Matthew 12:22-23
22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to him. He healed him, so that the man could both speak and see. 23 All the crowds were astounded and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
At this time the attacks on Jesus begin to ratchet up a notch.
The religious leaders want His death.
They despise Him. They despise His teachings. He has upended their religious apple cart.
He has pulled back the curtain to reveal their hearts.
He has exposed their hypocrisy.
His very existence is a threat to their continued place of prestige, prominence, and power.
And so they throw one of the worst insults and accusations they can against Him.
They accuse Him of being partners with the devil.
They could not attack the miracles…the evidence was there.
The people saw. The people experienced. The people were starting to believe, to ask their own questions – “Could this be the Son of David?”
Now this creates a dilemma for the religious leaders.
There’s no debating the miracle. There’s no arguing the miracle. There’s no explaining it away. It is there.
In fact – for some reason, even though Jesus has done many miracles up to this point – it is this miracle that is a tipping point for many people…it is this miracle that begins to get people to ask the question, “Could this be the Son of David?”
If you combine all of the gospel accounts, you will find that this is at least the 17th recorded miracle that Jesus has performed. And that is if you count the recordings of Him healing large numbers of people as one vent.
And yet – it was this miracle that caused the people to say, “Could this be the Son of David?”
It was this miracle that got people to think of Jesus as more than just the carpenters son, more than just a good teacher, more than just a prophet, more than just a miracle worker.
It was this miracle that got people to thinking…maybe this is the Messiah.
Church – do you know you are a miracle?
Think about the history of the church: On the surface – removing the supernatural from the equation for just a moment – this is what we have.
An organization, founded over 2,000 years ago by an itinerant Jewish rabbi, with a dozen men of no special background, but diverse – who without the uniting influence of said rabbi, many would not even have given one another the time of day, much less joined the same cause, one of which would eventually betray this Jewish rabbi, who died a criminal’s death on a cross.
This organization was severely persecuted over the years, thousands, hundreds of thousands were put to death, and yet it grew.
In fact, it grew so much that the main persecutor of this origination threw up their hands in surrender and decided if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em.
And the state government that once persecuted this organization then embraced it as their official religion.
From there the “official” church would begin to drift into error, adding to it’s teaching things that were far from it’s original teaching and intention.
What physical persecution was not able to do, acceptance from the outside of the organization and corruption from the inside, began to kill the organization.
And yet, there were always a remnant that remained.
There were those from outside what had become the “official state sanctioned organization.” And they would not stay silent.
They began to influence the “official state sanctioned organization.”
And soon, those from within the official organization began to see how far they had drifted and began to course correct the church.
This small group of 12 rag-tag ragamuffins that began in Jerusalem, soon grew to millions all over the world.
It includes people from every language, ever ethnicity, every country, every continent, every background.
And just as in the early days of this organization, wherever it is persecuted, it experienced unprecedented growth.
This is unexplainable and unheard of for any other group of people.
This is unexplainable with the logic and reason of man.
This is unexplainable – unless you take into consideration that this is not an organization like any other.
This is a supernatural act of the ONE, TRUE and ONLY God.
This is the church.
United by the blood of Jesus.
It knows no restriction of race, social status, age, borders or bounderies.
It is a family whose blood runs thicker than the blood that flows through our veins.
While it believes a variety of different things on certain subjects, it is united by this thing: Jesus is Lord. Jesus is God. Jesus is King.
There is salvation in no other name but Jesus, and this same Jesus, this same itinerant rabbi from Bethlehem, born into poverty, crucified between two thieves, died and was buried, but the grave couldn’t hold him, death couldn’t keep him, corruption never touched Him, this same Jesus is coming back again someday!
Glory Hallelujuah!
This is a miracle that could only happen from the hand of God
And you church – you – each one of you – you may be the miracle – your life – the way you live – the way you respond – the way you are salt and light – you just may be the miracle that somebody is waiting to see…
You just may have the words – you just may be the one to take the gospel to the people around you –
And you just may be the miracle that causes your friend, your neighbor, your postman, your baker, your mechanic, your gardener, your hairdresser, your accountant, your in-laws and your outlaws to rise up and say, “Could Jesus be what I need?” “Could Jesus be the answer I have been seeking?”
To you church, this morning, I say, “BE THE MIRACLE!”
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