God's Unchanging Power: Miracles Today and Always
Summary
### Summary
Today, we gathered to honor God and reflect on His unchanging nature and miraculous power. We began by lifting our voices in praise, acknowledging that our worship is a way to bless God in return for the blessings He has bestowed upon us. We then celebrated our 2024 graduates, praying for God's guidance and favor as they step into new chapters of their lives.
The core of our time together focused on the theme that God is still a miracle-working God. We explored Hebrews 13:8, which reminds us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." This truth reassures us that the God who performed miracles in the Bible is the same God who can perform miracles in our lives today. We were encouraged to believe in God's power to heal, restore, and lift burdens.
We also discussed the significance of the title "Ancient of Days," which emphasizes God's eternal existence and wisdom. This title, first mentioned in Daniel 7:9, portrays God as the everlasting ruler who existed before time began and will continue to exist forever. This understanding deepens our faith, knowing that we serve a God who is both timeless and intimately involved in our lives.
We were reminded that Jesus' miracles were not confined to the past. The same Jesus who healed the sick, raised the dead, and performed countless other miracles is still active today. We looked at various miracles recorded in the Gospels, reinforcing our belief that Jesus continues to work powerfully in our lives.
As we concluded, we were invited to step forward in faith, bringing our burdens and needs to God. We were encouraged to trust that God, who is the Ancient of Days, is capable of lifting our burdens and performing miracles in our lives. The service ended with a powerful time of prayer and worship, inviting the Holy Spirit to minister to us and meet our needs.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Unchanging Nature: Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." This truth assures us that the God who performed miracles in the Bible is the same God who can perform miracles in our lives today. Our faith is strengthened by knowing that God's character and power remain constant throughout time. [43:38]
2. The Ancient of Days: The title "Ancient of Days" emphasizes God's eternal existence and wisdom. First mentioned in Daniel 7:9, it portrays God as the everlasting ruler who existed before time began and will continue to exist forever. This understanding deepens our faith, knowing that we serve a God who is both timeless and intimately involved in our lives. [48:24]
3. Miracles in the Bible and Today: Jesus performed numerous miracles during His time on earth, and these acts are recorded in the Gospels. These miracles serve as a testament to His divine power and compassion. We are encouraged to believe that the same Jesus who healed the sick and raised the dead is still active today, capable of performing miracles in our lives. [13:00]
4. Lifting Burdens: Jesus invites us to bring our burdens to Him, promising rest and relief. In Matthew 11:28-30, He says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." This invitation is a reminder that we do not have to carry our burdens alone; Jesus is willing and able to lift them from us. [58:09]
5. Faith in Action: Stepping forward in faith, whether physically or metaphorically, is a powerful act of trust in God's ability to meet our needs. By taking a step of faith, we honor God and demonstrate our belief in His power to heal, restore, and perform miracles. This act of faith invites the Holy Spirit to work in our lives in profound ways. [19:01]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[29:45] - Opening Prayer
[30:17] - Tithes and Offerings
[31:45] - Greeting and Graduate Recognition
[40:41] - Introduction to Summer Playlist Series
[41:31] - Experiencing Miracles
[42:38] - Song Introduction: "Just Like You've Always Done"
[43:38] - Jesus Christ: The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever
[48:24] - The Ancient of Days
[58:09] - Jesus Lifts Our Burdens
[01:00:11] - Understanding the Yoke
[01:13:00] - Jesus' Miracles in the Gospels
[01:19:01] - Faith in Action: Stepping Forward
[01:25:30] - Closing Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
2. Daniel 7:9 - "As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze."
3. Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Hebrews 13:8 tell us about the nature of Jesus Christ? How does this verse relate to the theme of the sermon? ([43:38])
2. In Daniel 7:9, what imagery is used to describe the "Ancient of Days"? What does this imagery convey about God's character? ([48:24])
3. According to Matthew 11:28-30, what does Jesus promise to those who come to Him with their burdens? How does this promise provide comfort? ([58:09])
4. What examples of Jesus' miracles were mentioned in the sermon, and how do they reinforce the belief that Jesus still performs miracles today? ([13:00])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the unchanging nature of Jesus Christ, as stated in Hebrews 13:8, impact our faith in His ability to perform miracles today? ([43:38])
2. What significance does the title "Ancient of Days" hold in deepening our understanding of God's eternal wisdom and involvement in our lives? ([48:24])
3. How can the invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to bring our burdens to Jesus change the way we handle stress and anxiety in our daily lives? ([58:09])
4. Reflect on the pastor's encouragement to step forward in faith. How does taking a physical or metaphorical step of faith demonstrate trust in God's power to heal and restore? ([19:01])
#### Application Questions
1. Hebrews 13:8 assures us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. How can this truth strengthen your faith in God's ability to work miracles in your current situation? ([43:38])
2. The title "Ancient of Days" emphasizes God's eternal existence and wisdom. How can this understanding help you trust God more deeply in your personal challenges? ([48:24])
3. Jesus invites us to bring our burdens to Him in Matthew 11:28-30. What specific burden are you carrying right now that you need to bring to Jesus for rest and relief? ([58:09])
4. The pastor mentioned various miracles performed by Jesus. Can you recall a time when you witnessed or experienced a miracle? How did it impact your faith? ([13:00])
5. The sermon encouraged stepping forward in faith. What is one area of your life where you need to take a step of faith, trusting God to work powerfully? ([19:01])
6. Reflect on the pastor's call to bring our burdens to Jesus. What practical steps can you take this week to lay down your burdens and trust Jesus to lift them? ([58:09])
7. How can you remind yourself daily of God's unchanging nature and His power to perform miracles, as discussed in the sermon? ([43:38])
Devotional
Day 1: God's Unchanging Nature
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This truth assures us that the God who performed miracles in the Bible is the same God who can perform miracles in our lives today. Our faith is strengthened by knowing that God's character and power remain constant throughout time. This constancy provides a solid foundation for our faith, allowing us to trust in His promises and His ability to intervene in our lives.
