The Miraculous Jesus B

Know when you come to the New Testament, there is one dominant theme that marks the life of Jesus Christ that it is the miraculous. He is ever and always the miraculous Jesus is marked out as being divine by signs and wonders by performing that which is humanly impossible and inexplicable decorating the house exchanging presents hosting a party. The fact is celebrating Christmas the right way doesn't necessarily mean doing away with time-honored traditions. Just make sure you know what it does mean John MacArthur's message today can help prepare you to enjoy a rich celebration and truly focus on the Jesus of Christmas.

That's the title of John study here on grace to you the Jesus of Christmas and now for today's lesson. Turn to Matthew chapter 1. As John looks at the miraculous person of Jesus knowing you, the New Testament, there is one dominant theme that marks the life of Jesus Christ that it is the miraculous.

He is ever and always the miraculous Jesus is marked out as being divine as being deity as being God in human flesh by signs and wonders by performing that which is humanly naturally impossible and inexplicable.

And so as we look at Jesus Christ.

We we must see God because there is no other way to explain him and that he is God, the start of the word of God and look at the miraculous Jesus and just look at several elements of the miraculous life of our Lord first is miraculous birth.

Matthew chapter 1 and were just going to touch these themes. Matthew chapter 1 is miraculous birth verse 18 of the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way, when as his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, that was a really a pre-conjugal engagement. A betrothal where they had not yet come together in a sexual union.

They were betrothed before they came together before they entered into a sexual relationship. She was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Now that's never happened before or since the Holy Spirit planted the seed in your without a man as an instrument. Sure it's a biological impossibility. But that is in shock, as does it. If there is a God he can intervene in natural progress and do whatever he wants know the virgin birth is not invented by somebody virgin birth is the only way to explain Jesus Christ for the Bible said is no other explanation is more that what about his sinless life. That's the second element of his miraculous person.

Look at Hebrews chapter 4 and it follows as a corollary to the first if he was born conceived by the Holy Spirit, we would expect them to be different than everybody else and that in fact is the case in Hebrews 415 it says we do not have a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. In other words, were not going to somebody doesn't understand us, but he was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin. He is sinless. No synonym none at all is 1/3 factor is miraculous words is miraculous words. Luke 432 says they were continually amazed at his teaching. John 740 68 the temple police came back after they been sent to get Jesus they came back and they said that they were dumbfounded. They said never, never did a man speak the way this man speaks when he gave the sermon on the Mount in Matthew seven it says they were literally shocked because he spoke as one having authority, not as the scribes and the Pharisees was 12 years old and Luke 246, 47, he went to the temple and the leaders of Israel talking to a 12-year-old kid were absolutely dumbfounded at his questions and his answers the text.

Nobody ever spoke like he spoke. Nobody ever taught like he taught nobody ever knew the wisdom that he knew by common consent of history. Jesus Christ is the greatest teacher ever lived. Even the people reject him cannot deny the incredible power wisdom of his teaching the gospel is without question are the greatest literature ever written. There read by more people reported by more authors transiting the more languages represented and more art set to more music than any other thing ever said or ever written, and probably every other think of mine.

Their greatness lies in the pure, lucid spirituality and dealing clearly, definitively and authoritatively with the greatest problems at throb in the human heart see Jesus went to the to the real questions. Who is God, does he love me. Does he care about me.

What should I do to please and how does he look at me.

What about my sin. How can I be forgiven, where will I go when I die how my live in this world.

How might you treat others.

All those profound questions. Jesus answered Joel Nash who is a Jew wrote Jesus Christ is the outstanding personality of all time. No other teacher, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, or Mohammed and is still a teacher whose teaching is such a guidepost for the world we live in other teachers may have something basic for an oriental and airborne accidental, but every act and word of Jesus has value for all of us. He became the light of the world.

Why shouldn't I as a Jew. Be proud of that."

Miraculous teaching Nicodemus had arrived. He was the number one teacher in Israel.

Perhaps he came to Jesus that we know you are a teacher come from God was no other way to explain what he said the Pharisees and the scribes spent their whole life trying to learn the wisdom of the law when away from conversations with Jesus literally paralyzed in a stupor.

Having been dumbfounded by his answers he taught about God and he knew about God.

He taught about angels he taught about heaven.

He taught about. He taught about hell he talked about Cindy taught about holiness he taught about the past and interpreted. He talked about the present and talk about the future and predicted it and nobody ever asked him a question he couldn't answer and nobody ever closer probably couldn't solve the astounded people. He confounded people is no explanation for his words, but that is God is another element to the miraculous Jesus's supernatural works. We saw that a little bit initially as we started. There's no way to explain the works that Jesus did, except that he was God in human flesh. There's just no way no man said Nicodemus can do the things the miracles that you do, except God be with him. It's obvious over and over again.

