The Church, The Place Of Miracles Series

THE CHURCH,THE PLACE OF MIRACLES

Acts 5:12-16

My brothers and my sisters as we look back at the birth of the church, we can find many miracles done by the people of God. From the miracle at Pentecost to the present text. The church was identified as the place of miracles and the place of relevancy. It was relevant because it made a difference in people’ lives, relevant, because the sick was healed, like Peter’ mother-in-law and blind Bartimaus, relevant, because the lame was made to walk, like the lame man at the gate, and relevant because the sin sick was delivered from demonic possession, such as the man that walked among the tombs. I tell you that the early church was the place of miracles and it was relevant. Even today we can find relevancy in the church, people’s lives are still being touched, the sick is still being healed, and still people are being delivered from their demonic possession. And even though church as we know it has changed for what some people consider for the better, we cannot deny that the church that is focused on pleasing the Lord, is still the place were miracles are wrought. Here at Salem we’ve seen the miracle working power of the Lord and I hope we will never forget them either. We saw how the Lord healed Tr. Overton when he went through multiple emergency surgeries in consecutive days and then later on declared cancer free. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with Sister Thomas, but God could and she was healed of her afflictions and is once again among us, we were excited as we saw and heard Bro. Booker T. Grimes show us his certificate, certifying him cancer free, and Tr. Janice Cager had what was called routine in and out surgery, and had a bad reaction to the anesthesia and if it wasn’t for the Lord she could have drowned in her own vomit, and if you didn’t realize it, the angel of the Lord watched over Deaconess Stanley as she took a trip on her own to her former home place, I tell you right here in Salem we’ve seen the Lord work on behalf of his people. Which let’s us know regardless of what you think the church called Salem is relevant.

Last week we witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit being displayed in the early church. The church was in the midst of economic persecution and many of them sold their good so that the poor could have. Ananias and Sapphira sold a possession and kept back part of the money. Now the point is that they were not slain for keeping back the money. That was not the reason because it was voluntary and they could have given what the wanted. But the problem was that they kept back the money and insinuated that they had given all the money from the sale of the possession. Thus lying to the apostles in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

This week we will see, although the apostles had been warned not to teach or preach in the name of Jesus. We will witness God working through the ones that remain faithful to the faith. Verse 12 says “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people”.

We must see that although the early church was going through persecution, the church and their leaders would not give in to the threats of the religious leaders. This is why many miracles were performed by the hands of the apostles. So here they are, with the power of the Lord in them, healing and delivering those who wanted deliverance. So as we look at the early church and it’ power. I hope that we can leave here with renewed vigor that Salem too is a church that the Lord can still use to work miracles.

First of all...

1. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF WONDER WORKING POWER (V.12)

“And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

As we look at the text we can find evidence of the Lord working through the apostles. The text said that at the hands of the apostle were many signs and wonders were wrought. Now it did not say what miracles they wrought, but we do know that they displayed wonder working power. In fact they had the golden opportunity to display this power because they were holding regular meetings at the temple on Solomon’ porch. Solomon’ porch or colonnade was the place were the lame man was heal in Acts 3:11. And the people gathered there hoping that they to could be healed and many of them were. Not only were they healing the people but they were also teaching and preaching the resurrection of Jesus. I tell you, that we the church should never let people leave our presence without first sharing our faith. Especially when they come to us looking to receive something from us. For instance when the lame man in Acts 3 saw Peter and John coming toward him, his interest was not in just speaking to them, but he was asking for an alms. If you allow me to have a sidebar with you here I would tell you what an alms is. And alms is a charitable contribution to the poor, whether financial, or otherwise, and in the Old Testament if a person gave an alm or was charitable contribution to the poor, David said in Psalms 41:1 that they were Blessed. So the lame man who knew that it was a blessing to give to the poor asked Peter and John for a charitable contribution. But Peter and John who at the moment did not have a charitable gift, took the opportunity to give him something that he needed and that was the power to walk again. So they took the opportunity to display the power that is found in the mighty name of Jesus, and they didn’t let the man leave their sight without giving him something.