When we face challenges or uncertainties, we can find comfort in the fact that God's nature does not change. He is as powerful and loving today as He was in the past. This understanding encourages us to approach Him with confidence, knowing that He is always ready to act on our behalf. [43:38]
Hebrews 13:8 (ESV): "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
Reflection: Think of a situation in your life where you need God's intervention. How does knowing that God's nature is unchanging give you confidence to bring this situation to Him in prayer today?
Day 2: The Ancient of Days
The title "Ancient of Days" emphasizes God's eternal existence and wisdom. First mentioned in Daniel 7:9, it portrays God as the everlasting ruler who existed before time began and will continue to exist forever. This understanding deepens our faith, knowing that we serve a God who is both timeless and intimately involved in our lives.
God's eternal nature means that He is not limited by time or circumstances. He sees the beginning and the end, and His wisdom surpasses our understanding. This gives us assurance that He is in control and that His plans for us are perfect. As we navigate life's challenges, we can trust in His eternal perspective and rely on His unchanging wisdom. [48:24]
Daniel 7:9 (ESV): "As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by life's circumstances. How can trusting in God's eternal wisdom and perspective help you navigate your current challenges?
Day 3: Miracles in the Bible and Today
Jesus performed numerous miracles during His time on earth, and these acts are recorded in the Gospels. These miracles serve as a testament to His divine power and compassion. We are encouraged to believe that the same Jesus who healed the sick and raised the dead is still active today, capable of performing miracles in our lives.
The miracles of Jesus demonstrate His authority over nature, sickness, and even death. They reveal His deep compassion for those in need and His desire to bring restoration and healing. As we read these accounts, we are reminded that Jesus' power has not diminished. He is still able to intervene in our lives in miraculous ways, bringing hope and transformation. [13:00]
Matthew 9:35 (ESV): "And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction."
Reflection: Think of a specific area in your life where you need a miracle. How can you actively trust Jesus to work in that situation today?
Day 4: Lifting Burdens
Jesus invites us to bring our burdens to Him, promising rest and relief. In Matthew 11:28-30, He says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." This invitation is a reminder that we do not have to carry our burdens alone; Jesus is willing and able to lift them from us.
Life can often feel overwhelming, with various responsibilities and challenges weighing us down. Jesus' invitation to come to Him offers a source of comfort and hope. He understands our struggles and offers to share the load, providing us with rest and peace. By bringing our burdens to Him, we acknowledge our dependence on His strength and grace. [58:09]
Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV): "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Reflection: Identify a burden you are currently carrying. How can you practically bring this burden to Jesus and trust Him to give you rest?
Day 5: Faith in Action
Stepping forward in faith, whether physically or metaphorically, is a powerful act of trust in God's ability to meet our needs. By taking a step of faith, we honor God and demonstrate our belief in His power to heal, restore, and perform miracles. This act of faith invites the Holy Spirit to work in our lives in profound ways.
