Miracles
Part #1 of a 2 part series
Scripture: Mark 16
Does Miracles still happen today?
Wrong use of the term miracle:
- A purely unusual event
- A simple coincidence
- An everyday occurrence
Defining a Miracle
- A supernatural Intervention
- Supernatural – God is the cause of true miracles
- God, who is continuously active in the world, breaks His usual pattern and does something extraordinary.
- A miracle transcends natural laws (but doesn’t break natural laws).
- A miracle overpowers the law of nature – It is an exception to a natural law
- A miracle has a special purpose
- Purpose – Confirm someone or something was truly God. They authenticated the message and the messenger, and demonstrated God’s love by relieving suffering
A. God empowered Moses to perform miracles as evidence that God had sent him – Exodus 3:1-4:9
B. God used miracles to show that He had sent Jesus and to reveal His identity – John 10:25; John 14:11; Acts 2:22, John 20:30-31
C. Miracles verify that the Apostles and their message were from God
D. God used miracles to bring people to Jesus – Acts 9:40-42
E. Miracles were used to reveal God (His love by reviving suffering) and bring glory to Him – John 11:40
A closer look at Biblical miracles
With Biblical miracles there was always clear order and purpose to them
Miracles cluster around Four Periods of Biblical History:
- The Exodus
- The Prophets
- The Ministry of Christ
- The Apostles
The Importance of Miracles Actually Occurring:
If there is no such this as Miracles, then much of the Old and New Testaments are false and unreliable
Are Miracles Possible?
Consider Creation – In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth
- If God created and designed the universe, He can be involved in His creation anytime He chooses
- If God is the source of natural laws, He can supersede them at any time
- God who created time, space, stars, planets, moons, and all the variety of life on earth can intercede in more simple acts than these like healing or helping in time of need
Miracles do not as widely occur today as a basis of faith because we have extraordinary records of superior accuracy to show God’s truth
The question, claim, and the Answer:
Question – “If God performed miracles then, why does He not do them now?”
Claim – “If I saw a miracle I could believe!”
Answer – “They have the Word of God” Luke 16:31
It is interesting that those opposed to Jesus didn’t deny the fact of the miracles He performed.
They either attributed them to the power of Satan or tried to suppress the evidence
Next Week –
Authentic miracles are part of the means of establishing the true religion.
Are all miracle claims alike? Or are Biblical miracles different?