Joseph Prince - The God of Miracles is on Your Side
Now the Bible tells us that Jesus rose again from the dead on the third day. Don’t forget the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the greatest and most monumental event of any in the world, amen. 1 Corinthians 15 tells us, the apostle Paul says, «I delivered to you first of all,» and in a New International Version it says, «Of first importance, that which I also received. That Christ died for our sins» according to the Scriptures. The most important thing you can ever learn about the Bible is not to go to the Old Testament and read about the Ten Commandments, it’s not to go and just read the stories of the patriarchs and all that.
They’re all there for a purpose and all Scripture is inspired and God breathed, every word is there to help us. But you’re going to know what’s the most important, the crux, alright? The summum bonum of the entire Bible it can be summarized in the first importance. First of all, number 1, Christ died for our sins, that’s the most important thing you can ever receive, that knowledge, amen. Praise the name of Jesus. Let’s go to John 20. «Now the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb».
Now, the stone wasn’t taken away for the Lord Jesus to come out. Because in his risen form, his glorified body, it is a body like you will see my body, I will see your body, but it’s a glorified body. A body that is not subject to decay, to disease, to death. So I said the stone was removed not for Jesus to come out, Jesus can transcend time and space. Even though Jesus had a body that is matter, but that matter was greater than the matter he created. As much as the Creator is greater than his creation, all right? His body is matter but it can transcend bricks, it can transcend, it can appear and reappear in a bolted room. Are you listening?
So Jesus does not need the stone to be removed to come out. The stone was removed for people outside to look in. Until today, you can still look in in Israel, in the garden tomb, to see that the tomb is empty, hallelujah. And the Bible says, «Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved». And we all know that’s John. By the way, there are five times in the gospel of John himself where he says he calls himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. And in all five times, it is in the imperfect tense, which means it’s not loved past tense it is actually the disciple whom Jesus keeps on loving. Imperfect means keeps on loving, amen it has no end. But out of five times that the phrase appears, four times it says, «Agapao», the disciple whom Jesus loved with a God kind of love, but here is the first place. It says, «Whom Jesus phileo».
Okay, phileo means like, fond of. So he also calls himself not only the disciple whom Jesus loves with the highest kind of love, but Jesus is fond of me. Hey, isn’t that great? Amen, then he says, both Simon Peter and him were told by Mary, «They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have laid him». So, none of them believe He rose from the dead, amen. Mary had, a heart of love but no faith. Her heart was full of love for Jesus but she had no intelligent faith. She didn’t believe he rose from the dead, she believed somebody stole the body. Somebody brought his body somewhere at least and laid him somewhere else.
So next, «Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together». They both started running together, Peter and John. And the other disciple, «John, outran Peter and came to the tomb first». There are no insignificant details in the Bible, I believe the reason why John overtook Peter is not because John was younger, it’s because at this point in time, Peter was not restored yet. So John stood down and saw the linen clothes lying there, yet he did not go in. Now by the way, see the word saw there?
All right, you will see Peter and John using three words on seeing, Seeing. Saw, saw, saw and all three are three different Greek words, which I think if you understand, it’s going to bless you a lot. Because in church, there are three kinds of seeing that goes on. All right, this first kind of seeing, John saw the linen clothes lying there. It’s the word «blepo» which is nothing more than just seeing with your physical eye. Like you see me now, I look at you now. That’s «blepo,» all right? Blip is just a blip, all right? You just take a look at me, I take a look at you, with the physical eyes, all right? To see naturally. Then the next verse says, «Then Simon Peter came following him, and Peter went into the tomb».
So John was outside, stooping down. By the way, if you go to the garden tomb, which I believe is the real empty tomb of Jesus, do you know when you stand outside, you have to stoop down to see the place where Jesus lay? So that again confirms it. So as John was stooping down, just «blepo,» just looking, Peter came in here he went in right ahead, all right? «And he went into the tomb and he saw the linen clothes lying there». He also saw it, but this saw is a different Greek word, it is the word, «Theorio». Where we get our English word for theory. «And he saw the linen clothes lying there and the handkerchief that had been around Jesus’s head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded together in a place by itself».
