Signs and Wonders Wrought Among the People

Acts 5: 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. 13: And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. 14: And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of 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 which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

The apostles had just asked the Lord to do this, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus (Acts 4:30.) So we must understand that the apostles were but instruments in the hand of the Lord. You and I have no more power to heal the physical ailments of sinners than we do to heal sinners of spiritual death. The power by which they worked these signs and wonders was Christ's power. These physical signs and wonders pale in comparison to the signs and wonders of eternal healing which Christ the Lord performs in his people spiritually.

Infirmities--sickness, disease and death--are the result of what we are, sin. Men like to entertain the idea that they are not sinners or that they have grown beyond sin. Just hang around a little while. If your skin wrinkles you know you are a sinner. When your hair falls out then you know you are a sinner. As your body gets sick and fails it is a reminder to us that we are sinners. Death is the wage earned by our sin. No matter how sinners may try to hide from the fact, our bodies betray us before God and the whole world revealing to all that we are indeed nothing but sin in ourselves. But the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ--through the apostles--healed bodily infirmities is proof that he has indeed overcome sin. But more of a wonder of his grace than anything else performed here in our text is the fact that he healed those who were dead in trespasses and in sins. The wonder is not that mere men were used to heal the physical infirmities of sinners. The amazing thing is that this act is proof positive that our Lord has overcome sin and death, spiritually, for all those for whom he died.

The Lord our God, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, used the hands of the apostles to heal physical infirmities simply to draw in his redeemed whom he had healed spiritually for all eternity. That is what happened when Peter and John healed the lame man at the gate called Beautiful. Acts 3:11: And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And there in Solomon's porch they heard Peter and John preach the gospel of their justification by Christ's blood and through the gospel of Christ, the Lord healed many spiritually and eternally. These signs and wonders are defined clearly for us in the parenthetical expression in Acts 5: 12: (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13: And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. 14: And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

The sign of God's all-powerful grace wrought among us is that our Redeemer brings the gospel to each of his redeemed and makes them willing to forsake all and follow him. The most amazing wonder wrought among us is a sinner saved by God's grace!

www.sovereign-grace.us

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH Of Princeton, New Jersey

LOCATION & TELEPHONE
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553
Pastor's Telephone: 615-513-4464

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
11 AM Morning Worship
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service
(The first Sunday of each month, morning worship begins at 10am followed by observing the Lord's Table. Afterwards we have lunch together.)