Participants:
Series Code: AU
Program Code: AU000010S
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00:01 - Today on "Authentic,"
00:02 we're going to talk about religious faith. 00:05 What is faith and what faith isn't. 00:08 And in particular I wanna deal today with the supernatural. 00:12 I'm going to talk about miracles. 00:14 And I think I might just have some surprises 00:17 for you whether you happen to be religious or not. 00:21 [upbeat music] 00:42 Even though my life as a young college student 00:44 would probably make you doubt this. 00:46 I was actually raised in a church-going home. 00:49 We went every Sunday. 00:50 In fact, we went twice every Sunday. 00:55 And one night a week after school, 00:57 I had to go to Catechism class 00:59 where I was required to memorize this book. 01:02 The "Heidelberg Catechism" which is the confession 01:06 of faith favored by Dutch Calvinists. 01:09 And on top of all of that going to church, 01:11 going to Catechism, I spent more than half 01:14 of my elementary school career attending 01:16 a private Christian school. 01:19 So you can see that I spent most of my childhood immersed 01:24 in the culture of Western Christianity. 01:27 Now at one point when I was very young, 01:30 I suddenly discovered 01:32 that other kids around me were not Christian 01:34 and they didn't share my family's worldview. 01:37 And I remember this one little kid who openly told me 01:41 that God didn't exist. 01:44 Well, there was just no way I was going to stand 01:46 for this little haven denying God to my face. 01:50 So I said about the task of proving God's existence 01:54 the way that a lot of people kind of get their nose out 01:57 of joint on social media these days 01:59 when somebody challenges their faith 02:01 and they suddenly wanna prove those people wrong. 02:05 Now, bear in mind in this story I was probably what, 02:08 seven, eight, nine years old. 02:11 And so my command of Christian apologetics 02:13 was probably not very well developed. 02:16 And I resorted to something that, 02:18 well, some fully grown Christians resort to today 02:22 when they're boxed into a corner by a non-unbeliever. 02:25 They bring up the subject of miracles. 02:29 Somehow we think that if we can prove the supernatural, 02:34 if the people we're talking to can see God operating 02:38 in real time, if we can show them something 02:41 they've never seen before, well, 02:43 then they're gonna come around to our way of thinking. 02:48 So it was back in the early 1970s, 02:51 and we happened to be playing 02:52 in an empty lot beside a church. 02:56 In the church was probably 02:57 the reason this discussion came up in the place. 03:00 I suddenly pointed to the gravel in the parking lot. 03:03 And I said to this unbelieving kid, 03:05 listen if God suddenly moves one of those rocks 03:11 without anybody touching it and it's one of the big rocks 03:14 so that the wind didn't move it, 03:16 would you believe that God is real if that happened? 03:18 Would that be enough for you? 03:21 Well, of course he decided that would be enough 03:24 because what little kid wouldn't like to see 03:27 a levitating rock. 03:29 And so there I was, I proceeded to say a prayer 03:32 while pointing at the rocking question like 03:34 I was some kind of Jedi master summoning the force. 03:37 I was pointing at a rock and trying to make it move. 03:43 And in my child-like mind, 03:45 I was thinking about Moses parting the red sea. 03:48 Elijah raising the dead 03:50 or bringing down fire on top of Mount Carmel. 03:52 And I was absolutely sure that for the sake 03:56 of this unbelieving, he the little kid, 04:00 God was gonna do this for, 04:02 the rock was absolutely going to move. 04:06 But much to my embarrassment, nothing happened. 04:10 The rock didn't budge. 04:13 And of course my disappointment was pretty profound. 04:16 Why in the world didn't God perform a miracle. 04:20 Didn't he understand what was riding 04:23 on this one little moment? 04:25 Didn't he care whether or not this kid believed in him? 04:30 Or a worst thought crossed my mind. 04:33 Maybe God didn't care about me. 04:36 Maybe he took a look at my sorry self trying 04:38 to work miracles in a small town Gravel Parking Lot 04:41 and said I'm just not gonna do it for this kid. 04:45 Maybe there was something wrong with me 04:48 because obviously I was no hero of the Christian faith. 04:52 I was not destined to become a legend 04:55 in the pages of church history. 04:58 Now of course, I didn't just give up at that point. 