I was in a hospital room as a woman was in her last moments of life. As she died, the TV show “Highway to Heaven” came on the screen. No one touched the remote at her bedside, and we all took this as a sign from God.
A very tough member of a gang was surrounded by other gang members as he lay dying in the hospital. Coming for a brief moment out of a coma, he looked up and said that he saw God, and He was real. He then lapsed back into a coma and died shortly thereafter.
A lay minister had the practice of going to nursing homes and asking the staff which patient was closest to death. He found a person I knew surrounded by his family members in a coma. The man came out of his coma long enough for the minister to lead him in a prayer for salvation. Later that day, the man died. I was grateful for this anonymous minister because I was able to give hope to the family at their loved one’s funeral.
In the Gospel of John, the same word is used for “miracle” as for a “sign,” because miracles point to something greater than themselves. Jesus taught that miracles are signs that should result in humans changing their attitudes and actions to align with God’s purposes. When this doesn’t happen, people will be judged for their unwillingness to believe and change.
“Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done because they did not repent.
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you” (Matthew 11:20-22).
A large portion of Jesus’ ministry took place around these cities in Galilee. The people saw the signs but failed to see the larger purpose behind them. Jesus pointed to historically despised peoples and claimed that they would have repented in the face of the kind of miracles that the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida had been privileged to witness.
What is sad about the three examples I gave at the beginning of my blog is that I don’t think the people involved responded with repentance and faith, either.
Three More Stories
In a three-week period, I had three experiences that I classify as a miracle. In one instance, a man was healed from what certainly was a fatal heart attack. The second involved a bowel blockage relieved through God’s power and not surgery.
The third occurrence was one of the most profound of my 50 years of ministry. A woman had been on a ventilator for over 30 days. One day, when I came to visit her, the ventilator had been removed. She was weak, but told me this story.
The night before her healing occurred, Jesus visited her in a dream. She was seated on the curb of the road; Jesus came beside her and sat down. He put His arm around her and said, “You are going to get better.” She did get better, and once her strength returned, she was released from the hospital.
What is sad is that the people in these three illustrations accepted the miracle but didn’t see the sign that pointed to something greater. The same thing occurred in Capernaum in Jesus’ day.
“And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.
For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you” (Matthew 11:24).
Signs are Not the Destination
Think about the miracles you have witnessed in your life. Did someone get healed? Did someone who appeared very distant from God become a dynamic follower of Jesus? Did God provide financially for you or someone you know in a wonderful way?
These miracles are signs. They point to something greater than the event surrounding them. They point to God, who loves the world and wants us to be aligned with His purposes.
As we think of the miracles we have witnessed, let’s make sure we are different from the cities where Jesus served. Let’s let them transform how we think and behave toward God and others. If we have been walking away from God, let’s stop, turn around, take His hand, and follow His lead.
YouTube Discussion
If all goes according to plan, Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I will have a video presentation from the Gospel of Matthew tomorrow.
Real Voices 