The Miraculous Signs of the Apostles

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to church. Olga and I travelled to San Antonio last week for the Hispanic Evangelism Conference and heard some gifted preachers and speakers, which is always a blessing.

We have a big morning this morning as we’ll take the Lord’s supper together in a few minutes and I hope you’ll plan to stick around afterwards as we prepare to baptize 8 and present 4 more who will become members by transfer of letter. Pastor Joe has been busy getting people ready in our membership classes over the last few weeks.

We continue our series on the book of Acts this morning. We’ve been working through the book of Acts looking at the early church and comparing it with the current state of the church, looking for lessons in how we might have a more biblically authentic church.

Since we looked at the Day of Pentecost and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we’ve seen the apostles preaching in the temple, healing in the temple, and responding to the inquiry of the priests and religious leaders in the temple. On several occasions, the Sanhedrin Council, that group of religious leaders, have warned the apostles to cease their preaching about Jesus and his resurrection.

We have read a great deal about the unity of the early church and the way that the believers cared for each other by selling their property to provide for the needs of their brothers and sisters in the faith. And we learned of the treacherous deception of Ananias and Sapphira, who lied about the funds that they brought to the assembly of believers and their death as a punishment for their lies.

We pick up this morning as the apostles, in particular Peter, return to the public view and preaching in the temple and healing the people. We’ll read from Acts 5 as we continue...

Acts 5:12–16 CSB

12 Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them. 14 Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—multitudes of both men and women. 15 As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

[pray]

I. By the Hands of the Apostles

Acts 5:12 CSB

12 Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

This passage (vv 12-16) is an apostolic passage of scripture. This is showing us how the ministry of the apostles grew in the earliest days of the church. There is an emphasis on these signs and wonders that the apostles were performing.

What is an apostle versus a disciple?

We all know what a disciple is, “a student, pupil, or learner.” We normally use it in describing the followers of Jesus and sometimes use it to refer to one of the Twelve, one of those who were “called by Jesus as his followers.”

An apostle, however is not only one who is called, but “one who was sent (or commissioned) directly by Jesus.” These are named in Matthew 10:1-3 as Jesus sent out a selection of his disciples on a missionary journey:

Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John of Zebedee, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the zealot, and Judas Iscariot (Matthew 10:1-3)

These are the Twelve that we normally think of when we talk of Jesus’ disciples. They are the same ones that he named as his apostles. However, we can see that there are several others named as disciples in the New Testament that were not named as apostles. Some of these were disciples who walked with Christ, but we can also see others became known as disciples of Christ after his death. We don’t know how many disciples there were and there is no exhaustive list. That’s because the list of Jesus’ disciples is still incomplete as new people come to know Christ and call him Savior.

So there seems to be a clear difference between disciples and apostles. The difference is marked as the difference between a student who follows Christ’s teaching and the one who was sent by Christ to be a missionary, who teaches others about Christ.

Furthermore, we see a difference between an apostle (lower case “a”) and an Apostle (upper case “A”). The upper-case “A” Apostle is one who was specifically named by Christ in Matthew 10 (we also include Matthias, the one named to replace Judas Iscariot). These are the Twelve, but we also include Paul, who was not one of the Twelve.

I had someone ask me recently as we were discussing the Twelve if Paul should have been named as the Twelfth Apostle rather than Matthias. The answer is no, Paul is not the Twelfth Apostle. The reason for this is that the Apostles, chosen by Jesus, were twelve Jewish men, who were sent as missionaries to the Jewish people. They represent in some ways the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

While Paul was Jewish, Paul was not chosen as a missionary to the Jewish people. He was not selected by Christ as an Apostle, because he didn’t come to Christ until well after Christ’s death. We’ll get to Paul’s story as we continue in the book of Acts.

Paul was a missionary to the Gentiles—which is to say all of those who are not Jewish. You and I came to know Christ because of Paul’s efforts as an Apostle.

So, we have the chosen “Apostles” who were chosen and sent by Christ. There can be no more chosen “Apostles” today.

We have a certain set of criteria which much be met for Apostleship:

The qualifications of this type of apostle were: (1) to have been a witness of the resurrected Christ (1 Corinthians 9:1), (2) to have been explicitly chosen by the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:15), and (3) to have the ability to perform signs and wonders (Acts 2:43; 2 Corinthians 12:12).

[What is an apostle? GotQuestions.org, https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-an-apostle.html]

While we don’t have chosen “Apostles” today, we do have generic “apostles” in the sense that a missionary is one who is sent, sometimes even answering a calling. My wife and I consider ourselves “apostles” because we answered a calling to leave a place that we considered home to take up ministry in another place that was foreign to us, reaching people who were unknown to us, doing the work of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ as strangers. Our word for that today is “missionary,” which is an ambassador of Christ to people who need to hear the good news.

There seems to be a clear progression here from being called to being sent. Or perhaps it is that one is called for the purpose of being prepared to be sent. However, the reality is that not all are sent, but we all have a calling, as believers in Christ.

A few questions for the believer in Christ:

Do you believe in Christ?

Are you called to be a disciple (a student) to learn? For what purpose?