05:02 It was early evening and the sun had just set behind 05:05 the horizon and it was starting to get dark. 05:08 So I did what any reasonable little kid would do. 05:12 I bluffed, I faked it. 05:15 I said to this kid, see, did you see it move? 05:19 It moved just a little bit. 05:20 I told you God was real. 05:24 And of course I'm not really proud of that today. 05:26 And I was just a little kid maybe nine younger seven. 05:30 I don't remember how old I was. 05:32 But the reason I'm admitting this to you now is because, 05:36 well, unfortunately a lot of full grown adults can identify 05:40 with what I just described. 05:43 You become so desperate for God to prove himself 05:47 that you're tempted to help him along. 05:51 Maybe it's the feeling of inadequacy 05:53 when God doesn't do what you think he should be doing 05:56 or maybe you know what it feels like to run out of answers 06:00 and hope for a miracle is a kind of last resort. 06:05 I don't know exactly what's going on in your life right now, 06:07 but I suspect that there's something 06:10 in the story I just told you that you can identify with 06:13 because, well, it illustrates a very real human attitude. 06:20 So I wanna spend a few minutes today talking about miracles. 06:24 Because it seems to me that the existence 06:27 or nonexistence of the miraculous seems 06:30 to be a place where a lot of people go 06:33 and hang their hat when they're trying to validate 06:36 or for that matter, invalidate the existence 06:39 of the God who appears in the pages of this book. 06:44 On the one hand, you've got people who point 06:47 to the miraculous, 06:48 to the inexplicable to prove that God is real. 06:52 Then on the other hand you've got people who read 06:55 the stories of the Bible 06:56 and they dismiss them as mirror fairytales. 06:59 And those people will tell you, 07:01 look we all know the sun does not stand still in the sky. 07:07 We all know water does not change into wine 07:09 and the dead do not come back to life. 07:13 But if you take an honest look at the Bible, 07:17 and you take the time to read the whole thing 07:19 and I mean read the whole thing. 07:23 You quickly discover 07:24 that this is really not a book about miracles. 07:28 Miracles are in here, that much is true. 07:31 And what happens to your own perspective on the universe 07:34 when you take the time to read this book really 07:37 is a miracle in and of itself. 07:39 This material changes people 07:41 in inexplicably miraculous ways but overall, 07:46 this book is not a continuous historical account 07:49 of supernatural events. 07:52 In fact, when you consider that the story 07:55 of the Bible covers 1000s of years, well, in that case 08:01 the miracles suddenly looked like they're kind of few 08:03 and far between. 08:04 It's a little surprising. 08:06 In fact, you have a roughly 400 year gap 08:10 in the middle of the story between Malakai and Matthew 08:13 where basically nothing happens. 08:17 That's really important to remember 08:21 because the case the Bible makes 08:23 for God isn't based on the miraculous. 08:27 Never forget that a miracle 08:29 can easily be dismissed by a skeptic 08:32 which is what many of the enlightenment philosophers 08:35 did back in the 18th century 08:37 when the deification of human reason was all the rage. 08:42 A miracle, these people argued, 08:44 could be an optical illusion, it could be a magic trick 08:48 or could just be a simple lack of understanding. 08:51 We all know for example that stage magicians 08:54 do not really pull rabbits out of thin air. 08:57 And as far as the rationalists 08:59 of the 18th century were concerned, 09:01 the universe for some inexplicable reason 09:05 the universe has immutable physical laws 09:08 that cannot be broken. 09:10 And the appearance of an exception to those rules a miracle 09:13 would be nothing but an illusion. 09:16 Now I've got to take a little break. 09:19 So I'm gonna let the miracle of television 09:21 and radio take care of you for a few brief moments, 09:24 and I'll be right back after this. 09:29 - [Narrator] Life can throw a lot at us. 09:31 Sometimes we don't have all the answers, 09:34 but that's where the Bible comes in. 09:37 It's our guide to a more fulfilling life. 09:40 Here at "The Voice of Prophecy", 09:41 we've created the "Discover Bible Guides" 09:44 to be your guide to the Bible. 09:45 They're designed to be simple, easy to use, 09:48 and provide answers to many of life's toughest questions, 09:51 and they're absolutely free. 09:53 So jump online now or give us a call 09:55 and start your journey of discovery. 