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Lesson OneDid They Really Happen?5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TwoWhat Kinds of Miracles Did Jesus Do?5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson ThreeWhy Did Jesus Do Miracles?5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FourWhy Did Jesus’ Miracles Create Controversy? - Part I5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FiveWhy Did Jesus’ Miracles Create Controversy? - Part II5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SixAre Jesus’ Miracles Still Important?5 Activities1 Assessment
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity1 Assessment
Participants 163
Discussion Questions
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During the video section Mart DeHaan interviewed people on the street in Tiberias. He asked them if they believed in miracles. He concluded: “I sensed in the residents of Tiberias that the ‘miracles’ they believed in would not have been as dramatic as someone turning water into wine or bringing a dead person back to life; yet according to the Gospel narratives, Jesus displayed an authority and power over nature that had no natural explanation.” What might be the basis for their personal convictions concerning miracles?
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I have a kind of empathy with people who do not perceive the thought of biblical miracles being possible in present times. However, when a person, one who I know very well, my daughter, is inexplicably healed from a humanly incurable state, then my skin bristles, as it did many years ago. Miracle? In my mind yes, an answer to months of prayers, asking God to heal her; give her back her “normal” body state.
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I believe the people Mr. DeHaan interviewed on the street based their personal convictions concerning miracles on a wrong understanding/definition of miracle. If we define a miracle as “power that alters the law of physics”, then a sunset or birds singing around us is not a miracle. It should be called “unbelievably beautiful” or “only something God creates” but not miracle.
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The people being interviewed were answering by their personal experiences and what they have seen and heard during their time.
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The basis of their personal convictions concerning miracles might have to do with their background knowledge of the Bible, life experiences, and their own personal definition of what a miracle is.
Judy
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They are acknowledging that there is some higher power outside of themselves and they see things that are outside of their control and give thanks for it.
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During the video section Mart DeHaan interviewed people on the street in Tiberias. He asked them if they believed in miracles. He concluded: “I sensed in the residents of Tiberias that the ‘miracles’ they believed in would not have been as dramatic as someone turning water into wine or bringing a dead person back to life; yet according to the Gospelnarratives, Jesus displayed an authority and power over nature that had no natural explanation.” Do you agree with the responses of the people interviewed?
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No, I do not degree with the people interviewed. A miracle does not necessarily have to be an extravagent show of phenomenon. For example, a miracle might constiute a person that once had an extremely hardened heart toward Jesus becoming a Christian and turning his life over to Christ. On the other hand, a miracle might be a great as someone with a terminal illness being restored to perfect health. Regardless of how “dramatic” a miracle might be, the Gospelnarratives described it beautifully, “Jesus displayed an authority and power over nature that had no natural explanation.” Thus, any incident that fits into the category of “no natural explanation” would constitute a miracle. Thus, Jesus turning water into wine and bringing a dead person back to life would most definitley fit into the category of “no natrual explanation” other than a miracle from God.
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I believe in miracles, so I agree with those that said yes. But yeah I have not experienced nature altering miracles like in the bible. The departing of seas, or the raising of dead. Only the day to day miracles that we see, lives being changed, births, recovery from illnesses.
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I think that the responses of the people that Mart Interviewed would be similar to my response and the majority of civilization. The “tiny” or “small” miracles of our daily lives are not considered to be equal or even to be compared to the Biblical Miracles that we heard and read about. The Biblical miracles are events that change or altar the laws of nature, and the miracles that we witness-child birth, recovery from illness and the list goes on, are not events that are changing the laws of nature. God is above nature so the miracles Jesus performed are also above nature.
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I believe that it depends on our beliefs and our acknowledgement on what we see on our every day life. If we don’t believe that miracles such as the ones Jesus performed can be true, then how can we truly believe in Christ being the Son of God? It is hard to believe without seeing as we have become believers by sight, but just like the gospel says we must’ believe without seeing ‘ or else how can we believe in God?
