Seek Not the Miracle: Seek the Lord

 March 6, 2024

Wednesday

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to share Christ with other people if miracles attributed to Christ were happening all around us today? Wouldn't it be easier to convince people that all we have said about Him is true?

The answer is actually, no. The scribes and Pharisees who were present with Jesus didn't believe in Him even though they saw Him perform miracles. It seems that, even in that day, miracles could be explained away.

We assume that non-Christians are neutral in their relationship with God. In other words, they are merely blank tablets that haven't been written on yet. If they simply knew, they would believe. We find, however, that that isn't the case. The non-Christian is opposed to God even if he doesn't know he is.

Romans 5:8 (NASB 2020) ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Obviously, sin is opposed to God. The understanding of "sinners" here is an action and a condition. While we may sin as believers, sin is an action rather than a condition. We are saints who sometimes sin. The understanding of this word is that it is a condition that brings opposition to God. Non-Christians are not neutral. They are opposed to God even though they do not know it.

This is why salvation is a miracle. The person who was opposed to God repents and becomes a follower. This is an act of the Holy Spirit who convicts the sinner to become a saint. Miracles will not convince the person who is opposed to God. Every miracle will be explained satisfactorily so that the sinner can remain in his condition.

God's miracles are for His glory. People may believe in Him afterwards, but that again is for His glory. He does not create miracles for amusement. This is why Jesus could not do many miracles in the area He grew up in. They could not believe that someone who grew up next to them in such humble means could be the Son of God. Thus, they would have explained away the miracles He performed.

Matthew 13:58 (NASB 2020) ⁵⁸ And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

People who are seeking a miracle to believe are not seeking the Lord. They are mesmerized by the miracle and want more miracles so that it will stoke their pseudo-belief. Thus, true miracles aren't performed because God is opposed to praising the miracle. He seeks the glory for Himself.

This is why Jesus tells the Sadducees and Pharisees that He will not perform a miracle for them. It will not be for God's glory. It will be for the scribes and Pharisees. If they couldn't believe from the miracles already performed, what difference would one more miracle make? They were wicked and adulterous.

Matthew 16:1–4 (NASB 2020) ¹ The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and putting Jesus to the test, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. ² But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ ³ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but are you unable to discern the signs of the times? ⁴ An evil and adulterous generation wants a sign; and so a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.

But this is not your condition. You do not need another miracle to believe. You seek the One who performs the miracles. You give glory to Him alone when you see these miracles. You do not try to explain them. You accept them.

This is why we are to seek God's kingdom and righteousness to see His give us what we need. We do not seek the miracle but the God of the miracles.

Matthew 6:33 (NASB 2020) ³³ But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.