What is a miracle?

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

YEAR 10 GCSE RE COURSEWORK: MIRACLES

WHAT IS A MIRCALE?

Some definition’s of miracles can be outlined as follow

The change of mind that shifts our perception from the ego’s world of sin, guilt and fear, to the holy spirit’s world of forgiveness: reverses projection by restoring to the mind its causative function, allowing us to choose again: transcends the laws of this world to reflect the laws of god: accomplished by our joining with the holy spirit or Jesus, being the means of healing our own or other’s minds

A miracle is an out-of-the-ordinary direct divine intervention in the world.

Any act of god in the universe that supercedes the laws of nature. Providential acts, which occur within the confines of natural law, are not miraculous. A marvellous event manifesting a supernatural act of God.

Everyday definitions of a miracle are a gift from god e.g. winning the lottery

In everyday life

1) Not revising for your GCSEs and getting all A*s

2) Being a survivor of the September the 11th terrorist attack 911

Christians believe that the good news of the message of Jesus is for all people. It does not depend on race, colour, or class. Everyone is the same in the eyes of God and his love, mercy and forgiveness is for all of us. Faith is offered to every one of us a long, as we believe in the impossible. The meaning of miracles is to show us that there is a coming of the kingdom of god and it shows the power of the Holy Spirit working through Jesus.

Examples of miracles performed by Jesus

In the bible:

1) The parting of the red sea

2) Jesus walking on water

3) The resurrection of Lazarus

Luke’s Gospel and how it presents Jesus and miracles

When St. Luke was writing his gospel he was trying to give us a picture of Jesus but in a short document.St.luke gave us an account of Jesus’ early life emphasizing the incredible way Jesus was conceived, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We are told about his beginnings in Bethlehem and his experiences in Jerusalem when he was thirteen.St.luke concentrated on Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness, his call especially to the poor and under –privileged. Inviting both Jew and Gentile to salvation (being saved and entering the kingdom of god).

St.Luke highlights Jesus teaching on individual immorality (goodness), possessions and the dangers of material wealth.St.Luke also highlight the importance of prayer, joy and praising god and he stresses the importance of the role of the Holy Spirit. Jesus does not work on his own. He consults his father and is given the power and inspiration by the Holy Spirit. The miracles demonstrate the power of the kingdom of God, but on their own Jesus would be nothing more than a miracle worker. Jesus performed his miracles for a purpose and that purpose was to bring people to closer relationship with God.

The stories Luke writes in his gospel about Jesus always have a meaning. They are there to not only tell a story but to tell us as Christians about Jesus’ life, him as a person and ministry. They help explain to us the meaning of Jesus why he was put on earth and what he was put on earth to teach and tell us about the coming of God. The miracle stories are often found in a special background (context) if you read what comes before and after the miracle, you often see that the miracle shows more than just Jesus’ power. It might show Jesus attitude to Gentiles for example, or perhaps to Jewish law.

Miracles give Luke’s readers a strong idea of what Jesus was Luke.

One example of a miracle is the miracle about the Centurion’s Servant (7:1-10)

This is a preview of the whole essay

Miracles give Luke’s readers a strong idea of what Jesus was Luke.

One example of a miracle is the miracle about the Centurion’s Servant (7:1-10)

This miracle is set in the town of Capernaum in Galilee. There was a roman Centurion living in this town he was sympathetic to the Jews and their religion. He built the synagogue. It seemed surprising to find a Gentile involved in Jewish affairs but really, it was not that surprising. Some Romans did not believe in their own pagan gods but they inclined towards the idea of there being one universal God. This man had not become a Jew this was because of his position within the roman army. The centurion is shown to be a compassionate man because he cares about the health of one of his servants. He sent Jewish representatives to Jesus to ask him to help.

Why the story was remember

1) The healing of the servant was made possible by prayerful faith of someone other than the sufferer. The centurion has the faith that Jesus can do something.

2) The miracle was performed at a distance. Jesus does not meet the servant. What is even more amazing is that Jesus does not meet the centurion either. The centurion sent word to Jesus that it was not necessary for him to come in person. Jesus only had to say the word and he knew that servant would be healed (7:7)

3) The centurion’s faith is that Jesus authority was from God. He explained that as an officer in the army, he knew that his own commands would be obeyed without question because of his authority. In the same way, Jesus had authority, which came from God (7:6-8).