Let me tell you this, if a thief is rushing, he unwraps everything, all right? Can you imagine the thief saying, «Hang on, hang on. I must wrap this and fold it together. Yeah, my mother says it must fold». You know, so that very thing caused him to «theorio». When he looked at it, he says blink blink, you know, what’s going on down here? Are you with me so far? All right, then it says, It’s folded together in a place by itself. «Then the other disciple who is John, who came into the tomb first, he went in also and he saw and believed».
Now there’s a third word for saw in the Greek, and this word here is «Eiodo». And «Eiodo» is intuitive seeing, it’s to see by the Holy Spirit. It’s to see by the Holy Spirit. Like the New Covenant says, No longer will they say, «Ginosko» know the Lord, know the Lord, «Ginosko» the Lord, or know by experience. But all shall «Eiodo» me. All those who believe in me, they will know me intuitively. Okay, so those are three words for see. The first one, «Blepo,» just plain seeing. «Theorio,» seeing with logical reasoning, theorizing. And then the last one is revelation, seeing. Seeing intuitively, and John was the first one that believed. John saw and John believed. «For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead».
So to that point, they still didn’t believe or understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead. Let’s go on. «Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary, Mary Magdalene, stood outside the tomb weeping, and as she wept, she stood down and looked into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting. One at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain». So it’s like she saw the Ark of the Covenant. When she looked inside, remember the Ark of the Covenant that I love to preach on? There are two cherubim, one on either side. And angels in the Bible, usually in the Old Testament, they never sit down.
Apostle Prince, when the angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah, Samson’s father, he was sitting down. That’s not an angel, angel, that is the Lord Jesus in his appearance. He’s called the angel of the Lord. Angels are always standing, why? Now you see them sitting, why? The work is finished, they are sitting on either side as if to mark the place where the blood of Jesus was still fresh, where He lay, that means what? Redemption has been accomplished, man is forgiven. The way to God is open. God is now reconciled and man is reconciled to God, hallelujah.
But look at this woman, Mary Magdalene. Her heart is so full of Jesus, her heart is so full of love for him that the Bible says, «She saw two angels. They said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? ' She said to them, 'Because they have taken away my Lord. And I do not know where they have laid Him». She didn’t even mention his name. You see, when your heart is full of Jesus, you expect everybody to know him that’s the characteristic of love. A heart is so full of love, she expects everyone to know who is my Lord, I love it. Why did she love him much? Because she has been forgiven much. Jesus cast seven devils out of her, amen. So look at what happened, they asked her, «Why are you weeping»?
Now these are two angels talking to her. You know what she did? Next verse. «Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there». She turned away from angels because she was only eyes for the Lord. May that be true of us, amen. Regardless of the fact we don’t understand much about the Bible, but our hearts are full of love for him, amen. «And when she turned around she saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus». All right, «Jesus said to her 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? ' Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him and I’ll take Him away».
She expects Him to know who is the Him. Like I told you, when your heart is full of love, right? You don’t even have to explain. You know, she expects the whole world to know who Jesus is. «Tell me where you have laid Him». Now, does she believe in the resurrection? No, is her heart full of love for him? Yes, all right, next verse. «Jesus said to her, 'Mary! ' She turned to Him». There’s a way of saying it. That only the Lord can say it. «'Mary.' And she turned to Him and said, 'Rabboni, ' (which means my master.)» Now earlier on, when he first saw her, He says «Woman, why are you weeping»?
Here he calls her name, Mary. When he calls her woman, it is God addressing his creature. When he calls her Mary, it is the Savior calling his sheep. One is creation, one is redemption, amen. «Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.'»
So for the first time, he’s saying, he used to say, my Father, my Father. Now he says, my Father and your Father, my God and your God. People, because of what Jesus did at the cross, his Father is your Father and my Father. his God is our God, hallelujah. The same God of miracles, the same God of Moses that opened up the Red Sea, the same God of Elijah that took Elijah back in a whirlwind, the same God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who anointed him with the Holy Spirit who went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil and stopping deaf ears, opening the eyes of the blind, cleansing the lepers and raising the dead. This same God is your God.
