1. Jesus Heals….Signs of the Kingdom Chapter 8 Page 171

2. Do you Believe in Miracles? Why or Why Not?

3. 9/11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b48bCM Nyxos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b48bCM Nyxos

4. Chilean miners rescued after 69 days underground

5. Plane Crashes Into Hudson: Hero Pilot Saves Everyone

6. First words…now actions MIRACLES

7. TYPES HEALING

8. Type 2 EXCORCISMS DRAMATIC ACCOUNTS OF JESUS DRIVING EVIL SPIRITS OUT OF PEOPLE

9. Type 3 Restoration of Life= Jesus raised people from the dead

10. Type 4 Nature Miracles These miracles demonstrate Jesus’ control over the forces of nature

11. What Makes the Miracles significant? They demonstrate that the power of God was truly present in Jesus. Without some concrete demonstration of Jesus’ power over sin and evil his words would lack credibility. P. 172

12. Questions to ask about the meaning of the miracles 1.What did the Gospel writers intend to teach about Jesus and his Kingdom? 2.What did Jesus intend to reveal through his miracles 3.How are we to understand the miracles today? (this is the most critical)

13. Why are miracles sooooooo challenging? P. 174 The ideas of miracles today often present the logical mind with serious, disturbing questions rather than faith strengthening signs of hope.

14. Two Schools of Thought Take ‘em or Leave ‘em

15. Take ‘em Accepting all of God’s miracles at face value and in doing so are forced to reject many of our modern scientific findings. This view is often called fundamentalist approach. These followers do not accept any part of the Scriptures as symbolic or open to interpretation. These people take the miracles at face value.

16. Leave’em Reject any possibilities of miracles because they go beyond science and the laws of nature. People who reject miracles consider the Gospel accounts to be illusions of a primitive people or fables

17. Does it have to be ALL or NOTHING?

18. The Middle School Christians in this school believe.. Jesus did in fact work SOME wonders

19. And….. These events, these happenings have something valid and true to tell us..

20. What is the evidence that Jesus worked wonders? Supported by historical records—Jesus was referred to as a wonder worker. Not denied by the Pharisees. Affirmed by eyewitnesses—Many of whom chose to die rather than deny him.

21. Persistent Problem The Gospels seem to disagree with one another about the same events. Read page 176

22. Possible Explanation A tendency to EXAGGERATE in the early community of faith.

23. Questions for us. On what basis can we approach and judge the truth of the miracles? How are we to understand them if they cannot always be understood as historical events reported with complete accuracy?