PANIC PODCAST
SERIES: THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
Today’s Study: John 2
Posts Tagged 'Miracles'
Panic Podcast – John, Chapter 2
Published October 3, 2025 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Cana, John, Miracles, Water to Wine
Panic Podcast – The Gift of Performing Miracles
Published March 11, 2022 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Holy Spirit, Miracles, Panic Podcast
Do miracles still happen today? Does God supernaturally intervene in our lives to do wondrous things? I argue YES, He certainly does!
Do Miracles Happen?
Published April 20, 2015 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Miracles, personal evangelism, supernatural
Invariably, when you practice personal evangelism – when you actively and purposefully share your faith with the lost – you will encounter somebody who askes questions along these lines:
Do you really believe a whale swallowed Jonah?
How in the world could Jesus have fed all those people with five loaves of bread and a couple of fish? That’s just not possible.
People who don’t believe, and even many who do, have real problems with miracles. In our highly secularized age, there is no room for even the possibility of miracles. Our society has become not only a skeptical one, but also a cynical one. The fact that the Bible records miracles automatically delegitimizes it to many. You just can’t take the Bible seriously when it talks about crazy things, like seas that part and suns that don’t move, they say. And that’s really why miracles are so vehemently opposed these days. If an unbelieving society can get away with casting aspersions on the miraculous in Scripture, it won’t be long before it can do the same with the resurrection of our Lord. And , of course, that’s the really the ultimate goal of our modern liberal, secular society.
Before you go straining at a gnat, trying to explain how a blind man was healed in Mark’s Gospel, it’s important to understand that a person who obsesses over a miracle like that one probably has issues with the whole idea of the supernatural, not just that particular miracle. It’s not an exaggeration to say that a person who struggles with miracles struggles with the very idea of an all-powerful God. To them, God is either not real or weak. They likely have issues with prophecy or the inspiration of Scripture.
God and natural law
David Hume, Scottish historian, philosopher, economist, and diplomat was highly skeptical about miracles and the supernatural. Hume defined a miracle as “a transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent.” I’m a big admirer of Hume, and of natural law, but he’s dead wrong on this point. God transgressing a law? The much vaunted “natural law” isn’t God’s law and it’s the theology of a closed mind, truth be told. Christians believe in natural law, that is, the idea that things behave in a certain cause-and-effect way most of the time. But this doesn’t restrict the supernatural or God in any way because God exists outside of our natural law. Here is where faith comes into play: God has the right and power to intervene in our natural order of things when and how He chooses because He is not bound by our natural law. Human beings came up with the notion of natural law, not God and He is not obligated to abide by it. Natural law doesn’t cause anything, it is our way of describing something we observe. God, not natural law, causes things to happen.
What is a miracle?
This is an important question because, believe it or not, a lot of people get confused over what a miracle and what it isn’t. Our use of the word “miracle,” like so many other words in the English language, has changed over time. Today when you get out of church by 12:15, members call that a miracle. If you’re not handicapped but get a parking spot close to the entrance door at Wal-Mart, that’s a miracle. Today, a miracle is just about any good thing that happens unexpectedly or an unusual thing that happens for no reason. For most people, when those kinds of “miracles” happen, they don’t consider it God’s power at work.
But Biblical miracles are different. A Biblical miracle is an act of God breaking into, changing, or interrupting the ordinary course of things. (Paul Little) That’s a good working definition because it excludes things like what we would call “a bit of good luck.”
Different kinds of miracles
Another way to define a miracle is “an event that has no natural explanation.” To be fair to all the skeptics, the Bible does record miraculous events that in all probability have a natural explanation. For example, the famous parting of the Red Sea was made possible by some wildly crazy winds which literally moved the waters, allowing the Israelites to cross over. Something like that certainly could have happened without God’s intervention, but the miraculous bits are the timing; the winds came up at exactly the right time, and the fact that the sea floor was hard and that no Israelite sunk into the mud and mire up to his chest.
And then there’s Lazarus. It’s hard to come up with a natural explanation for the bringing back to life of a man who was known by everyone in town to be dead. When Jesus Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, He was working far outside the bounds of our natural law.
Again the skeptics often talk about psychosomatic illnesses. This type of physical problem is caused by the mind. When the ill person starts to think differently, their illness disappears. Skeptics claim this explains a lot of Jesus’ physical healings. Jesus wasn’t a divine faith healer, they say, He was more like a mentalist, using nothing more than mental tricks to “heal” a person. Upwards of 80% of illnesses today may be attributed to problems in the mind, not the body.
