Miracles? Discussions for Curious Christians about Jesus’ Miracles

By John Zehring

“Miracles? Discussions for Curious Christians about Jesus’ Miracles” is designed as a six-week adult small group conversation or class. The pros and cons of miracles are presented for discussion. Then each week’s miracle begins with conversation starters, followed by background information and reflections and then accompanied by related scripture texts. In the bible they are not called miracles but signs and wonders. From Jesus’ earliest (changing water into wine) to one of his last (raising Lazarus from the dead), curious Christians are led to wrestle with the message behind the miracle. The book is especially well-suited for small member-led discussion groups although anyone curious about Jesus’ miracles will find it enlightening.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Zehring
• Release date: Mar 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370778607

John Zehring

John Zehring has served United Church of Christ congregations as Senior Pastor in Massachusetts (Andover), Rhode Island (Kingston), and Maine (Augusta) and as an Interim Pastor in Massachusetts (Arlington, Harvard). Prior to parish ministry, he served in higher education, primarily in development and institutional advancement. He worked as a dean of students, director of career planning and placement, adjunct professor of public speaking and as a vice president at a seminary and at a college. He is the author of more than sixty books and is a regular writer for The Christian Citizen, an American Baptist social justice publication. He has taught Public Speaking, Creative Writing, Educational Psychology and Church Administration. John was the founding editor of the publication Seminary Development News, a publication for seminary presidents, vice presidents and trustees (published by the Association of Theological Schools, funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment). He graduated from Eastern University and holds graduate degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Rider University, and the Earlham School of Religion. He is listed in Marquis' WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA and is a recipient of their Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. John and his wife Donna live in two places, in central Massachusetts and by the sea in Maine.

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Miracles?

Discussions for Curious Christians about Jesus’ Miracles

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John Zehring

Copyright 2018 John Zehring

Introduction

Jesus’ Miracles. Are they for real? Did God intervene to break the rules of the natural order? Or, were signs and wonders simply a coincidence attributed to being a miracle? Is it possible miracles never really happened? Might the gospel writers embellished the story for the purpose of winning converts? Might miracles have been added by later copiers of gospel texts or editors of the earliest manuscripts? Or, did miracles actually occur as described, which in some cases were witnessed by multiple sets of eyes. If Jesus’ performed miracles then, would God perform a miracle today?

Does it matter if you believe in miracles?

No, not really. You can be a faithful child of God without having to decide if the miracles in the bible were coincidences, embellishments of gospel authors, early explanations for natural phenomenon not yet understood or if they were indeed a Divine intervention in the natural order. Belief in miracles is not a litmus test of a follower’s faithfulness.

But we are curious. It is interesting to wonder about the how and the why of miracles. Then... there are those moments when we wonder if real miracles occur today. Would there be hope for a miracle if we needed one, for ourselves or for another.

Miracles, signs and wonders in the bible are undeniably a part of the bible’s story, designed to glorify God, to show God’s compassion and to encourage faith. There are miracles of nature, like walking on water or turning water into 150 gallons of wine. There are miracles of healing: a blind man, lepers, a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years, people with demons (which is what they used to call mental illness) and, most dramatically, raising the dead. There are about three dozen miracles of Jesus in the gospels although all four gospels record that Jesus did innumerable other miracles, often found in the word all:

They brought to him ALL the sick... and he cured them, says Matthew 4:24.

ALL who touched it were healed, says Mark 6:56.

He healed ALL of them, says Luke 6:19

The word miracle does not occur in the gospels. That is our word. The gospels refer to Jesus’ miraculous acts as signs, wonders or powers:

When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the SIGNS that he was doing. John 2:23

Now Jesus did many other SIGNS in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. John 20:30

Then Jesus said to him, Unless you see SIGNS and WONDERS you will not believe. John 4:48

This book is designed to stimulate engaging conversations for adult study groups as you consider Jesus’ miracles and their message. Each chapter begins with discussion starters to stimulate the conversation. Then reflections and background information is provided, followed by related scripture texts connected to the questions. Please feel welcome to venture off the main path to explore new territory as the conversation leads. This study format recognizes that learning by discovery is the most powerful form of learning. Rather than a lecture or having a teacher, it is preferred for the group to lead itself by considering provoking questions and conversation.

This work is designed for curious Christians who recognize that asking the tough questions does not weaken their faith. Nor is it discourteous, challenging to orthodox teaching, insulting to God or a sign of a weak faith. Rather, to probe out of curiosity is perfectly appropriate. You can see from the gospels that Jesus took people seriously. Jesus took people and their questions seriously as he did with Thomas, whom history inaccurately nicknames Doubting Thomas. He was not doubting. He was curious. Thomas had a lot of questions. Notice that even at the end, even when Thomas said he would not believe until he saw the nail marks in Jesus’ hands, Jesus still took Thomas seriously. In fact, Jesus used questions, even questions from hostile sources, as a teaching moment. This suggests that when we do not understand something, we are at least dealing with a kind teacher who has patience with us and takes our questions seriously.

The discussions push the envelope and may cause intellectual conflict but fear not. Conflict and wrestling with challenging ideas is creative because the mind attempts to resolve conflict. A group conversation that confronts real questions has potential to reaffirm current belief, to grow one’s faith and to consider which parts of belief are most important.

The format for chapters begins with suggested discussion questions. Use them as a guide for your own questions and do not feel compelled to tackle all of them. Reflections are then included to provide background information about the miracle. Then, suggested scriptures are added to provide a fuller context for the miracle as well as related texts.

A FEW NOTES ABOUT THIS BOOK

All scriptures in this work come from the New Revised Standard unless otherwise noted.

I have attempted to use inclusive language wherever possible in the words I have written, although I have not altered the author’s reference to God as he. I recognize that the Divine has no gender and for many it may be just as appropriate and accurate to acknowledge God as Mother or Father. Whichever pronoun is used, consider God as a loving parent.

Some of this work is adapted from other books or eBooks I have written. My website can be found by searching online for John Zehring books.

John Zehring

Pros and Cons of Miracles

Discussion questions

Changing water into wine, walking on water, restoring sight to the blind, raising the dead… what is your overall opinion about Jesus’ miracles?

What do you think about the faith of others who hold the opposite position on miracles?

Are you comfortable or uncomfortable talking about our curiosity about miracles? Why?

When Jesus was cast into the wilderness after his baptism and tempted by the Evil One, he rejected the tempting idea of dazzling people with signs and wonders. That, he believed, was not the way to lead people to God. Why then do you think he performed signs and wonders? Do you think people then or today would be more inclined to follow Jesus because of miracles?

Many great theologians did not belief in Jesus’ miracles. Would believing in Jesus’ miracles be a boost or a threat to your faith?

Before Copernicus, people thought the Sun and planets revolved around the earth. Before science explained lightning and solar eclipses, people thought them to be the work of a celestial Being performing miracles. Do you think it possible that some of the bible’s miracles might have been unexplained natural phenomena? Would that lessen your faith in any way? If so, why?

Consider the idea of God’s power. Omnipotent means all powerful. God created the earth and the universe. God created what we consider to be a natural order. Miracles push the boundaries beyond the natural order. But God cannot be limited. To hold God to operating within the natural order would limit God, wouldn’t it? Do you think that Jesus, the second person of the Trinity who was with God at the beginning of creation, would be bound by the limits of the natural order?

When Christ calls a man, wrote Bonhoeffer, he bids him come and die. When Christ calls