When Resurrection is Not Enough

‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ Luke 16:31

In a recent debate between Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, and the author of “The Purpose Driven Life”, and Sam Harris, the outspoken atheist, and the author of “The End of Faith”, Sam challenged Rick to perform a simple experiment –
“Get a billion Christians to pray for a single amputee. Get them to pray that God re grow that missing limb”¹.  I suspect that if this really happened, Sam would still not believe.  I think he answered it himself when he added, “This happens to salamanders every day, presumably without prayer;” ¹.  The fundamental assumption is that God has a simple task – dramatically prove Himself by intervening in a supernatural way, and everyone would believe.  The fundamental accusation is that God has not adequately revealed Himself.  

Jesus, through the mouth of Abraham, says something very bold and insightful at the end of the sensational story of Lazarus and the rich man.  The rich man is in hell and in torment, and is asking Abraham to send a warning to his brothers in the form of a resurrected Lazarus.  The assumption of the rich man is that a dramatic and miraculous intervention would settle the question once and for all.   Abraham replies “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.”  In other words, remarkable wonder can never replace revealed Word.  What was performed and seen would be temporary; what was written and heard would be permanent.   If the brothers of the rich man were not willing to honestly engage what was already revealed; if they could write off the entire miraculous history of God’s provision for a nation, then one miracle disconnected from all of history would be easier to write off.  The problem was not that God had not provided enough evidence, but rather that they did not want any, so they discounted what they had, and kept asking for more. 

To the skeptic, I cannot say much more than what Jesus already advised – honestly consider, and grapple with what Christians consider as the revealed Word of God, the Bible, before asking for more evidence.   Consider the claims of Christ honestly before asking for the dramatic. 

But there is an equally important lesson for the believer in these words of Jesus.  Some of us have a tendency to desire the spectacular more than the Son.  We want to freeze frame those moments of glory like Peter.  But the momentarily dazzling can never replace the eternal Word.  The dramatic may illustrate and inform, but it is only truth that can transform.  

It is exhilarating to see the miraculous provision of God in our lives.  It is faith enhancing when we pray and God answers.  But we cannot spiritually subsist on the breathtaking, we must have the bread of Life.  After Jesus had healed many, and delivered the crowds, the next morning, His disciples came looking for Him to repeat this wonder.  They said, “Everyone is looking for you”.  But He said to them, “Let us go to into the next towns, that I may preach there also because for this purpose I have come forth.” (Mark 1:37)  I suggest Jesus knew that the miracle would deliver temporarily, and the glow and the excitement of that encounter would eventually fade away, but the Word would be the eternal truth imprinted, and it would inspire even in the absence of signs.

Perhaps too much of your life is ordered around the sensational.  Perhaps you have a frustrated faith this day because you are looking for a sign that has not been provided.  You could believe so easily if God would do just this or that.  If Jesus is right, ultimately even resurrection will not be adequate enough for you.  I urge you pray and expect God’s miraculous intervention, provision, and deliverance, but above all “hear Moses and the prophets”   -  and may I add – “the Son”.

Danesh Manik

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References

1.  The God Debate, Newsweek, April 9, 2007

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When Grace Became Potent

“..we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia … see that you abound in this grace also.”  2 Corinthians 8:1,7 Examples always inspire, especially of those who seem to rise above their limitations.  Paul is lifting the relatively poor Macedonian church as an example to the relatively affluent Corinthian church, and describes their extraordinary giving in a statement that I suspect has never been equaled in the use of so many opposites in one sentence and still make complete sense.  Trial, affliction, deep poverty – joy, abundance, riches, liberality – all describing the Macedonian church!   Paul says that this church gave what they were naturally able to give, but were willing and even gave “beyond their ability”.  And that is remarkable.   How does one “in deep poverty abound in riches of their liberality”?  How does one give “beyond their ability”?  Was it some latent ability that they just were not aware of, and a good inspirational sermon acted as a catalyst allowing an expression of this generosity?  Or, was it a supernatural act of God that made the impossible, possible? Paul answers this for us.  He explains that it is the supernatural grace of God.   The example of the Macedonian church is simply parenthetical, an illustration to this supernatural grace.  He begins with saying “we make known to you the grace of God …”  and ends with the appeal to the Corinthians to “abound in this grace also”.  Between the two statements is sandwiched an example of the working of this supernatural grace of “giving beyond ability” and “abounding in liberality in the midst of poverty” in the Macedonian church .

I say all this to emphasize something that we seem to have lost in the modern age.  One of the words that has lost its potency is the word grace.  We often think of grace as simply a “favor” or “approval” of God.   We think of grace as passive.  In the Old Testament it is mostly referred to as a passive favor or approval.   But something happened to grace!  Grace embodied itself in flesh when God penetrated the fabric of humanity, and revealed Himself.  John, talking about Jesus tells us that the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth … and of His fullness we have all received grace for grace.”   In other words, grace became potent.   

Grace is not simply the passive approval of God, but the active power of God in us.  It enables us to do what we could not otherwise do, not only in the matter of material generosity, but in the generosity of love, forgiveness, selflessness and sacrifice.  It is not simply grace that is received and cherished, it is grace that is received, and abounds, and then impels us to do what would be otherwise impossible.   Are you facing an impossible circumstance?  Is there a limitation that you battle?  A betrayal impossible to forget and forgive? A hurt and a wound too deep to heal? May I point you to the One who made the grace of God potent.  The grace of God that is not just passive, but an active power that enables you to do that which is otherwise impossible.   Danesh Manik
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“A Soul’s Anchor” is a daily inspirational message prepared to challenge your mind, inspire your heart, and motivate you to anchor your soul in the person of  Jesus Christ.

If you know a friend who would enjoy receiving “A Soul’s Anchor” in their email box each day, tell them they can sign up by emailing us at subscribe@asoulsanchor.org .  The messages may also be read at our website, http://www.asoulsanchor.org.  To unsubscribe, please email, unsubscribe@asoulsanchor.org with your email in the subject line. To change to a weekly instead of a daily subscription, email weekly@asoulsanchor.org  with your email in the subject line. For receiving messages by mail, please write to us at A Soul’s Anchor, India International Church, 3654 Okemos Rd., Okemos, MI 48864