THE MIRACULOUS: When the Mundane Meets the Miraculous
Part 1: “The Other Side of Obedience”
THE GREATEST MIRACLE WAS THE REVELATION
Romans 6:16, “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”
Paul tried to lay out our two choices plainly - do we choose death or life? Like Simon Peter whose eyes were opened to the truth of who Jesus was, our eyes need to be opened to who Jesus truly is and what following Him means for us. When the truth of Jesus is revealed to each of us, it is a truth that cannot be unseen, and that revelation leads to the choice to walk toward righteous living or death.
Psalm 119:30, “I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations.”
The Psalmist saw the revelation that Simon Peter spoke about. God’s laws, His regulations, were not meant to keep us from living, but to lead us down a path toward a righteous life. They were given for our good, to protect and guide us. And we are given that choice, to walk in faithfulness and trust, or not.
Romans 8:26-30, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”
Paul describes the revelation that Simon Peter experienced in Luke 5:8 in this passage in Romans. As believers, God has called us to Him. He works all things together for our good and His glory. God has given us right standing, along with Jesus, and that knowledge will change us just as it changed Simon Peter. God chooses, calls, gives us right standing and finally He gives us His glory! And it is through His glory in us that we become the light that this dark world needs to see, and which draws those who are lost to Him.
1 Samuel 2:1-2, “Then Hannah prayed.
My heart rejoices in the Lord!
The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.
No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.”
Through the book of Samuel, Hannah shares her experience with the revelation of God and His holiness. Her miracle produced celebration which was tightly joined to revelation and which initiated the mission of Samuel as prophet to God’s people.
WHAT IS GOD REVEALING TO YOU THROUGH THESE PASSAGES? CAN YOU SEE HOW HE HAS CHOSEN AND CALLED YOU? ARE YOU WALKING IN THE OBEDIENCE WHICH BRINGS REVELATION, OR STILL FIGHTING A BATTLE WITHIN? GOD WANTS SO MUCH MORE FOR YOU, SO IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING TODAY, TELL HIM. START WITH ONE SMALL STEP OF OBEDIENCE AND ASK HIM TO HELP YOU TRUST WHERE HE IS LEADING. ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE CHANGED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AS SIMON PETER WAS CHANGED.
Revelation 13:7-10, “And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.
Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.
Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison.
Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword.
This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.”
The revelation from Revelation, we have a choice. Will we worship God and endure persecution patiently and remain faithful, walking in the holiness to which we are called? Or, will we worship the things of this world, with those who belong to this world who do not have their names written in the Book of Life? God wants to work in us, but it is our choice to be obedient even in the storms of life, to allow God the time and space to do His work.
PUTTING THIS INTO PRACTICE
God loves it when we, His children, come to an understanding of the revelation of His love for us and all that He seeks to do for and through us.
Can you understand how “The Greatest Miracle Wasn’t the Fish…It Was the Revelation?” Take some time to really think about what this means to you and discuss with your small group.
Read Isaiah 11. What picture does this passage reveal to you of the future God is planning for His children?
Does this chapter in Isaiah shed any light on the importance of choosing obedience so that we can walk in all that God has planned for us? Share your thoughts with your small group.
Solomon had so much wisdom about obedience that was revealed to him and written down for us to read and learn, and yet he failed to walk in the fullness of that wisdom in his own life. This is just one example in the Bible of how important it is to be faithful to the end.
Look up the definition of revelation.
Read Proverbs 3. Look for ways that you can see revelation woven throughout this passage.
What are some verses where you see God’s revelatory nature at work? Make a note of two verses and what you see and discuss with your small group.
David knew and experienced how God’s revelation was the miracle. He knew and trusted God’s heart and sought to follow in obedience through his life.
Read Psalm 19. Does this passage give you some new insight to how God shares revelation with His children? Share your thoughts with your small group.
Which verse in this Psalm connects with you on a deeper level? Why or how? Take some time to discuss this with your small group.
What has this lesson reaffirmed or taught you about God and how He reveals things to His children? Take some time to sit quietly and ask Him what He is speaking to you, revealing to you through this message and these passages in Scripture. Write down any ideas that come to mind and spend time praying and mediating on them over this next week.