Next verse, «Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her». Now, if you are taking down notes, all right, I’m bringing this to a close and I think I’ll do it in alliteration form because it’s easier for you to remember in alliteration, okay? He’s going to give us victory over these areas, and no matter what you are faced with, you are either being confronted with fear, so the first alliteration is fearfulness, all right? The other thing that he gives us victory over in his resurrection is faithlessness, and the final one we will see is fruitlessness, okay? In alliteration form, easier for you to remember. All right, first of all, fearfulness.
Verse 19. «Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear, for fear, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood in the midst». I love that, in the midst. «And said to them, 'Peace be with you.'» Now how many know fear is a sin? Whatever fear you may have, in this case, the disciples were afraid of men, amen. They were afraid of dying. That’s what I’m saying just now. After they saw the risen Christ, they are no longer afraid of dying even for his name’s sake.
But here, their fear was, you might have fear about being left alone. Fear of losing someone you love. Fear of losing your money. Fear of the future. Fear of not being able to accomplish something. Fear of losing someone’s good opinion. Fear over your health. Fear over your child’s health. Fear over a lot of things in the future, whatever it is, fear is sin. Fear was the first thing that when men became self-righteous, they took the fruit, the first thing that happened to him was a fearful heart, fear. And notice the Lord appeared right in the midst of their fear and he never even rebuked them for their fear. And He said, «Peace be unto you». I’m telling you the risen Christ he’s risen not to impute sin to you, he’s risen to impute righteousness to you. He did not come demanding confession, by the way, those who teach confession, all right?
And I believe in confession but I don’t believe you confess your sins in order to be forgiven. I believe you confess your sins because you have been forgiven. If you want God to work in your life, then just know this, he wants your life full of peace, full of well-being, full of health, okay? So he says, «Peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side». These are the divine tokens of receipt. His hands and his side are pierced, his side was pierced with a spear. The spear represents the enmity of man and the tip of that spear met the blood that washes. And I’m telling you people, he showed them his hands to tell them, the receipt for your peace has been paid. The receipt for your health has been paid. The receipt for forgiveness of your sins has been paid.
Look at this, look at my hands, these are the receipts. So the devil can come to God and say, «God, you’re a thrice holy God. You’re a holy, holy, holy God. And man is a thrice messed up man. All right, he’s three-fold dirty. How can a thrice holy God accept a thrice sinful man»? And God says, «Look at the cross. All the sins and the filth of man was born by the sinless one. Amen, and there is where my judgment is. It is not that I did not judge that man’s sin, that man’s sin, that man’s sin, that woman’s sin, it’s that I judged them. But I judged them not in their bodies, but in the body of the one that hung on the cross in the middle of the two thieves. It was upon him that I judged all the sins of men». Because this person’s sins have been judged in the cross devil, you cannot have access into his life.
Though you had a right in times past because so and so broke my law, amen. Therefore, using the curse of the broken law, you could enforce some things in his life, but because the man in the middle of the cross gave his life as payment, he who knew no sin, and his payment was for this man. So that whatever he deserves that you can bring in his life, he took at the cross. So that what he deserves, all the good things and the favor that this man didn’t deserve was given to him. And I am a holy God, I must make sure that this transaction is kept.
That’s why God can be righteous in making sinful men righteous, that’s the love of God. Oh, the wisdom of God in the cross. The princes of this world, the devil and his principalities and his cohorts never dream of such a love and such wisdom that is portrayed in the cross, amen. Amen, praise God. «Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord». The disciples were glad. Glad here is the word «Chairo». Remember when you were taught about joy coming from the word «Chairo»? Same root word. Joy is «Chairo». This is literally joy.
So peace comes from seeing it’s accomplished work. Then your conscience says, «Paid, you are at rest». You don’t have to exact punishment from your wife, from your husband. You don’t have to punish yourself also anymore. You don’t have to cut yourself. It’s paid, when it’s paid, your conscience says, «Rest, it’s paid». But what about joy? Joy comes by seeing the Lord. Joy comes by seeing the Lord. Before you step out of your house, before you go anywhere, before you travel, whatever you do what you want is that you want to be led forth with joy and be led forth with peace and go out with joy. That’s what you want, you want to go out with joy and be led forth with peace. Joy and peace is the kingdom of God. When you have joy and peace in your heart the Holy Spirit can lead you.
