We will be continuing on with our series I've devoted the last couple of months to on "1700 Years Of The Nicene Creed." What I wanted to do today is begin a short new series as I continue working on the Nicene Creed series.
I am currently preaching a series of messages in our ongoing Sunday morning study in Luke's Gospel. Within that overall series, we have arrived at Luke 5:12-26. I felt it necessary to glean principles from Jesus' healings of a leper and a paralyzed man that may aid in navigating the interesting and somewhat contentious topic of miraculous healing.
I wanted to begin today's post with some facts related to miraculous healings in the Bible. One author (Michael Aubrey, “Miracles of the Bible”, Logos Bible Software) has referenced over 60 places in the Bible where healing of physical diseases occur. Aubrey also notes some 14 different places where people were raised from the dead.
If we take his findings and add them to the total exorcisms Jesus and the apostles performed (over one dozen), we have nearly 90 places in Scripture devoted to healing miracles. I count 19 of the 66 books that contain such records.
One time, years ago, I heard a lecturer note that if we take all of history recorded in the Bible from Adam until the Apostles, miracles like these would occur on average once every five years. The Bible records miracles, and certifies God's revelation of Himself, His message, and messengers through them. Nevertheless, Miracles by occurrence are rare, exceptional, and are meant to raise people’s awareness of God at work (see Luke 7:16).
What is a miracle?
If I were to offer a definition of a miracle, it would be this:
A miracle is an infrequently occurring act by God in a spiritually significant setting that confirms His messenger and message.
This post, and the next several, will aim to give us a Biblical perspective on how to practically and doctrinally approach miraculous healing, based on Jesus’ ministry. I plan to interact with skeptical arguments against miracles on the one hand, while dealing with the theology of miracles touted by those who call themselves "continuationists", representing a broad spectrum from conservative Pentecostals to the worldwide Charismatic movement to the extremes of the New Apostolic Reformation and Prosperity movements.
My goal is to give us some pastoral guidance in thinking about miracles as we approach Jesus’ healing ministry. I'll close today with an outline of what the next few posts will cover.
1. Place of miracles in a world made by
God.
2. Pray by the will of God for healing.
Luke 5:12-13
3. Patience by the Word of God while
waiting for healing. Luke 5:14-16
4. Presence and power of God needed
for healing. Luke 5:17
5. Priority of forgiveness by God over
healing. Luke 5:18-20
6. Purposes of God alongside healing.
Luke 5:21-26
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