Faith and Miracles

Last Sunday morning I preached about miracles. In that sermon I made the point that Bible miracles were to produce faith in people. Modern ‘miracle’ workers often hide their inability to work miracles by claiming that the listeners can’t see or have a miracle unless they first have faith.
Bible miracles were to produce faith in the unbelieving (Exodus 4:1-5; Matthew 9:6). Furthermore, people who received miracles in the scripture were not even always aware of what was happening (Acts 3:3-8); so it was not the result of their faith.

But in that sermon, I said there was one time in which Jesus connected the failure to produce a miracle with a lack of faith, and that was when the disciples were unable to cast out a demon due to their own lack of faith (Mt. 17:18-20). Someone later asked me a question that caused me to study further. Is this really the only place that a failed miracle was connected with a lack of faith?

FAITH CAN HELP TO BRING ABOUT A MIRACLE
There are places where a miracle is done and attributed to the faith of someone. The centurion mentioned in Matthew 8:5-13 is an example of this. This is not the same as saying that a person cannot receive a miracle if they do not first have faith. The fact is that the faith of the centurion and others caused them to seek after Jesus to help them with their problems. This faith brought them miracles because they came to Jesus. Matthew 9:2; 9:22; and 9:29 are other examples of people whose faith brought them to seek a miracle from Jesus.

DOES A LACK OF FAITH MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO RECEIVE A MIRACLE?
Are there cases where people did not receive miracles because of their lack of faith?
Matthew 14:24-32 is the story of Peter walking on the water to go to Jesus. He sank when his faith failed him. Jesus rebuked him for his lack of faith. But far from proving that you can’t receive a miracle unless you believe, Jesus reached out and lifted up doubting Peter. Peter was miraculously saved from the waves and wind, in spite of his lack of faith.

In Mark 9:17-26 the father of a child with a demon admits his doubts. (This is the same situation we already referred to in Matthew 17:18-20 where the disciples were unable to work a miracle because of their lack of faith.) When the father asks Jesus to heal his son, Jesus asks him first if he believes and tells him that all things are possible to him that believes (23). This hurting father claims that he believes, but also admits his doubts by saying, “Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief.” Today, modern fake healers would claim that his doubts disqualified him from receiving healing for his son. Jesus did not see it that way. In fact, he did heal his son.

JESUS IN HIS HOME COUNTRY
Matthew 13:54-58 and Mark 6:1-6 both tell of the unbelief of the people there and how Jesus ‘could do there no mighty work.’ Mark tells us that Jesus did heal ‘a few sick folk.’ Remember:

1. Jesus did some miracles there in spite of their unbelief.

2. Jesus was not weak just because their faith was weak. But miracles would have been ineffective in producing faith in these people because they had already made up their minds about Jesus. Why perform miracles if people will not believe anyway?

SEEKING FOR A SIGN
Matthew 12:38-39; 16:1-4; Mark 8:11-12; Luke 11:29-30. In these passages people asked to see a sign. Jesus condemned that generation of people, and he stated that no sign would be given except the sign of Jonas which corresponds to the burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Is it not true that many signs were given to that generation of people? How could Jesus say that no sign would be given when he changed water to wine, walked on the water, multiplied the loaves and fishes, healed multitudes of sick people, etc.?

These people were not just asking for signs, they were asking for more signs beyond what they had already been given. They had already been given enough signs to make them believe if they were open to belief. There were no greater signs, no other types of signs, except this: Jesus was going to rise from the dead. This was the only other type of sign that would be given.

IT’S THE MIRACLE WORKERS THAT MUST HAVE FAITH
Even though there is more than one passage which connects lack of faith with lack of miracles, the point still stands. The Bible teaches that miracles were given to produce faith in those who were open to being convinced.

Miracle workers had to have faith (Mt 21:21; Mk 16:17). But those signs that they did produced faith in others, confirming the word that they were teaching (Mark 16:17–20). The signs Jesus performed were to produce faith in the people who saw those miracles and in us who read about them even today (John 20:30-31).

Family Bulletin Board

Remember in prayer and with cards, phone calls, or visits those who have chronic illnesses: Delsie Bishop, Reva Brewer,  Ella Brumitt, Jamie Farmer,  Francis Ferren, Elizabeth Fowler, Savannah Green,  Lola Mae Hamlett, and Louise Hunt.

REMINDERS:
Daylight Savings begins next weekend. Set your clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night and you will be here right on time Sunday morning.

Potluck is also next Sunday, as well as our afternoon service at 2:00, and the mailing program following that.

Mark your calendars for the Benton Harbor Lectureship, May 16 - 18. This year’s theme is “Departures From God’s Way”  ALSO: If you are interested in keeping one of the speakers, see Dan Miller.