It’s entirely possible that some of Jesus’ healings were not so much physical in nature but mental. However, Jesus healed many lepers or people with highly contagious skin diseases. These types of illnesses could not have originated in the mind. Our Lord also healed a man born blind. Congenital blindness has nothing to do with mental illness or positive thinking.
Back to those skeptics for a moment. Sometimes they like to point out that ancient man was gullible and highly superstitious. What they regarded as a miracle in their day may not be in ours. A classic example of this is the flashlight. To ancient man, light shining out of a tube would be miraculous, perhaps of either angelic or demonic in origin. To us, we know the light comes from a filaments in a glass bulb and a battery. We know there’s nothing miraculous about a flashlight, except when we find one during a power failure that actually works!
Now this idea may have some merit for some miracles in the Bible, but most Biblical miracles cannot be explained this way. The man born blind, for example, was well-known in his community; everybody knew he was blind his whole life. Same thing with Lazarus. The whole town knew he was dead to the point of decay. And our Lord’s resurrection, with subsequent eye witness accounts of Him doing things a man in a physical body like ours cannot do is not easily explained away as the superstitious twaddle of ignorant people.
We have deified science and technology today to such an extent that those who think anything can happen outside the realm of our natural law must be exaggerations, misinterpretations, or outright lies. Modern man is always seeking to find a “rational explanation” for supernatural, miraculous events. A single sentence written by J.N. Hawthorne in 1960 is very helpful to us today:
Miracles are unusual events caused by God. The laws of nature are generalizations about ordinary events caused by Him.
Yes, modern man sees the works of God all around him yet often refuses to give God credit for what he sees. Or, to put it another way:
You see, but you do not observe. (Sherlock Holmes)
Miracles everywhere?
Every “holy book” of every religion of every culture all over the world is full of miracles. But Biblical miracles are different. The so-called miracles we read about in pagan literature and myths were often very capricious in nature. Biblical miracles, however, were miraculous though not outrageous or fantastic; they served a purpose. In fact, Biblical miracles can be found during three periods of Biblical history: the Exodus, the times of the prophets who led Israel, and the time of Christ and the early church. The overriding purpose of all the miracles during these three epochs was to confirm faith by authenticating the message of God and the messenger from God or to demonstrate God’s love by relieving some kind of suffering.
Miracles in the Bible never had anything to do with money, personal gain or personal prestige. Jesus Himself was tempted by the Devil to perform miracles for all those reasons yet He steadfastly refused. Jesus’ miracles helped people in need, no doubt, but then there’s this:
“I have already told you, and you don’t believe me,” Jesus replied. “The proof is in the miracles I do in the name of my Father.” (John 20:25 TLB)
As far as Jesus was concerned, His miracles served to prove who He was and Who had sent Him. In fact, in John 14:11, Jesus went so far as to say this:
Just believe it—that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or else believe it because of the mighty miracles you have seen me do. (John 14:11 TLB)
But are miracles enough for people to believe? Sometimes you’ll hear somebody say something like this: “If God would just [fill in the blank with a miracle], then I would believe!” Would a miracle convince that unbeliever? Maybe not.
“But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even though someone rises from the dead.’ ” (Luke 14:31 TLB)
That was true in Jesus’ day and it’s true today. Some people will never believe.
The verdict is in
All courts count on reliable testimony in word or by writing. Bernard Ramm made this very pertinent observation:
If the arising of Lazarus was actually witnessed by John and recorded faithfully by him when still in soundness of faculties and memory, for purposes of evidence it is the same as if we were there and saw it.
There are five valid reasons to believe that the miracles we read of in the Bible were real and valid:
Many of the miracles in the Bible were done in public in front of many witnesses. They were not performed in secret, witnessed only by one or two people who later recounted with they saw. Often in the case of Jesus’ miracles, all kinds of people saw them and had ample opportunity to investigate them. Sometimes people even went so far as to attribute Jesus’ miracles to the work of the Devil, but they never denied that something supernatural had taken place.
A lot of non-believers witnessed our Lord’s miracles. They didn’t like what He did, but they never disputed what He did.
Jesus’ miracles took place over several years and were diverse. Some involved healing. Others involved workings of knowledge, wisdom, and discernment. Still others involved the very elements of nature itself.
