Psalm 77      Miracles

Rev. David Holwick  C

First Baptist Church

Ledgewood, New Jersey

January 21, 1996

Psalm 77:11-15


MIRACLES



  I. Do miracles happen today?

      A. Miracles are attractive to us.

          1) We want faith to be "real," not just "hoping."

          2) Often people are driven by desperation.


      B. Miracles are confusing to us.

          1) We usually don't see miracles like the apostles did.

          2) The ones we see are not always clear-cut:


          On November 15, 1987, Continental flight #1713 took off from

             Denver Airport.

          The inexperienced pilots neglected to de-ice the wings and

             the plane crashed and flipped on its back.

          Many of the victims were trapped for hours.

          In the panic following the crash, flight attendant Kelly

             Engelhart felt a realization settling over her.

          "It was as if someone whispered in my ear:  'There will be

             no fire.'

          It gave me a great, peaceful calm.

          I believe with all my heart that God just reached in and

             snuffed out that fire.

          54 people are alive today because there was no fire."


          "Our being alive is one of God's miracles, pure and simple.

          There was not an earthly chance that even one of us should

             have escaped that crash.

          But now I knew we were going to save a lot of people;

             I knew that guardian angels had brought us a miracle."


          It is wonderful, even miraculous, that 54 survived the

             terrible crash.

          But what about those who didn't survive?

             Where was their miracle?

                                                                    #1100


      C. Miracles are central to Christianity.

          1) If there are no miracles, you are wasting your time here.

              a) Can't you think of better things to do than sit in a pew?

          2) It is because we believe God can break into our world, and

                do dramatic things, that we worship him.


II. Science and miracles.

      A. Our modern reluctance about miracles stems from science.

          1) Ancient Roman philosopher Cicero argued,

               "Nothing happens without a cause, and nothing happens

                   unless it can happen.

                When that which can happen does in fact happen, it

                   cannot be considered a miracle.

                Hence, there are no miracles."

             In other words, a miracle is something that cannot happen,

                but does.

             When it does, it can happen and so is not a miracle.

                                                                    #1808

          2) Philosopher David Hume set the modern secular attitude

                toward miracles.

              a) He could not disprove them.

              b) But miracles in different religions cancel each other out.

              c) Anything that happens can one day be explained.

          3) Miracles became limited to truly extraordinary events.


      B. Miracle:  An immediate act of God, with no natural means used.

          1) Only unnatural events qualify.

              a) Virgin birth.

              b) Walking on water.

              c) Resurrection of dead.

          2) Thomas Aquinas - God only violates what we perceive to be

                normal in nature.

          3) But many Biblical miracles use natural means and are

                "wonderful," but not abnormal.


      C. Few modern miracles can be attested scientifically.

          1) Healings can always be attributed to psychosomatic causes.

          2) Mass visions of Virgin Mary are based on hysteria.

          3) God is best left out of the world.  He merely watches.


III. Miracles in the Bible.

      A. Three aspects of miracles in the Bible.

          1) Distinctive, wonderful.

          2) Mighty, powerful.

          3) Meaningful, significant.    "signs"


      B. No sharp distinction God's providence and his miracles.

          1) In other words, God is doing stuff all the time.

          2) Some is remarkable to us, some is not.  But it is all of God.

          3) Example of life itself.

              a) Explainable to a point, but still "wonderful and fearful."


      C. Bible miracles are not just "unnatural, unexplainable" events.

          1) Miracles often have natural elements, but with great timing.

          2) Plagues of Exodus have natural counterparts, but were

                consistently  predicted by Moses.

          3) Best biblical definition:  something amazing and unusual.


      D. Why does God have to "interfere" in this world?

          1) In Bible, God is personal and living.

          2) He is not just Destiny but Redeemer.

          3) God seen acting in all situations.


IV. Miracles and revelation.

      A. Miracles are intended to deepen a person's understanding of God.

          1) However, faith is not a necessary condition to miracles.

          2) Even in face of unbelief, Jesus healed a few.       Mark 6:5


      B. Miracles cluster around critical periods in sacred history.

          1) Moses and the Exodus from Egypt.

          2) Elijah and Elisha, when Israel was in the pits.

          3) Jesus and apostles.

              a) Jesus performed at least 35 miracles.

              b) Miracles established his credibility.


      C. Problem of evil miracles.

          1) Pharaoh's physicians made canes into snakes.