Luke’s use of the story

The centurion received, from Jesus, the highest praise given to anyone in l

Luke’s Gospel. He pronounces:

I tell you, nowhere, even in Israel, have I found faith like this (7:9)

It should always be remembered that the man was a Gentile. This Gentile had professed a faith that no Jew had, believing Jesus had authority and power to help. Luke uses this story as the supreme example of his theme of universalism.

The Gospel was to be offered to Jew and Gentile alike.

Another Example of a miracle is Jesus heals a paralysed man

One day when Jesus was teaching some Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every town in Galilee and Judea from Jerusalem. The power of the lord was in Jesus to heal the sick. Some man was carrying a paralysed man and they tried to carry him into the house and put him in front of the crowd. Because the crowd was too big, they could not find to get him in. so they carried him up on the roof and lowered him into the house in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw how much faith the man had he said to the man, “Your sins are forgiven, my friend”

They Pharisees and the teacher began to say, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemy God is the only one who can forgive sins”

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them “Why do you think such things? Is it easier to say your sins are forgiven you or to say get up and walk? I will prove you then that the son of man has the authority to forgive sins” So he told the paralysed man to get up and pick up his bed and go home. At once, the man did this, he was unparalysed, and he wants home signing praises to god and all the people they were amazed by what they had seen.

This story tells us that Jesus can clear us all of any living disease that we have just as long as we believe in him and that we have a lot of faith. Jesus believes in every one of us so if we put are faith in him them he will forgive are sins if we ask him for forgiveness.

Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law

Luke 4:38-39

In Capernaum on the Sabbath. Tradition says that Peter’s house was only about 100 yards from the synagogue. They have a church built on the spot. However, part of the site location problem in Israel is that Constantine’s mother-in-law came through Israel around 300 AD and had churches built on various spots to represent this or that event from the NT. It is highly debated as how accurate she was.Two mothers-in-law in the Bible do not have the typical mothers-in-law relationships. Naomi and Peter’s mother.

Once the Sabbath was over, the people flocked to Jesus with their sick and demon possessed to have Him heal them. They had to wait until the Sabbath was over so that they did not violate the Pharisees’ rules about carrying burdens on the Sabbath. Again, we see that the Pharisees rules were more of a burden to the people than a fulfilment of the original intent of the Sabbath, which was to provide rest. What better way to rest than to go and be healed by Jesus. However, the people had to wait. To the Pharisees rules were more important than people were.

After a very full day of ministry, Jesus gets up early the next morning to spend time with the Father. I know the human tendency after a full day of ministry is to sleep in the next day. I think this illustrates that Jesus’ strength came from the Father.

We now learn that Jesus has the authority to heal disease.
Jesus is not someone who majors in fixing bad backs or leg lengthening. He can heal all manner of diseases. Notice also that they are not performed on a platform. It took place in her bedroom probably, out of sight of the crowds.

We see the importance of intercession. Others become the channel of blessing for someone else.
While there are times to get away, ministry sometimes needs to be done when I am tired. Jesus had just been teaching in the synagogue and they have gone home to eat and rest.
Serving should be the natural response of gratitude for the work of God in our lives. She got up and immediately began to wait on them. Luke points this out. Luke points it out because as a doctor, he wants to emphasize the completeness of the healing.

Jesus was also able to not only perform miracles where he clearly had the power to control nature.

THE CLAMING OF THE STROM

One day Jesus go in to a boat with his disciples and said to them “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake” So they set out and as they sailed he fall asleep. Then a squall of wind came down on the lake. The boat started shipping water on and they found themselves in danger. They went and woke up Jesus and rebuked the wind and the water they subsided and it was clam again. Jesus said to them “Where is your faith” they were awestruck and astounded and said to each other “Who can this be that gives orders even to winds and waves and they obey”The story illustrates that Jesus does not only work certain miracles that through him all miracles are possible as long as your faith in him it strong.