When you find yourself stepping, doing something and there’s no peace, you don’t do it. You know how God speaks to you, that’s how God leads you. There’s no joy, there’s no peace, don’t do it. Someone talks to you and it sounds really friendly, it flatters you and there’s no peace, shun that person, amen. So joy and peace, peace comes by knowing his finished work, joy comes by seeing the Lord. The next one, «Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, 'We have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, 'Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails and put my hand in his side, I will not believe.'»
There are people who say, unless I touch him, unless I feel him, I will not believe. So that particular Sunday, that Sunday, eight days after that, «His disciples were again inside and Thomas with them, Jesus came, the doors being shut». You see, in the resurrected body, shut doors pose no problem. We transcend that already. Our bodies will be like his, okay? Please don’t just float into my mansion, there’s his own protocol in heaven, thank God, all right? «The doors being shut and He stood in the midst». I love that again. «And said, 'Peace to you.' Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach your finger here. Look at my hands. Reach your hand here put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.' And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God, '» let me just tell you this, okay?
If Jesus is not God, okay? And He should have rebuked Thomas right here. No, my friend, Thomas was accurate. Jesus is Lord. He is hundred percent deity, hundred percent humanity. And it says «Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed». So now he gives us victory over faithlessness. The first one is victory over fearfulness, now victory over faithlessness. And the last one, victory over fruitlessness. The next chapter, this is about two weeks after Jesus rose from the dead. And I’ll go through it real fast.
«After these things, Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way, He showed Himself. Simon Peter Thomas called the Twin, Nathaniel of Cana and Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, 'I’m going fishing.' They said to him, 'We are going with you also.'» He’s obviously a natural born leader.
All right, he says, «Hey guys, I’m going fishing». They say, «We go with you». All right, «They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing». Fruitlessness, they are experienced fishermen. Some of them are experienced fishermen, they didn’t help them. They caught nothing. «But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore. yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus». Have you noticed that Jesus is so close to you at the hour of your need? Have you noticed that? When there was a storm rising, where was Jesus? He didn’t shout from afar, he was walking on the sea.
Here, they were near the shore and they were tired, they were hungry, they were cold because it’s morning now and they toil the whole night, they caught nothing. Now inwardly, they were discouraged, inwardly they were lacking in motivation to go further and Jesus comes right at the right time. I’ll tell you something about Jesus, he knows what you’re going through. Next verse, I’ll close with this. «Then Jesus said to them, 'Children, do you have any food? ' They answered him, 'No.' And He said to them, 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.'»
And then Jesus says, not only find, notice what he says, «You will find some». In their case, it’s the fish. Let me tell you what Jesus means when he says you will find some. His some is not our some. He says, «You cast your net on the right side and you will find some». Watch, «So they cast and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish». They can’t even drag the net out. It was so full of fish. That’s what it means when he say, some, amen.
Let me tell you about Jesus. Heaven’s economy and our economy are totally different, okay? When he tells you, I have something good for you, Mary chose the good part. Let me tell you this, good for him, good for man are two different things. When he says good, the good can go on and on and on. You know something else? Peter gave him his boat, right? And Peter lost time to catch fish. In the natural, you lose time when you come to church, you serve the Lord, you take time Sunday to be with the Lord, and you say it’s lost time.
Jesus is never beholden to anybody. You can never out give him. Because you know why? For that little lost time, when he went back to Peter’s boat, Peter launched out, he gave Peter a net breaking, boat sinking, load of fishes. So victory over fearfulness, victory over faithlessness and now victory over fruitlessness. It was so much fish, they could not carry it into their boat, they had to drag it all the way to land. And that’s the picture of the risen Christ selected by the Holy Spirit to cover the Gospels. But there were many, many things the Bible says Jesus did, but these are written that you might believe and that believing you might have life through his name. And all the people said, amen.