The eye witnesses who saw him could only conclude one thing that he does things supernaturally. Sometimes they wanted to ascribe to Satan, but that was impossible because his works were always morally pure. Must've been from God.

In Matthew 424. It's as his fame went throughout all Syria.

They brought a name all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments, and those were possessed with demons and those were epileptics and those who had palsy and he healed them all. He shield them all. It was an incredible display of divine power from one end of that nation to the other. I going to explain healed.

Everybody and healed him instantly and he healed them totally and it wasn't just for the sake of feeling it was this it was for the sake of authenticating his Messiah ship authenticating his deity. That's why he did it in John 223 when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover and the feast day, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did and that was the whole point. They didn't just heal people so they could be. Well he healed them so they would believe that he was God in human flesh. He didn't just raise the dead, so they could be alive.

You raise the denser people would see that this was God in action. He never did miracles to satisfy curiosity.

In fact, when people came for those reasons, he simply said, I'll give you no sign this miracle show that he had to come from God.

Think about how you control nature. He turned water into wine and John to still the storm in Matthew eight, he was able to control fish in Luke five and John 21, he could multiply food indicated in John six he walked on water in Matthew 14 he took money from the mouth of a fish place there so he could have enough money for his taxes for he and Peter in Matthew 17 and the fig tree dried up when he cursed it in Matthew 21.

Look at the control he had over disease just some samples, he healed a leper in Luke five healed the paralytic and Mark to be healed.

Peter's wife's mother, of the fever and Mark want to heal the nobleman's son and John for he healed a withered hand in Mark three deaf and dumb in Mark seven blindness in John 910 lepers in Luke 17 Malka seer was restored in Luke 22 to explain.

No modern-day so-called healer can stack himself up against the Lord Jesus Christ. He confronted death and overpowered Jared's daughter was daddy razor from the dead, the widow's son was daddy razor from the dead.

Luke seven Lazarus was dead. John 11 he raised him from the dead, and when he died he himself was Ray. How can you explain sadism true don't say that the testimony of the Scriptures that is true in the Scripture masses together historic evidence and eyewitnesses for all of these things are beyond refute interesting is the testimony of Julian the apostate conferencing title wasn't Julian the apostate was Roman Emperor from about 361 to 363 and he was a hater of Christians and a hater of Christ and this is what he wrote.

I think this is really interesting. Jesus has now been celebrated about 300 years, having done nothing in his lifetime worthy of fame unless anyone thinks it's a very great work to heal lame people and blind people and exercise demoniac's in the villages of Bethsaida and Bethany. I like that unless you think that's a big deal you knew anything, it's interesting that even a skeptic like Julian the apostate couldn't deny the fact that he did.

She read his miraculous works are one of the best attested fruits of all of human history. The New Testament isn't is a complete account not only by Matthew.

But, by Mark Nunnally by Mark Wood by Luke Nunnally by Luke by John and then not only by them but by Peter and Paul. It's all here is another element of his miraculous life and that's his miraculous influence. The only way you can explain the influence of Jesus Christ is that he must have been more than a man. His influence is really reduced to one simple statement marvelously annex for 12 neither is there salvation in any other.

In other words you can do something nobody else can do in the whole history of the world, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be what safe all the people of ever loved in the history of the world forever will live only one of them is at the influence he said, and that is to save men from their sin from hell. From death from Satan is the only one. Nobody ever like utterly unique. The only Savior were not even that the French atheist or non-said whatever may be the surprises of the future. One thing is sure Jesus will never be surpassed. Napoleon said I know men and I tell you. Jesus Christ is no mere man between him and every other man in the world. There is no possible term of comparison. Jesus save men from their sins.

He still doing it and when he's done and it's never been undone. You know there's no such thing as a next Christian number one.

Nobody ever wants out once they're in there are people today whose lives are being transformed by the power and influence of Jesus Christ for time and eternity. Nobody ever loved as that kind of impact people today are rushing into the arms of Jesus Christ to receive the gift of salvation. Jesus gave certain men, such an impact is to be unequaled by far the entire annals of the human race, and after 2000 years is impact is still going on.

His influence is still going on in daily there are people who have tremendous revolutionary experiences which they associate with Jesus Christ the personality of the person of Christ is without parallel without comparison unique and incomparable. He is the supreme master of everything, the master of hungry crowds and angry Pharisees, the master of clever theologians and bitter sinners.

The master of stupid disciples and Roman governors. He is the master of his own self he struggles in the midnight of olive fighting sweat and blood, tears, and comes forth victorious and complete dedication to God in the terrible agony of the cross. He is master everything around it is in fury. Even the elements are in chaos and he is calm master of his own will, his own tongue.

His own heart.

He pauses in the midst of all of the chaos of the sin bearing act on the cross to forgive a penitent thief. He opens the doors of paradise to that deep he comforts his own mother. He takes care of his beloved disciple, John, in the midst of the shock of the loss of blood in the terrible curse that he endured.

