Of all of the miracles that we've seen through out the Old Testament; the Flood of Noah, the plagues of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea for Moses, The Sun standing still for Joshua... and all of the miracles we've seen Jesus perform in the New Testament, none compare to the power to bring someone who has died back to life. In Luke 7:11-17 we see Jesus is walking into a town as a funeral procession is walking out to bury a dead man. Jesus sees the dead man's mother and He knows that she is a widow and that the dead man is her only son and he has compassion on her. He casually walks up to the dead man as he is being carried in his coffin by the pallbearers and says to him “arise.” And the man comes back to life. Right there in his coffin. There is nothing more precious to us than life, and here Jesus just casually, without pomp or circumstance, simply tells the dead man to arise and he comes back to life... like no big deal. That's the power of Christ!

Again, in Mark 5:21-24, and 35-43 we see the story of a ruler of the synagogue named Jairus; most likely a Pharisee in high standing like Nicodemus, who comes begging Jesus to heal his little girl. I can tell you with all certainty, if Vera was at the point of death there is nothing I wouldn't do to see her healed. Even if I was a Pharisee who hated Jesus, I would run to him and beg him to heal her! This is desperation! Unfortunately, Jesus is too late and when he arrives she is already dead. That's no problem, because to Jesus death is just like sleep. He goes to the little girl and says, “arise.”

Do you get it? Jesus has power so great that he is able to bring those who are dead back to life. He literally has power over life and death. I don't know if you completely understood what I just said to you. One day we are all going to die. One day our mortal bodies will finally give out. Our hearts will fail, our minds will fail, we will get cancer or some other disease and we will breathe our final breaths. And there are only two things you can do with that information. You can either accept it or you can fight it!

I love the famous poem from Dylan Thomas, “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.” It's all about the fact that we as humans do not accept death. The opening line says this, “do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” We should rave and rage at death! And most of us do. However, we don't know how to rave and rage at death very well, because, well, we are still dying. Here's the most important question you could possibly ever ask, “how can I defeat death?” The answer is clear! Find the one who has power over life and death. Find the one who can call you to arise from death. There is only one. His name is Jesus. The only way to escape death is to obey the voice of Jesus calling you to arise

In the last three sermons we've seen Jesus's sovereignty over everything that can affect our bodies and spirits. Disease, disability, and even demons are no match compared to the overwhelming power of Christ. And not only does Christ have this power but as our father and friend, he is willing to use his power to work in and through us, conquering our sickness, affliction, and demons for his glory! As the leper said, if you are willing I know you can heal me. He is able and he is willing.

But in John 6:1-21 we see that Jesus is not only sovereign over our physical and spiritual health, but he is also sovereign over all of nature. When he speaks storms stand still, when he prays bread multiplies and water becomes wine, and when he walks water becomes solid ground. Yes, there are natural laws; gravity, inertia, force, thermodynamics, but all of them are at the will of Christ; they all submit to him. Where it is impossible with men, it is more than possible with Christ and thats what a miracle is!

And so we say yes, we believe that Jesus has the sovereign power to do anything he wills... but how does that connect with us this morning when it comes to nature. How does the fact that Jesus can move mountains help me in my job, my marriage, my trials? Well I think it's simple isn't it; If Jesus can feed the masses from nothing, then he can surely make sure you are fed and clothed. If Jesus can calm the storms then surely he can calm the storms in your marriage. If Jesus can walk on water and turn water to wine then surely he can fill you with living water! The point is this... Jesus breaks the natural order of this world to show you that this world can't break you!

We know that scripture teaches us that Jesus undoubtably healed people from all manner of diseases from leprosy to common colds. His healing power gives us a clear picture to recognize that we have a God we can place our absolute trust in. Though doctors may heal and medicines may recover, our first response is to trust in Jesus to do what only he can do! My hope is in the healing power of Christ. So my hope in the midst of heart disease is Jesus! My hope in the midst of kidney failure is Jesus. My hope in the midst of Cancer is Jesus!

And of course, Jesus not only can heal any disease, but Jesus can also cure any disability! Though disease and disability are similar, and though they can be directly connected at times, they are indeed different types of physical ailments. Where disease often comes from an infection we've been exposed to, disability often comes from an accident we've been involved with or gene defects we've inherited. And where diseases can often be healed or cured through surgery or medication, disabilities are, for the most part, seen as permanent.

Matthew 15:29-31 tells us; “Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.”

What an incredible savior we have. Even though it's most definitely a miracle when Jesus cures someone of stage 4 cancer, it is an absolutely undeniable miracle when Jesus heals a paralytic man who's never walked, or a blind man who's never seen! It's almost as if Jesus keeps upping the anti. Much like when Pharaoh's magicians copied Moses's staff turning into a serpent, the water turning to blood, and the frogs, today's doctor's can heal many of our diseases. But, just like the magicians couldn't match Moses turning the sand to gnats, it is beyond our modern day science to heal many of these disabilities! But, Jesus can! Today, turn your attention to the undeniable power of Christ to cure any disability. But I also want you to examine why he allows those disabilities in the first place. If Jesus is powerful enough to cure the lame he is most certainly powerful enough to prevent it all together. Surely he has a plan for your disability. Not only does He have the ability to cure all disabilities, but I believe Jesus allows disabilities to remind us that we are broken in our sin, and only He can make us whole again. The greatest disability is the brokenness that sin has wrought in our souls and the only one who can make us whole again is Jesus.