Then Came Jesus

Text:  Matt. 3:13  (read)  John 20:22 (read)

John 20:

We find a series of events that lead up to people in desperate situations.

Jesus had been crucified and everyone scattered into their hiding places.

-they were afraid to be arrested themselves for being followers of the Lord

-they are discouraged, upset, their Savior is gone

-they forget or just don’t understand what he meant when he told them he would come back in 3 days .

-but they are in the “pause” mode just sitting around feeling sorry for themselves.

But now it was 3 days later and Jesus comes out of the grave and he begins to find people living in hiding, living in despair. -almost hopeless and w/o direction in their life

We find Mary Magdalene, a former prostitute that Jesus found and delivered.

-she finds the tomb empty that 1^st Easter morning but instead of being excited

about the Resurrection, she thinks someone has now added insult to injury by

stealing the Lords body out of the tomb.

You can almost see her walking along, head down, mumbling to herself, tears running down her cheeks remembering the events of the weekend but “then came Jesus” around the corner and asks her Vs. 15,16 (read)

Jesus turned her life around when he stepped out and spoke her name that eventful day!

I am so glad Jesus knows my name.

“          “      Jesus knows what I’m going through

He was there all the time watching Mary and when she needed him the most “then came Jesus”.

We find the disciples hiding behind closed and locked doors just wondering when the authorities would knock on their door and haul them away also just like they did Jesus.

Mary had shown up and told them she had just spoken with the Lord but they didn’t believe her.            -they thought she was living in denial

Picture the room where they are. Quiet, solemn, you could almost feel fear in the air.

-wondering what they were going to do now.

-they had invested their lives into following Jesus and now what!

-no one was hungry, they couldn’t eat. Their stomachs were in knots.

But “then came Jesus” vs. 19 (read)  -He saw them all the time and walked thru the walls and gave them peace when they needed it the most.

There was one disciple that wasn’t with them.

Thomas was not in the room when Jesus showed up.

So now a few hours later, Thomas quietly knocks on the door where they we all hiding and they said “We have seen the Lord”

But Thomas responds just like the rest of us would vs. 25,26 (read)

“Then came Jesus” back into Thomas life and gave him peace when he needed it the most

It was 8 days later but Jesus was there all the time keeping an eye on Thomas.

-the doors were locked and windows shut tight but “then came Jesus”

Jesus knows where you’re at and what you’re going thru.

You might not even know he’s around but he’s there, right beside you.

Jesus told us in Heb. 13:5,6 “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me”

As the song says : “He was there all the time”

Look at your neighbor and say: “Jesus is right here”

I remember when my boys were small and I’d put them to bed.

-like most kids, they’d cry and argue for a short while not wanting to go asleep.

-finally they’d quiet down and I would stick my head around the bedroom door and watch them for a second to see if they were finally going to sleep.

-you’d watch and then tip toe over to the edge of the crib and take a good look

-I hated it when after a few moments, they sensed someone else was in the room with them and they opened their eyes and look you right in the face and it all started over again.

Have you ever been someplace and you just felt someone was watching you?

Scientist call this feeling “AURA”

-our bodies radiate living organisms that can be photographed by special lighted cameras.

The English word of “Breath” comes from Greek word “AURA”

If someone is standing near you, they aren’t touching you but kind of into your personal space and you say “They are breathing down your neck”

-their presence makes you feel uncomfortable

However when Jesus comes along,

-if you are not right with God, you feel his presence and get convicted and become uncomfortable.

-but if you are in tune with God, he comes along and replaces your fear and despair with peace , healing, victory in our souls.

We like to sing the song “Just to walk with him means everything to me, just to know he’s near, his hand is leading me….

HE is here right now!

He has filled this auditorium tonight!

You might have come to church with fears, concerns, troubles but when you started singing, started worshipping, “then came Jesus” and you felt him and he gave you peace!

*You always feel the Lords presence right before you receive the HG

“          “          “          “          “       before you sp. in tongues, get healed or blessed.

I want Jesus to “breath on me”

I want Jesus to invade my personal space!

I want Jesus to come and sit by me, take me by the hand and whisper in my ear:

“I am with you always”

“I will never leave you nor forsake you”

“I will stick closer to you than a brother”

“I will never put more upon you than what you can bear”

“Come unto me and take my upon you and ye shall find rest unto your souls”

Songs says: “Standing somewhere in the shadows you’ll find Jesus”

                     He’s the only one who cares and understands

                     Standing somewhere in the shadows you’ll find Jesus”

                     And you’ll know him by the nail prints in his hands”

If his presence makes you uncomfortable, then you need to read and obey:

Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore and be converted that our sins my be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord”

Jesus is here.  His eyes are upon you!

