Acts - 14

Acts - 14

Acts 5:12-16

Introduction

In 1922 DeWitt Wallace was sitting at home recovering from shrapnel wounds he sustained during World War I. He was also trying to figure out how to pay some of his medical bills. So he got creative. He wanted to start a general-interest magazine that could reach a broad audience, hoping it would generate $5,000 of income for him. He, along with his wife, launched Reader’s Digest later that year. His hopes were far exceeded. It eventually became the largest magazine distributor in the world with a value of over $2 billion.

To begin, Wallace would read articles from other magazines and other sources, condense them, and retell them in his own magazine. The concise articles became the trademark feature of it. So much so that we still tell people to give us the “Reader’s Digest version” when we want someone to give us the condensed details of a story.

Acts 5 contains a “Reader’s Digest” condensed summary of what is happening in the life of the NT Church. We have already seen two of those summaries in Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-37. Now we have a third one that updates us on how things are going. Acts 5 opened with a powerful account of how God deals with “sin in the camp” and eradicates both sin and sinners from the midst of His people. In fact, we are told twice in that account (5:5; 5:11) that people responded to the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira with great fear. How are things going now? How is the surrounding community responding?

Acts 5:12-16 - 12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

TS - we know from the account of the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira that the sin of hypocrisy and internal corruption were not allowed to grow in the Church. But it is apparent that there are other kinds of growth in this Church. Let’s look at the factors of growth in a healthy Church:

REPUTATION (V. 13)

Word is obviously getting out about this new Church. They are gathering daily in Solomon’s Portico, a large public area at the edge of the Temple in Jerusalem. They aren’t hiding in an upper room anymore like they were in Acts 1. The miracles on the Day of Pentecost were very public. The healing of the lame man in Acts 3 is quite public. In fact, that healing, and Peter’s subsequent sermon take place in this same area of the Temple grounds.

And word has spread about what has happened to these new Christians. Lives have been changed. People have been healed. Larger and larger gatherings are taking place. There is an uncommon nature about these Christians. And then two of them are struck dead for the sin of hypocrisy. You don’t need Twitter and Instagram to get word out about an event like that! News of that will spread like wildfire. Fear, according to earlier in chapter 5, is the dominant reaction to that news.

Notice v. 13 - None of the rest dared to join them…who is that? That is referring to the rest of the crowds in the Temple area. People are noticing this Church but many are keeping a safe distance from it. You would too! If you hear hypocrisy gets you killed, then you stay away! But look at the rest of the verse…but the people held them in high esteem. Though there may have been fear regarding what has happened, the people outside the Church view the people inside the Church with a favorable opinion. How is that possible?

These Christians are faithful to the Lord. Nothing and no one is going to get in their way of staying true to all the Lord has called them to. These Christians are consistent. That is what happens when hypocrites die at God’s hands…it makes everyone else shed their hypocrisy. They are consistently gathering for corporate worship, with one another in homes and other environments. They are consistently being generous with their resources and helping one another. They are consistently counter-cultural. They live nothing like the world around them, even distinct from their religious Jewish neighbors. Their lives are distinctly Christian.

When a non-Christian world looks upon the Christian reality, there must be an acknowledgment of “differentness” about them. There is a form of respect that is given for consistent, faithful living. The word here for ‘high esteem’ (emegalynen) means exalted, magnified. The root of the word is mega, big, high. To them, these Christians are larger than life. There is a high view of them.

We don’t live in a culture that necessarily views Christians this way, do we? Why is that? I would submit to you that one of the primary reasons for that is that, on the whole, Christians in America have sold out their convictions and, in an attempt to be liked by the world, have lived like the world. That doesn’t garner respect. They only see the hypocrisy in it. No one respects hypocrites. They will at least have a form of respect for those who are consistent in their faith.

We talked a couple weeks ago out of Acts 4 that the Church’s generosity was directly towards one another. God has not called the Church to meet the world’s needs, but to ensure that God’s people are cared for well. When that happens, when Christians love well, serve well, and give well, the world can’t help but to take notice. Throughout Church history, it is when the Church has lived most counter-culturally that the world has respected them the most. Not agreed. But respected. No one respects cowards. No one respects hypocrites. No one respects sell-outs. Now, we don’t live for the world’s applause…that is how you become a sell-out in the first place. We live for an audience of One. But there at least ought to be a known reputation of Christians in the world that we live differently than they do.

CONVERSION (V. 12,14)

While v. 13 is clear that there are some people who are hesitant to hang out with the Church, that is not true for everyone. V. 14 - And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women…this is the fourth note so far in Acts about numbers. There are 120 believers in 1:15; 3,000 in 2:41; 5,000 men in 4:4; and now an indistinct ‘multitudes.’ That hints at exponential growth. More than ever before, and it was already growing rapidly.

So there is this dual reaction from the crowds regarding the Church. Some are put off, while others are attracted. There are those who disregard the Church while others are drawn to it. To some, what is happening in and among these Christians is alarming. To others, it is appealing. One scholar wrote of the crowd’s reactions by saying, “on the one hand an awestruck reserve, on the other great missionary successes.”

