Miracles: Signs of God's Authority and Invitation to Faith
Summary
Psalm 107 reminds us that God’s goodness and enduring love are not just ancient truths, but living realities for us today. No matter what trouble we find ourselves in—whether by our own choices or the brokenness of this world—when we cry out to the Lord, He hears and delivers us. This is not just a story of the past, but an invitation for each of us to bring our needs, our pain, and our failures to Him, trusting that He is able to do exceedingly more than we can imagine.
The miracles of God, both in the Old and New Testaments, are not random acts of kindness or mere displays of power. They are intentional signs, revealing the authority and identity of Jesus. When Jesus calmed the storm from the stern of the boat, He was not just rescuing His disciples from danger; He was revealing His divine authority over creation itself. The miracles recorded in the Gospels—one-fifth of all their verses—are there to answer the question: Who is this man? The answer is clear—Jesus is not just a prophet or a healer, but God Himself, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Miracles are not given as models for us to copy, but as revelations of God’s authority and invitations to faith. Jesus’ miracles were not limited to the “insiders” or the religious elite; they reached the marginalized, the outcast, the broken, and the overlooked. His mission was to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom to prisoners, sight to the blind, and to set the oppressed free. Every miracle is an opportunity for God’s glory to be revealed, for faith to be awakened, and for the lost to be brought into the family of God.
Jesus not only established His authority through miracles, but He also delegated that authority to His followers. We are called to walk in that authority—not for our own sake, but so that others might see the heart of God and receive the invitation to forgiveness, healing, and eternal life. Our lives, transformed by His power, become living miracles—signs that point others to Jesus. The challenge is to see every miracle, every act of God’s grace in our lives, as an opportunity to make Jesus famous, to lift Him up so that all may know His authority over sin, sickness, and the enemy.
Key Takeaways
- Crying out to God in distress is not a last resort, but a declaration of faith in His enduring goodness and power. Whether our troubles are self-inflicted or the result of living in a fallen world, God’s response is not based on our worthiness but on His steadfast love. He delights to deliver, restore, and forgive when we turn to Him with honest hearts. [32:00]
- The miracles of Jesus are not simply acts of compassion or power—they are revelations of His divine authority and identity. Each miracle is a signpost pointing to the truth that Jesus is God, possessing authority over nature, sickness, evil, and even death. Our faith is anchored not in the miracle itself, but in the One who works miracles. [47:53]
- Jesus’ authority is not reserved for Himself alone; He delegates it to His followers. We are entrusted with His authority to bring healing, freedom, and hope to a broken world. Our lives should reflect the character and mission of our Father, serving as living testimonies of His power and love. [01:09:50]
- The heart of God is for the marginalized, the outcast, and the overlooked. Miracles are often God’s way of reinstating those whom society has rejected, drawing them into community and restoring their dignity. The church is called to be a place where the “whosoever” can encounter the liberating authority of Jesus and find a family. [01:15:29]
- Every miracle is an invitation—an opportunity for faith, for the revelation of God’s heart, and for the glory of Jesus to be made known. Our transformed lives are themselves miracles, meant to be shared as testimonies that invite others to believe. The ultimate purpose of miracles is not our comfort, but God’s glory and the salvation of the lost. [01:22:17]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Opening Prayer and Psalm 107 Reflection
[03:30] - The Power of Crying Out to God
[07:10] - Testimony and the Goodness of God
[10:00] - Transformation vs. Behavior Modification
[13:30] - Introduction: The Purpose Behind Miracles
[17:00] - Old Testament Miracles and God’s Authority
[21:45] - Miracles in the Gospels: Their Significance
[26:00] - Jesus Calms the Storm: Authority in the Stern
[32:00] - Who Is This Man? The Divine Identity of Jesus
[38:00] - Miracles as Signs, Not Models
[44:00] - Jesus as Savior and Lord: The Full Package
[50:00] - The Delegation of Authority to Believers
[55:00] - Miracles and the Marginalized
[01:00:00] - Miracles as Invitations to Faith
[01:05:00] - Living as a Miracle: Making Jesus Famous
[01:10:00] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Purpose Behind Miracles (Psalm 107 & The Authority of Jesus)
---
### Bible Reading
- Psalm 107:1-2, 6, 13, 19, 28
(“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story... Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”)
- Mark 4:35-41
(Jesus calms the storm: “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”)
- Luke 4:18-19
(“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor... to set the oppressed free...”)