He knows your thoughts, your problems, your situation

-the best thing you can do is allow his presence to come into your life and let him

say to you “Peace be unto you”

“          “    “Receive ye the Holy Ghost”

Is.28:11,12 “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing…”

His presence refreshes me! Just to know he’s near comforts me.

I love the presence of the Lord!

Matt. 9 We read about a distraught father who’s daughter had just died. (Jarius) Vs.18,19 (read)

When Jesus got to the house, they had already hired mourners to wail and cry as the custom was and is in this culture.

They were crowded around the door of the house wailing and Jesus had to press thru the crowd.

As he working his way thru the crowd, he feels healing or virtue flow from his body and he finds out a woman with a issue of blood for 12 yrs is healed as she touches him.

-she was sick but “then came Jesus”

-she was desperate and said to herself, “If I could but touch the hem of his garment and “then came Jesus” and she was healed.

*Jesus makes all the difference!!

He finally gets inside the home and the people were making a great noise of mourning!

-And the 1^st thing he does is tell everyone to get out, give him some room because she was only asleep.  -they laughed at him!!!

What may look dead to you and me is only asleep to the Lord.

Whatever situation may look impossible to us, is just an opportunity to God.

 

This little girl was dead but “then came Jesus”   vs.25 (read)

As he was leaving the house, two blind men followed him crying “have mercy on us”.

Vs.29 “Then touched he their eyes and their eyes were opened”

He turns around and before he can go 10 ft, they bring to him a man that couldn’t speak and possessed by an evil spirit.          Vs.33 (read)

This chapter is awesome and you know what I got out of Matt.9?

Jesus was on his way to heal the little girl but he also healed:

-the woman with issue of blood on his way there.

-he also healed 2 blind men and healed a man possessed by an evil spirit as he was leaving.

Jesus knows where we are at, at all times!

He might be on his way to heal someone over heal but you get healed also over here!

“          “          “          “  to fill someone w/ the Hg over here  “  HG    “      “          “

“          “          “          “   to encourage and give strength “   “   “     “          “          “

Hard telling what God can do when we start crying out “Jesus have mercy on us”

“          “          “          “          “         we say to ourselves “if I can but touch him” as he passes by.

When Jesus comes, it makes a difference!!!

John 11 tells us the story of Lazarus dying.    Lazarus was a personal friend of the Lord.

vs:17 (read) Folks, after 4 days, you’ve started to decompose and you stink!

Jesus gets there and immediately Lazarus sister, Martha, attacks the Lord and said,

“If you would have been here, he wouldn’t had died, where have you been?”

Have you ever been so hurt or in such a bad situation that you ask God “Where are you?”

I want you to know, he is on the way and when he gets here, things are going to change!

(read) Vs.38-39, 43-44

Lazarus was wrapped in grave clothes but Jesus set him free!

Some of you folks were once bound w/ grave clothes of sin.

-all wrapped in alcohol, lust of the flesh, emotional messes

-but “then came Jesus” and things changed!!!!

John 8:36 “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”

If any grave clothes/sins keep catching on your heels, kick them off, cut off,

before you get tied up and get tripped up.

Jesus came into this world for one purpose tonight!

-That was to die for our sins and save our souls!

(read) John 19:1-6     (vs. 5  “Then came Jesus…”)

They made Jesus drag his cross up the Via Dela-rosa  to a hill called Golgotha.

They beat nails in his hands onto the wooden cross and dropped him into place.

And while he was on his way to becoming the sacrificial lamb for my salvation

-he takes the time to save the thief on the cross besides him

-and makes sure that his mother Mary is taken care of by John

What a God!!! Jesus died for you and me tonight so that we could be saved.

He has left this world and he has gone according to John 14, to prepare a place for us in eternity but in the mean time, he is here tonight also, right in the middle us saying:

·        “Receive ye the HG”

·        “Peace be unto you”  “

·        “Let me heal your body and mind”

·        “Let me remove you fears, your doubts”

·        “I’m here to deliver you”

His AURA, his glory has filled this room and we feel him right now!

Jesus is calling your name and he’s saying to someone tonight:

“I’ve been watching and waiting for you, Come unto me”