He Does All Things Well

Let me try something. “God is good....And all the time...” This isn’t something we do often here at the mount but it is one of those familiar staples of the Black Church experience. We know that God is good. The legacy of our collective existence is the testimony that God has been good to us. The Psalmist said it, but the saints say it better, “If it had not been for the Lord who was on our side.” All the things he has done has show us the Goodness of God. But you don’t have to look at history to know that God is good. You can look at the person sitting in your seat. That’s you. (Good things he has done) The truth is that God doesn’t have to do anything to maintain Goodness, but because he does just further proves the point that we serve a good God. Every Good and perfect gift comes from above.

Seeks the Least and Lost

The great gospel verse of scripture that we all know and love, “For God so loved the world...” Right? The world, that’s everybody. God’s mission is to reach everyone and although Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of Israel first, he still has missionary strategy to make His name great in Gentile territory to the Glory of God. It means that God seeks out the least and the lost no matter who or where they are. (Exegete v.31)

Works Miracles by any Method

Isolation. He works on the individual person. Some times the repair we need in our lives, must happen away from the crowd. The business of life will sometimes distract us from the reality that God is working on us. (Say who is in the crowd) This is very relational. Eventually this is going to lead to the conclusion that although God delivers people groups and liberates communities, faith is Jesus is an individual reality. You and Jesus have your own thing.

Medicinal method. Saliva. Spittle. He touches them man.

Prayer. He looked up to heaven. “Ephphatha!” Speaking directly to the man. (preach the miracle)

Leaves a Lasting Impression

And just like any person with any amount of common sense. When they see the miracle they are amazed. When they hear the man talking, they start talking.

“Messianic Secret”- 19th century german theologian William Wrede.

Are you impressed with Jesus? Does Jesus impress you? What impresses you if Jesus doesn’t? These real questions intended to shake-up the monotony of our religious routines? Does jesus impress you? Are you impressed with Jesus? What or who impresses you if not Jesus? I’m a person who is easily impressed. If you can (come Back to this). Other people are not so easily impressed. Nothing that happens moves them (give worldly examples), I know some people, nobody here of course, who can sit through a whole church service and never say amen, never say thank you Jesus, ever move their head, pat their foot, smile, say get morning, bow their head in prayer, just not impressed with anything. I just woke up and stopped by to tell somebody that Jesus is impressive.

It was impressive when He…Preached the worlds greatest sermon....cooled Peter’s in-laws fever...turned water into wine…calmed the sea…healed the multitude…taught in parables... exercised demons....stopped the women's bleeding…straitened that sisters back…Calmed the sea…Walked on water…Flipped over tables…cursed the fig tree…He raised the dead...