God Still Heals
Text: Acts 5:12-16
Introduction
1. Illustration: God is moving powerfully in and amongst children in this hour. You will see MANY children raised up to preach, heal, prophesy, move in miracles, signs, and wonders. (Patricia King).
2. Church, our God is still in the miracle working business! He still performs miracles, still heals, and still does things that cannot be understood through natural means.
3. Read Acts 5:12-16
Proposition: The God that lived in the Book of Acts is still the same today.
Transition: One thing God still does is He…
I. Still Does Signs and Wonders (12-14).
A. Performing Many Miraculous Sign and Wonders
1. Luke gives us a summary of what is going on at this time in the early church.
2. God was using the apostles to show his mighty and miraculous power. In v. 12 Luke tells us, “The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade.”
a. The apostles were continuing to be full of the Holy Spirit and in his power.
b. They were continuing to do mighty works of healing and miraculous signs and wonders.
c. The term “wonders” refers to supernatural manifestations of God’s power. In other words, they have less to do with the people doing them and more to do with God.
d. God used the apostles to do these supernatural wonders among the people.
e. This was a continuation of the ministry of Jesus. He had told them “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father” (Jn. 14:12).
f. They did just what Jesus had predicted; they were doing the same works as Jesus.
g. Just as he healed people, now the apostles would heal.
h. Furthermore, Luke tells us that there continued to be unity in the church.
i. They were regularly meeting at the Temple. Daily they were meeting from worship and prayer.
j. All of this was going on despite what had happened to Ananias and Sapphira. The church was still together in the ministry of the Gospel.
3. In v. 13, Luke tells us something puzzling. He says, “But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them.”
a. The reason this verse is so puzzling is that Luke doesn’t clearly tell why people didn’t join them. He does that sometimes, because he doesn’t want to repeat something that he has already stated elsewhere.
b. So, we kind of need to determine it based on what has already happened.
c. First, some people were afraid because of what had happened to Ananias and Sapphira. Imagine what would happen here if the headlines read, “Married Couple Drops Dead During Oostanaula Methodist Service!” I don’t think that people would be banging on the door to get in.
d. Another reason that people didn’t dare to join them was because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities.
e. Remember, Peter and John had already been arrested and threatened not to speak in the name of Jesus.
f. However, look at what Luke says at the end of the verse, “even though all the people had high regard for them.”
g. The people regarded them highly and showed great respect for them because they saw that they were people of integrity, and they were living according to God’s high standard.
h. They also regarded them because they saw the apostles’ doing signs and wonder among them.
4. However, even though some people dared not join them, Luke tells us that the church kept growing. In v. 14 he says, “Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.”
a. Luke tells us that the church continued to grow by leaps and bounds. He says, “more and more” people were coming to the Lord - both men and women.
b. Scores of people were coming to have faith in and believe in Jesus. It has been estimated that the church at this time had reached over 10,000 people.
c. The fear and disbelief of some was not a deterrent to others because God’s Spirit was moving in the church and people were believing and receiving the Gospel!
d. When you do God’s work in God’s way big things begin to happen.
B. These Miraculous Signs
1. Illustrations: “People do not expect to see signs and wonders today as the disciples saw them of old. Has God changed? Or has our faith waned so that we are not expecting the greater works that Jesus promised?” (Samuel Wigglesworth)
2. We should believe God for signs and wonders.
a. “These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” (Mark 16: 17-18)
b. Jesus said that his believers would be characterized by signs and wonders.
c. NO WHERE in Scripture does it say that this will change before the return of Jesus!
d. So, why don’t we see more signs and wonders in the church?
e. It’s because we do not believe! In our minds we have convinced ourselves that those things don’t happen anymore.
f. However, God hasn’t changed, and the Bible hasn’t changed.
g. What has changed is our level of belief. If Jesus said it, and the Bible teaches it, then we need to believe it!
h. We need not only believe that it will happen, but we should only be surprised if it doesn’t happen!
Transition: Another thing that God still does is He…
II. Still Heals People (15-16).
A. They Were All Healed
1. When the church begins to be filled with the Holy Spirit and minister in his power, the word begins to spread. In v. 15 Luke says, “As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.”
a. As a result of their faith, and the faith and confidence of the apostles, people were coming to be healed.
b. They were coming in great numbers, and sick people were laid in the streets on beds and mats.
c. In fact, so many were brought that people began to have faith that even if Peter’s shadow might fall on them and they would be healed even if he couldn’t reach them to lay hands on them.
d. Now that’s power!
2. Now, look at what Luke says in v. 16, “Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.”
a. The word of what God was doing began to spread so much that “crowds” of people began to come from all of the surrounding towns and villages around Jerusalem.
b. People who had come to faith in Christ and had heard about what God was doing through the apostles, so, they came in droves to be healed.
c. We should also notice; it wasn’t just physical ailments that people were being healed from. They were also being healed spiritually.
d. People who were possessed by evil spirits were also coming to be set free.
e. Now notice what Luke tells us at the end of the verse, “and they were ALL healed.”
f. It wasn’t just a few random ones that were being healed, but everyone that came to receive a touch from God were healed!
g. And God still heals today!
B. Is Any of You Sick?
1. Illustration: “The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that things are possible to God.” (Mary Baker Eddy).
2. The Bible clearly tells us to anoint the sick with oil and pray over them, and if we do God will heal them.
a. “Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15).
b. Every Sunday we come up with a list of sick people to pray for, and I imagine we always will.
c. But are we doing what the Bible tells us to do?
d. The Bible tells us to come to the elders of the church and ask for prayer, but are we doing it?
e. When was the last time one of us came to the front and said, “pray for me and anoint me with oil, I need to be healed?”
f. When was the last time you had a friend or relative that was sick and you went to their house, prayed for them, and anointed them with oil?
g. God’s word tells us to do this, and the Lord will make you well. So, why aren’t we doing it?
h. It’s simple because we don’t believe!
i. When are we going to take God at this word?
j. When are we going to exercise the authority, we have in Jesus name?
Conclusion
1. Church, our God is still in the miracle working business! He still performs miracles, still heals, and still does things that cannot be understood through natural means.
2. God still does…
a. Signs and Wonders
b. Heals
3. What’s the point preacher? Believe in faith and expect God to do what he said he would do!