Faith is not just a passive belief but an active trust in God's promises. When we step out in faith, we align ourselves with God's will and open the door for His miraculous intervention. This might involve taking a risk, making a difficult decision, or simply trusting God in a new way. As we act in faith, we create space for God to move powerfully in our lives. [19:01]
James 2:17 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Reflection: What is one specific step of faith you can take today to demonstrate your trust in God's power and promises? How can this step invite the Holy Spirit to work in your life?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "How many of you guys still believe that God does miracles today? Right? Show of hands. How many of you guys believe that God still does miracles today? All right. Awesome. Put your hands down. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. So it's okay if you think this is true because today's song is going to be a reminder that God still does miracles today. And what I want to do today is I just want to encourage some of you in the room to believe God for a miracle today." [42:04](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The same way that God moved mightily throughout Scripture, from Old to New Testament, and the same way that we saw God move in all of our favorite Bible character stories, from the beginning of time, from Adam and Eve, to Abraham, to Noah, to Jonah, to the prophet Jeremiah, and Isaiah, and Elijah, and Elisha, to Esther, to Samson, to King Solomon, to King David, into the New Testament, where Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Peter, and Paul, that the God that we read about that's been the main character of this book is still the main character in your life, and in my life, and in my life, and in my life, and in the same way that God moved in Scripture to bring healing and to have miraculous events come to pass is the same God who moves today in power." [43:38](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. How many of you guys believe that? That Jesus Christ is yesterday, today, and forever. That the same miracles that Jesus did then, the same power, the same Holy Spirit, that he hasn't changed, that he hasn't stopped doing miracles. He's the same miracle-working God that we read in Scripture. He's the same God that we're placing our faith in today." [44:40](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "If you're here today, or you're watching online, and you would say, I need a miracle in my life, I'm so glad you came to church today. Because let me tell you where we're going. Let me tell you up front how we're going to end the service. Because the worship team is going to play this song, and as I unpack the verses, and as we look at some of the Scriptures in God's holy book, we're going to be encouraged, and our faith is going to increase to believe in a God who still does miracles today." [44:40](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Jesus says come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Other translation will use the word heavy laden, right? Like this heavy weight that you're carrying. My heart is heavy. My thoughts are heavy. I feel like something's just weighing me down and Jesus is saying to you today. If you're here today and you're carrying a burden. If you're here today and your heart is heavy. If you're here today and your mind feels heavy. Jesus says come to me all of you everybody who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." [58:09](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The Ancient of Days, God Almighty was there. Everlasting to everlasting has been reading in the book of Revelation at the second coming. This is this this planet. It's gone, right? It's going to get destroyed and God is going to continue to live on everlasting to everlasting and the new heaven and the new Jerusalem. That's what we're talking about. Back to Isaiah 43 verse 6. It says this is what the Lord says. Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty. I am the first and I am the last, right? I am the Alpha and I am the Omega apart from me. There is no God. It's a Hopesters. If you're here this morning and you place your faith in Jesus Christ, if you place your faith in God Almighty and the one who's called Ancient of Days, your faith is in the God, the Lord Almighty who existed even before time and space and all of creation was made. That's who your faith is in." [54:44](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever from everlasting to everlasting. He is the Ancient of Days. The Lord Almighty and Jesus hasn't changed. Jesus is still in the life changing. Business and Hopesters. I'm telling you for some of you. Jesus wants to change your life today. Jesus wants to give you a miracle today. Jesus wants to touch you today. Jesus wants to heal somebody today. Jesus wants to lift someone's burden today. Now with the crowd this size and even those watching online. I'm sure there's a few of us who walked into this room carrying a burden, right? There's something that's weighing you down. Maybe your heart is heavy. Maybe you recently heard some news or maybe you're walking through a difficult season. Maybe you're walking through a trial and man you're just burdened. You just feel like this heavy weight on your chest. Your heart is just heavy. Maybe you're struggling with some thoughts and you're trying to like think positive, but it's so hard because this this negative thought is just haunting you and it's causing you stress." [56:29](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Jesus did many other things as well. See these 37 miracles that we wrote about in our gospel accounts, I just have to tell you, Jesus did many more other things as well. He did more healings as well. If every one of them were written down, and I love this phrase, I suppose, if everything that Jesus did, every healing, every person that was touched by God, if they were all written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John says, man, I just wrote what I could write, what the Holy Spirit inspired me and allowed me to write, but there was so much more that Jesus did. He's the same God who saw someone who was heavy laden and burdened with a heavy heart. Jesus was moved to compassion. And that's been my prayer this week. That God, whoever comes forward, whoever is weary and tired and heavy laden, whoever is carrying a burden, they're so heavy. Whoever needs a touch from you, a physical healing, emotional healing, a mental healing, that whoever walks forward that needs a miracle." [01:15:30](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Jesus says come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Other translation will use the word heavy laden, right? Like this heavy weight that you're carrying. My heart is heavy. My thoughts are heavy. I feel like something's just weighing me down and Jesus is saying to you today. If you're here today and you're carrying a burden. If you're here today and your heart is heavy. If you're here today and your mind feels heavy. Jesus says come to me all of you everybody who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Jesus continues in verse 29. He says take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble and heart and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." [58:09](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And in the same way, just in the nick of time when we thought there was no hope, and there was no help, God turned it around. And God showed up, and God saved, and delivered, and rescued, and redeemed His people over and over and over again. In the same way that we read about God fighting the battles for the nation of the Israel, it's the same God today who's fighting the battles on your behalf. Let me talk about your still miracle work. I'm gonna show you a chart. It's gonna list all of Jesus' miracles that are written in the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. As I research this, some theologians feel like there's 37 miracles that are accounted for in Scripture. Others think there's a little bit more. There's like 41 or 42 miracles that are found in Scripture. Regardless of the number, let me show you some of the miracles that Jesus did in the New Testament." [01:09:06](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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