          2) Satan can perform "miracles."                    2 Thess 2:9

          3) The background of a miracle matters.             Deut 13:1-5

              a) True prophecies, that lead away from God, are condemned.

              b) False miracles are wonderful, but not of God.

              c) Jesus did not perform useless wonders.  (signs)


  V. Modern miracles.

      A. Some Christians experience miracles on a daily basis.

          1) Pentecostal perspective.

              a) (Pat Robertson prays hurricane away from his TV tower.)

              b) If we only believe, miracles will happen.

                  1> Miracles are more common in missions overseas

                        because they are open to it.

              c) Jesus himself promises it:                   John 14:12f

                 "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will

                     do what I have been doing.

                  He will do even greater things than these, because

                    I am going to the Father."

          2) Dangers of over-emphasis.

              a) In America, it leads too easily to "health and wealth."

                  1> God becomes a passive, automatic dispenser.

                  2> (God found me a parking space!)

              b) Miracles lead us to worship ourselves and our desires.

                  1> "No sign except sign of Jonah" to evil generations.

                  2> Sign we need is a prophetic rebuke.       Matt 12:39


      B. Other Christians believe miracles should be very rare.

          1) In Bible, three to four hundred years go by with no miracles.

              a) One hundred years after Jesus, they fell off again.

              b) Perhaps miracles ceased with the apostles.


          2) Miracles like the resurrection are meant to be special.

              a) They are glimpses of the next life.

              b) We are not there completely, and can't be in this world.

              c) Jesus' promise of "greater things" may refer to teaching

                    on salvation.

                  1> No apostolic miracle compares to raising of Lazarus.

          3) Many "miracles" are wishful thinking or self-promotion.


             In one of his books, faith healer Benny Hinn claims that he

                experienced a burst of miracles in a Catholic hospital.

             He and some others were anointing patients with oil, and

                they "began to receive instant healing."

             He writes that "you could feel God's spirit all over the

                building.

             Within a few minutes the hospital looked almost like it

                had been hit by an earthquake."


             Lois C. Krause, director of P.R. at the hospital, challenged

                Hinn's descriptions.

             "No such events have ever occurred at General Hospital."

             Hinn's claims "can neither be verified through the medical

                records nor by testimony from past or present personnel.

                                                                    #3465


      C. Miracles may be rare, but they can happen.

             Pat Robertson's attitude -

             "It is better to ask confidently for supernatural help,

                even expect it - and sometimes be disappointed - than

                   not to risk asking at all.

             "God, of course, can do what He wants, regardless of the

                faith or expectations of any human being.

             But it's part of His scheme of things in the universe to

                involve men and women in His work - including miraculous

                   work."


VI. Expect God to do great things.

      A. True illustration of miraculously answered prayer.


         Not long after Dallas Seminary was founded in 1924, bankruptcy

            knocked at its doors.

         By noon on one particular day, every creditor threatened

            foreclosure.

         That morning, the founders of the Seminary met to pray in

            president Lewis Sperry Chafer's office.

         They asked God to provide the needed funds.

            Harry Ironside was part of that prayer meeting.


         When it was his turn to pray, he prayed in his characteristically

            pointed manner:

         "Lord, we know that the cattle on a thousand hills are thine.

            "Please sell some of them and send us the money."

         Meanwhile, as these men were praying, into the seminary's

            business office came a tall Texan.

         Addressing a secretary, he said, "I just sold two carloads of

            cattle in Fort Worth.

         "I've been trying to make another business deal go through

            and it won't work.

         "I feel that God is compelling me to give this cattle money

            to the seminary.

         "I don't know if you need it or not, but here's the check."


         The secretary was well aware of the seriousness of the

            seminary's financial situation.

         She also knew that was the reason the founders were gathered

            in prayer.

         So the secretary took the check to the door of the president's

            office and timidly knocked.

         When she finally got a response, Chafer took the check out

            of her hand and stared at it with amazement.

         The amount matched the exact size of the seminary's debt.

         Looking at the signature on the check, he recognized the name

            of the cattle rancher.

         Turning to Harry Ironside, he said,

            "Harry, God sold the cattle!"

                                                                    #2930


      B. Don't neglect your own natural abilities.

          1) Don't ask God to do what you can do yourself.

          2) It is said that when Buddha was alive he came to the bank

                of a river.

             There he met a holy man who claimed that after depriving

                himself of good things for 25 years, he was at last able

                   to cross the river by walking on the water.

             Buddha said he was sorry that the man had wasted so much

                time and effort:  the ferryboat would take him across

                   for one penny.

