Text 1^st Cor. 13: 8 – 13 All things pass away, except Charity.

A. Miracles and faith healing were never meant for our time.

1. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

a. The Lord said they would all end except charity. V. 10 “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” When we have the perfect one complete, this is not doubt the word of God.

b. Miracles were signs of evidence, but after they served there purpose they ended. “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs...” (Acts 2:22).

c. When Jesus Christ healed the sick and raised the dead, He manifested His sovereign power over the spiritual poverty of depraved humanity.

d. When He fed the thousands with a few loaves and fishes, He demonstrated His ability to reverse the curse of barrenness caused by the fall.

e. When He walked upon the yielding waves and beckoned to the obedient winds, He showed that He was creation’s Lord.

f. All of His wonderful miracles show who He is, The Lord of creation and the Master of our universe.

2. However, The Lord said they would all cease.

a. V. 10 “ But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” All of these things we can look at as a schoolmaster, the law to show us our failure to a Holy God, and miracles and wonders to show us He is God. Their usefulness had ended and so have they.

b. Some religionist of our time say they still have these powers and some believe these men have them, but who do we believe God or man.

c. Jesus done these miracles and wonders to say who He was, God.

d. However, the perfect one has come and everything except Love has expired. Only God can perform miracles and wonders.

B. There are not always miracles around the corner for us.

1. Everything brings glory to the name of God, sometimes even our suffering.

a. God in His omnipotent powers can deliver us all and heal us all and rescue us all, if it was His pleasure, however sometimes our suffering brings glory to His name. Psalms 76:10 “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.”

b. Jesus set the prisoner free but left John the Baptist to die in Herod’s prison. Herod’s birthday was John’s death-day.

c. Just because we walk a holy life in this world does not guarantee us a blessed and trouble free life. Paul said, “We are troubled on every side...” (II Cor. 4:8). David prayed, “Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me...” (Ps. 9:13).

d. Deliverance from our troubles on this earth is not our promise, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (8.) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (9.) Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (10.) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”

e. Remember Jesus allowed most of His followers to die a martyr’s death, including John the Baptist.

f. Jesus had and does have the power to proclaim universal healing, liberty to all captives, and resurrection of all the dead. However, He does not do it except only when it brings glory to His name in some way.

2. Many religious people have more zeal than knowledge; their main emphasis is the miraculous works of Christ rather than His impeccable Person.

a. We see many go to these healing services with great zeal, but not to worship our impeccable Lord.

b. A message on our impeccable Savior holds very little, if any, interest to these religionists. Physical healing occupies their chief interest.

c. Their philosophy is similar to that of people who desire to be saved from the punishment of hell, but desire no part of the Lordship of Christ. They want the blessing but not the Blesser.

3. Yes the Apostles had these powers, but only in accrediting the testimony of the apostles. 2 Corinthians 12:12 “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”

a. Example, They did not go around as religionist of today healing on demand.

b. We see this power in the miraculous power which opened the Philippian jail for Paul (Acts 16:25-36) but why wasn’t it displayed in other prison experiences?

c. Salvation has never been born out of performing miracles and wonders. The Philippian jailer was not saved because of the miracle of the earthquake.

d. John 2:23-25 “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. (24.) But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, (25.) And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” The Lord says here these folk’s hearts were churned but not by genuine faith therefore they were not saved.

e. The crucifiers of Christ saw His miracles and wonders but still killed Him.

4. Salvation is in the impeccable Savior, not in signs and wonders.

a. The religionist of our time are not about salvation, but rather about excitement.

b. All of these things have ended, there are no more men of miracles and wonders, there are no more reasons to prove Jesus is God, we have the complete word of God for our proof.