Slides: Expecting Miracles

Expecting Miracles
By David Feddes

²³ Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. ²⁴ So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. ²⁵ And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. (Matthew 4:23-25)

Jesus’ healings

• Healed all who asked
• Right away, not later
• Instant, not gradual
• Complete, not partial
• Miraculous, not medical

… healing every disease and every affliction among the people. (Matt 4:23)

He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. (Luke 4:39)

A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. (Matt 8:2-3)

Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. (Luke 5:25)

Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. (Mark 5:29)

He took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and immediately she stood up. (Luke 8:54-55)

A woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” ¹³ Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. (Luke 13:11-13)

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. (Luke 18:42-43)

Jesus’ healings

• Healed all who asked
• Right away, not later
• Instant, not gradual
• Complete, not partial
• Miraculous, not medical

Expectations

• Do such miracles happen today?
• Should we seek such miracles today, or lower our expectations?
• Should we expect 100% miracles whenever faith is strong?
• Wrong expectations are harmful.

God in action

• Providence: hidden plan governs created patterns and second causes
• Answers: interacts with prayers
• Miracles: direct divine action 
• All for his glory and our good

God is free
God, in his ordinary providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at his pleasure. (Westminster Confession 5.3)

Facing facts

• ALL God’s acts deserve our praise.
• Biblical miracles were special.
• We live between Jesus’ comings.
• We have Spirit as down payment.
• Miracles are possible, not promised.
• We don’t always know how to pray.
• Faith trusts God to do what is best.

Expecting miracles

I will remember your wonders of old… You are the God who works wonders. (Psalm 77:11, 14)

Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. (Acts 4:30)