JS’ Power

- heal those with evil spirit, the sick, handicapped, paralysed and lepers
- raise the dead
- control nature (storm, food, walk on water)

Authority:
- Sabbath; made a new Sabbath law and proving it by working a miracle- 'law of
love'
- Teach: unlike JRL quoting Moses and the Prophets without themselves practicing
what they preached, taught with an expertise claimed by no one else in his day,
taught not only with knowledge but with power.
- Evil spirit
- Forgive sins: to prove to the teachers he cured the paralysed man.
- Temple

JS uses his power for:

- his compassion, concern and love for people on need or were suffering, regardless
of whether they were important or not.
- signs of arrival of KOG, reign of God at work in the world. Show God’s love and
care in action. Show he has the power to forgive sins and to heal; his authority
comes from God.
- signs showing He is Messiah as foretold by Isaiah ‘The blind will see, the deaf
hear, the lame will walk, lepers will be cleansed, the dead will be raised to work
and the poor will hear the good news.’
- A response and reward for faith leading to an increase in faith to those open to it
- Show power of evil would be destroyed.
- the cures of JS are meant to be signs of God's love for sinners and of his ready
forgiveness of their sins

NOT for
- sensation (Temptation)
- own needs (Temptation)
- ‘proof’ of his coming from God (Pharisees ask for sign)

Main reactions
- astonishment (cure of paralyzed man
- fear or awe (calming of the storm)
- gratitude (healing of leper)
- disbelief (teacher claim his power came form the devil)

Lessons
- A man with an evil spirit: He has come to destroy Satan’s kingdom, not to
cooperate with evil. To people with faith, miracles were a sign that God wanted to
save them, He sent sb stronger than the devil to fight for them. Many people,
however, misinterpreted JS’ miracles, hoping that they could use JS to make their
life easier in material ways.
- Heals many people: Simon’s mother-in-law is a model disciple, immediately
going to work to serve JS and the Apostles.
- Preaches in Galilee: Prayer was not a matter of personal convenience for JS but of
necessity.
- Leaves Capernaum:
- realize popular mvt there was shallow. JS was never attracted by the size of
crowd. He looked below the surface to see what was in people’s hearts.
- knew danger of popularity and taught the disciples by his example to beware
when all men spoke well of them.
- He avoids working miracles for sensation
- He learns what God wants him to do in prayer  so could we
- Leper: He does nt consider ritual laws important, and he ignored them especially
when they went against God’s laws.
- Paralyzed man: he understands people, even their private thoughts; he considers
physical and spiritual problems as important; his authority comes form God
- Jairus’ Daughter: We must have faith (people of his class- ruler of synagogue-
generally rejected JS, rich and can afford doctor, threw himself at JS’ feet, begged,
when hear message of death of daughter overcame fear and chose to trust JS- to
have real faith)
- The bleeding woman: It was not JS’ clothes with her faith that cured her
- The woman: have faith: JS came primarily for the nation of Israel, yet she believes
that the crumbs left over from his ministry to the Jews is enough for her.
- Deaf-mute: use sign-language, take him aside privately: help others not to sin;
from JS sympathizeing with the deaf man, the disciples learned compassion and
sensitivity to others and enter more deeply into the suffering of others. JS’
personal service to the poor and miserable has been imitated by Christians ever
since.
- Blind Man in Bethsaida: human touches, ask if there was improvement and was
ready to give further help if needed.
- Boy with an evil spirit: JS didn’t sympathize with the disciples or the father but
 scolded them for their lack of faith. The father’s final cry for help show that he is
painfully aware of the inadequacy of the faith demanded of him and that he needs
JS’ help to make up for it. Only then is the boy cured. Disciples could not drive
the demon out because they had not prayed enough, had not earnestly asked God
for help.
- Blind Bartimaeus: JS teach disciples their place in the order of things ‘If one of
you wants to be first, he must be the slave of all’; JS values faith, he wants to help
people, he is full of compassion for those in need, he is willing to help people
whether they are important or not; he wants people to follow him, he practices
what he preaches about serving others, he responds to the cry ‘Son of David’ thus
acknowledging his Messiahship.
- Storm: taught disciples not to be afraid but to have faith in JS. It encourage them
to go to JS in all storms of life, knowing that the boat can never sink when the
master of nature is in it., showed them the human side of JS and that he had the
power of God
- Feed: the same crowd that drew out the compassion of the Saviour proved an
annoyance to the disciples. They became restless; the disciples need not worry
about food or drinks. JS will feed and provide for all those who follow him and
trust him in any circumstances if only they ask him. There was sufficient for all.
JS can satisfy the needs of all his people. The fragments left was more than he
started with. God is a generous giver. The disciples should share their food with
the hungry, ability to supply spiritual needs of the world; nothing was wasted,
surplus gathered; made us of what was available no matter little I may seem;
Disciples should pray, without thanking God and blessing the food it is totally
insufficient; God likes order, JS handled the work in a systematic, orderly way,
seat crowds into groups.