Signs and Wonders What is a miracle What

Signs and Wonders • What is a miracle? • What purpose do they serve?

Signs and Wonders Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20: 30 -31

Signs and Wonders Primary miracle groups in Scripture: • Establishment of Israel (Exodus 6 -7). • Coming of Christ (John 10: 37 -38). • Founding of the Church (Acts 5: 12 -14).

Signs and Wonders • • • What is a miracle? What purpose do they serve? Why does God not use them more often? – They do not always produce belief (Psalm 78: 9 -20). – They can be counterfeited (2 Thess 2: 9 -10). – We have God's Word (2 Peter 1: 19 -21).

Signs and Wonders For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, ” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

Signs and Wonders And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1: 17 -21

Signs and Wonders • • • What is a miracle? What purpose do they serve? Why does God not use them more often? – They do not always produce belief (Ps 78: 9 -20). – They can be counterfeited (2 Thess 2: 9 -10). – We have God's Word (2 Peter 1: 19 -21). • Does God still perform them?

Signs and Wonders How Can I Be Discerning: • Does it glorify Jesus (1 John 4: 1 -6)? • Is it decent and orderly (1 Corinthians 14: 33)? Not all “miracles” are of God (Acts 8: 9 -24)!

Signs and Wonders • Is God’s Word my final authority? • Am I open but discerning?