09:58 Contrary to the way that a lot of people think 10:01 the Bible doesn't really point to miracles 10:03 as proof of God's existence. 10:07 And the story of what happened 10:08 with the people who experienced the miracles in this book, 10:11 well, it's not a very convincing exhibit for those who think 10:14 that miracles would actually convince somebody 10:16 to believe in God. 10:18 Because this book has lots of stories 10:20 of people who witnessed clearly supernatural events 10:23 and they still rejected God. 10:26 So let's go back today 10:28 and look at some of the most noteworthy examples. 10:30 I wanna show you something. 10:32 In the book of Exodus, 10:33 we have the parting of the red sea is the one of 10:36 the most spectacular events in the Bible. 10:39 That's the centerpiece for Cecil B. DeMille 10:42 "The Ten Commandments." 10:44 After God sends a series of plagues 10:47 in the land of Egypt to convince the Egyptians, 10:49 it is time for these Israelites to go. 10:52 God has scorched his people down to the edge of the Red Sea 10:55 into something that basically looks like a death trap. 10:59 They could actually see the dust 11:01 of the Egyptian army up on the horizon, 11:03 because even though the plagues were a supernatural miracle 11:07 that persuaded the Egyptians to let the slaves go 11:11 the effect was short lived. 11:13 And in a matter of days, the Egyptians changed their mind 11:16 and decided we're gonna go get those slaves back. 11:19 So here we have God's people between the devil 11:21 and the deep Blue Sea or I guess the Red Sea. 11:25 And suddenly God drives back the waters of the sea, 11:29 and his people cross on dry land. 11:32 Then when the Egyptian set foot in that same water 11:36 the water's coming back and drown them. 11:38 Then on the heels of that, 11:39 God suddenly provides pure drinking water 11:42 for hundreds of thousands of people 11:44 in a place where there is no water. 11:46 And he literally gives them bread from heaven. 11:49 Then he shows up in person 11:51 in a cloud of fire on of Mount Sinai. 11:54 And these people hear the very voice of God. 11:57 The whole story is undeniably miraculous. 12:01 So you would think that his people would be forever grateful 12:05 that their loyalty would be locked down forever, 12:09 but that's not how it worked. 12:11 Within days of the supernatural miracles, 12:14 the children of Israel built a golden calf 12:17 and they worshiped him. 12:18 It's absolutely inconceivable. 12:21 I would like to think if I saw what they saw 12:24 I'd be convinced, I would stay convinced forever. 12:31 But I think you and I both know that 12:32 is not quite how it works. 12:33 In fact, some of you listening right now, 12:35 some of you have seen things you can't explain. 12:39 Some of you have experienced what appears 12:41 to be divine intervention. 12:43 And for a moment you had no doubt God must be real. 12:48 It happens. 12:50 But then let me ask you this, 12:51 was that enough to keep you faithful 12:53 for the rest of your life? 12:56 I'm guessing the answer's no. 12:58 And that's because first of all, 13:00 the story of the Bible is not a list of logical proofs. 13:03 that God is real and secondly, 13:05 it does not build its case on miracles. 13:10 Let me give you another example. 13:12 We see Jesus over in the Gospel of John literally raising 13:16 a man from the dead. 13:19 And surprisingly, that was not enough 13:22 to convince his critics 13:24 that he possessed power over life and death. 13:26 That he must be the divine author of life. 13:30 Well, let me show you. 13:31 From the story recorded in John chapter 11 13:35 this is the story of Lazarus, a good friend 13:38 of Jesus who died from an illness 13:41 and Jesus in this story at this point 13:43 is talking to his sister, Martha. 13:45 This is John 11 verse 40. 13:48 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that 13:52 if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 13:56 Now remember, this is the story of a miracle. 13:59 And I want you to notice the order that Jesus suggests. 14:02 First you believe and then you see the miracle, 14:06 not the other way around. 14:07 Verse 41. 14:09 Then they took away the stone 14:11 from the place where the dead man was lying. 