INTRODUCTION

There’s an expression I’ve heard quite a bit among charismatic preachers today: “A sign will make you wonder!” I imagine that everyone who attends such a church has also heard the expression, but they still crack up every time it’s said.

Why? I don’t know. Perhaps they’re being nice to the preacher. Or perhaps laughter is the only way to deal with signs and wonders.

See, signs and wonders are a little confusing because they’re more or less impossible. They make no sense and are therefore difficult to wrap our minds around. So we open our mouths in awe when we see it and laugh when we talk about it later.

Signs and wonders are incredible to read about and even more amazing to witness. I want you to be aware of their existence because I want you to see that the possibilities in Christ are literally endless. He brings to our faith a power that many times can’t be understood. And if we spend all of our time trying to figure it out, we’ll miss everything. I’ve seen people turn away from this whole charismatic side of the faith s i mp ly b e c a u s e t h e y c a n ’ t

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” -Mark 9:23

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” -Matthew 19:26

And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.” -Mark 11:22-23

Verses from Jesus on the Impossible

APOLLOS SIGNS AND WONDERS

understand it. They’ll say just about anything to get around it:

“Why would God do this? Why would God do that? I’ve never read about God doing that in the Bible. That doesn’t even make sense. These people are practicing witchcraft. God would never do that in a million years. These people are crazy. They all have psychological issues.”

When you know it’s God, sometimes it’s better to just live in the supernatural pleasure of His wonders and hold them in your heart.

John 2:6-11Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish r i tes o f purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Mark 4:39-40And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”

Matthew 14:15-21Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the vi l lages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two

fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Matthew 14:25-31 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and t h e y c r i e d o u t i n f e a r. B u t immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Matthew 15:32-39Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few

small fish.” And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

Matthew 17:24-27When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

John 21:5-6Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

Signs and Wonders in Jesus’ Ministry

“Truly, truly, I say to

you, whoever believes in

me will also do the works

that I do; and greater

works than these will he

do, because I am going to

the Father. Whatever you

ask in my name, this I will

do, that the Father may

be glorified in the Son. If

you ask me anything in my

name, I will do it.-JOHN 14:12-14