JESHUA
JESUS THE MIRACLE WORKER
By Rev. Dr. Jerry Schmoyer jerry@schmoyer.net
http://india.christiantrainingonline.org/
MAIN IDEA: An follower named Jeshua tells about Jesus’ miracles (esp during the fall of 31) and victory over Satan and demons, thus showing we have victory in Him, too
Magic: changing silk, through ring, complete color change
Tied with rope, then free (deliverance
DRAMATIZATION SUMMARY:
Jeshua (delivered demoniac – anonymous, not Gadarenes) talks with Yochanah (Joanna) (Jairus’s daughter) about Jesus’ miracles, (look at other whole time, not audience)
SEA Fall 31
EVENT |
MT |
MK |
LK |
JN |
PLACE |
Sower, etc |
13:1-53 |
4:1-34 |
8:4:18 |
|
Capernaum |
Sea still |
8:18,23-27 |
4;35-41 |
8:22-25 |
|
Sea of Gal |
Dem grave |
8:28-34 |
5:1-20 |
8:26-39 |
|
Gadarenes |
Jairus dau |
9:18-9,23-6 |
5:21-4,35-43 |
8:400-2,49-56 |
|
Capernaum |
Bleed wom |
9:20-22 |
5:25-43 |
8:43-48 |
|
Capernaum |
Blind men |
9:27-31 |
|
|
|
Capernaum |
Dem dumb |
9:32-34 |
|
|
|
Capernaum |
212. Spring 32
EVENT |
MT |
MK |
LK |
JN |
PLACE |
Naz rej 2 |
13:54-58 |
6:1-6 |
|
|
Nazareth |
12 2 x 2 |
9:35-10:15 |
6:7-11 |
9:1-5 |
|
Galilee |
Gospel |
10:16-23 |
|
|
|
Galilee |
Disciplesh |
10:24-42 |
|
|
|
Galilee |
Results |
11:1 |
6:12-13 |
9:6 |
|
Galilee |
John dead |
14:1-12 |
6:14-29 |
9:7-9 |
|
Machaerus |
INTRODUCTION
I was demonized, literally out of my mind — also blind and crippled. I was a total prisoner of Satan until He saw me and had mercy on me. He spoke a few words to those demons and they were gone forever. It changed my whole life! (shame to honor)
I remember a couple of days there especially well. Matthew, Mark and Luke all wrote about them so maybe you read some of this. Still, it was very important — or they wouldn’t have written about it. All together only about 50 days of Jesus’ 3+ years of ministry are recorded. That’s less than 1/2 of 1% of His days. It had to be special to be remembered and recorded.
JESHUA: The time I’m thinking of was in September of 31.
DAY 1: AM: REJECTION by family, rel rulers, etc
Lord Lunatic Liar
PM: KGDM OF HEAVEN PARABLES (Mt 13)
explain rejection, encourage patience
EVE: boat to Gadarenes (storm on sea)
DAY 2: AM: DEMONIAC HEALED
PM: boat back to Capernaum
crowds waiting Jairus’s dau
woman bleeding 12 years
DAY 3: PM
2 blind men healed
Demon-possessed, blind, dumb man healed
DAY 1
AM: KGDM OF HEAVEN PARABLES
I REMEMBER how it hurt Him that His mother & brothers wanted to take Him home and lock Him away because they thought He was crazy, an
embarrassment to them!
If even His own family rejected Him, what would happen?
If He really was the Messiah, why weren’t people responding to Him?
He seemed to anticipate these questions so He told us some parables to explain it all (Matthew 13)
MAN SOWING SEEDS – different results showed different
responses of people to His good news
each had own free will to accept or reject
ENEMY SOWING SEEDS IN ANOTHER’S FIELD
Satan opposing message of Kingdom
One day he & his followers will be judged
but now free to work and oppose
MUSTARD SEED – small but grew large
YEAST IN DOUGH – starts small, unseen but grows
one day His Kingdom WILL fill whole earth, patience
HIDDEN TREASURE when one does find it VERY happy!
Eventually Kingdom will come, accepted by all
followers enter in
rejecters into hell for all eternity
Jews rejecting
Gentiles accepting, will get chance in future
TRANSITION
Thinking about this seemed to remind Jesus of something He needed to do
PM: JESUS CROSSES TO DECAPOLIS
Jesus: “We’re going to go to the Decapolis”
Disciple: “Why would we go to that God-forsaken area?”
Jesus: “We’re going to spread the message of the kingdom through that whole area.”
Disciple: “That’s a very large job! It would take months, maybe years. How long will we stay?”