14:13 And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, 14:15 "Father I thank you that you have heard me. 14:18 And I know that you always hear me, 14:21 but because of the people who were standing by, 14:23 I said this that they may believe that you sent me." 14:27 So Jesus does pray that people would choose to believe, 14:30 but pay attention to what happens here. 14:32 Verse 43. 14:34 Now when he had said these things, 14:36 he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus come forth!" 14:39 And he who had died came out bound, 14:42 hand and foot with grave clothes. 14:44 And his face was wrapped with a cloth. 14:46 Jesus said to them, loose him and let him go. 14:51 So now we have a dead man who's come back to life 14:54 and you'd think for sure that would be the clincher. 14:57 How do you argue with that? 14:58 How do you argue with dead people who come back to life? 15:04 But watch what happens next 15:05 because this is really important. 15:08 It's one second statement now down in verse 53. 15:12 It says then from that day on 15:15 they plotted to put him to death. 15:19 So how do you explain that? 15:21 You have a dead man who comes back from the dead 15:25 and these people that saw that still wanted to kill Jesus. 15:28 It doesn't make sense, but it did make sense to Jesus. 15:34 In fact, over in Luke chapter 16 15:36 that's what the Bible said would happen. 15:38 Luke 16 verse 31. 15:41 But he said to him, if they do not hear Moses 15:44 and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though 15:47 one rise from the dead. 15:51 Don't miss this. 15:53 This is really important. 15:56 If reading the scriptures, that's what it means by Moses 15:59 and the prophets, it means this scriptures. 16:02 If reading the scriptures, doesn't convince you 16:05 then a miracle's not going to come convince you either. 16:08 And that is straight from the mouth of Jesus. 16:11 The greatest miracle worker of all time. 16:14 That should give you pause for thought. 16:18 If the son of God doesn't think 16:20 that miracles are the ultimate proof of God's existence 16:24 or a foolproof way to convince people to worship God 16:29 then why do you and I like to think that way? 16:32 Now to be sure when Lazarus was resurrected, 16:35 some people did believe, 16:38 but a resurrection was not enough 16:39 to convince Jesus' enemies to just leave him alone 16:42 at that point. 16:43 And don't forget, 16:44 these enemies were the religious leaders of the day. 16:47 People who profess to believe in God. 16:50 People who said they believed in Messiah. 16:53 But when faced with miraculous proof 16:55 that Jesus was Messiah they did the wrong thing. 16:59 They actually wanted him dead. 17:02 Truth be told, they felt threatened by Jesus' popularity, 17:06 and their personal ambitions quickly 17:09 and very easily overrode any part of their brains 17:13 that told them that Jesus was everything he claimed to be. 17:17 Now from my perspective, people don't come back 17:20 from the dead. 17:22 So you would think that a resurrection 17:23 would be a game changer, but honestly it's not. 17:27 And really, it probably wouldn't be for most of us. 17:32 Now that's not to say that miracles don't happen. 17:34 They really, really do. 17:36 I've met people whose lives 17:38 have been completely revolutionized 17:40 by miraculous circumstances that can't be explained. 17:44 But for most of us surprisingly, a miracle is not enough. 17:51 So I do have to take another short break, 17:52 but don't you go away 17:54 because I'm about to serve up some more talk about miracles. 17:59 - [Narrator] Here at "The Voice of Prophecy," 18:01 we're committed to creating top quality programming 18:03 for the whole family 18:05 like our audio adventure series, "Discovery Mountain." 18:08 Discovery Mountain is a Bible based program 18:10 for kids of all ages and backgrounds. 18:13 Your family will enjoy the faith building stories 18:15 from the Small Mountain Summer Camp Penn Town. 18:18 with 24 seasonal episodes every year 18:21 and fresh content every week. 18:23 There's always a new adventure just on the horizon. 18:30 - So here's what I want you to really think about today 18:32 because many of you, if not most of you have had your doubts 18:37 about the reality of God from time to time. 18:42 Even longtime church goers if they're honest, 18:45 they'd have to admit we all have these moments. 18:47 And the historical record demonstrates that miracles are not 18:51 the way to resolve your doubts, not for most people. 18:55 And I guess the reason I'm hammering this point today 18:57 is because so many people 18:59 without ever really reading the Bible assume 19:01 that this book is written like Greek Mythology. 