THE CHANGE JESUS CAN MAKE PART 2

TEXT- JOHN 2:1-11

INTRODUCTION

TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR OUR CHURCH BECAUSE IT IS THE FIRST SUNDAY OF FEBRUARY AND ONE OF THE DAYS THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE TO EMPHASIZE THE THEME OUR THEME FOR 1990.

IT IS AN EXCITING THEME AND ONE WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL OF DRAMATICALLY CHANGING YOUR LIFE AS WELL AS OUR CHURCH.

OUR THEME IS, "THE CHURCH THAT CARES."

WITH THIS THEME IN MIND WE HAVE SET BEFORE OURSELVES FOUR GOALS TO ACHIEVE THIS YEAR.

YOU WILL FIND THEM OUTLINED FOR YOU IN THIS MORNING'S BULLETIN.

DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY WE GOT OFF TO A GREAT START AND MADE PROGRESS IN EVERYONE OF THESE GOALS.

IN EMPHASIZING OUR THEME THIS YEAR I AM PREACHING A SERIES OF SERMONS FROM THE FIRST TWELVE CHAPTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN FOCUSING ON THE WAYS JESUS CARED ABOUT OTHERS.

IF WE WANT TO BE KNOWN AS "THE CHURCH THAT CARES" WE MUST FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS AND SEE HOW HE CARED ABOUT OTHERS. THEN WE WILL BE KNOWN AS THE CHURCH THAT CARES. WE CAN PREACH ALL DAY ABOUT JESUS, BUT PEOPLE WON’T LISTEN. BUT WHEN WE START ACTING LIKE JESUS, THEN PEOPLE WILL BEGIN TO TAKE NOTICE.

THIS MORNING OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN JOHN 2:1-11 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "THE CHANGE JESUS CAN MAKE."

HERE IN OUR TEXT WE FIND JESUS PERFORMING THE VERY FIRST MIRACLE OF HIS PERSONAL MINISTRY. IT IS THROUGH THESE MIRACLES THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SEE HOW MUCH JESUS CARED ABOUT OTHERS. SOME PEOPLE WERE BLIND, OTHERS WERE LAME, HUNGRY AND EVEN DEAD! BUT JESUS CARED ABOUT ALL OF THEM.

TODAY WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT MODERN DAY MIRACLE WORKERS AND THE POWER TO HEAL THE SICK. IT IS WHEN WE START CARING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE THAT WE WILL BEGIN TO SEE REAL MIRACLES TAKE PLACE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES.

I WAS TOLD THE OTHER DAY THAT ORAL ROBERTS HAD DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN AND WAS MET AT THE PEARLY GATES BY SAINT PETER. SAINT PETER ASKED, "WHAT'S YOUR NAME?" "ORAL ROBERTS," CAME THE REPLY. "THE ORAL ROBERTS?" SAINT PETER ASKED, "YOU NEED TO TALK TO JESUS." THEY WENT TO SEE JESUS AND SAINT PETER ANNOUNCED, "MR. ORAL ROBERTS TO SEE YOU." "THE ORAL ROBERTS?" JESUS ASKED, "YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE FATHER." SAINT PETER TOOK ORAL T0 THE GREAT THRONE ROOM AND ANNOUNCED, "MR. ORAL ROBERTS TO SEE YOU." "THE ORAL ROBERTS?" ASKED THE FATHER, "DO YOU THINK YOU COULD TAKE CARE OF A SMALL PAIN I HAVE HERE IN MY HIP?"

AS WE EXAMINE THE MIRACLES THAT JESUS DID IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN I'D LIKE US TO SEE HOW HE CARED ABOUT OTHERS.

IN THIS FIRST MIRACLE WE SEE HOW JESUS CARED ENOUGH TO CHANGE WATER INTO WINE.

IN THIS WE CAN SEE HOW HE CARES ENOUGH TO CHANGE OUR LIVES TODAY. WHEN WE BEGIN TO CARE ABOUT OTHERS, THAT’S WHEN REAL CHANGES TAKE PLACE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES. SOMETIMES THAT CHANGE EVEN TAKES PLACE IN OUR OWN LIVES.

THIS MORNING I’D LIKE US TO LOOK AT SIX THINGS WE MUST DO IN ORDER FOR OUR LIVES TO BE CHANGED?

LET US PRAY:

FATHER, AS WE COME TO THIS PORTION OF OUR WORSHIP WE PRAY THAT OUR HEARTS AND MINDS WOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE PRINCIPLES YOU WANT US TO LEARN FROM YOUR WORD AND THE LIFE OF YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST. WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL BE HONORED THROUGH THIS MESSAGE AND THAT WE WILL ALL YIELD OURSELVES TO THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TO DO YOUR WILL TODAY. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.