Date: October 22, 2023
Are Miracles Relevant?
The Point: Miracles are acts of God that point to Jesus and glorify Him.
Get Into the Study
Share the following as a part of discussing Question 1.
God’s design is full of things that modern science cannot fully explain. We have our own suppositions of how the world is supposed to work, and then we discover new things that challenge those beliefs, like a planet that shouldn’t exist.
In June 2023, astronomers at the University of Hawaii discovered a planet, dubbed “Halla,” in a field of debris. As a star nears the end of its life cycle, it expands into a red giant. As the star expands, its gravitational pull increases, which destroys nearby orbiting planets. But Halla somehow survived.
Scientists are unsure how it happened, and this survival is causing them to change the way they understand the concept of planetary engulfment. Additionally, the chemical makeup of the local star, Baekdu, is also challenging expectations since it has high concentrations of lithium, which isn’t usually found in red giant stars. The current theory is that Baekdu is the result of a merger of two local stars, which prevented one star from becoming large enough to engulf Halla.
Study the Bible
Share after discussing Question 4.
When we call upon God in prayer, we are speaking to the same God who empowered Jesus to perform His miracles.
Country singer Thomas Rhett paused his Nashville concert on September 30th to lead a prayer for a fan who experienced an unspecified medical emergency. Rhett noticed the issue and paused the concert, saying that there was someone who was “like, really hurt,” and calling for any medical personnel to come help. The singer stopped the concert for several minutes while medics attended to the distressed man and carried him out of the venue.
Once the man, identified simply as “Terry,” was safely removed from the venue, Rhett asked the concertgoers if they would join him in prayer for the situation. He prayed for healing for Terry, citing God as the ultimate physician.
The singer later posted that Terry was doing better and recovering at home with his family.
EXTRA was written by Emily Duncan, a Southern California native currently living in West Georgia with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. She became a Christian when she was sixteen at a youth retreat. Now, she’s a self-described homemaker and semi-professional baker who dreams of eventually finishing all the projects in her workroom.
Study the Bible [Option for Adult Leader Guide]
In advance, play a video clip of an illusion for your group. Or, if you know a trick of your own, show it to the group. Afterward, discuss this question: What evidence do we have that God’s miracles are more than illusions?
Additional Questions
Icebreaker
- What’s been your most unexplainable experience?
- What everyday miracles point us to God?
- When is a time you thought, “I need a miracle!”
- When have you seen something in person that seemed unbelievable?
- What’s one of your favorite stories to tell about a hard-to-believe moment?
John 10:22-26
- How do Jesus’ miracles help us understand His role as the Christ?
- What do Jesus’s works say about His identity?
- Ultimately, what’s most important – Jesus’s message or Jesus’s miracles? Explain your reasoning.
- What specifically can we learn about Jesus by studying His miracles?
- Why might we be tempted to dismiss miracles?
John 14:8-11
- In what ways did Jesus’ works reveal His relationship with the Father?
- What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and believing in Jesus?
- How do the miracles and works of Jesus point us to the Father?
- What obstacles prevent many from accepting the truth of Jesus’s identity today?
- What did Jesus’s earthly ministry reveal about the Father?
John 14:12-14
- How can we do even more than Jesus, who is God?
- How is it that we can do even greater works that Jesus did?
- What does it mean to ask for something in Jesus’ name?
- What promises did Jesus make in these verses?
- When have you seen Jesus’s promises come to fruition?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
I enjoyed the discussion on miracles. I took notes on the podcast that I will use in class. I really enjoy the discussion questions. Our class really enjoys discussing the Bible.
The QR code in the leader guide doesn’t work. I’ve tried a few of them. Is there another to get these extra content?
The eBooks have incorrect coding for the bonus content QR codes. I can provide you the correct links. Contact me at [email protected].