19:04 A book based on fantastic events, 19:07 and it offers those fantastic events has proved 19:10 for God's existence. 19:12 But that's not the way the Bible is written. 19:14 In fact, let me take you back to the opening chapter, 19:17 and you'll notice something rather extraordinary. 19:19 I don't want you to miss this. 19:21 This is Genesis chapter one right at the top. 19:24 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 19:27 The earth was without form and void and darkness was 19:30 on the face of the deep and the spirit of God 19:32 was hovering over the face of the waters. 19:34 Then God said, let there be light. 19:37 And there was light. 19:39 Now that in and of itself is a miracle. 19:42 God just speaks and the universe pops into existence. 19:45 But at the same time serious Bible students 19:48 have noticed there's a significant difference between 19:50 that passage and the stories of pagan mythology. 19:54 There really is no backstory here, no family of gods 19:57 and demi-gods going to war with each other 20:00 or living as part of the creation itself. 20:03 This God, the creator exists outside of his creation. 20:08 The gods of Mount Olympus may have had incredible powers, 20:11 but still they were somewhat subject to the laws 20:14 of the universe. 20:15 So this book is a radically different account 20:20 and it suggests that somebody made this place intentionally 20:23 with a purpose in mind. 20:25 Then after he speaks a logical and orderly universe 20:28 into existence, it States something really important down 20:32 in verse 31. 20:34 Then God saw everything that he had made, 20:37 and indeed it was very good. 20:39 So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. 20:43 Don't miss the significance of this 20:45 because this is really important. 20:47 The Bible begins by describing a physical world 20:50 with light and dark and plant life and animal life, 20:54 and of course us the human race. 20:57 And when it's done, God says this is very good. 21:00 In fact, after every day of creation, he says this is good, 21:03 and when it's all finished, he says, this is very good. 21:07 The implication is that the universe 21:09 the way it was created that was the miracle where you 21:13 and I were supposed to see God, 21:15 right here in the real, natural, physical world. 21:19 The world was good the way it was. 21:22 So the supernatural miracles 21:24 in this book are the exception, not the rule. 21:27 And the way God speaks 21:28 to us is through ordinary circumstances in ordinary lives. 21:33 Now to be sure I have seen my share of miracles, 21:36 I really have. 21:37 But that is not the essential foundation 21:39 of my relationship with God. 21:42 The God of the Bible is a God of relationships. 21:45 And most of the real is stated in this book is occupied 21:47 with how God relates to the human race inside our own world. 21:54 This is the story of ordinary people living 21:55 in a covenant relationship 21:57 with an extraordinary God who created us as companions 22:01 for himself, in his image with the ability to create things 22:05 in our own little way 22:06 and the ability to exercise moral choice 22:08 and the ability to love. 22:11 Then this book finishes with a warning 22:13 not to base our choices on miracles at all. 22:17 Again, I'm not saying miracles don't happen. 22:19 And I'm not saying they're not important 22:21 because obviously they are. 22:23 They wouldn't be in this book at all. 22:25 What I'm saying is that they can't be the foundation 22:27 for faith because that's going to take you 22:29 in the wrong direction. 22:31 I'll show you what I mean from the book of Revelation. 22:34 Most people think Revelation is obscure and mystical 22:38 but honestly, it's a book that's fairly easy to understand 22:42 and it actually offers answers to the deepest questions 22:45 most of us have asked. 22:46 Let me show you 22:48 just one interesting thought from Revelation. 22:50 This is describing the mess that human beings make 22:53 when we try to take over God's throne 22:55 and run the planet our way. 22:56 Here's what it says in Revelation 13 verse 11. 23:01 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. 23:04 And he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 23:07 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast 23:10 in his presence and causes the earth 23:12 and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, 23:15 whose deadly wound was healed. 23:18 So here we have a description of people worshiping 23:20 the wrong thing. 