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During the video section Mart DeHaan interviewed people on the street in Tiberias. He asked them if they believed in miracles. He concluded: “I sensed in the residents of Tiberias that the ‘miracles’ they believed in would not have been as dramatic as someone turning water into wine or bringing a dead person back to life; yet according to the Gospel narratives, Jesus displayed an authority and power over nature that had no natural explanation.” What might be the basis for their personal convictions concerning miracles?
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They had not personally seen a supernatural act of God that was contrary to nature.
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For some seeing is believing; for others, what they believe is just that; for some witnessing the act is believing. Just depends on the individual. For some no matter what any of the aforementioned beliefs are they do not believe in miracles.
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They may have never experienced a miracle that had no natural explanation. Neither have I. But would love too. Unless I missed it. But I don’t think I did. Well I hope I didn’t miss it.
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In today’s world, miracles are the common place things that houldn’t happen actually happening. In order for me to believe in an actual miracle as what Jesus did in turning water into wine, or the many healings, i either have to see it happen or have faith in the God who makes it happen. If a person isn’t a Christian they would have no reason to believe.
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The people interviewed seemed to take the approach that everyday things, such as the sunrise or sunset, human contact, or even the birth of a child were miracles. (While I feel that every child born is a “miracle” of God, it is not the same as the miracles we see in Scripture.) When something that happens in this world cannot be explained by science or human reasoning, it becomes a miracle. If one can explain it, then God has not performed a miracle, but a genuine aspect of our life on earth. When one cannot explain it, we see God’s hand in the supernatural over the natural. He has done something that brings ultimate wonder and awe.