Preached at Markham Baptist Church, November 3, 2002

Have you ever played the game of “Hot Potato”? Of course many of you have, and if you haven't, you at least know how to play it. And you'll know what I mean when I say that this morning as we continue our study of the Spiritual gifts and study the sign gifts we come to a hot potato. The sign gifts are generally classified as the gift of healing, the working of miracles, and the speaking in tongues. It is a hot potato because biblical interpretation differs so widely.

We need to proceed as in all matters, Biblically, relying on the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance. We need to proceed logically applying our God-given minds to the task.

The sign gifts are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:9,10 and again in verses 28-30:

"To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ... to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues."

WHAT ARE THE SIGN GIFTS?

I understand healing to be an immediate and complete physical restoration - usually - that is above and beyond natural laws. (An example is Peter's healing of the paralytic in Acts 3:1-8).

I understand miracles to be extraordinary unexplainable events that show God's supernatural power.

I understand speaking in tongues to be the supernatural ability to speak a foreign human language that was previously unknown to the speaker.

And I understand the interpretation of tongues to be the ability to understand and translate the message that has been given in tongues.

Like all the Spiritual gifts they are given to some and not to others. They are for the building up of the church for the glory of God.

FOUR BIBLICAL FOOTINGS

Now before we get too far into this study let's lay some Biblical footings for ourselves.

First, the Bible teaches that our God is a miracle-working God. He has the power and authority to do whatever He wishes without any constraint, without any limitations. Our God is all-powerful. As long as the action is consistent with His character, there is nothing beyond the range of His ability. He is the king of Kings. He is the God who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Let us never be guilty of shrinking God or limiting God. He is the almighty God who brought judgment upon the earth and caused it to rain for forty days and forty nights.

It was God who sent miracle after miracle to convince the Egyptians to let His people go.

It was God who held the waters of the Red Sea up as a wall so the Israelites could pass through on dry ground.

It was God who raised His Son up from death.

Our God is a miracle-working God. In the words of the pagan King Darius in Daniel's day:

"He is the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end. He rescues and He saves; He performs signs and wonders in the heaven and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." (Daniel 6:26,27) (NIV)

Second, God uses miracles and healing and the speaking in tongues as a sign - to point people to His strength, power, presence and redemption. We see this most clearly in the New Testament in the life of Christ. Peter says in Acts

"Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him." (Acts 2:22) (NIV)

Signs and wonders played an intricate part in Christ's life as they pointed to the fact that He was the Saviour of the world, the Messiah.

Third, the ability to perform signs and wonders was given to the apostles to authenticate their unique office and ministry.

Acts 5:12 reads, "the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people."

2 Corinthians 12:12: "The things that mark an apostle - signs and wonders and miracles were done among you with great perseverance."

Fourthly, we have to remind ourselves that not all supernatural power comes from God. The Egyptian magicians for example could match Moses miracle for miracle for quite awhile (Exodus 7:8, 8:19). Jesus said that at the end of the age false messiahs and prophets would appear on the seen and "perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - if that were possible." (Matthew 24:24). Paul echoes these words and says, "the coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing." (2 Thessalonians 2:9,10)

BEWARE OF THREE ERRONEOUS WAYS OF THINKING

Having laid the foundations, what about the sign gifts today?

It is at this point that we are acutely in need of the gift of discernment. Down through the ages we Christians seem to have to battle with three enemies.

The first is rationalism. Rationalism says that nothing is possible for God. There is a scientific reason for every phenomenon, every occurrence that is outside our ordinary realm of experience. And so we say, “Of course the Red Sea could not have just opened up on either side, what really happened is that they crossed over the tip of the Red Sea where it is marshy and swampy, passable on foot but not by chariot.” And “of course Jesus never cast out demons out of those convulsing people - what they had was epilepsy and helped them through a seizure.” So we try to find all sorts of reasons for miracles and we try to rationalize them to fit into our little sphere of experience. O, that we would be a people of faith who attempt great things for God and expect great things from God.

The other enemy is the opposite extreme which unthinkingly accepts everything and anything as the work of God. It is foolish to assume that every claim for a miracle is authentic. So we are in desperate need of the gift of discernment because for one there is so many fakes out there.

Jesus Himself says clearly that there are those who specialize in signs and wonders who make fake claims and unreal testimonies (Matthew 24:24).