---
### Observation Questions
1. In Psalm 107, what repeated phrase shows how God responds to people in trouble?
*(Hint: Look for what people do and how God answers. See [32:00])*
2. When the disciples were afraid during the storm in Mark 4, where was Jesus and what was he doing?
*(See [35:49] and [47:53])*
3. According to Luke 4:18-19, who did Jesus say he was sent to help?
*(See [01:14:23])*
4. In the sermon, what was said about the purpose of Jesus’ miracles—were they just acts of kindness, or did they have a deeper meaning?
*(See [47:53] and [01:04:03])*
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think the psalmist in Psalm 107 repeats the idea of crying out to God in distress? What does this say about God’s character?
*(See [32:00])*
2. The disciples asked, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” after Jesus calmed the storm. What does this reveal about their understanding of Jesus at that moment?
*(See [47:53])*
3. The sermon said that miracles are “signs” pointing to Jesus’ authority and identity, not just models for us to copy. How does this change the way we look at miracles today?
*(See [01:04:03])*
4. Jesus’ mission included reaching the marginalized and outcast. Why do you think God’s heart is especially for those who are overlooked by society?
*(See [01:15:29])*
---
### Application Questions
1. The sermon said that crying out to God is not a last resort, but a declaration of faith. When you face trouble—whether it’s your own fault or not—do you tend to cry out to God first, or try to fix things yourself? What would it look like to make prayer your first response this week?
*(See [32:00])*
2. Jesus calmed the storm from the stern of the boat, the place of control and power. Is there a “storm” in your life right now where you need to trust Jesus’ authority instead of your own strength? What would it look like to “move to the stern” with Jesus?
*(See [47:53])*
3. The miracles of Jesus were often for the marginalized, not just the religious insiders. Who in your life or community might feel overlooked or outcast? How could you reach out to them this week as a reflection of Jesus’ heart?
*(See [01:15:29])*
4. The sermon challenged us to see our own transformed lives as miracles and opportunities to point others to Jesus. Can you think of a specific way God has changed you? How could you share that story with someone who needs hope?
*(See [01:30:04])*
5. Jesus delegates his authority to his followers—not for our own glory, but so others can see God’s heart. What is one area where you sense God calling you to step out in faith and use the authority he’s given you?
*(See [01:09:50])*
6. The ultimate purpose of miracles is God’s glory and the salvation of the lost, not just our comfort. Are there ways you’ve been seeking God’s help mainly for your own benefit? How can you shift your prayers and actions to focus more on God’s glory and others’ salvation?
*(See [01:22:17])*
7. The sermon ended with a challenge to “make Jesus famous” through our lives. What is one practical step you can take this week to lift up Jesus’ name in your workplace, school, or neighborhood?
*(See [01:23:39])*
---
Closing Prayer Suggestion:
“Lord, work a miracle in my life. Let it be an opportunity to reveal your heart. May it be an invitation to those who don’t know you, that they may be forgiven, healed, and receive eternal life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
*(See [01:31:40])*
Devotional
Day 1: Crying Out to God Is an Act of Faith, Not Desperation
When life’s storms overwhelm us, crying out to God is not a sign of weakness or last resort but a profound declaration of trust in His unchanging goodness and power. Whether the trouble we face is a consequence of our own choices or the brokenness of the world around us, God’s response is rooted in His steadfast love, not our merit. He delights in hearing our honest cries and responding with deliverance, restoration, and forgiveness. This truth invites us to approach God with open hearts, confident that He is attentive and eager to rescue us.
This posture of faith transforms how we view our struggles—not as punishments or dead ends but as opportunities to experience God’s grace anew. When we call on Him, we participate in a living relationship with a God who is actively present and powerful to save. Let this assurance encourage you to bring your needs and pains before Him without hesitation, knowing that His love endures forever. [32:00]
Psalm 34:17-18 (ESV)
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Reflection:
What is one specific situation or burden you have been hesitant to bring before God? How can you take a step today to cry out to Him with faith, trusting in His steadfast love rather than your own worthiness?
Day 2: Miracles Reveal Jesus’ Divine Authority, Not Just Compassion
The miracles recorded in the Gospels are far more than acts of kindness or displays of power; they are intentional signs that reveal the true identity and authority of Jesus. Each miracle points beyond the immediate need to answer the question: Who is this man? The answer is clear—Jesus is God incarnate, sovereign over nature, sickness, evil, and even death itself. Our faith is anchored not in the miracles themselves but in the One who performs them.
