The ‘Practicals’ of Miracles

**Fenny West** Fri 09 Oct 2009, 8:31 pm

32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34"Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.
35Jesus wept.
36Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
37But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39"Take away the stone," he said.
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
40Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."
43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
John11:32-44

We all know that a miracle is a supernatural intervention where by the natural causes of events are suspended by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is usually no natural explanation other than it is the hand of God at work.
And when Blind Bartimaeus came to Jesus and was immediately healed, we know God was at work because it happened like a flash. He who hitherto walked in darkness begging for arms went home with euphoria because he could now see.

Similarly when the woman with the issue of the blood, who had spent all she had and yet her case grew worse received her healing we will all agree that that was a miracle.

Again when Jesus fed the 5000 with two fish and five loaves and there were 12 baskets full of the remnants, it was clearly a miracle.

However a cursory look at most miracles will reveal that there is usually a human element in it. That is what I call : the practical- your part or my part.

In our text Jesus was at the scene of the death of Lazarus. He had been dead for four days and was now stinking. He asked to be taken to where he was buried and then tells them to roll away the stone. It was possible for Him to call Lazarus to burst forth from his gave and answer the call of the Resurrection and the Life but Jesus wanted them to do their own part for the miracle to occur. If they had disobeyed Him would there have been a miracle? Your guess is as good as mine. Thank God they obey Him and rolled away the stone.

Even after Lazarus had come out of the grave but still held back by grave clothes, Jesus has to issue another command: loose him and let him go! Again hey obeyed him and loosed him and he was totally free.
In the feeding of the 5000 we know that Jesus had the power to command thousands of loaves of bread and fish to appear and they would appear but here again he wanted the practical or the human responsibility, so there was the need for the five loaves and two fish being given up for the miracles to occur. We see in this story that little is much when God is in it.
When the Israelite s faced the Red sea, God was able to just part the sea by Himself and let them through but He told Moses to use the rod in his hand. He obeyed and the sea was parted for the Israelites to walk through on dry ground.

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

Blind Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was in town and was passing through his town; in fact He was in the vicinity, Bartimaeus heard the cacophony and was told the Miracle worker was a few feet away. Bartmaeus became desperate and shouted Jesus Son of David have mercy on me. The disciples tried to stop him but he refused to let anyone stop him. He cried out even louder: Jesus! Son of David, have mercy on me!!
He caught the attention of Jesus who enquired: ‘Who is that?’

They told him it was a blind man who was trying to gate crash. Jesus was impressed and commanded them to bring him. He was ushered into the presence of the Lord and received his healing because he not only had faith but there was a corresponding action accompanying his faith. He got up, threw his beggarly clothes aside and dashed to Jesus in spite of the barrier put in his way. That was his practical or human element in the making of that miracle.

The Woman with the Issue of Blood
The woman with the issue of blood who had spent all she had and yet was not better also had faith with corresponding action. In spite of the levitical barriers that she was not allowed out to walk about because of her disease; in spite of the fact that she was drained physically, emotionally, bereft psychologically, bankrupt financially, she still picked up the courage to venture out when she heard that Jesus was in town. And when she approached Him, the crowd all around him again discouraged her. But she kept saying to herself: 'If I can but touch the hem of His garment, I shall be made whole.'

Today you may be in line for a miracle. Jesus may be ‘in your town’. He may have told you to 'fill the empty pots' with water when you’re in need of 'wine' and you’re looking at Him crossed-eyed wondering ‘What do you mean? I need wine not water.’ You may be thirsty even desperate but and He is telling you to strike the rock before you and you saying , 'Lord, I want water not sand.' You may have been told to do even the most ridiculous: 'Speak to the rock! And you are saying, 'Lord you've gone too far. How can I speak to an inanimate object'. But He says, 'I am waiting on you to obey.'
He may have told you to roll away the stone before your miracle shows up and you are baffled, wondering 'if He only knew how bad the situation is- hopeless, totally hopeless! Just trust and obey.

It is also possible that your miracle is visible but there are some hindrances- a trial of your faith; it is held down by some ‘grave clothes’. Are you going to throwing the towel rather than find out what to do and do it and receive total deliverance? Is He saying 'Give away your last to get blessing that will last?' Or is He just trying you waiting for you to obey before you can see what's in store? Remember he does not always have to tell us what is coming.

God wants you to play your part in the birth of your miracle. Find out that part and play it and see the glory of God. Don’t let your miracle pass you by.

Play Your Part to Part the Sea

Miracles come not just to those who heard
But to those who heard and believed
It also comes to those to whom the Son was sent
And who will do whatever He says.

With Him all things are possible
And no situation is too hopeless
Play your part, roll away the stone like He said
And the dead will hear His Voice and rise.

Grave clothes may tend to negate His word
But you must remove it in Jesus’ Name!
Stand to see the power of is Word
His Word will work, produce, be made good.