23:21 Verse 13. 23:23 He performs great signs, those are miracles, 23:26 so that he even makes fire come down 23:28 from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 23:31 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs 23:34 which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, 23:37 telling those who dwell 23:38 on the earth to make an image to the beast 23:40 who was wounded by the sword and lived. 23:45 So here's the problem with miracles. 23:47 They can cut both ways. 23:49 A supernatural event might be God's work, 23:52 but then again it might not be. 23:55 It might be somebody or something other than God, 23:58 and so you wanna be careful. 24:00 This is why the faith of the Bible 24:02 is not established on miracles. 24:05 The famous Jewish philosopher, Maimonides 24:08 actually figured this out a long time ago. 24:10 He noticed that 24:11 when God performs miracles he's generally, not always, 24:14 but generally addressing real physical needs. 24:18 He's not trying to prove his existence. 24:20 He's trying to save his people 24:21 from attack or provide food when they're hungry. 24:24 And it primarily happens 24:26 with people who already know that he exists. 24:29 What the Bible urges us to do is not make a list 24:32 of all the philosophical proofs for the existence of God. 24:36 This book just challenges us to experience him. 24:39 All of us are born after all with this sense that something 24:42 or someone is out there. 24:44 And what the Bible urges us to do 24:46 is experience God's presence in our daily ordinary lives. 24:53 This asks us to look for his presence 24:55 and then become God's hands in a world 24:57 that needs to see him. 24:58 In other words you need to be the miracle 25:02 in other people's lives. 25:03 That's how people are going to see him. 25:07 God isn't looking to prove he exists, 25:09 and he's not trying to wow you with his power. 25:12 What he's asking you to do is experience him, 25:15 have a relationship with him. 25:17 That's the reason why we crave things 25:19 like friendship and love. 25:21 We were made that way by a God who wants the same things. 25:26 This is not some cold scientific God who deals 25:29 in logical assertions. 25:31 This is a God who loves to work with very imperfect people. 25:34 Keeping his promises when we break ours, 25:38 showing us who he is 25:40 through an ordinary day-to-day experience. 25:44 Don't go away, I'll be right back. 25:49 - [Narrator] Dragons, beasts, cryptic statues. 25:53 Bible prophecy can be incredibly vivid and confusing. 25:58 If you've ever read Daniel the Revelation 26:00 and come away scratching your head, you're not alone. 26:03 Our free focus on prophecy guides or designed 26:06 to help you unlock the mysteries of the Bible 26:08 and deepen your understanding of God's plan 26:11 for you and our world. 26:12 Study online or request them by mail 26:15 and start bringing prophecy into focus today. 26:20 - Miracles are not the essence 26:21 of a meaningful relationship with God. 26:23 Any more than a special occasion like your anniversary 26:26 is the essential foundation of your marriage. 26:30 Yeah, there are spectacular moments 26:32 but it's the stuff between the spectacular moments 26:34 that makes for a lifetime of relationship over 26:38 the years I've seen some things I can't explain. 26:40 But that's not what keeps me going day in and day out. 26:44 What keeps me going are those quiet moments 26:47 with God where I can open this ancient book 26:50 and just listen to what he says, the supernatural stuff. 26:55 Think of that like icing on the cake. 26:57 It's not the bulk of your experience. 26:59 I know all around the world Christians have made 27:01 a huge fuss when miracles appear to happen, 27:04 but it's entirely possible. 27:06 You could get to the end of your life 27:07 and never actually see one and that's okay. 27:10 It doesn't mean that God isn't real 27:12 or that he doesn't know you're there. 27:15 It certainly doesn't mean that something is wrong with you. 27:18 It just means you live the biggest miracle of all. 27:21 A peaceful life with God in a very broken world. 27:25 And just like it was with the prophet Elijah, 27:27 I think you'll be amazed just how often God chooses 27:30 to speak not in a spectacular storm, 27:34 but in a still small voice, a voice you can still find 27:40 in the pages of this book. 27:41 Thanks for joining me. 27:43 I'm Shawn Boonstra and this has been, "Authentic". |
Revised 2021-04-14