Understanding miracles as revelations rather than mere wonders shifts our perspective from seeking signs to seeking the Savior. Jesus’ calming of the storm, for example, was not only a rescue but a demonstration of His authority over creation. This invites us to trust in His power and lordship in every area of our lives, even when circumstances seem chaotic or hopeless. [47:53]
Job 37:14-16 (ESV)
Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
Reflection:
In what area of your life do you need to recognize and submit to Jesus’ divine authority today? How can you remind yourself that His power is not distant but actively at work around you?
Day 3: Believers Are Entrusted with Jesus’ Authority to Heal and Restore
Jesus did not keep His authority to Himself; He entrusted it to His followers so that they might continue His mission of healing, freedom, and hope in a broken world. This delegation is not for personal gain but to reveal God’s heart and invite others into forgiveness and new life. When believers walk in this authority, their transformed lives become living miracles—testimonies that point others to Jesus.
This calling challenges us to live intentionally as representatives of God’s kingdom, demonstrating His love and power through our words and actions. It is a reminder that the church is not a passive institution but an active community empowered to bring restoration and hope. Embracing this responsibility means stepping out in faith to serve others and make Jesus known in tangible ways. [01:09:50]
Zechariah 4:6 (ESV)
Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
Reflection:
What is one practical way you can exercise the authority Jesus has given you to bring healing or hope to someone in your community this week? How can you rely on the Spirit rather than your own strength in doing so?
Day 4: God’s Heart Is for the Marginalized and Overlooked
Throughout Scripture, God consistently shows His concern for those whom society rejects—the marginalized, the outcast, and the overlooked. Miracles often serve as God’s way of restoring dignity and community to those who have been cast aside. The church is called to be a sanctuary where “whosoever” can encounter Jesus’ liberating authority and find belonging.
This truth calls the church to embody radical inclusion and compassion, reflecting God’s heart by welcoming and serving those on the fringes. It challenges believers to examine their own attitudes and actions toward the marginalized and to become agents of restoration and love. In doing so, the church becomes a visible sign of God’s kingdom breaking into the world. [01:15:29]
Isaiah 61:1-3 (ESV)
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor... to comfort all who mourn, to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning...
Reflection:
Who in your life or community feels marginalized or overlooked? What is one concrete step you can take this week to reflect God’s heart by reaching out to or advocating for them?
Day 5: Every Miracle Invites Faith and Glorifies God, Not Just Comfort
Miracles are invitations—opportunities for faith to be awakened, for God’s heart to be revealed, and for Jesus’ glory to be made known. The ultimate purpose of miracles is not to provide comfort or convenience but to draw people into salvation and relationship with God. Our own transformed lives are living miracles meant to be shared as testimonies that invite others to believe.
This perspective challenges believers to see beyond personal benefit and to embrace their stories and experiences as part of God’s greater redemptive work. It calls us to live with intentionality, making Jesus famous through our words and actions so that others may encounter His authority over sin, sickness, and the enemy. [01:22:17]
Psalm 40:5-8 (ESV)
You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you. I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have opened; burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
Reflection:
What testimony of God’s grace or miracle in your life can you share this week to encourage someone else’s faith? How can you intentionally point others to Jesus through your story?
