(To benefit the most from this post, please see the past two…)
So, as we have seen, there is within us an incurable, and I believe, God-seeded desire within each of us to experience the miraculous. Are not all prayer requests a simple demonstration of that desire? My simple definition of the miraculous is: an experience of the unexpected but hoped for help at just the right moment that cannot be explained in terms of our own strength, effort or wisdom. Who wouldn’t want that? Again, all supplicant type of prayers have this end in view.
Now, while we have witnessed in previous posts the fact that the early church was not only comfortable with the miraculous but actually prayed for it – there are a couple of passages of Scripture which act as a sort of corrective to an unhealthy fascination and misuse of the miraculous. Let’s look at those real quick. The first is found in Matthew 12:38, 39. “One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.” But Jesus said, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign…” Jesus point? Miracles are not given on demand to a sort of Olympic committee of judges. The miracles that Jesus performed were always for the purpose of declaring the good news that the Kingdom of God had arrived and that the works of the devil (to steal, kill and destroy) were now themselves being assaulted by a loving God. The miracles helped real people in real situations. To prove that point, a couple of chapters later, Matthew records an incredible wholesale healing event with these words: “When the people recognized Jesus, the news of His arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon, people were bringing all their sick to be healed. They begged Him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of His robe, and all who touched Him were healed.” Matthew 14:34-36 Since the word “all” in the Greek means the same thing as “all” in English – we can conclude that ALL who came with disease experienced a miraculous healing from God. None of those from the religious elite who demanded a miracle were given one because they didn’t need one and because their motives were sinister. They were unbelievers on a fact-finding mission, not on a God-encountering mission. And, Scripture records that even those miracles they did have a chance to observe were, more than once, credited to the devil. But, for those who realized their own despair and neediness and in humility cried out for a touch from God, these were given one. My point? To pray for the miraculous move of God in our daily lives is a good thing when the emphasis is on the power of God bringing healing, help and hope to a real person in a difficult circumstance.
Now follow close, because the other passage of Scripture which concerns us drives the point home even further. Jesus said, “On judgment day many will say to me, Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name. But I will reply, ‘I never knew you.’ Get away from me you who break God’s law.” Matthew 7:22, 23 If any passage would scare us away from seeking the miraculous, this one would certainly top the list. But think about how weak that thinking really is. Are we to say to Jesus, “Because I didn’t prophesy, cast out demons, or heal the sick – then I get to go to heaven?” Is there virtue in doing nothing? Is Jesus summarily identifying the miraculous with evil and unbelief? I think not. I believe this passage carries within it the same seeds of warning as the previous. The miracle workers noted in this passage have somehow bent the glory of their apparent good works back upon themselves. Not one of them said – “Jesus, through me you did such and such.” They are saying, “Jesus, I did this. Look at me!” These folks would have gladly performed a trick for the religious leaders and Pharisees because their ultimate goal was recognition, acceptance and man’s honor.
So, as we have seen, there is within us an incurable, and I believe, God-seeded desire within each of us to experience the miraculous. Are not all prayer requests a simple demonstration of that desire? My simple definition of the miraculous is: an experience of the unexpected but hoped for help at just the right moment that cannot be explained in terms of our own strength, effort or wisdom. Who wouldn’t want that? Again, all supplicant type of prayers have this end in view.
Now, while we have witnessed in previous posts the fact that the early church was not only comfortable with the miraculous but actually prayed for it – there are a couple of passages of Scripture which act as a sort of corrective to an unhealthy fascination and misuse of the miraculous. Let’s look at those real quick. The first is found in Matthew 12:38, 39. “One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.” But Jesus said, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign…” Jesus point? Miracles are not given on demand to a sort of Olympic committee of judges. The miracles that Jesus performed were always for the purpose of declaring the good news that the Kingdom of God had arrived and that the works of the devil (to steal, kill and destroy) were now themselves being assaulted by a loving God. The miracles helped real people in real situations. To prove that point, a couple of chapters later, Matthew records an incredible wholesale healing event with these words: “When the people recognized Jesus, the news of His arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon, people were bringing all their sick to be healed. They begged Him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of His robe, and all who touched Him were healed.” Matthew 14:34-36 Since the word “all” in the Greek means the same thing as “all” in English – we can conclude that ALL who came with disease experienced a miraculous healing from God. None of those from the religious elite who demanded a miracle were given one because they didn’t need one and because their motives were sinister. They were unbelievers on a fact-finding mission, not on a God-encountering mission. And, Scripture records that even those miracles they did have a chance to observe were, more than once, credited to the devil. But, for those who realized their own despair and neediness and in humility cried out for a touch from God, these were given one. My point? To pray for the miraculous move of God in our daily lives is a good thing when the emphasis is on the power of God bringing healing, help and hope to a real person in a difficult circumstance.
Now follow close, because the other passage of Scripture which concerns us drives the point home even further. Jesus said, “On judgment day many will say to me, Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name. But I will reply, ‘I never knew you.’ Get away from me you who break God’s law.” Matthew 7:22, 23 If any passage would scare us away from seeking the miraculous, this one would certainly top the list. But think about how weak that thinking really is. Are we to say to Jesus, “Because I didn’t prophesy, cast out demons, or heal the sick – then I get to go to heaven?” Is there virtue in doing nothing? Is Jesus summarily identifying the miraculous with evil and unbelief? I think not. I believe this passage carries within it the same seeds of warning as the previous. The miracle workers noted in this passage have somehow bent the glory of their apparent good works back upon themselves. Not one of them said – “Jesus, through me you did such and such.” They are saying, “Jesus, I did this. Look at me!” These folks would have gladly performed a trick for the religious leaders and Pharisees because their ultimate goal was recognition, acceptance and man’s honor.
So, let’s take the warnings for what they are. Simply put, we are not to seek the miraculous either to prove ourselves and gain legitimacy; or, to use it to judge the spirituality of another. These are evil, just as Jesus said. (More to come...)
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