Jesus: “Just a few hours, half a day at most.”
Disciple: “Lord, I’m confused, how can we get the message to that whole area in just a few hours?”
Jesus: “Easy, I’ve got a man picked out over there that we’ll be meeting. He’s going to spread the word.”
Disciple: “He must be some man! Is it anyone we know?”
Jesus: “No, you’ve never met him.”
Disciple: “He must be quite a guy to do all this by himself! He must be really trained, skilled, well-educated, great contacts, etc.”
Jesus: “Actually, he hasn’t any of that. To be honest, he’s just been hanging around the cemetery lately.”
Disciple: “The cemetery? What is he, a funeral director? Or a grave digger? What does he do at the cemetery?”
Jesus: “Well, mainly he runs around naked, breaking chains, cutting himself, banging his head on stone markers, and terrorizing anyone he meets.”
Disciple: too stunned to reply – just doesn’t make sense
had no idea what He was talking about
SATAN only one who had it figured out
that’s why tried so hard to prevent it from happening
real time of WARFARE between God and Satan …
COMMANDERS & THEIR FORCES
A. THE GOOD GUYS
GOD – OUR COMMANDER
Everything starts with God. Everything came from Him. God is our commander in spiritual warfare as well as in every area of life.
ANGELS – OUR HELPERS
created before creation of world (not people who died)
innumerable number
personalities like us (mind, will, emotions)
no bodies
“Angel” means “messenger”.
sometimes they appear as men (Hebrews 13:1)
God has angels organized in a military-like manner with a chain- of-command from ‘generals’ to ‘privates.’
B. THE BAD GUYS
SATAN – THE ENEMY COMMANDER
DEMONS – ENEMY SOLDIERS
about a third of the angels joined him (Revelation 12:4).
“Demon” means “destroyer.”
spiritual terrorists, trying to destroy the work of God’s kingdom.
Satan organizes his demons in the same manner God has angels organized – in a military-like structure
usually a “strong man” (or ruler) is assigned to a task,
lesser demons under his command to help in the work
TRANSITION
It was obvious Satan had been controling me thru demons
It was also clear he doesn’t give up easily
Not with me, not with you, nor with graveyard demoniac
So we got in their fishing boats to go over
SEA STILLED
Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41
BOAT quickest way across Sea of Galilee
walking very hard (swamps)
Jesus very tired from day, fell right asleep
SUDDEN STORM: cool air from west on Mt Hermon collide with warm air above Sea of Galilee
strong wind forceful drawn down ravines & valleys
hit water and stirred up lake
-like mixer in bowl of water
20’ high waves in a few minutes
VERY dangerous and deadly
disciples not know it was coming
but Jesus did!
How can He prove He is Messiah when makes mistakes like this?
JESUS SEND YOU INTO STORM SHOW HIS POWER?
Financial storm Relationship storm
Job storm Family storm
Health storm Lust inside storm
DISCIPLES AFRAID – and 8 experienced fishermen
weathered many storms
blame Jesus for sleeping during storm – not caring!
(Does it seem like He’s sleeping during your storm?)
Jesus got up, started talking to storm & sea
told them to stop it
immediately stopped, sun out, water instantly still!
ABLE: Jesus able to do anything
WILLING: not always willing, other plan for man
3 friends of Daniel into fiery furnace
WILLING now to stop storm and did
I’ll tell you – they were really IMPRESSED!
Saw other miracles, others healed, water to wine, etc.
This time it was THEIR neck in the noose!
Notice much more when it is US in trouble!
WHAT ARE MIRACLES?
NOT suspension/violation of natural law (still in effect)
NOT coincidence of natural happenings
NOT magic, allusion, trick senses of watcher
BUT overriding natural laws by higher law – God
WHY JESUS DID MIRACLES?