Quotes
Church is not about behavioral modification. It's about a radical transformation. And there are too many that come to the house looking for behavior modification. But I want you to know today what God is really concerned about is transforming you from a sinner to a saint. from old things passing away to all things becoming new in Jesus' name. And once you experience that, here's my promise, you'll never forget what he's done in the name of Jesus. Can we bless him as we're being seated? Amen. [00:35:26] (44 seconds)
Let me say it again. He's not about changing your behavior. He's about changing your heart. Amen. And may we experience that today. Well, today I want to continue in our series I started last week and I want to talk to you really what this will be is a stepping back from and a digressing and looking more from the aspect of learning from miracles. And if I were to entitle the message today it would be the purpose behind miracles. And so today we look into this and I ask the question why miracles? Or let me ask it this way what is the purpose of miracles? I want to invite you to Mark chapter 4 with me today. [00:36:46] (44 seconds)
Can I speak to somebody today and tell you get in the stern of the boat because that's where stability is get in the stern of the boat with jesus because that's where his power is get in the stern of the boat because listen to me life can be tough but back there with jesus you can sleep right through the worst of times because you can rest in him [00:40:10] (26 seconds)
His status. Therefore we can conclude that Jesus' miraculous ministry was intended to establish truth. Don't miss that. Truth about what? Himself rather than to act as a healing model for others. Can I digress for just a moment? Can I just talk about us in the house? Amen. Y 'all know I pick on us a little bit. Amen. I don't do that to be mean. I'm just I try to do that to correct us sometimes. Here's what we are if we're not careful as a Pentecostal charismatic Pentecostal movement. Here's one of the things that we can err in if we're not careful. We'll see something work and then we'll take that and run like crazy with it. We'll think we found a model. This is how you've got to do it. If you don't do it this way God's not going to move. If you don't say it that way God's not going to move. But I want to tell you this morning Jesus didn't work the miracles to show us a model. He worked the miracles to display the authority of God. [00:54:28] (69 seconds)
And so a lot of times we'll tell somebody well you've received Jesus as your savior now you need to receive him as your Lord. Can I help you this morning? Jesus never separated himself from being both savior and Lord. When he saved you can I go ahead and tell you he wants all of you. He wants your going down at night. He wants your dreams during the middle of the night. He wants your waking up thoughts in the morning. Amen. He wants to guide your footsteps throughout the day. And I'm going to just go ahead and break this out on you. Let me tell you something. He wants every struggle you go through he wants to deliver you from. Whether you accept it or not is on you. Amen. But he wants to set you free and free indeed. Because he who the son sets free is free indeed. I know too many addicts. Amen. I know too many that have been saved and they're nothing like they used to be. Amen. So don't tell me God can't deliver completely. Amen. You don't have to keep struggling. Hear me somebody today. [00:58:25] (68 seconds)
So Jesus was working to reveal authority that he had. You may ask, what authority? I've tried to help you with that, but let me just go on. It is clear that Jesus is identified in the Gospels as having divine authority, divine authority to heal sickness. Matthew 8, 14 and 15. When he came to Peter's house and the mother -in -law was laid in the bed with a fever, he touched her and she was well immediately. In Matthew 8, he cast out demons. The demon -possessed men came to him and he threw those demons into the pigs and they ran off the cliff and died, but the men were free. In Matthew 9, 18 and verse 25, he raised the dead. And while he was staying there, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, My daughter has just died, but come and put your hand on her and she will live. Verse 25 says, after the crowd had been put out, he went in and took the girl by the hand and she got up and news of it spread throughout the region. Over and over and over, we see that every miracle that is worked is about his authority. [01:06:15] (73 seconds)
Not only did Jesus establish his authority, watch this. Watch this. Look at your neighbor and tell him, buckle up. Pick your feet up. He's getting ready to hurt. Here's what else he did with his authority. He delegated it to you and I. He delegated his authority to you and I. The 72, he sent them out and told them to heal the sick. And they went out in his name with his authority and they healed the sick. And they came back amazed and said, even the demons are subject to us in your name. [01:09:49] (38 seconds)
That through miracles, his mission is revealed. Luke 4, 18 and 19. This is, again, an Old Testament passage. The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom. Listen to these groups that he's talking about. Good news to the poor. Somebody say poor. He sent me to proclaim freedom for the who? Prisoners. Come on. And recovery of sight for the blind. And to set the oppressed free. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Now, I want to point something out right here. It's evident from this repetition of the Old Testament passage of Isaiah 61. That Jesus' mission was in part to reinstate the marginalized. Did you notice that? [01:14:23] (48 seconds)
He is the liberator who frees captives from every prison and redeems them back, watch this, to community. In other words, the outcast that no longer has a family because they are broke, busted, and disgusted. Jesus Christ liberates them and brings them in to be part of a family. Isn't that wonderful? You may have done things that will cause you to be excluded from your blood family, but I got news for you. In the family of God, he welcomes you in. No matter what your past is, in fact, I'm going to just go ahead and tell you and help you this morning, sometimes it looks like those with the worst past know how to worship the best. [01:15:34] (50 seconds)
Here's what I want you to know about miracles point number three truth that miracles offer hope miracles show god still moves and he heals and he restores here's the key truth every miracle somebody say every every miracle is an opportunity say that with me opportunity every miracle is an opportunity to reveal the heart of god as an invitation for the sin sick to be forgiven healed and receive eternal life [01:27:08] (32 seconds)
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