremonies would somehow persuade FATHER to show up. The Gospel of Christ is simple and straightforward and The Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We should focus on HIS Word and remove man’s traditions and thinking from our midst. This will put us in a position to expect HIS Miracle-working power in our life and men will be drawn to the Gospel of Christ.