Miracles Across the Ages Part 3 - A Deeper Dive
Part 3 - The Today Miracles
Scripture: Psalms 77:11-12, Matthew 17:24-27
Message Recap
This week, we conclude our sermon series, Miracles Across the Ages. In Part 1 of the series, we looked at several miracles in the Old Testament. We determined that God’s primary purpose for performing miracles was to establish his power and authority. The miracles were of a grand scale and often impacted large groups of people - even nations. Last week, we turned our attention to the miracles of the New Testament, focusing primarily on those Jesus used to heal and teach. Through his miracles, Jesus confirmed his identity and demonstrated compassion and empathy. We finished Part 2 with a discussion about faith and its role in miracles. In the Old Testament, miracles typically benefitted those with little faith in God. It was more about the recipients being God’s chosen people rather than what they believed. In the New Testament, the miracles had less to do with who benefitted and more about their faith.
We close our series with a look at the miracles of today. When we hear the word miracle within a Christian context, we often think of grandiose scenes, such as the parting of the Red Sea, Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, or the blind having their sight restored. But miracles are not reserved for just displays of God’s great power. They include the small, sometimes unnoticed blessings that make up the fabric of our lives. They are occurring all around us all of the time. Let's compare the miracles we read about in the Old and New Testaments with those experienced today. We might be tempted to say that they have significantly diminished in magnitude. What if, however, the miracles haven’t diminished but have evolved?
In the Bible, we read about how God, Jesus, and the Apostles performed miracles before great crowds of people. The acts were grand in scale and sometimes even in-your-face demonstrations of God’s power because that’s what the people needed to see. Today, with our greater understanding of science and technology and with the help of the Holy Spirit, God’s miracles may be more subtle, but they are just as profound.
What is a miracle? For our purposes, we’ll suggest that miracles are when God intervenes in the normal and projected course of nature and people. It is sometimes easy to overlook and rationalize the miraculous in today's fast-paced world. An unexpected healing is attributed solely to advances in medicine. We chalk up timely interventions to nothing more than mere coincidence. But at the heart of our faith is the belief that God is as active in performing miracles in our lives as he ever was.
This week's reading from the Gospel of Matthew tells the story of Jesus and the temple tax. At first glance, the miracle described in this account might appear insignificant compared to other miracles Jesus performed. The story itself is often overlooked.
The first thing we learn in the story is that Jesus knew what was on Peter’s mind, even though Jesus was already in the house when Peter had the conversation with the tax collectors. Jesus already knew what Peter would ask. We can take comfort in knowing that our God already knows our concerns. God still wants us to come to him with our questions and concerns, even though he already knows what we need.
Next, consider the miracle of a coin found in a fish's mouth compared to the great miracles we read about elsewhere in the Bible. It seems almost silly in comparison, doesn’t it? This miracle reminds us that God works within the ordinary and sometimes mundane activities of our daily lives. He is present and active in even our most minor needs.
Did you notice that the coin's denomination is the exact amount Jesus and Peter need to pay their portion of tax? God’s provisions are not generic; they are tailored to our specific needs and come at the perfect time. God does not act on what we think we need or when we think we need it. Yet, his interventions are always perfect.
Consider also Peter’s faith. Without questioning Jesus, he goes to the lake and throws in a line. Would we act with the same faith and trust when living in a world of skepticism and doubt? This insignificant miracle underscores the essence of trust and obedience. We, too, are sometimes asked to step out in faith. Unfortunately, we tend to believe that if we don’t understand what God seems to be leading us to do, it must be wrong.
The fact that a fish, carrying exactly the right coin, swam toward the shore just in time for Peter to cast his line is no coincidence. It is an example of God’s meticulous sovereignty over creation. Everything in creation is under God’s command. How different would our lives be if we could get to the point where we fully trust in God? We can take comfort in knowing that we serve a God who wants to be involved in our lives, even the most mundane parts. Remember our definition of miracles: they are God’s intervention in the ordinary course of our daily lives.
How do we position ourselves to receive miracles and notice when they occur? We need to prepare. We need to cultivate a heart and mind to be open to miracles so that when they show up, we notice. If we wait to see a miracle to believe they happen, we’ll never see them. We must live a life of gratitude, trust, obedience, humility, and service.
When we consider all of the miracles described in the Bible and the ones we have witnessed for ourselves, there is one common thread: a call to see God's hand at work in our lives. Just as the Israelites acknowledged the parting of the Red Sea as a mighty act of God, we must recognize the power and love of God to intervene in our lives. Our reading from the Psalms reiterates this point.
“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.”
We can see these extraordinary works of God within the ordinary parts of life with a heart of gratitude and attentiveness. We often look for grand signs and wonders only to overlook the subtlety of God’s work. We will notice the sunrise painted with many colors and say, “God is good.” Yet the sunrise that doesn’t catch our attention isn’t worthy of a response, even though it is a miraculous act. How many of God’s works do we take for granted in the hustle and bustle of our daily existence? When we notice even the smallest gifts from God, we begin to live with the expectation that God will do great things.
The Gospel of John records the following words of Jesus:
“12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
We are called to acknowledge God’s provision and share those works. God’s miracles are an invitation to participate in his plan. Through the Holy Spirit, we continue Jesus’ miraculous work today. The tiny acts of love and kindness that intervene in the regular course of daily life can be multiplied by God, just as when the disciples fed the five thousand with a few loaves and fishes.
Let’s challenge ourselves to see the miracles around us. Let us be grateful for them and share them with others. Let us participate with God to spread miracles that might profoundly impact the world.
When Faith and Science Intersect
Earlier, we discussed how our understanding of science and technology might cause us to dismiss the existence of divine miracles. For instance, we sometimes attribute an unexpected healing solely to advances in medicine. This might beg the question, can faith and science coexist? The simple answer is yes.
When we look at the Bible, we see many stories and accounts that appear to defy the natural world as we understand it. When Jesus walked on the water, he defied the laws of physics. When he turned water into wine, he showed a mastery over nature and time. After all, fermentation is a byproduct of chemical reactions over time.
Science is dependent on observation and proof; it is fact-driven. Christians accept certain truths without requiring scientific proof to support them. For example, we have no direct evidence that the creation story occurred in six days as we understand time. But we still accept the truth that God created the world and everything in it. Likewise, there is no physical proof that Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden and ate the forbidden fruit from the tree. However, we accept the truth that humans are sinful and, as such, cannot stand in God’s presence without divine intervention, which is Jesus.
For many, science, history, and religious faith are pillars of our understanding of the world and our existence. Science tells us how the world works. History tells us what has happened up to now. Our faith tells us why we are here and how we should conduct ourselves in relation to other people. There is no conflict. They merge seamlessly to complement our knowledge.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul reminds us that despite the world’s attempts to have us conform to believing only what can be proven, we must have a mind open to God's will.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”