1. Fulfill prophecies @ Messiah doing miracles (Isaiah 24:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1) show He is Messiah (Mt 11:3; 12:39)
2. ‘Sign’ of His having God’s power & authority
“miracle” = Greek word for “sign” in OT & NT
NOT focus on the sign, but message it conveys
“spiritual calling-card”
40+ MIRACLES BY JESUS
used to show Jesus’ authority & power
always means to an end, never an end themselves
heal physical ills = heal spiritual ills
deliver from demons = deliver from sin
give physical sight = give spiritual sight
feed with physical bread = feed with spiritual manna
over death, bring physical life = over sp death, sp life
stop storm on sea = stop Satan’s attacks against us
helpless to help self = God delivers
undeserving of healing = mercy, grace
MIRACLES OF JESUS
.Water converted into wine
.Heals the nobleman’s son
.The catch of fish
.Heals the demoniac
.Heals Peter’s mother-in-law
.Cleanses the leper
.Heals the paralyzed man
.Healing of the immobile man
.Restoring the withered hand
.Restores the centurion’s servant
.Raises the widow’s son to life at the village of Nain
.Heals a demoniac
.Stills the storm
.Throws demons out of two men of Gadara (Gerasa)
.Raises the daughter of Jairus from the dead
.Cures the woman with the issue of blood
.Restores two blind men to sight
.Heals a demoniac
.Walks upon Lake Galilee
.Heals the daughter of the non-Jewish, Syro-Phoenician wo
.Feeds more than four-thousand people
.Restores the deaf-mute man
.Restores a blind man
.Heals the epileptic boy
.The temple tax money obtained from a fish’s mouth
.Restores ten lepers to wholeness, only one of them returns
.Opens the eyes of a man born blind
.Raises Lazarus from the dead
.Heals the woman with the spirit of infirmity
.Cures a man with dropsy
.Restores sight to two blind men near Jericho
.Condemns a fig tree
.Heals the ear of Malchus
.The second catch of fish
BUT NOT EVERY ONE HEALED: if doing miracles to help people then terrible wrong for having power to heal but not doing so! Capriciously healing some but not others grossly unfair!
Miracles means to an end, not end in themselves
Religious rulers couldn’t argue with proof of miracles
jealous, blinded by Satan, rejected & opposed
knew supernatural power involved, said it was Satan!
SATAN’S COUNTERFEIT MIRACLE POWER
power thru demons in all religions, cultures
Jannes & Jambres challenging Moses
rod to serpent, water to blood, frogs, etc
Matt 7:22-23 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
SATAN UNABLE TO STOP JESUS
opposes in other ways when there!
Power not able to defeat Jesus
instead uses deception, deceit, free will of people
PULLED UP ON BEACH late that evening, slept the night
ate breakfast on beach
TRANSITION
Satan unable to keep Jesus from man He wanted to see
one to tell whole area about Jesus
but not done opposing, trying to stop Him
The whole thing was erie for me – brought back so many
awful memories
I mean, it was like my story all over again.
It wasn’t me, but it could have been
It was so like what happened to me.
DAY 2
DEMONIAC IN GRAVEYARD
Here, let me read it the way Mark recorded it
He got it straight from Peter, you know, who was there
Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20
NUMBER: 2 1 main spokesmen for both
no asylums so allowed to roam
PHYSICAL AFFLICTION: dumb
blind
deformed
MENTAL AFFLICTION: epileptic
insane
naked – immoral
suicidal
masochism
murderous
SYMPTOMS OF DEMONIZING:
-incapacity to live normally
-indwelt by another being
-unusual strength
-paroxysms, violent seizures
-inner anguish & self destructive tendencies
-oppression & restless insomnia
-visible conflict within the personality
-opposition to Christ
-clairvoyant powers
-speak in different voices
-occult transference
-can’t control emotions
-naked, immoral, immodest
(shame to honor)
DEMONIZING DEFINED
Greek word doimonizomai (“demonizing”)
= one who is heavily impacted by demons.
spiritual hypnotism from within
15 times in the New Testament.
does not differentiate between possession (demons within) or influence (demons without)
very minor to 100% total complete control
DEMONIZING DESCRIBED
THOUGHTS IN, THOUGHTS OUT The majority of demonizing consists of demons putting thoughts into a person’s mind or snatching thoughts out of a person’s mind.
COMPULSIONS & OBSESSIONS
compulsion is a force that causes us to act against our inclinations.
obsession is a thought which forces itself into conscious thought against our will (usually something unpleasant and/or sinful) and can’t be dismissed by ones our free will.
MENTAL ILLNESS Demons can and do cause mental illness: It cannot be said with certainty if all mental illness is demonic or not.
SCHIZOPHRENIA also demonic
FEAR Fear is one of Satan’s biggest weapons.
ANGER Anger comes from mishandling hurt and pain
it’s one of the easiest & quickest ways demons get access
TRANSITION
saw all of these in demonized men in Gedarenes
still, had free will
-not to get free from demonizing
-but to turn to Jesus for His deliverance
THESE MEN RAN TO JESUS & FELL ON KNEES
why not run away? Free will choice of man!
Drawn by Christ’s power to heal
-that’s when my memories start
when I knelt before Jesus
up to then dark black void
fear, confusion, guilt, misery
that’s when lights started coming back on!
