Mighty to Save – Discovering Compassion in the Miracles of Jesus

We have just concluded a celebration of the season in which followers of Christ give attention to what C.S. Lewis called “the central miracle asserted by Christians”: the Incarnation — God becoming man. Lewis says, “Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this.”

The greatest grouping of miracles in any religion appear in the ministry of Jesus.

· He changes lives through his miracles like no one else.

· He performs deeds through his miracles like no one else.

· He amazes people through his miracles like no one else.

For the next few weeks, my Sunday messages will examine Jesus’ ministry through the miracles of Jesus as Luke tells about them. The theme for the series will be: Mighty to Save: Discovering Compassion in the Miracles of Jesus. As I have begun studying Jesus’ miracles, I am discovering three themes that his miracles emphasize:

(1) Salvation for those without hope. Many of Jesus’ miracles bring change to people who are hopeless because they are blind, deaf, paralyzed, hungry. In more than one case, Jesus heals them with the statement, “Your sins are forgiven,” or he says to them after they are healed, “Go and sin no more.” Jesus heals not just the body, but we will find he goes deeper to heal our souls.

(2) Power for those without strength. The power of God is behind the miracles of Jesus. Over and over, his miracles have Jesus doing the humanly impossible for those who have the least ability to do things for themselves. He not only heals the paralyzed, he gives strength to their legs so they can walk immediately, and he raises the dead. The power of God that created the universe is on display in Jesus’ miracles.

(3) Compassion for those without love. Jesus is so tender in how he deals with people — like the lepers — who have been cast aside by everyone else. He touches the untouchable as he heals their bodies.

We will see these themes demonstrated over and over as we look at Jesus’ miracles. And we will find that he still does for us what he did to the people he met during his earthly ministry.