Orthodox Talks in English - No. 35 - Seeking Signs and Miracles: Beneficial or Harmful?
We live in a time when people are becoming increasingly interested in supernatural phenomena. This is evident from the large number of films, television programs and publications being produced on this topic. Even among Christians there is a strong desire to see or experience signs and miracles, either out of curiosity or as a means of confirming one's faith in God or the Church.
During Christ's time, the Jews had this same desire to witness a sign or miracle. Yet when Christ performed miracles among them, many of the Jews believed that His miracles were of the devil, and that true miracles could only come from the heavens, meaning the air and sky. In this talk, Father Kosmas uses the Fathers' interpretations of the Holy Bible to explain why, even after seeing Christ perform a miracle, the Jews would still seek visually spectacular signs from heaven.
The following questions are also discussed: what is the difference between earthly miracles and miracles from heaven? Why did Christ sigh when asked to perform a sign? How does the television assist false prophets and false christs? What will be the antichrist's greatest miracle? Why is it that Christ did not answer Herod, but did answer Pilate? Why are the new super-churches attracting more followers than the more traditional churches? What is meant by "hurricane Orthodox Christians"?
Other topics covered in this talk include: a young girl's frightful experience after trying to communicate with spirits; an explanation of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit; an account of one man's wilful rejection of the Holy Spirit; the dangers of independently interpreting the Holy Bible; the similarities between the distortions of truth during Christ's time and the distortions of today; and an explanation of the sign of Prophet Jonah and the Queen of the South.
Talk Duration: 206 minutes
Chanting Duration: 30 minutes
With the blessing of His Eminence Hilarion
Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York
First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
The content of this talk does not necessarily
reflect the official position of ROCOR.
