Keep sharing good news without ads.
No description available
Address a different topic and again these are topics that certainly are in the book by Sproul on essentials of the Christian faith and I think it's good from time to time to pick up on different subjects as we can.
But again this morning talk about miracles and I think that's a subject that's not too often spoken about and perhaps there's some some good reasons for it and some is almost in my mind some of it is almost a a way of staying back from getting into discussions about are miracles still for today and and things like that.
So as we do this this morning and I put the scriptures on the board we're going to look at a bunch of scriptures about miracles and just to try to consider it and so as we start let me say this and and I'm going to follow Sproul's outline this morning pretty much because I thought it was really good especially on this topic and so here's what he says about miracles.
He says that miracles is something outside the normal course of nature. Agree? Yeah I mean yeah however he then goes on and he qualifies that and I think in a in a good way where he says there's three different types of miracles or there's three different ways in which we are to understand miracles and I want to just consider that for a moment.
He says this this is what he was he was laying out he said first of all when you think of a miracle you think of something that is outside the course of nature but he also says it could be something that's common but an impressive event that's the way he worded it.
So when you think about it um we would say the birth of a baby is a miracle. Agree? Yeah a birth of a baby is it's common it happens over and over again but it's still such a impressive event that many people will consider that as a miracle and certainly I would agree to that.
You know sometimes people will if you remember and I was thinking about this yesterday if you remember back I think it was 1980 when the U .S. hockey team beat the Russians in the Olympics and you remember what that was called it was called the miracle on ice and it was a it's a common event people play hockey all the time but it was the reality that it was the way it turned out people termed it as as if it was a miracle and so when you think about that or you could have a spectacular catch in football or you know you name all the different things that you think about and they're common events and yet there is something out of the ordinary or impressive about it so that's one way he lays out this thought of miracles.
Then he said this he said that there's a second one and that's when let's say through an act of providence things take place that have really no other explanation attached to them except that it's a miracle.
He brought up the fact of when the star appeared in the east and the men saw the star appearing in the east which led them to Bethlehem to find a baby in the manger and he's he was saying that if you think about that you think about how times providence seems to line up in such a way that it's such a it's of such magnitude that people will consider it a miracle and I was thinking and maybe you'll agree like let's just say and we've read about all the times a plane crashes and there's 200 people on board and one person survives and people will say it's a miracle that anyone lived and as you think about it in a real sense is that not God's providence at work is that not God through the outworking of things bringing to pass his purpose and again that is something that is within the realm of what people might call normal planes fly unfortunately planes crash and and yet in that working of it it is it is considered as a miracle.
And then he then he says this and certainly I think this is the one that we probably pay the most attention to is when God acts against nature when God acts against nature and we'll spend some time on that because if you think about it the gospels and the book of acts and many other places and we're going to look at all these scriptures hopefully you have time we see things that are against nature things that would not normally take place if God didn't intervene in a if you will in a miraculous way.
And so I thought that was a pretty good way of of kind of dividing up different aspects of it what's interesting to me. And well let's just do it this way let's go to Hebrews chapter 2. I'm going to read two scriptures because these are really right on point concerning the subject that we're talking about so Hebrews chapter 2 and I'm just going to read the first four verses of chapter 2.
Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proves steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
Then he says this God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own. Let's just stop for a second and think about there are basically two words that are used in the original language for miracles and at times interchangeable with signs.
And the two words are dunamis right which is what Paul says in Romans chapter 1 he says the gospel is the what is the power of God. And so in one in many places as we read about miracles we'll see this word dunamis translated and it really speaks about power.
And then there's another word and I probably won't say it right but it's semion and it really talks about a sign something that is given in a in a miraculous kind of way to bear witness. And and as I looked through it and found where wherever a miracle was in in the New Testament in particular and also the word signs that they are used interchangeably so when you think about that what we're talking about is the the power of God in a display that is unmatched unparalleled in the normal nature of things.
And so thinking about that and thinking about what the word means or how the words are used and then there's there's also what's interesting in in this it talks about signs and wonders and various miracles.
And and the one the word wonders is is a completely different word. So so but what I am trying to say is that when you talk about miracles or signs they are used interchangeably and the context kind of bears out which word is used at a particular point.
So when you think about it and you you think about the words that are used let's just say when Jesus turned the water into wine would we not agree that that was an absolute miracle against nature right.
