The Power Of God Series

The Power of God

Acts 5:12-29

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church – Aug. 18, 2013

INTRODUCTION:

*Back in Exodus 15, the Lord had just brought Moses and the Children of Israel safely through the Red Sea.

1. Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: "I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!

2. The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him.

3. The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name.

4. Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.

5. The depths have covered them; they sank to the bottom like a stone.

6. Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.

7. And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You; You sent forth Your wrath which consumed them like stubble.

*Then in Exodus 15:11, they sang: "Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"

*"Who is like You, O Lord?" -- Nobody! Nobody is like our God! And here in Acts 15, we see another great display of His power.

1. What can we say about the power of God? -- First of all: It can overcome the worst conditions.

[1] For example here, God's power can overcome every sickness.

*We see this truth in vs. 12-16:

12. And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.

13. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.

14. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

15. so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.

16. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

*Wow! In vs. 15, they were hoping for even the shadow of Peter to fall on them. And in vs. 16, they were all healed! But we know the healing power didn't come from Peter's shadow. The power came from God! And Peter would be the first one to say it.

*The key to understanding all of these miracles is back in Matthew 10:1. There the Bible tells us that when Jesus "had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease."

*This was a miraculous dispensation of God's power to give witness to the truth about Jesus Christ. And of course, it's not like that today. If it was, then the headline in tomorrow's paper would be: "M.D. Anderson emptied of all patients!"

*God may be working in a different way today, but let me ask you something: Did God give up some of His power? Of course not! Is God on vacation? No! Our God is infinitely great, and He is always on the job.

*If we could really see, we would see God at work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for His Kingdom, His glory and His people. Many of us can look back and see how the Lord worked in amazing ways in our own lives.

(At this point, we heard a miraculous testimony from one of our members.)

[2] God's power can overcome every sickness. -- And it can overcome every sin.

*Our God can heal our sicknesses. But infinitely more important, He can heal our souls. We see this truth in vs. 14, as "believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women."

*Naturally, all physical healing in this world is temporary. But when you put your trust in the cross of Jesus Christ, when you believe in Jesus, when you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you get a healing that will last forever!

*I have been thinking about my dad lately. He died of lung cancer and heart failure this month, 37 years ago. Dad was only 55. We prayed for a physical healing that did not come. But my dad had the healing of the soul that lasts forever! I was with my dad on the morning He died, and the Lord was there with him too. Jesus took my dad home that day, and I know I will see him again.