Amazed

I was asked to share a communion mediation at church.  This is what I said...

In the preaching series, “Amazed” Randy will be sharing some of the miracles that Jesus performed. I’m sure that we could all rattle off a few of them. Raising the dead. Healing the lame and blind. Turning water into wine. Wow!

I’ve always been fascinated by Harry Houdini and sleight of hand magic tricks. But that’s all they are. Tricks. Houdini had a spare key that was passed to him by his wife’s kiss. A trap door to move from one side of the wall to the other. A distraction and then the slight of hand would take place. I don’t know exactly how he did all of the tricks, but they were purely mechanical or a diverting of our focus. There was no higher power involved. They can all be explained.

Jesus’s miracles can also be explained.

Here’s what Peter said to the Jews in Acts 2:22-24 (NIV):

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”

Did you hear that? God did the miracles through Jesus. God can do all things. Jesus showed God’s power through the miracles. He also showed love, acceptance, forgiveness, also from God. And he showed his disciples how to remember him through the meal of which we are about to partake.

The juice and bread will be distributed. Take a moment to remember Jesus and God raising him from the dead. Why? “Because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.”