Are you called for the purpose of being sent as an apostle?

How’s that going for you? Are you fulfilling the purpose that Christ had for you when he called you?

II. They Gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade

Acts 5:12 CSB

12 Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

The apostles continued to gather in the temple, in spite of the rebuke they had received from the religious leaders. They continued to gather in the same place to have discussions about Christ

Solomon’s Colonnade (portico or porch) was a columned and covered area on the eastern side of the temple in the court of the Gentiles. This is a place where Jesus gave many of his temple teachings and the same place where Peter gave his sermon after healing the paralytic man. It was a place for public discourse and gathering.

Even after all that had happened with the arrest of Peter and John and the death of Ananias and Sapphira, the early church still gathered. They still worshipped together. They still took their meals together. They still cared for each others needs.

They were still united even after the enemy had tried to put them down and stop the spread of the good news that they proclaimed.

The text says that the apostles were continuing to get attention and that new believers were being added to the early church.

III. The Signs and Wonders of the Apostles

Peter, especially seems to stand out as a leader in healing and performing these miracles, called signs and wonders...

Acts 5:15–16 CSB

15 As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The apostles seemed to have special access to perform miracles during these early days of the church, during the church’s founding.

The Purpose of Signs and Wonders (Miracles)

Some have made the case that the miraculous work of the Apostles was for that time only and that it seems to have diminished since. Others make the case that the miraculous signs could only be performed by the Apostles. And still others claim that these miraculous signs continue today in believers who have been given spiritual gifts.

I will say that we don’t seem to have access today to the same kind of gifting that the Apostles displayed in scripture. But I also can’t agree that the miraculous sign gifts have wholly ceased and are no longer relevant in today’s church.

I personally tend to believe that God’s miracles are still relevant today, even if they are not as prevalent as they once were. I have told you that I am what is called a “continuationist” which means that I believe the miraculous sign gifts continue in the modern world (even if in some limited way). I say this because I have seen people healed by the hand of God.

I don’t claim to have any particular power in healing, even though I have prayed for some of you to be healed. I believe that God will provide miracles by his own hand and for his own purposes rather than bestowing any particular kind of power into my hands or anybody else’s, for that matter. Though I know some who have claimed to have the power to heal, I can’t say that the power has been theirs, but God’s power in them.

People seek signs and wonders because:

1. They want confirmation of God’s truth

2. They seek additional support for the signs and wonders that were previously performed (due to doubt)

3. They seek an excuse for their unbelief

4. They are curious thrill-seekers

5. They hope for some personal gain

[Why do so many people seek after signs and wonders? GotQuestions.org, https://www.gotquestions.org/signs-and-wonders.html]

Scripture seems to teach us that simple faith is more valuable than a faith that is founded on some dazzling sensory experience akin to a magic show.

John 20:29 CSB

29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

My advice here is to not count on some miraculous sign, but trust in the Lord, for he is your salvation.

I do believe that as we near the time of Christ’s return that we will see a resurgence of the miraculous signs. This is just a personal belief based on the fact that we saw miraculous signs throughout the ministry of Jesus and surrounding the events of his death. I believe that as we get close to his return we will see these miraculous signs and wonders with more frequency to the point that there is no doubt that God is up to something great.

Conclusion

-----

The Lord’s Table

We now move to the Lord’s Table as we remember the sacrifice and the salvific work that Christ completed on the cross. As we do regularly, we come to the table reflecting upon his sacrifice and we remember the reason that He made that sacrifice.

This is an appropriate time to reflect on your readiness and upon your personal condition before God.

[pause]

I know that a few of you come from a tradition of closed communion, which means that only members of the church are allowed to participate in communion. But here at FBC Pharr, we practice open communion. That means that we leave the decision to participate or not participate up to you.

If you are a Christian, who believes in Jesus Christ, and have taken him as your Savior and your Lord, we invite you to participate with us, if you feel it is appropriate.

Scripture teaches us that if there is any sin in your life or conflict with your brother or sister that might keep you from participating in this meal, then do not participate. If this is the case with you or if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please allow the bread and the cup to pass and do not participate.

If this is you, please do not feel guilty or compelled to participate. There is no judgment or condemnation here. However, if this is you, please seek one of us out to get answers to questions that you might have or to correct some things in your life. We are here to serve you.

[pause]

Jesus came to this world to open the doors of Heaven to us by taking our say sin upon Himself and provide a way that we might enter into the presence of Almighty God.

[distribute the elements / pray / send out the deacons]

You’ll notice that you have two cups, one inside the other. The bread is in the bottom cup. You can gently separate the two cups.

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

This is the body of our Lord, Jesus Christ, take it and eat in remembrance of His body broken for for us.

1 Corinthians 11:25–26 CSB

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

This is the blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Take it and drink in remembrance of His blood poured out for us.

For by eating this bread and drinking this cup, we join together in proclaiming the Lord’s life, death, and resurrection until His return to us.

Doxology

Praise God from Whom

All blessings flow

Praise Him all

Creatures here below

Praise Him above

Ye heavenly host

Praise Father Son

and Holy Ghost,

Amen

[BAPTISMS]