“COME OUT!” Jesus continually commanding demons
NO CASE TOO HARD FOR JESUS
-5,000 to 6,000 demons in them
-sp dead, away from society
-no man could capture & tie them
-strange sounds, bruised self, scared everyone away
-naked & brazen, not ashamed, perverted
DEMONS BEG – know Jesus is Lord over them
No doubt who is in power!
JESUS NOT AFRAID – faced & called bluff
begging not to be cast out!
“WHAT IS YOUR NAME?”
only time Jesus talked to demons, always silenced
never good practice to talk to them, even
in deliverance
-gives them too much power
-can deceive, delay, etc.
-Nothing need from them that God can’t give and better
Jesus already knew – made public admittance
Just done so could see Jesus’ power all the more
“LEGION” – Roman legion 6,826 men!
BEGGED AGAIN not sent to Abyss/out of area
NOT a question of if they must obey/leave
Just a matter of where will be sent
INTO PIGS
Gentile area, pigs unclean to Jews (underground)
Demons rather indwell animal than nothing (man #1)
prefer that to Abyss
Why Jesus allow them to go into pigs?
-Destroy pigs, unclean animals & forbidden
-clearly show power of demons to destroy
-show how evil & destructive Satan/demons
Pigs into water & drown
demons naturally destructive: death, darkness
CHANGE IN MEN
calm, in right mind – can think, relate
self-control in life
dressed, modest
I remember how great it felt when Jesus touched and healed me (shame to honor)
hadn’t realized how BAD I felt until I felt GOOD again!
Like some black burden/oppression gone!
LIGHT = FROM GOD
DARKNESS = FROM SATAN
I knew which I had and where from!
Obvious with Gedaranes demoniacs, too
Really surprised everyone around watching!
Obvious light replaced their darkness!
Strange reaction from the people, though!
PEOPLE WANT THEM TO LEAVE
not happy for delivered men, just miss loss of pigs
profit more important than people
MAN WENT HOME telling everyone about Jesus
witness – tells what Jesus did for him
sows seed for later
Not what man wanted – wanted to go with Jesus
LATER Jesus returned, great response from seeds sown!
TRANSITION
Jesus’ power seen over:
-nature – storm stilled
-Satan – demonized man delivered
-death
KINGDOM He is offering/bringing:
nature subdued – lion, lamb & child together
Satan’s power broken, bound
death removed – no pain, sickness or death
JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER RAISED 1
Matthew 9:18-19; Mark 5:21-24
Crossed back over the Sea of Galilee in fishing boats
no storm this time!
Back home to Capernaum
SAME DAY as demoniac delivered
LARGE CROWD GATHERED there
JAIRUS: synagogue ruler, top rep of religious establishment
DAUGHTER: only child (review Mt 5:21-43)
KNELT: humbled himself
JESUS left large crowds to go with Him
1 needy person more important than popularity
not “I’m too busy now, I can’t, I’ll come later”
knows our needs, comes right away
INTERRUPTIONS: Jesus used to interruptions
BLEEDING WOMAN OK
Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34
WOMAN WHO WAS BLEEDING
12 yrs constant menstrual flow
fibroid tumor in uterus
results: always week (shame)
unclean: not touch others, not into temple, etc
hopeless: all money to doctors, no help
TOUCHED TASSELS ON CLOAK: blue, show God’s picture
done in faith – believing He could heal her
IMMEDIATELY HEALED! Could tell bleeding stopped!
Slipped away in crowd (honor)
JESUS sensed power gone out of Him (drain sp energy)
asked who touched Him – in pressing crowd!
He already knew, but wanted Her to come public
gave her assurance of her healing
-heart & body; bleeding & sin all healed
WHERE JESUS DID MIRACLES
Jesus’ miracles were also performed upon the most unlikely people. Jesus consciously brought the salvation of God to those who were rejected. He healed the lame <Matt. 9:1-8>, the dumb <Matt. 9:32-33>, and lepers <Luke 17:11-19>. Jesus brought the kingdom to all, regardless of their condition.
But Jesus’ miracles were not theatrical sensations. He demanded faith of others <Matt. 9:2>. The hemorrhaging woman was healed because of her faith <Matt. 9:18-26>. Furthermore, Jesus expected the disciples to do miracles and rebuked them for their “little faith” and unbelief <Matt. 17:20>.
JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER RAISED 2
Matthew 9: 23-26; Mark 5:35-43
JAIRUS patiently waiting, but anxious
servants come saying too late, girl dead
JESUS said not too late, went to girl
said she’s not dead, just asleep! – all laughed
mean temporary, not permanent dead
GIRL: held her hand, said “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”
she got up, was fine!
(Jesus never preached a funeral sermon!)