Then there were the people who were directly touched by Jesus’ miraculous power. They went around talking about how Jesus had healed them or cast demons out of them. Their testimony was heard by family members and whole communities.
And lastly, the miracles of Christianity occurred before the Christian faith was established or even founded. The miracles of Jesus served to authenticate His message and the miracles that occurred during the days of the early church served to authenticate the Word of God being preached and taught by the apostles and early church leaders.
The question that many people also have is this: Do miracles happen today? The short answer to this question is: Why not? Has God changed since the days of the Bible? Are you the one who wants to limit His power by saying He can’t work miracles today but He did thousands of years ago? God can do what He wants, to whomever He wants. Why bother praying if miracles aren’t possible today? For that matter, would you even know a miracle if it happened to you?
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17 NIV)
STUDIES IN ACTS, Part 5
Published March 28, 2011 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Acts, divine healing, Healings, Miracles
Acts 3:1—10
An Amazing Miracle
In Acts 2, we are given a glimpse by Dr. Luke the historian into the routine of the early Christians.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42—47)
In chapter 3 we have a short story illustrating this. Luke picks one particular miracle to give the reader an idea of what life was like for the very early Church. He could have related any number of miracles, but he chose the healing of the lame man.
Also in this third chapter of Acts, we have a record of Peter’s second sermon. The theme of this second sermon is the theme of all the apostolic sermons in Acts: Jesus Christ. Specifically, Jesus Christ incarnate, crucified, risen, and glorified.
But the miracle cannot be separated from the sermon. Miracles were never performed by Jesus or His apostles to appease or amaze the people. These “signs and wonders” were performed to draw attention to the exposition of the Word of God.
1. The setting, 3:1
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.
Luke’s attention during these early days was focused primarily on Peter, the spokesman of the twelve apostles. Peter was accompanied by John, the son of Zebedee. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, Peter and John were part of our Lord’s “inner circle,” and were with Jesus at the time of His transfiguration (Matthew 17:1), and they were with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:33). No doubt Peter and John worked well together, and the church in Jerusalem recognized them as leaders from the very beginning. They were often paired together, although Peter was the one who generally spoke while John listened.
That these two church leaders made a habit of going to the temple to pray regularly is suggested by the use of the phrase “were going up.” This phrase, in its Greek form, is in the “past progressive form,” which indicates that this “going up to the temple to pray” was a regular part of their daily routine. Not only was it the daily habit of Peter and John, but of all the early Christians, who considered themselves as Jews who worshiped the Messiah, and would have never given up traditional prayer times at the temple.
Herod’s Temple was still standing in Jerusalem, and it would remain for the next 40 or so years. Josephus wrote that even during the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD, the priests continued to offer their sacrifices on the altar. The Jews and Jewish Christians both made full use of the temple and its grounds. At three o’clock in the afternoon, when Peter and John were heading into the temple, the evening sacrifice was being offered. These sacrifices, however, were now valueless to all who worshiped Jesus, for He fulfilled all the types and shadows of the Law. Nonetheless, these two men go into the temple, not to offer a sacrifice, but to pray, as was their custom.
Remember, this is the Church in its infancy. Initially, the Kingdom was to be offered only to the Jews, then it would be offered to the rest of the world. At this point, the Church is full of Jews; few if any Gentiles. So, it should make perfect sense that in these very early days the Jewish-Christians would remain faithful to both Christ and elements of the Law. Very shortly, however, the Gospel would break into the Gentile world.
2. The confrontation, 3:2, 3
Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.
Like the two apostles, a man “lame from birth” made going to the temple part of his daily routine, but for very different reasons. Strangely enough, this man wasn’t brought to the temple to pray for healing or to worship God, but to beg for money. This was a very common practice in New Testament days. Handicapped people were not taught a trade but taught to become beggars. Close friends or relatives would bring the lame person to the temple and place them where the most people would walk by them and, hopefully, give them some money. The fact that almsgiving was seen as a very virtuous act by this time shows how far Judaism had fallen from God’s ideal. When the Law was given, God made it clear to the Israelites that there should be no poor people living among them.
However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you. (Deuteronomy 15:4)
For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you. If anyone is poor among your people in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. (Deuteronomy 14:6, 7)
The Jews, however, ignored God’s command and the result was, as Jesus observed, that “the poor you will always have with you” (Mark 14:7). Interestingly, the early church was determined to wipe poverty out from its ranks by making sure the truly needy had their basic needs met. And it seems that for a while, they were successful. How it must have grieved God, however, to see His House so misused. A minor, but powerful lesson for the Church of Jesus Christ today. Let’s make sure the Church does what Jesus Christ founded it to do and not what makes us feel good.