I watched a PBS special a while ago in which a man made a living out of uncovering phony psychics and faith healers. One of the greatest deceptions he uncovered had to do with Peter Poppoff a famous faith healer. Rev. Poppoff was known for wandering into the midst of his audience and calling out the name of a person, the person would stand and be amazed that Rev. Poppoff knew their name. Then Poppoff would give someone personal data, like their address, and then tell them what their ailment was. And he would do this with amazing accuracy. Of course, the person would end up swooning and the testimonies of healing were high.

However when the investigative reporter went to one of Poppoff’s services, he took a shortwave radio with him and discovered that Poppoff wore an earpiece and was being fed this information from his wife who was off stage, having gleaned the information before the service.

Jesus said that when such people come to Him at the time of judgment, and they will say to Him, " ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from Me, you evil doers." (Matthew 7:22,23).

How can we validate a healer or a miracle worker? I think there are several questions we should ask to validate such a person.

HOW CAN WE VALIDATE ONE WITH THESE SPIRITUAL GIFTS?

1. Do these displays of power give glory to God or to individuals? Remember the spiritual gifts are meant to build up the church for the glory of God. The sign gifts are no different. (I Corinthians 12:1-7).

2. Do those involved display the fruit of the Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-25. Jesus said, "By their fruit you will know if they are My disciples." (John 15:8).

3. Closely connected with this is the next question - Do those involved in these displays of power cheerfully submit to the Lordship of Christ? John writes in his first letter, "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him,." But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him,. (1 John 2:3-5).

I said there were three enemies. Rationalism is one, unquestioning acceptance is another but there is a third and that is the desire for God to prove Himself by providing us with a quick fix to all our problems and difficulties or by giving us some kind of ecstatic worship experience.

And this feeling is prominent in our age. And Jesus spoke against this attitude.

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one£ greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. “When an evil£ spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:38-45) (NIV)

The Pharisees came to Him and asked for a sign. They wanted immediate evidence that He was who He said He was. And Jesus had some strong words for them. He says that an evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign.

Evil, because it lowers God to the status of a vending machine that has to meet our demands.

Adulterous because it shows that they had given their hearts to another - instead of worshipping God they worshipped the spectacular.

This does not mean that we are not to come to God and ask for healing. You will remember that Jesus did not rebuke the woman who sneaked up behind Him to touch the edge of His robe thinking that if she was able to do this she would be healed. And she was. (Matthew 9:20-22). You will also remember the four who lowered a paralytic down through the roof in front of Jesus and he was healed at Christ's command (Mark 2:1-12). And James instructs us in chapter 5 of his letter that we are to pray for the sick. Our God is able to heal and it is not wrong to ask for healing.

The context of this conversation between Jesus and Pharisees leads me to believe that what Jesus is saying is that when you demand the miraculous to happen as proof of God's presence and power and love then you are missing what he has already made plain to you.

Jesus says you will receive a sign and it will be the sign of the prophet Jonah:

"For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40) (NIV)

The truth is - Jesus Christ was going to suffer and die and for three days and nights and on the third day rise again.

So Jesus says, do you want a sign that God is alive and well and active in our world? Then look to the cross.

Do you want a sign from God that will win the world and turn men and women into new creations then look to the cross.

Do you want something from God to do battle with Satan and win the battle you are fighting? It's not found in signs and wonders, nor in the gift of tongues, but in the truth of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christianity is about a personal relationship with our Saviour who died for us and who deserves to be called Lord because He rose again on the third day. Therefore anything that detracts from Him or His work, even miracles done in His name can be misleading and potentially harmful.

My friends there is nothing more spectacular than the cross. For there we see the spectacular love of God in Christ. There is nothing more wonderful than the cross. For it is the means by which God is able to do that great miracle of transformation in a man or woman. There is nothing bigger, nothing more important than the cross of Christ - it is a sign given to you and me from God which displays His power, His authority, His majesty and His strength.

There is nothing more powerful than the message of Easter when we see Jesus coming up from the grave in majesty and all His glory and humanity's last enemy is defeated.

This is the message that conquered the disciples’ hearts; this is the message that claimed Paul; this is the miracle, the sign that has transformed lives down through the ages to this very day.

And unfortunately so many people miss it. They don't see it as strength but weakness, they don't see it as an act of wisdom but foolishness, the don't see it as the means to conquer all that is evil in this world but instead look to God for something else, something they deem to be spectacular.

As you come to the communion table today may we come with awe at the power of God who is able to overcome sin and death in our lives. May we come with thanksgiving that He has given us a sign of His love for us. May we come with a desire to see Him glorified as we offer to Him our gifts, talents and abilities.