The Finished Work

SEE Psalms 139:14-18; Psalms 118:24; John 5:4-21

One of the greatest lessons I learned in 2008 that has revolutionized my prayer life and the way I view my daily agenda is this:

The disciples saw results in Jesus ministry that were unparallel to any other they had ever seen. Naturally when you see someone operating on a level and getting results, you want to know their secret. The disciples saw Jesus open blind eyes, enable the mute to speak, created limbs and arms, raised the dead, multiplied a boy's lunch... You get the idea. And when Jesus encountered the enemy He never seemed to sweat or struggle to get results. In studying Jewish culture I discovered that jews started their day in the cool of the morning around 3:00 a.m. They started the day when it was cool so that they could get a head start and better utilize their energy. Jesus would often withdraw to solitary places early in the morning to spend time with the Father. According to some theologians he would often spend about 6 hours seeking the Father. Now I am advocating a secret formula, or saying you have to pray 6 hours every day. Some of us struggle to pray 1 hour.

The focus is not a formula but a principle. And when the disciples wanted to know the secret to His results, they didn't ask how He defied gravity and walked on the water, or how he overcame the law of physics and multiplied a meal... I don't know about you but I would have signed up for the class on how to multiply my resources so I could have 12 basketfuls left over. Imagine the profit you would get, multiplying dollars, jewelry, automobiles, cell phones, houses... But the disciples didn't ask for that, they simply asked Him to teach us how to pray.

What if instead of struggling, buking, and fighting to get results, you could simply speak one word and it would happen. Now mind you, Jesus while He was on the earth, He didn't use His divinity but relied upon the direction of the Father and the anointing. What takes us six hours only took Jesus 6 minutes. Why?

In John 5 Jesus comes to a man that was sitting by the pool waiting for the angel to come down and stir the waters> The only problem was He was lame and could not move into position to get in the pool before someone else. Notice he said when I try to get in the pool someone steps ahead of me. Why? Because the reality is people want theirs before you get yours. If you are waiting on a person to help you, then well you will always be waiting. My help comes from the Lord and some may trust in chariots and some may trust in horses but I will trust in the name of the Lord. Here is a man that was bound for 38 long years, seeing the same scenery, depending on people to get him out. Now that is frustration. Why did he keep showing up at the same place for 38 years? Most of us would have given up around year 8. (Later I will deal with the tipping point).

Jesus shows up and in a matter of seconds reverses the man's condition. There was no struggle, no straining, no praying and yelling, just a simple spoken word. He heals the man and then the religious leaders get mad. Why? There are a few reasons.

* Religion would rather keep a rule, than free the person.
* Jesus the ultimate rule breaker, will break a rule to free a person.
* Religion desires to make you dependant upon a person and a system, always have to get a handout, so that the preacher can keep his job.
* Religion aims to keep the person ignorant and powerless so that they have job security, because the moment you get free, you no longer need the person.

Tomorrow, what enabled Jesus to get results? What is the finished work? How can I do greater things than He did?

Blessings,
Craig