And and it was in that sense a sign and people noticed that sign but it was something that stood out and as you you think about it well I was going to wait a few minutes but let me ask how many of us if we thought about it given those three different definitions that Sproul brought up about one that either a miracle is a is a common event but it's in a it's in such an impressive way that we consider it as a miracle or when God works in providence at a let's say an opportune time and many times that is a miracle or when God works against nature so how many of us could ever say or can say that we've witnessed a miracle and and it could be in any one of those three categories something that's normal something that's it's normal but it's impressive something that in it just seems is an act of divine providence or something that is outside the realm if you will like the water being turned into wine.
Mario my life experiences. A few months ago I mean I was just um pray tell what was your miracle brother. Well let's see. Months ago I mean when I left set free I was like okay where I'm gonna go next from here.
I'm in this halfway house now right. And nobody I told me this story about this I didn't know nobody told me this place. You know I would just all I do all I do is say taught this guy named James Gandy you know you know and I've heard his name before but like I didn't know him and so I just I did that right.
And you know I'm not to where I am now. Now I'm working and I was.
Going to stay you know I've been able to like you know. Okay so so as you say that now what what category would you feel comfortable putting that in. Would you say for me. Right. Okay so that would be an outworking of but it was is of such an impressive nature that you would consider it as a miracle.
Yeah right um I would guess that we all have something that has taken place through the providence of God that we would say you know what this this had to have been. Uh the outworking of a miracle. And I don't know if you want to relate your miracle or one of the miracles that you which one I have a thousand yeah I know my wife always tells me it's a miracle I'm still alive but the one when we went to Oklahoma.
Oh yeah you can you can relate that story. So we went to we went to Oklahoma um visit my daughter and my son-in-law he was in the navy he was based in Oklahoma and we decided to go catfishing because me and him loved to fish.
So we made all our preparations and and we took like this hour-long ride and we wound up underneath the bridge at some creek um in the middle of podunk or maybe it was east podunk I don't know what where we were but anyway um as we got out and we started to walk to where we were going to fish underneath the bridge right so it's an underpass we started to notice weird things like there were syringes on the ground and there was some some kind of satanic stuff.
Yeah it was satanic uh almost looked like things in the ground written on the ground whatever it was. And so we began to get now honestly and I know because I sensed it too began to get like an eerie kind of feeling about it all.
Next thing you know and honestly still to this day I don't know how it happened. Next thing you know there's a an older black man in a in overalls and he comes walking out of nowhere. I mean literally he would he was there yeah and he said to us if I were you I would get out of here because this is not a place to be and so we started talking between us and next thing you know he's gone.
I mean he was literally gone. I don't know where he came from. Right baby don't know where he came from or where he went. Nevertheless we took his advice and we got out of there until and still to this day I think of it I know uh candy does and even my son-in-law and my daughter that this almost seemed like a miracle that this man just appeared out of nowhere and told us gave us good advice and we got the heck out of there.
So I would say that all of us have something in our lives that we could point to or maybe like you say many things that we could point to where we would say it was an absolute miracle. I just mentioned one other me and my son went fishing at where were we Yugonok Park and the current really moves fast in there and my son the fireman he's he's got he's a rescue swimmer all the other things but anyway he went out in the kayak he was going to paddle out and and I was on the shore because I was I wasn't.
I'm not doing that. And next thing you know all of a sudden his kayak turned over and he's being swept out by the current and I mean fast have you ever been to Yugonok Park when that tide goes out I mean it's a mover so I got really panicky because I thought I was going to lose him because he had he was fully dressed too and and so his clothes and his shoes and everything and he started to go.
He got to the mouth almost to the mouth of the river. And next thing you know there's a boat and honestly I gotta say there's this boat that came out of nowhere just sitting on the side he went got my son brought him back to where we were and then the boat disappeared.
I mean and I'm gonna say that and my son will testify that that was this guy came out. We didn't have any idea that there would be a boat there. And and it was a bit away like I said but somehow that guy got him brought him brought his kayak and disappeared.
So I again I I say these things because I think we all would have to admit there are many things in life that would appear as if we've been we have experienced a miracle.
Agree. I think sometimes we're afraid to say that because I agree because we're so. Everybody's like the voodoo and you know especially we're afraid to actually pick up on it you know. But it happens.
All the time it's everywhere. Yeah. And I know uh yeah this kind of debate especially in our you know sect of christianity and then the reformed circle sect it does not still do miracles. You.
Know that's like a that's like a common debate among sure sure. And I think to your point and what you just said is we tend to be hesitant um because of that because we don't want to get into that that bucket of you know you know I sat on my bed and Jesus was sitting there and it was a miracle.
Um and things like that. And there are many who abuse that truth. Right. But I think it is a truth. Now does I think sometimes we try to put God in a box by saying he doesn't do miracles. And we talked about this we had this in the academy but the rainbow in the sky is a miracle.
