Here's Your Sign

Today's readings:  Psalms 46 or 47; 147:12-2, Isaiah 59:15b-2, Revelation 2:8-17, John 4:46-54

Today's reading from the Gospel of John tells the story of Jesus' second miracle, or sign. When a Roman official asks Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his dying son, Jesus tells the man to go home and his son will live. Just as Jesus promises, the man's son recovers and the man and his whole household become believers. However, it's what Jesus says before he sends the man away that is quite telling: “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” (John 4:48)

Jesus does not seemed excited about performing this sign. Nor was he enthused

about his mother pressuring him into his first sign, when he changed water into wine at a wedding banquet. His miracles are often accompanied by aggravating circumstances: the disciples don't believe he can feed a multitude with a few loaves and fishes ... for the second time;  his closest friends doubt him even as he raises Lazarus from the dead; Peter' doubt causes him to sink beneath the waves when Christ helps him walk across the water. Christ hopes for faith that doesn't depend on miracles, yet sometimes he resigns himself to the "necessary evil" of providing a sign.

Many of us have hoped for signs. Who couldn't use a little reassurance now and then? But the real measure of our faith is what we do in the absence of signs. How pleasing must it have been for Christ when peopled followed him not because of what he could do for them, but because of who he was and what he taught? The second time the disciples presented him with loaves and fishes, he commanded them to feed the crowd themselves, and they were successful. Faith is not just believing in what Christ can do for us, but in trusting that he will accomplish miraculous things through us.

Evening readings:  Psalms 27; 93 or 114

The Message IS The Miracle

Today's readings: Psalms 42, 146; 2 Kings 22:1-13; 1 Corinthians 11:2-22; Matthew 9:1-8

Claims of miraculous healings have long been the fundraising bread and butter of a certain vein of preacher. Who among us wouldn't experience an emotional response to seeing the lame walk and hearing a blind person gasp in wonder as she gained or regained her sight? For many spectators, such miracles cement the divine authority of the person alleging to perform them. Without making any judgments on their authenticity, we can still question why these miracles seem to be prized above the simple message of the Gospel: "Your sins are forgiven."

When Jesus told a lame man his sins were forgiven, people accused him of blasphemy. Jesus had to heal the man's infirmity to prove his authority came from God. Jesus's words indicate he was exasperated by having to appease them in this manner, so which action do we believe he valued more? There were lots of professional miracle workers in Jesus' time, so it must have been frustrating that his unique message was lost in the "common" miracle.

While we are wise not to believe every religious claim we hear, we also need to be careful not to believe someone just because they manage to impress us – whether by miracle, education, success or any other factor. We Christians love our miracle and success stories, but they are never more important than the truth they point to. A pastor is not judged by the size of her congregation, but by the message she imparts to them. A congregation is not judged by its material wealth, but by the wealth of the message it shares with the world. And a message is not judged by its eloquence or poetic virtues, but by its effectiveness in helping people understand: "Your sins are forgiven."

Success and authenticity are by no means mutually exclusive, but any time the reputation or ego of a person or organization begins to eclipse the purity of this message, we should be wary of the intent. And no matter how humble the source, if the message is pure we need look no further for its authority.

Evening readings: Psalms 102, 133

Too Good To Be False

Today's readings: Psalms 103, 150; 2 Kings 20:1-21; Acts 12:1-17; Luke 7:11-17

[H]e did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.

Acts 12:9

Have you heard the one about the pious man trapped on his roof by a rising flood? The army, the navy and the marines all came by in boats and offered to rescue him, but he said he was waiting for the Lord to save him. Eventually the flood overwhelmed him. When he got to heaven, he asked God why his prayers went unanswered. God said "I sent you three different boats!"

Peter – Jesus named him "the rock" for a couple reasons – wasn't much better. When an angel came to rescue him from prison, he thought it was a vision; luckily – having experienced visions before – he followed instructions anyway and was freed. When the prophet Isaiah told King Hezekiah the Lord would spare him from death for 15 years so he could lead his people out of bondage, the King wouldn't believe without any less a sign than the sun moving backwards (2 Kings 20:8-11).

Sometimes the Lord's ways aren't all that mysterious, and for some reason that seems to be a stumbling block to faith. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ (John 14:12), but when those hands and feet aren't pierced with nails or emitting a holy glow, we can struggle to recognize ourselves and others as the answers to prayer. How would it change your perspective on life to realize the answer to your prayer might not be divine intervention, but divinely-inspired human intervention? Or to realize that your action (or maybe just your presence) is the most miraculous thing someone could hope for? After all, the Spirit dwells in each and every one of us. Think on that for a moment…

We are wary of offers that sound too good to be true. A miracle around every corner sounds like one of those. Maybe the wonderful truth is miracles of hope, healing, reconciliation, generosity and comfort are as common as dirt … as long as we are willing to get our hands dirty.

Evening readings: Psalms 117, 139