                                                                    #1808


      C. The greatest miracle is the gift of salvation.

          1) God wants to change us from the inside out.

          2) He builds up our faith so we can do great things for him.



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Study notes: >>>>


     Zondervan PEB, "Miracles"


  I. Reason to study miracles:

      A. Claims of Catholicism and Pentecostals.


      B. Claims of scientific viewpoint.


      C. Our need to understand all of Bible.


II. Biblical data.

      A. Creation of universe.


      B. [other examples of Bible given, which gives boundary of miracles]

          1) An immediate act of God, with no natural means used.

              a) Only unnatural events qualify.

                  1> Virgin birth.

                  2> Resurrection of dead.

              b) But many Biblical miracles use means.

          2) Coincidence and miracle.

          3) Best biblical definition:  something amazing and unusual.


      C. NT miracles fall into two groups.

          1) Healing miracles.

          2) Nature miracles.


      D. Evil miracles.

          1) Pharaoh's physicians.

          2) Satan.                    2 Th 2:9


      E. Related terms:

          1) Wonder...

          2) Power...

          3) Sign...


III. Theology and science.

      A. Augustine: miracles don't violate nature, but what we know about

            nature.

          1) But virgin birth, walking on water, & resurrection don't fit.


      B. Aquinas.


IV. Science and theology.

      A. David Hume.


  V. Modern miracles.

      A. Miracles occur sporadically in the Bible.  Sometimes three or

            four centuries goes by without a miracle.


      B. Miracles occurred in times of great crisis.


      C. Did miracles cease with first century apostles?

          1) True miracles were needed to support their teachings.


     IDB


  I. Three aspects of miracle in Bible.

      A. Distinctive, wonderful.


      B. Mighty, powerful.


      C. Meaningful, significant.


II. Miracles and natural order.

      A. No sharp distinction between God's constant sovereign providence

            and his particular acts.


      B. All three aspects are present in nature as well as miracle

            accounts.


      C. Why does God have to "interfere"?

          1) In Bible, God is personal and living.

          2) He is not just Destiny but Redeemer.


III. Miracles and revelation.

      A. Jesus did not perform useless wonders.  (signs)

          1) False miracles do not jive with the rest of revelation.


      B. The working of miracles is directed to a deepening of men's

            understanding of God.

          1) However, faith is not a necessary condition to miracles.

          2) Even in face of unbelief, Jesus healed a few.    Mark 6:5


      C. Some miracles are natural, but extraordinary because God's

            servant predicted them.   (plagues of Egypt)


      D. Miracles cluster around crises in sacred history.

          1) Exodus.

          2) Elijah and Elisha.

          3) Jesus and apostles.


IV. Miracles and NT.

      A. They underline the authority of Jesus.



     "Other half of the Gospel?"


  I. "Should we expect miracles today?"

      A. One school of thought - yes.


      B. Other school - no, they ceased with the apostles.


II. Christians need to substantiate miracles better.

      A. Integrity of God is on the line.


      B. Warfield - answered prayer for healing happens, but is rare.

          1) No evidence for NT style miracles today.


III. Three mistakes concerning miracles:

      A. Assuming certain passages of Scripture which have a specific

                 application can be applied generally today.


      B. Failing to distinguish between the different commands of Jesus.


      C. Claiming that salvation guarantees wholeness here and now.


IV. "Promise" passages are analysed:  greater works, faith moving

         mountains, and prayer for the sick.


  V. We should not expect miracles to happen regularly here.

      A. Miracles of old creation.


      B. Miracles of new creation.  Not part of present reality.


     "Stop Looking"


  I. Why miracles on mission field but not in North America?

      A. God deals differently with different people in different settings.


II. In America, miracles lead too easily to "health and wealth."

      A. God becomes a passive, automatic dispenser.


      B. They lead us to worship ourselves and our own desires.


III. We need prophetic denunciation as a "sign," not miracles.

      A. "No sign except sign of Jonah" to evil generations.


     Pat Robertson


  I. Believes miracles are commonplace.  (hurricane and his TV tower)


II. It is better to ask confidently for supernatural help, even expect

        it - and sometimes be disappointed - than not to risk asking

           at all.

     "God, of course, can do what He wants, regardless of the faith or

         expectations of any human being.

      But it's part of His scheme of things in the universe to involve

         men and women in His work - including miraculous work."


     Philip Yancey


  I. God has the power to do miracles - why doesn't he use it?

      A. Handicapped children, persecuted Christians.


II. Triumph, but "not yet."



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