Absolutely yes. But we just oh that's pretty. Yeah. And it's an act of providence. Right. And it's it's common but it's not so common that because there was one the other day I actually took a picture of it it was it was drizzled a little bit and I but we have either a tendency to avoid it totally because we're afraid of where it might lead in people's minds or to some it's it's such a everyday event that it it's almost like it must be.
So sometimes we put box God in a box and say he can't or he won't or he always does. And if you don't experience a miracle it's only because of you know a host of reasons. Yeah so it's uh it's an interesting interesting topic and um as you survey the scriptures in in the old testament and in the new testament particularly um countless times there are these miracles and signs and wonders that take place and and you think about the ministry of Elijah or Elisha they were great prophets used by God and particularly them among others certainly when Moses went to Egypt right those were miraculous workings of God's power.
But when you think about Elisha and Elijah they were very um they were greatly used by God and a lot of what took place in their life was what accompanied with a miracle a sign a wonder a power. And and that's why when you think about the words that they used interchangeably whether it is just we would just say it's power or it is an absolute working against nature either way I think it becomes something that um you and I can look at and we could say that we have had uh to some degree some personal experience with miracles and if we really were to think about it the greatest miracle will at least to me greatest miracle will is what the new birth right is the new birth.
Yeah. And and what comes out of the resurrection that God would take a dead sinner and make him alive. And certainly we could read like in Ezekiel 37 right where the dead bones remember the whole thing with the dead bones and can the bones live.
And Lord you know if they can live and and and all those things. But but there also is this outworking of um signs and wonders and again much of the ministry of Jesus was accompanied by these impressive acts many of them against nature right but what would be what would have been the purpose of those miracles though.
Well at least in the case of the Israelites.
In the wilderness it was to show God's providential. Yeah I was like hey I'm still with you guys you know I'll put you through a wilderness where you don't have no no food but I'll give you manna.
From the sky. Yeah I mean and what we just read in Hebrews chapter 2 right which says to don't neglect so great a salvation. And really when Christ came it was to be a brother Keith brought this up last week it was to be a witness of the fact that he was who he claimed to be right and that when we do that and we think about it along those lines we as God's children can rightfully I think say that we have experienced the hand of God in a very demonstrative uh concrete and maybe out of the realm of the normal to have kept us like like you have said to me you know I'm Katie says I have a whole bunch of angels because I need them.
Like one time I stepped over a wire that there was a storm and the wire was burning the ground and the asphalt and it was a live wire and I'm I'm down here looking at the wire like that and standing in the puddle.
Oh and it's called stupidity. Actually I would use a different word but you use the word that you think fits baby. So let's just take a few minutes and look at some of the scriptures that kind of help us to understand us.
The other one was in Acts chapter 2. So let's just turn there and then I'm gonna kind of walk us through the book of Acts because it's interesting um how many times in both the gospel of John and the book of Acts that miracles seem to be mixed in with all the accounts of this power of God or the sign of God how it stands out and is used.
So in Acts chapter 2 remember the purpose of it is to demonstrate God's power. And so Pentecost comes. Acts chapter 2 right. And Peter stands up and Peter preaches his first sermon at the Pentecost. And so it it comes down.
And I'll just pick it up in verse 16 because this is what he says. This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass on the last day said God I will pour out my spirit on all flesh.
And your sons and daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions your old men shall see shall dream dreams. And on my manservants and on my maidservants I will pour out my spirit in those days.
And they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in heaven above signs in the earth beneath blood and fire and vapor of smoke. And and the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and notable day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And then he says this men of Israel hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth a man attested by God to you. How by miracles wonders signs which God did through him in your midst as you yourselves know.
There again is another description of the ministry of the Lord Jesus and how he was how God the Father bore witness to his work by these signs and by these wonders. And you know one time I heard a guy I don't remember who it was.
He was a charlatan or false prophet. Anyway he told me one day no he said and I was listening to it. He said he walked down the street one day and he kicked a rock and the rock turned into a dog and the dog turned into Satan.
What. Yeah. And and it bizarre stuff stuff that now again we have to be careful because if someone says they have an experience it's very hard to break their experience. Right. Um like I'll go back to the thing about the being under the bridge.
I myself and those that were with me I really believe that this man was sent by God. I mean I I don't now does it necessarily mean that's what happened. But to me it was of such an impressive event that I really thought that he kind of just dropped in from heaven for a few minutes.
Um but when you start to talk to people and again I think this is why we recoil sometimes from this thought of miracles and wonders and signs again you know you walk down the street you kick a rock the rock turns into a dog the dog turns into Satan.