As they went into the temple through the Beautiful Gate, the beggar set his sights on Peter and John. He expected them to help him out financially. The beggar “asked them for money” is a phrase written in the imperfect present tense, which suggests the beggar asked Peter and John repeatedly for money; over and over again.
3. A surprising response, 3:4—6
Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
Here is Peter the mouthpiece of the Church, while John remained silent. There are a couple of points that should be noted. First, we need to note what Peter did NOT do: he did not give the beggar any money. Obviously, Peter had resources. He had access to all the money from the people who sold lands and other valuables. What better use for the church’s money than to help out a poor, crippled man? That’s how modern Christians think, but that’s not the purpose for which the Church was founded. Those resources were to be used to help members of the Christian community, not people outside the Christian community. Does that mean that God, or Peter and John, were cold and heartless? Not at all!
Second, what Peter gave the beggar was what the beggar really needed. The beggar thought all he needed was money, but the beggar’s need ran deeper than the need for material things. Peter healed the man in the name of Jesus Christ. Does this mean that the man needed to be healed? No, it means something more than that. The word “name” in Semitic thought is significant because it involves the whole revelation of the person mentioned. So when Peter says to the beggar “name of Jesus Christ,” Peter is referring to everything knowable about Jesus: His virgin birth, sinless life, His ministry and teaching, His suffering and atoning death, His resurrection and ascension. So what Peter offered the crippled man was not merely healing, but salvation.
4. The beggar’s response, 3:7, 8
Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
The offer made by Peter called for faith on the part of the crippled man. He needed to put his faith in Jesus. To encourage his faith, Peter extended a hand to the man, who reached out in faith. Jesus did a very similar thing when He healed Peter’s mother-in-law in Peter’s own home:
So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. (Mark 1:31)
This must have made an impression on Peter! He later used the exact same technique when he healed the lame man. In both instances, the one needing healing had to reach out first, before a miracle took place. In the case of Peter’s mother-in-law, she took Jesus’ hand and then He helped her up. After the lame man took hold of Peter’s hand, “the man’s feet and ankles became strong.” There was a responsibility on the part of ones needing healing to do something, no matter how minor, to demonstrate their willingness to receive what was being offered them “in the name of Jesus Christ.”
For the first time in his life, this once-crippled man was able to stand up. Now that was a miracle! But that was just the beginning. As soon as the man was able to stand up, a second miracle took place: he began to walk. This ability to walk is a learned skill; it normally takes time for a child to learn how to walk. But this man started walking right away. In fact, he didn’t just walk, he jumped and walked and praised God all at the same time. Think of the change. Just a few minutes ago, all this crippled man wanted was a few dollars to get him through another day. He had never walked. He had to be carried everywhere. Although he was at the temple every day, he had never gone inside; never praised God with his family or his friends. And what was the very first thing this man did after he was touched by Jesus? He ran inside the temple, praising God!
5. Other responses, 3:9, 10
When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
There were many, many people in the temple for the afternoon hour of prayer and sacrifice; many Jews and many Jewish-Christians. This once-crippled man was well-known to all Temple-goers. We can imagine that he hit many of them up for an offering in the past. They now recognized this man who was now walking, jumping, and praising God as the man who had never walked in his life. They were completely surprised, amazed, and astonished at this miracle.
This may well be the most significant miracle in the whole Bible, not because it is any more amazing and astounding than other miracles, but because of what Isaiah wrote centuries before;
Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. (Isaiah 35:6)
When the Spirit fell during the Day of Pentecost, not only was the Church of Jesus Christ empowered to its work, but it would be last time the Kingdom of Heaven would be offered to the Israel. Time and time again, the children of God rejected the Kingdom. They ultimately rejected the King Himself, preferring to crucify Him than worship Him. But Jesus made it clear that after the Spirit fell, Israel had one last chance. The newly energized Church was not to take off running with Gospel to the four corners of the earth; that would happen later.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
It was to start in Jerusalem. This would be Jersualem’s final chance to accept what Jesus Christ was offering. Many who heard Peter preach believed; 3,000 the first time, 5,000 the second time. And here was one man who believed and immediately was able to “leap like a dear…and shout for joy.”