What makes the difference? There are some appointed to salvation and there are some who are not. We talked about this last summer as we walked through some of Jesus’ parables in Matthew. There are two groups of people…wheat/weeds // insiders/outsiders. That is what is happening here. God is doing a work…some will see it and withdraw. Others will see it and move in. Some will see it and recoil. Others will see it and repent.

V. 12 - Now many signs and wonders were regularly done…It would seem from a surface reading of the text that people are seeing the miracles and they are converting to faith in Christ because He can do stuff for them. But that is not what is happening here at all. Belief in miracles doesn’t save anyone. Hoping for a healing doesn’t save anyone. What were the miracles for? Time and again we have already seen the purpose of these miracles…to validate the truth of what the apostles are preaching.

In Acts 2:22 on the Day of Pentecost, Peter said this about Jesus… “22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know… Jesus was attested to, accredited, validated by God. How? By doing the miracles that he did. Even Jesus said this about Himself in John 10:37-38 - 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Jesus Himself says that the miracles He performs are validation of the truth of what He is saying. And all throughout Acts so far, miracles have been referred to as ‘signs.’ This is why. The miracles simply point to the truth and trustworthiness of their preaching of God’s Word.

So it is not the miracles that are converting anyone. It is their trust in the truth of Scripture. God said in Isaiah 55:10-11 -

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven     and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout,     giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;     it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,     and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

When the truth of Scripture goes out to people, and they come to trust in the trustworthiness of the message, the Lord saves them. They are converted to faith in Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:23 - 23 …you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

This is why it is vitally important for you to regularly read your Bible. This is why we are committed as a Church to provide as many Bible environments as possible…when Scripture is opened and absorbed, God does transformative work. This is why we preach the way we do here, simply anchoring in Scripture and walking through books of the Bible…this is how God saves and sanctifies sinners. Where the Word of God grows, conversion grows. Where the Word of God grows, the Church grows.

DEMONSTRATION (V. 15-16)

Because there is so much growth in reputation, and because there is so much growth in conversion, there is also growth in demonstration. By this I mean that these Christians are putting on display, are demonstrating the power that God is working in them and through them.

V. 15-16 - 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

V. 12 was clear that these miracles that are occurring are happening “by the hands of the apostles.” But does that mean that these men have this power within themselves and are truly miracle workers? No. Look back at Acts 4 as the believers, in response to persecution, pray that God would make them even more bold…Acts 4:29-30 - 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Whose hand is doing the miracles? God’s hand. The apostles hands are merely extensions of God’s miracle working hands in the world. And God is working so powerfully in and through His people that the crowds respond with even a sort of superstition. They bring out all their sick so Peter’s shadow can fall on them. Now, notice the text does not say that Peter’s shadow healed anyone, just that the crowd believed that it would.

And even if it did heal them, which would be super cool, it is a gracious, powerful, work from God Himself. This verb here in v. 29 referring to Peter’s shadow ‘falling’ on them literally translates as ‘overshadowed.’ It is used two other times by Luke in his Gospel account, both of which refer to God’s activity in and among His people.

Luke 1:35 - 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Luke 9:33-35 - 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”

This is what God does in and through His people! He overshadows them. He covers over you because none of this is about you or you getting credit for serving Him, but so that it is clearly seen that the change brought about in your life, and the change you can help make in someone else’s life, isn’t from you. God is overshadowing it all.

The fact of the matter is that the Lord of the Church wants to work in and through the Church to transform your life, and to use you to transform the lives of the people around you. How does He do that today? Since these miracles were a unique, temporary work of God with the apostles, we aren’t doing that still today. So what power are we to demonstrate? One that is oh so much greater!

Ephesians 1:15-21 - 15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

The power that raised Jesus from the dead, life-giving power, resurrecting power, is the power that is at work in your life right now. That power should be clearly demonstrated in your life. You have the power to defeat sin. You don’t have to give in. You are not a victim of your circumstances. Resurrection power is yours. Maybe your marriage is struggling because you can’t get past yourself and put another person before yourself. Maybe you have a sin you just can’t get rid of. Maybe you cannot control your emotions. Maybe you can’t seem to say no to yourself and are drowning in debt.

If God has saved you, if you have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, if you have the indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit, then the power to walk out of the grave is yours. Meaning that there is absolutely nothing in your life that cannot be overcome. There is no problem, no issue, no sin, no relationship, that is too powerful that God’s power cannot defeat it. Put that power on display. Demonstrate the reality of that power in your life.

Jesus showed us what that power looks like. He was betrayed and crucified at the hands of evil men (Peter in Acts 2). By all appearances He had lost and His enemies had won. But nothing could have been further from the truth. On the morning of the third day, the resurrecting power of God descended onto His crucified body and He walked out the grave. That power is yours. Not just for eternal life. Now. Today.