-ever time encountered dead person, back to life!
JESHUA OR YOCHANAH can do this next section
TRANSITION Others, hearing of this, came to Him with sick
He did other miracles that day, too
DAY 3
2 BLIND MEN HEALED
Matthew 9:27-31
BLINDNESS COMMON: (shame to honor)
born blind (gonorrhea)
untreatable eye infections
war, blowing sand, etc.
2 CRIED OUT FOR MERCY
“Son of David” = recognition as Messiah
physical sight gone
spiritual sight better than others!
HEALED: eyes & soul at same time, same as woman
ABLE & WILLING: both her (always able, not always willing)
sometimes wants to use our illness for His glory
other times wants to use our healing
-up to Him!
Our attitude/prayer should be: “Lord, if it will be to Your glory, heal suddenly. If it will glorify You more, heal gradually; if it will glorify You even more, may your servant remain sick awhile; and if it will glorify Your name still more, take him to Yourself in heaven.”
TRANSITION
DAY 2: AM: DEMONIAC HEALED
PM: boat back to Capernaum
crowds awaiting: Jairus’s dau & woman bleed
2 blind men healed
DBD man healed
DEMONIZED DUMB MAN
Matthew 9:32-34
DEMONIZED MAN delivered & healed at same time
DUMB couldn’t talk – healed from that (Mt 9:32-34)
VERY SIMILAR to what Jesus had done for me!
(shame to honor)
DELIVERANCE & HEALING
There is often a strong relationship between spiritual deliverance and physical healing. Often physical problems that are gone when the demons leave. That is because the demons were causing the physical problems.
Examples of these in the Bible include:
crippled limbs (Luke 13:11),
Paul’s thorn in the flesh (eye disease? – II Cor 12:7), muteness (sometimes dumbness, too – Matthew 9:32-33; 12:22; Mark 9:17-18,24-25),
blindness (Matthew 12:22),
seizures (Mark 1:26; 9:17-18,20,22,25; Matthew 17:15,18; Luke 9:39),
deafness (Mark 9:17-18,20,25),
sores (skin cancer?) (Job 2:7),
boils and other painful afflictions (Psalm 78:49 – the plagues in Egypt were demon-caused),
physical torments of all kinds (Revelation 9:5,10). Satan can cause illness (Job 2:7-8),
even death (Job 1:19).
It must be noted that not all illness is demonic in origin. Jesus healed physical ills that weren’t demonic (Matthew 4:23-24; 8:16-17 fulfilled Isaiah 53:4; Mark 1:34; Acts 10:34; etc.).
Jesus often cast out demons and cured illness at the same time.
TRANSITION
How could people NOT turn to Jesus with all this proof!
Certainly they knew something supernatural happening!
Puts it in men’s hearts that it is SATAN’S power does it
-that way HE still gets the glory (what he wants)
-Jesus & God don’t get it, not seen as greater
STILL majority attribute it to Satan’s power!
Reject Jesus as Messiah/God
as people today still do!
Jesus continued to do miracles to validate ministry
it was a time of many miracles
continued into start of early church
-prove they had this same power
-counter Satan’s attempts to destroy
-tell genuine from many counterfeits
one of several times of miracles in history
MIRACLES TODAY???
DISTRIBUTION OF MIRACLES
1. JEWISH NATION ESTABLISHED: 1400 BC
Moses & Joshua great miracle workers
2. STRUGGLE WITH IDOLATRY: 850 BC
Elijah & Elisha great miracle workers
3. CAPTIVITY (in Babylon) 600 BC
Daniel & friends great miracle workers
4. CHRIST & EARLY CHURCH 4 BC – 70 AD
Jesus, apostles, etc
5. TRIBULATION
Two witness’ antichrist, others
MIRACLES TODAY….
At rapture and after many done by God
but this not a miracle-doing time
No one has gift of doing miracles
(miracles & healing not gifts today)
God still able, not willing for most part
Focus on angels & ‘supernatural’ don’t focus on atonement of Jesus, bring glory to Him – focus is on miracle!
Needing miracles = weak faith (not strong)
2 Cor 5:7 We live by faith, not by sight.
Remember God is always ABLE, not always WILLING
TRANSITION
Not first, and not last time Jesus faced Satan head on
Saw many match-ups between the two
Jesus always won!
Many clashes not even recorded in Bible
-like about me
Days of unrecorded events passed
Before too long went to home Nazareth again
CONCLUSION
Jesus won our battle for us
Napoleon said, “Battles are won, not by men, but by a man.”
(shame to honor)
1 Sam 17:47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
Prov 21:31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.