We may hear the expression, “It’s a miracle!” from time to time but usually people just mean that they were very lucky (because the odds were against a good outcome); like avoiding a bad accident or winning the lottery. But in the Christian faith what’s so important about miracles? Do they have a major role to play or are they just a nice ‘bonus’ when they happen?

Throughout our lives, Aliss and I have been privileged to see countless healings and miracles. Many through ourselves – but mostly through other people. These have ranged from the instant relief of chronic pain to the healing of medically uncurable conditions. We’ve seen x-rays showing the undeniable evidence for miracles and the doctors amazed, we’ve known angelic protection and intervention, and many bizarre and wonderful things that have often led to salvations.

Some Christians may think the ‘supernatural’ only concerns ghosts or the occult (a common theme in entertainment) and therefore to be avoided – but assigning all supernatural to the devil is a mistake. God is outside of nature – so by his very nature he is ‘super-natural’. When God, who created the natural world, manifests his power in that world it overrides what we think of as ‘the laws of nature’. So an axe head can float (2 Kings 6), five loaves and two fishes can feed 5,000 people (Matthew 14) or a lame man can walk and dance for joy (Acts 3).

MIRACLE: Middle English: via Old French from Latin miraculum ‘object of wonder’, from mirari ‘to wonder’, from mirus ‘wonderful’.

In a Judeo-Christian context a miracle is a divine intervention of God, who is spirit, into the physical world.

There are a great many miracles in the Bible. We could say that, in a sense, the Bible is the story of miracles. From the burning bush of Moses to the survival of 3 friends in a fire of execution, to the resurrection of Jesus, miracles are the tangible reality of Gods dealings with men.

SIGNS AND WONDERS

Miracles are often called ‘signs and wonders’ in the Bible.

“So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” Acts 14:3

They are a ‘wonder’ because they are often a ‘wonderful’ blessing and often make us exclaim, “Wow! That’s amazing!”. There’s no need to ask somebody who just got miraculously healed of an incurable disease what the purpose of a miracle is! However, they are also ‘a sign’; there is a deeper purpose to miracles than the temporary benefit or blessing because they reveal an eternal reality.

Under the Old Covenant of Moses there was an emphasis on the law and Gods judgement. So in the Old Testament we often see miracles of punishment and retribution such as the ten plagues of Egypt. However, there was a significant shift in the role of miracles with the advent of Jesus.

Under the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:15) the miracles of Jesus began to demonstrate what Gods Kingdom was like. Jesus showed us that his Kingdom looks like provision instead of lack, healing and wholeness instead of sin and brokenness, and spiritual freedom and authority where there was captivity. All of the miracles of Jesus pointed to his spiritual authority to heal, restore and make new.

This shift from judgement to grace was something the disciples had to learn fast. They were so confident of the power of God in their lives that on one occasion they asked Jesus whether they should call down fire from heaven on the people who had rejected him; for which they were roundly rebuked! (Luke 9:53-55).

So let’s see what the Bible says about ‘what’s so important about miracles’ in the New Covenant.

THE WORKS OF THE FATHER

Jesus did not see his miracle works as his own but as ‘the works of the Father’. The working of the miracle was itself a demonstration of their relationship and unity:

“For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.” John‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬

This is an important place to start because new covenant miracles are first and foremost about revealing the nature and will of God.

THEY REVEAL WHO JESUS IS

Miracles are the physical manifestation of the divinity of Jesus – in other words they reveal his divine glory:

“What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” John‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬

At one point towards the end of his earthly ministry Jesus (not for the first time) was a little irritated by his disciples lack of understanding regarding his identity. He puts it as strongly as this – “If you’ve seen me, then you have seen the Father” John 14:9  By which he meant: ‘If you’ve seen me, then you have seen God’ – He then made an appeal to his miracle works:

“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.” John‬ ‭14‬:‭11‬

So miracles also reveal that Jesus is the Son of God.

THEY REVEAL JESUS IN US

However, Jesus then goes a step further, (unless we mistakenly think that miracles are unique to the ministry of Jesus), telling his disciples that ANYONE who believes in him will do the miracles he’s been doing and even greater miracles than these!

“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.” John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How can this be? Because when he goes to the Father after his ascension to heaven he will ask the Father to pour out the Holy Spirit on all those who believe in him.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16-17

And you may say “no, that’s not right! It’s prideful to claim to do greater miracles than Jesus” but this attitude misses the point because, just as Jesus said that the miracles he did were the works of the Father – the miracles that we do in his name are still the works of Jesus! It is still Jesus doing the miracles and they are still revealing his glory! That’s why, Jesus then told them:

“You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:14

And even after Jesus had ascended to heaven his miracle works continued – but through his followers:

“…the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In fact the supernatural empowerment of Christian believers to move in miracles was so prevalent in the early church that Paul had to write instructions to some churches on how to operate in them without causing too much chaos! (1 Corinthians 12-14)

EVIDENCE FOR THE REALITY OF THE GOSPEL

And finally, an important role of miracles is to be a witness to the reality of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians:

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Apostle Paul was perhaps the greatest theologian but he was also a man of miracles. He valued argument and understanding but he also practiced what he preached with demonstrations of Gods power. That’s why he said that miracles are essential for the preaching of the WHOLE gospel:

“by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God… I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.” Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

THE NORMAL SUPERNATURAL CHRISTIAN LIFE

So in summary the purpose of miracles in the new covenant is to reveal the reality and nature of God (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) and to confirm and help fully proclaim the gospel of Jesus. That’s what’s so important about miracles!

Miracles can take many forms. Perhaps the greatest miracle of all is a redeemed and transformed life – one that was lost but now is found, enslaved in sin but now free, dead but now alive. But, as Aliss and I can testify, miracles of healing, of spiritual authority and of divine providence are still very much part of the new life in of Spirit that we have in Jesus – testifying to the reality of God and the Gospel. So – as we always say – whatever you’re doing today you can and should: ‘Expect a Miracle’.

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