SUPERNATURAL #5: WHY SIGNS AND WONDERS?
INTRO TO THEME:
• This is our fifth week in the book of Acts, and we will continue studying through this book of the Bible until the Lord releases us to move on to something else.
• The theme of the Book of Acts is found in Acts 1:8: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me.”
• Acts is a HISTORY (of what happened in the first century) but it is also a BLUEPRINT (for what God wants to see happen in the church today).
THE BIG IDEA: We will consider today: Why does God want us to contend for signs and wonders and healings and miracles in the church, and how do we see more of them in our lives?
INTRO TO THE BOOK OF ACTS:
“The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:1-3).
• Acts is the second part of a two volume work by Doctor Luke. Who was Luke?
o He wrote ¼ of the NT.
o In Colossians 4:14, the Apostle Paul called Luke the beloved physician.
o When Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he wrote: “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world… Only Luke is with me.” (2 Tim. 4:9-11).
• The Gospel of Luke chronicled all that Jesus BEGAN to do and teach.
• Therefore, the Book of Acts continues telling the story of what Jesus did and taught – through the church! (quote Acts 10:38).
• “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” (Luke 9:1-2).
• “And when He 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… And as you go, preach, saying, ’The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matt. 10:1,7-8).
• Jesus was in essence saying to His disciples, “I want you to go do the stuff I did!”
REVIEW ACTS 1-4:
Chapter 1 - Jesus tells the disciples to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit and power
Chapter 2 - Day of Pentecost, Holy Spirit falls, Peter preaches, church is born
Chapter 3 - Peter and John go to church, heal the crippled man, Peter preaches Jesus
Chapter 4 - The church prays for more boldness and signs and wonders
KEY TEXT:
“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. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 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. 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.” (Acts 5:12-16).
• This is the fifth time already in Acts where Luke wrote about signs and wonders.
WHY DOES GOD WANT US TO CONTEND FOR SIGNS AND WONDERS?
I. FOR THE GLORY OF GOD:
Whenever you see Jesus heal someone in the Gospels, the people glorified God:
1. “Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and THEY GLORIFIED THE GOD OF ISRAEL.” (Matt. 15:30-31).
2. When Jesus raised the widow of Nain’s son from the dead: “Then fear came upon all, and THEY GLORIFIED GOD, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” (Luke 7:16).
3. When Jesus healed a woman who had been bound by a spirit of infirmity for 18 years: “And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and GLORIFIED GOD.” (Luke 13:13).
II. FOR THE SALVATION OF SOULS:
Whenever you see signs and wonders in the Book of Acts, multitudes of people are saved:
2 - On the day of Pentecost (wind and fire) = 3,000 people were saved
3-4 - Peter and John heal the crippled man = 2,000 more people saved
5 - Our key text – many signs and wonders = believers increasingly added
9:32-35 - Peter heals Aeneas (bed-ridden 8 years) = all people in Lydda & Sharon saved!
9:36-42 - Peter raises Tabitha from the dead = many believed in the Lord
• There are at least 17 examples of this in Acts where signs and wonders led to salvations!
III. BECAUSE OF THE COMPASSION OF JESUS:
One of the main reasons Jesus heals sick people is because He loves them!
“And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” (Matt. 14:14).
QUOTE: “It is perfectly clear that in New Testament times, the gospel was authenticated in this way by signs, wonders and miracles. . . Was it only meant to be true of the early church? . . . The Scriptures never anywhere say that these things were only temporary—never! There is no such statement anywhere.” (Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Sovereign Spirit).
HOW DO WE SEE MORE SIGNS AND WONDERS IN OUR LIVES?
1. ASK FOR THEM:
“Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30).
• The early church prayed for more signs and wonders, and they saw lots of them.
• We need to pray for them. If we don’t ask, we won’t receive!
2. SPEND TIME WITH JESUS IN THE SECRET PLACE:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing… If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:5,7).
• As we abide in Jesus in the secret place of prayer, we will be filled with His presence.
• Why did the church in Acts see many signs and wonders? They prayed!
REVIEW:
WHY SIGNS AND WONDERS?
1. For the Glory of God.
2. For the Salvation of Souls.
3. Because of the Compassion of Jesus.
HOW DO WE SEE MORE SIGNS AND WONDERS?
1. Ask for them.
2. Spend time with Jesus in the secret place.
CLOSING: Prayer for the sick.
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
