August 1, 2023

Authenticating Signs Over Intuition

 

“So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.” John 12:17-18 (NASB)

             I heard a pastor on a radio station the other day, speaking about what he believed was true conversion. He went to a revival. At the end of the message the pastor gave an invitation for those who wanted to be saved to come forward. This pastor said he witnessed many people coming. He said when he saw people coming, some were laughing and/or with no expression. He said he thought this was not a true conversion, since the conviction was not apparent on their faces. When I heard this, I changed the channel. How would anyone know what transpires in the heart of a person, but God? I know I am not an emotionalist at heart. I knew what God wanted me to do and I followed His calling. I hope the pastor was referring to Matthew 7:21-22 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” This is an example of those who are not of the kingdom of God. God knows who His are and who are not. It’s God’s business. We all know some come to God for differing reasons. In the Jerusalem crowd there were some from each side as well. Some were looking for deliverance from a new king and ruler, and others for the genuine Messiah.

            “So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.” Clearly, some of the people witnessed Lazarus’ resurrection. As they witnessed the event, I am sure many went back to the tomb with others who had not heard, sharing the story and location where it occurred. And “The size of the crowd kept increasing. The news of the great miraculous sign—Lazarus raised from the dead—spread through the city, and other groups surged out to meet Him.”[1] The last word in the verse is “sign.” This word sign, is sēmeion; a sign: —distinguishing mark, miracle.[2] This miracle was a sign which authenticated Jesus as Messiah. The problem with the sign is many missed what the sign pointed to; Jesus as Messiah, not king. This sign miracle served a two-part purpose: it served to show Jesus’ power over death and grave (which God can only do) in raising Lazarus from the grave; secondly it served the purpose of authenticating Jesus as Messiah.

            I don’t want to be too hard on the pastor in the story above, but we need to be careful when we speak for God. Sure many come who want deliverance from something. Some want peace. Some want alternatives to their mess. Whatever it is, God can handle it, but it begins with genuine conversion. Then the work begins in sanctification. The Bible tells us there are many who do not find the way (Matthew 7:13-14).  Just don’t be God though, trying to determine what God already knows. Invest in those new lives and see God manifest His salvation in theirs!

[1] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 317). Victor Books.

[2] Thomas, R. L. (1998). In New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek dictionaries : updated edition. Foundation Publications, Inc.