He calmly fulfills the last prophecy says I thirst knows it's done offers the spirit to go. And in doing that he purchased salvation for all who come to him. She influence the world like no human being who ever lived, and he influence the world more than all who ever lived, combined could of influence. Think of what he did. He said I am the way the truth and the life and no man comes to the father but by the peace of the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said, whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my father who is in heaven. He said all things are delivered under me of my father.

No man knows the son but the father neither know of any man.

The father save the son, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal in he said I'm the resurrection and the life either believe it than me that we were dead, yet shall he live in, whosoever liveth and believe it than me shall never die. Believe a style.

This, he said, whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. He said I am the light of the world he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. He said the Son of Man is come to give his life a ransom for many.

He said whosoever drink of the water that I should give him shall never thirst. He said coming to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I'll give you rest. He said have met or surpassed away to my words will never pass away. He said, before Abraham was, I am he said upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He said I am the door. I am the shepherd. I am the father are one.

I am the bread of life and on and on.

You see, uniquely in every one of the statements you claim to be something no one else in the whole world could ever be Savior's influence is astounding and miraculous. Finally, the last element of his influences miraculous power over death in Hebrews chapter 2 in verse 14 it says that Jesus took upon himself human flesh, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. He says he took on human form in order to conquer death. And he did that he controlled his death. He said nobody takes my life from me and John 10.

I like lay it down of myself and he did. He died on schedule. He controlled his own burial, even though his body was dead. He controlled every facet of his burial. He made sure they didn't bury them.

After sundowner would've eliminated the three day three night.

He made sure everything was done on schedule. He made sure he came out of the grave on time even when his body was in the grave he was down with the spirit proclaiming his victory over the fallen demons bound in the pit. Jesus controlled every element of his dying every element of his burial. Every element of his time in the grave, and his resurrection as well get power over death conquer death. He said as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the earth.

He said destroy this temple in three days what I will raise it up and he didn't and the empty tomb is evidence in the appearance to over 500 eyewitnesses evidence and the disciples fill the power going out to preach the resurrected Jesus Christ before it been sniveling cowards crouched in the corner afraid is evidence in the birth of the church is evidence I going to explain this individual born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, something so profound they never could've come from human lip human mind did things. It couldn't be done in the natural conquer death and influences the world continuously. You can't explain them on a human level that's impossible.

Think of it this way. If God became a man. What would happen will happen if God became will first of all of God became a man, would expect him to have a miraculous birth when we I mean if God became a man, it would be spectacular entry. Jesus did. If God became a man, we would expect them to be different than all of us to be holy Jesus was if God became a man, we would anticipate his words to be the most divine.

The clearest, the most powerful, the most authoritative, the truest of the purest words ever uttered in Jesus words were if God became a man, we would expect him to manifest supernatural power Jesus did. If God became a man, we would expect him to have a universal and permanent impact on the world. Jesus did and of God became a man, we would expect him to be able to conquer death. Jesus did know something. If God became a man, he would be Jesus and he was that he was, and that's the whole meaning of Christmas is the whole thing. And that's the whole point of the New Testament may bring it to a conclusion by having you look at John 22 verses 30 and 31. I believe they sum up the significance of the revelation of Jesus Christ and many other scientists. John 20 verse 30 many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book are not written by the way, if you look at chapter 21 verse 25 you find the books of the world couldn't contain them all so we don't have the full record but verse 31, six, these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God. Why that in believing you might have life through his name. What kind of life. Spiritual life eternal life abundant life really. You see it's exactly what Paul says God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, God came into the world and Jesus Christ to redeem us as we look at his life. We are to believe that he is the son of God and believing we have life through his name. God was in Christ cigarette is 519 says God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and then he says it has committed unto us the ministry of reconciliation now than we are ambassadors for Christ. The message is simple, God came into the world in the form of Jesus Christ. If you believe you have eternal life.

If you believe and receive in the Savior. You have eternal life.

For those of us who do that and are reconciled to God. He gives to us the ministry of reconciliation and sends us back out as ambassadors to represent sellers a message there for all of us.

If you've never given your life to Jesus Christ. That's his message to you. That's his gift to you if you've given your life to Christ.

Do you know that you also are now called to be a minister of reconciliation to go out as an ambassador for Jesus Christ to call others into the kingdom tell others to be reconciled to God. There's no way to explain Jesus Christ other than as God in human flesh and if you refuse to do their it is because you love your sin and you choose your darkness rather than light. That's what Jesus said and he said so pensively. You will not come to me that you might have life is the spirit of God. Prompt your heart. May you respond is faith and if you have may you take your responsibility to go out and preach the message of reconciliation to the disease, grace to you with John MacArthur.

Thanks for being with us. John MacArthur has been our featured speaker since 1969.

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