And all this bizarre stuff. And we have a tendency especially us who are maybe more.
Huh. Conservative conservative tight.
Tight. Whoa suspect suspect. Yeah we're a little more apprehensive of of such things taking place and yet yet we don't want to be caught as those that say God can't or God doesn't. I think we have to be very very careful how we define the term miracles and again that's why I thought Sproul's three categories were helpful.
Because okay it could be just a event but it's of such magnitude or it could be an act of providence or it could be truly.
Something against nature because I can assure you if I go home today and kick a rock and there's a.
Dog I'm not gonna tell nobody. No brother. Yeah they have a thing it's called the baker act. Yeah you don't want to go down that road.
Yeah yeah I mean I mean kind and that kind of. You know we took our acts too. I mean think about the debate about do people still speak. Can people still speak in tongues in a modern day context. You know because I know a lot of you know a lot of people like I said in our like like more more apprehensive would say oh tongues that was for that was that was from back then.
You know nobody's doing in the 21st century you know speaking another language. Right right. But you know I've heard some credible people that says yeah. If you're a missionary you probably see it.
More than you would in yeah and again I think that's part of the issue is that when you talk about miracles inevitably tongues come into the into the picture and again I think that's something that um and they're pretty well associated with that movement today.
Yes yes absolutely right. And so when you think about it when people have a certain perspective of things or a certain understanding of scriptures many times it winds up getting coupled with other things and so again the miracles and the wonders.
But so let's just continue in the book of acts because I thought this was interesting that in the book of acts there are so many um historical accounts and again unless we don't believe the bible is is god's word these are historical accounts of what took what took place.
And so in acts chapter 5 and you remember the story of Ananias and Sapphira and they sold the land and then they lied about how much they sold it for and Ananias falls down dead and and then his wife falls down um after she comes in and all that.
But I want you to look at verse 12 and it says this. And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people and they were one with they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
Again this whole thought of signs wonders uh although wonders is a different word but the interchangeable use of of both power um and and the other word which really is um sometimes just translated as a sign.
But there was this outworking of of so many miracles. Look in acts chapter 6 and again I think sometimes we just gloss over uh certain passages for certain reasons but look about Stephen right as they chose the the seven to be uh responsible for the handling of the widows.
And look at in verse 8 of chapter 6 and it says. And Stephen full of faith and power did great wonders and signs among the people. Again perhaps we would say well this was a transitional time and this was a time when God was still bearing witness as we read in Hebrews chapter 2 and that and I'll go back to the thought of the tongues that once the canon was closed and once the church was established and once these things became known among others that in a sense they it seems to have dropped off right.
But at the same time we don't want to be the ones to say well that means that God doesn't do miracles and perform signs and wonders today again I'm I agree with you if I kick a rock and it turns into a dog I'll probably run him.
And I'm definitely not telling anybody because what would be the first thought okay you you need must go ahead. Yeah yeah you need you need something. So again the the book of Acts is interesting from that standpoint.
Look in Acts chapter 15 and you know what some people will say. Well if you read the book of Acts all you'll see is miracles. And so if God did miracles then why does why can't we say God does miracles today.
Well God parted the Red Sea at one time right. I don't believe God's going to part the Atlantic Ocean. Now. Does that mean that God can't. No I'm not saying that but there is purpose right. There is if you will within his providence to do certain things and certain at certain times.
So in Acts chapter 15 and again I think sometimes we just read the context of what they're talking about and this is the great council of Jerusalem and there's all this uproar about circumcision and and what needs to be done to be saved.
And in verse 11 but we believe Paul says this we believe through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.
Again that's why I say Hebrews chapter 2 verses 1 through 4 is a very important scripture to understand in its context and in its its broader meaning. And it's not just we ought not just to think that miracles are just the way things ought to be or we ought not to think that miracles can't be.
I think there has to be some sort of reservation in our mind and some sort of understanding of the scriptures. Right. Again just to finish these in the book of Acts look in chapter 19 I will say this I like in my own personal study sometimes I like to take a word or or many times it's a word and I like to follow it through the Bible now I know some people will say maybe that doesn't always help in understanding but I think it does.
And so as I started to look through all the different times that the word miracle or signs were presented to us in the scriptures it starts to put together a picture if you will and and even in this in Acts 19 and this is when Paul's at Ephesus and and all the things that are taking place there and then in verse 11 it says now God worked look unusual miracles by the hands of Paul so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
And and then again you can continue on reading and you'll see that other people try to copy those things but unusual miracles again maybe not of the category of something that's common but impressive or maybe not even something of the character of just the outworking of God's providence.
