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.
Secondly...
2. THERE WAS SO MUCH POWER IN THE CHURCH THAT NO ONE DARED TO JOIN IT UNDER FALSE PRETENSES (V.13)
“And of the rest durst [dared] no man to join himself to them; but the people magnified them.”
The church although it was in it infancy was the most powerful entity in the world. It’s power had nothing to do with it structure or it’s value, it had nothing to do with how it was decorated, or who was preaching that day. It was powerful because of the one that set men free from their sin and then empowered them with the Holy Ghost power from on high. This church was so powerful that the sinners did not want to join it under false pretenses. They had heard what had happened to Ananias and Sapphira, some of them even witnessed the healing of the lame man. This young church was so disciplined that the unbelievers were afraid to be in it presence, but yet they praised them.
I recall in my early years as a Christian. There was a preacher in this town that I respected so much as a man of God that I feared him. One Sunday afternoon he came to Christian Tabernacle to preach, and a thunder storm alert was in effect. Bishop Settles came in and said to us that not one drop would fall until everyone is in their cars and on their way home. So during the service you could hear the thunder and see the lightening flashing and he was preaching like it was his last time. And when the service was over the church emptied fast because we just knew that it was raining hard, but when I got to the door it was dry as a bone. And while he stood outside his car, everyone got into their car. And to all of our amazement when he shut his door to his car the rain started to pour down as if it was coming out of buckets. I tell you that was when I realized that God still had Godly men around that had favor with Him. Likewise the people magnified the apostles for the great work that God had done through them.
Now although the unbelievers were fearful to join themselves to the apostle because they were afraid that they would be detected as frauds,
we finally see in verses 14 through 16 how...
3. THE BELIEVERS EMBRACED THE LORD FOR THE APOSTLES DEEDS OF HOPE (vv. 14-16)
“And the believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both men and women), 15. Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. 16. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them who were vexed with unclean spirits; and they were healed every one.”
In studying the Word of God, it is not good to be a speed reader. The reason is because if you read the Word too fast you might miss a very important point in the text. And verse 14 is one of those scripture in relation to the who draws men. The verse says “And the believers were the more added to the Lord.” You see the previous text showed us the fear of those who were not sincere about their walk with the Lord, so they dared not to join themselves to the apostle for fear of getting what Ananias and Sapphira received and that was death for their deceitfulness. But this text is showing us who draws men in the first place. So they drew to the Lord because of the apostles deeds. It fact they believed so much that they brought the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches. And their faith was so strong that they believed that all Peter had to do was to allow his shadow to pass over them and they could be healed. Oh, what faith the believers had. We can learn something from them. All we have to do is set aside our petty differences, take our eyes off of men and join ourselves to the Lord, and He will heal you, He will open those doors that seems to be shut, but most importantly He will heal your sin sick soul.
CONCLUSION
Well it is time to go, but before I go, you need to know that if you are going to make it, if you are going to be healed. You need to do what the believers did in Jerusalem. You need to elevate your mind, and follow Jesus. You need to get wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up with Jesus because He’s all you need. Their endearment to Jesus caused them to bring their loved ones to Peter and the apostles. They brought so many that they filled the porch, they filled the yard, and finally they filled the streets with the sick. Because the church had power to heal them.
Well before I take my seat, I need you to know that the church is still relevant.
It might not do what you want it to do.
The people might not be your kind of people,
and it might not think like you think. But you need to ask yourself a question.
Who really said that you were relevant?
Who said forget not to assemble yourselves with you?
And who said that you were the first and the last?
But I so glad I found out that I need the church. There is...
Healing in the Church,
Deliverance in the Church, Love in the Church, Joy...Peace... Longsuffering... Gentleness...
Goodness... Faith... Meekness... And Temperance...
