Miracles Still Happen – August 4, 2024

Pastor Mandi Kanei

Acts 9:36-42 (CSB)

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated [in Greek] Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity. 37 About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who urged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” 39 Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.  41 He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive. 42 This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 

10 Times in Scripture That People are Raised from the Dead:

1. 1 Kings 17:17-24 – Elijah raised a boy from the dead.
2. 2 Kings 4:18-37 – Elisha raised a boy from the dead.
3. 2 Kings 13:21 – A man was raised from the dead after just touching the bones of Elisha.
4. Luke 7:11 – Jesus raise a widow’s only son from the dead.
5. Mark 5:35-43 – Jesus raised the synagogue leader’s daughter from the dead.
6. John 11:39-45 – Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead.
7. Matthew 27:52-53 – God also raised many people from the dead upon Jesus’ death on the cross.
8. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 – God also raise Jesus from the dead, which we see throughout scriptures.
9. Acts 20:9-12 – Paul also raised the man Eutychus from the dead, who had fallen out of a window while Paul was speaking.
10. Acts 9:36-42 – Peter heals Tabitha.

Commonalities:

1. In all of them, whether explicitly said or implied, the person seeking God to raise someone from the dead, felt moved with compassion to do so.
2. In ALL of them, the people who “performed the resurrection” really did nothing that would indicate that they in their own power raise the dead person… God had to do it every time.
3. In 6 of the 10 resurrections, the people who witnessed the event or heard of the event, responded to God through praise or belief in Him &/or Jesus.

1. Miracles Happen as a Result of Compassion.

Exodus 34:6

6 Compassionate and gracious slow to anger overflowing with loyal love and faithfulness.

Luke 13:34

34 How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.

2. Miracles Happen Through God’s Power Alone, and We Can Only Access That Through the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

• But where human inability ends, God’s power to do all things extends the realm of possibility into the supernatural.

Philippians 4:13 (CSB)

¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

James 5:15 (CSB)

15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up…

3. Miracles Have a Greater Purpose Than Merely Being Spectacles.

1. God uses miracles as tools to draw people to believe and worship Him.

• For All God’s Worth by N.T. Wright- “We live in an age of cynics, where ‘worth’ means ‘price’ and ‘price’ means money and money means power. But the gospel of Jesus Christ puts worth back into the world, worth beyond price, worth beyond worldly power; for the gospel of Jesus Christ summons us to worship, to worth-ship, to lay our lives before the one true and living God, to worship him for all he’s worth.” 

Acts 9:42

42 This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

2. God is reminding us that death is just an avenue to eternity.

• The Master Plan of Evangelism by Dr. Robert E. Coleman- “Jesus made it abundantly clear that his life was mediated only through the Holy Spirit. [‘The Spirit is the one who gives life’] (John 6:63). That is why even to begin to live in Christ one has to be born again (John 3:3-6). The corrupted human nature must be regenerated by the Spirit of God before it could be conformed to its true created purpose in the divine image. Likewise, it is the Spirit who sustains and nourishes the transformed life of a disciple in knowledge and grace (John 4:14; 7:38-39).”

Romans 6:4 (CSB)

⁴ Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.

Ezekiel 37:4-14 (CSB)

 4 -I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live. ⁶ I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ⁷ So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. ⁹ He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me; the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army. ¹¹ Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ ¹² Therefore, prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, my people, and lead you into the land of Israel. ¹³ You will know that I am the Lord, my people, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do it. This is the declaration of the Lord.’”

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