But this was if you look at this verse I mean unusual miracles so much to the point of even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought to him from his body and how many times we read you know Joe Schmo says if you send me $15 I'll send you a piece of miracle cloth or something like that.
And again we recoil from that and I understand why we recoil it and I think we should because there are many people who are truly just trying to rip you off but at the same time we ought to be careful and and I think you were brought up before.
And if you talk to Scott Phillips you will find out that Scott has had some unusual experiences as he went out particularly in the beginning with to the doubt people right. And we've talked about that and about how the man who had the dream that a tall white man was going to come to him and bring him good news and so again I would say that we are to be cautious but we are not to try to put God in the box from either side because it leads to really abusing what the scriptures say.
So.
Yeah and also kind of along those lines I watched an old clip of a guy's prophesying about Trump because the president this was in 2007 this was like a year before he oh really he actually came president yeah.
And he said if he went down it sounded pretty accurate sound pretty accurate to the truth to what actually happened. And I was like oh that's interesting you know because nobody thought until I said that Trump would actually be president you know.
Yeah yeah.
And again there's a lot of things that are not really miracles but we'll ascribe a miracle to it and I again I think we just have to be careful and I know we're.
Not going to have enough time to finish these scriptures. It seems like we always see. We've got to have proof it happened before we'll believe it. Yeah you know. And and you know. But you're talking about the missionaries of scott phillips.
Any missionary I've ever talked to. Something has happened to place them there to get the work kicked off. I guess so to speak to get them introduced. I guess. But just about all the many missionaries I've talked to they've experienced them.
Maybe it wasn't great wonders and but they experienced something. God opened the door.
Somehow somewhere in some fashion or manner and you would think about it and particularly in the book of Acts as the gospel is spreading right from Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth that God would accompany those missionary works.
And certainly I and you know sometimes we lose sight that Paul was on missionary journeys right. And and all his companions that went with him and that God was gracious in credentialing if you will authenticating that it was his message and his messengers.
Right. And that's again why that those verses in Hebrews chapter 2 and in Acts chapter 2 are so central to this whole thought about miracles. And of course we could read about so many that have tried to if you will abuse this whole thought and even many false prophets.
Right. Because the scriptures are quite clear about that and talking about and I just think let me read this to you. Because in second Thessalonians when he starts talking about the and the coming of the the evil one and all those things and he says the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all powers signs and lying wonders.
So again just because someone witnesses a miracle or they what they say is a miracle does that always necessitate that it's a miracle. Well all things happen by God's decree. Right. So understanding that.
But um it could also be from the evil one. Could it not. He appears as an angel of light and it talks about lying wonders and signs and and and things like that I'm just gonna throw this out in my own thought I think that UFOs are is an area that might be created by satanic influence.
That's just me because I don't believe that I don't believe that is anything more intelligent than man because man is God's crown creation. That's just my own personal belief. And so what appears to be maybe a sign or a wonder or a miracle or something doesn't necessitate that it's it's either directly from God or it is for the benefit of the believer.
It could be a deception. Right. And that's what it talks about talks about deception. So so again it's a very uh we have to be cautious with this subject. I think right now what I was going to do and I don't have time of course is to just walk us through some of the scriptures in the gospel of John and and and if I remember right there's like 13 miracles that Jesus performs.
Right something like that there's the water turned into wine there's the the healings that he does. And we talked about one last week right. There's the uh the feeding of the five thousand the feeding of the four thousand.
There's um he's out on the boat he falls asleep he wakes up and and the wind he tells the wind to be calm. And and I agreed that that was to show his divine person. We're going to talk about that Lazarus.
Yeah raising a lot. But they were miraculous things. Right. They they were absolutely things. And interesting in the book of John's and I'll end with this to me interesting in the book of John in the gospel of John because you see John really was credentialing um or he's really displaying who Jesus as the divine son.
And so I think in that in that thought with that thought behind that there's more of an emphasis on credentialing Jesus not only as the son of man but as the son of God with with a power and an ability to do signs and wonders and miracles.
So like I said we we could spend a whole lot of time on this and I do think it was worthwhile to to as Sproul brings it up and and to talk about it. And later on as we go forward maybe we'll talk about it in more detail as far as how the demons play into certain things.
Because again there's an unseen world right we all know is an unseen world and the more we understand the truth about things the easier it's going to be to discern what's not true.
I know Vance Havner I don't know if you remember. Yeah yeah. I remember someone came to him after the service I was I was carting him around at the convention and and they and this lady says I had a miracle and I remember him and I'm just about to go back to that.