THE RETURN OF THE APOSTLES. MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES

On their return, the apostles gave him an account of what they had done. He took them with him to withdrew towards town called Bethsaida so that they could be by themselves. However, the crowds got to know where they had gone. Jesus did not turn them away he made them welcome and told them about the kingdom of god and the importance of healing.Late afternoon the 12 disciples came to Jesus and said “send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place. Jesus told the dispels to give the people something to eat but the dispels said that they only have 5 loaves and 2 fishes, They were about five thousand man there. However, Jesus told them to get the men to sit down in parties of about fifity.They did this and made them sit down. The Jesus took the five fishes and loves and raised his eyes towards the heavens he said blessing over them.Then he broke them and handed it to the crowd .They all ate as much as they wanted and they were even scraps left which filled twelve baskets.

The story illustrates that Jesus can do anything that he will always feed his people and that they will not go hungry.

SECTION B

The importance of healing miracles of Jesus for Christian life today is very important for us a Christian we believe and love Jesus we want to be CHRIST LIKE and so Jesus says to us that we should ‘love are neighbors as he as loved us’. One story in the bible were some one is acting Christ like is the story of The Good Samaritan Luke10:25-37 in this story one man of a different tribe helps another of a tribe he is supposed to dislike but he doesn’t think of disliking the man he treats him as his neighbor as if it were his own brother. Jesus showed a lot of care and compassion to those who were suffering and what that teaches us is to care for other. Faith is very important in our lives as Christians we put our faith in the lord our god because we believe he died on the cross so that are sins could be forgiven. Many people nowadays have been classed by some people as being outcasts these people are the homeless, people that are living with HIV or any other life threatening diseases but then they are Christians who like to help people with these sickness or if they are homeless they like to help in caring professions and get job in them examples of these are medical and nursing professions doctors and nurses who work with the nhs help try to save the lives of people other examples are the work of HIV/Cancer hospices these help people come to terms with there illness they visit these people and talk to them help them out if they have children they take there children out they are also people who council people that have problems whether they have been sexual or physical abuse or if they are having any other kind of problems. They are also people who do chaplaincy work in prisons they talk to cell mates and they don’t judge them just cause they are in prisons they help them and try to lead them towards God working in a prison is very dangerous but the chaplains are being like Jesus because they are loving they cell mates as if they were they neighbors. They are major organizations that help third world countries these are organizations like CAFOD and Christian aid. They are also people who work helps people a lot in my ways these people are living Christ like one person who lived Christ like and also loved they neighbors was Mother Teresa who passed away a few years ago. We also have teachers in schools like Special educational needs teachers who help children that have special needs whether they have behavior problems or can’t ride or write. The Sacrament of the sick which the church administers not only to those who seriously ill or about to die, but to the elderly and more vulnerable another sacrament is the sacrament of confession and reconciliation when we confess to god and reconcile with him a he forgives us. There is also belief in the healing of power of a pilgrimage to Lourdes in France for physical and spiritual or both healings. When we as Christians look back on these healing and works of Christ we can reflect on what we are doing we can see all these examples that we are doing and other our doing in their lives so I can conclude that healing miracles are very important for Christians in their lives.

Section C

I disagree with the statement ‘Healing miracles do not happen today’ because I believe that as Christian we put all our faith in the lord in everything and if we pray and pray believing that we will be cured we can get cured in churches nowadays when a person is sick they go to church and get prayed over by the priest at times the priest might anoint the sick person with oil the church does this because the will of Jesus is that all people should be whole in body,mind,and sprit. A person that has faith prays for healing in the belief that healing will take place. Some times a sick person’s friend may show their faith by taking their sick friend to Lourdes. Faith coming before and bringing about healing is real to many Christian today as it was at the time of the gospel. Many Christians when things go wrong for them in their lives tend to give up because maybe they thing Jesus is neglecting them that he doesn’t want them any more but they need to realize that everything in the world has a time and place for it to happen and everything has a reason for it happening as Christians we need to learn to be strong in Christ for he can’t heal us unless we as Christians believe in being healed. Some people in their lives think that they have not had a miracles happen to them that’s why maybe they might believe in this state but they need to look back one their lives and see situations that they have been in when the out comes could have been worse for insist a person who didn’t die on September the 11 they should be thankful although many people died what if that persons whole family died how would they fell because it is a healing miracle that has kept them alive. When a miracle happens they is always a message to it whether it is teaching some something or letting them learn from it a miracle is offered to everyone of every race and every colour not matter where you are or what you do you can always receive a miracle this is what us as Christ believe so I can conclude that this statement is not true because healing miracles do happen maybe you don’t receive one everyday or every year but in your life the is always a time or times when your receive a healing miracle.