From
Acts to Revelation
Part
8 – Signs of the Apostles
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House
of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
What we have learned so far in the book of
Acts is, the Lord ascended leaving instruction to the Disciples to go into
Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father, which would come when Jesus
sat at His right hand.
They obeyed and received he Holy Spirit,
and immediately went into the streets and preached the Gospel to all of the
God-Fearing Jews from around the world who had gathered to celebrate the
Passover in Jerusalem.
The Peter stood and gave the first sermon
of the newly formed Church. Over 3,000 had heard the message and believed, and
accepted Jesus Christ as the Messiah which had been promised to them in
scripture.
Today we will discover the difference
between the Apostles and Disciples, and why so many end up having doubt in
God's miraculous powers, simply because they don't understand the purpose and
difference between the Apostles and Disciples.
SCRIPTURE READING
Acts 3:1-11
1 One
day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three
in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the
temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those
going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about
to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as
did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his
attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I
have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking
him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and
ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with
them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When
all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same
man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were
filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people
were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s
Colonnade.
1. Peter
and John went to pray at the Temple at 3pm (the ninth hour)
2. A man,
lame from his mothers womb was at the gate
1. Brought
daily to the gate to beg
2. Appears
to have taken place for a long time, because later in the verse we read that
all the people knew him.
3. Little
did he know, today would be the greatest day of his life.
3. He
asked alms of Peter and John
1. Tithe is
what we owe to the Lord as the first fruits of what we have.
2. Gifts or Love
Offerings are what we give to others at the Holy Spirits prompting.
3. Alms are
what is given from our hearts to those in need
4. Peter
answered the mans request in this manner;
1. “Look
on us...” or Listen carefully.
2. vs.5
tells us that the lame-man expected Peter and john yo give him money.
3. vs.6
says that Peter tells him, “Silver and gold I have none...”
1.
Opposite of what some preach, that Jesus and the Apostles were
millionaires.
4. “But
what I have (The Holy Spirit), I give to you.”
1.
The modern church has lots of silver and gold...but how many have
the Holy Spirit, and give it freely?
2.
Are the gifts God has given you through His Holy Spirit buried in
the ground like the wicked servant with his masters talents, or are you using
them as God intended to see them profit others, bringing glory to the Master?
3.
The power of God is greater than any earthly riches.
5. Peter
says; “In the name of Jesus Christ, get up and walk!”
1.
The ONLY name which saves and heals.
2.
Peter and John took the man and stood him up, and IMMEDIATELY his
bones and ankles were strengthened.
3.
This is a miracle to show the Jews that these Apostles, and the
words they spoke represent the one true God.
4.
The man leaped and stood up, and walked into the Temple with peter
and John so all could see.
5.
The entire time praising God!
6. All who
saw him in the Temple knew who he was, and they were filled with wonder and
amazement.
1.
All the people came to see.
2.
This was God's way of grabbing all of the Jews attention, so that
the fulfillment of the Word of God could be taught to those IN THE TEMPLE.
3.
This was a sign to Israel that the Messiah, the savior that they
had learned about in scripture, and waited generations for had come, and was
here, and God's plan of salvation was in motion.
So why is it we, who are also filled with the Holy Spirit, can't
just walk up to a lame-man and make him walk again?
Now before you form an opinion, listen to what the scriptures say
about the matter, and you can save yourself a lot of undo stress. I am not stating that the Holy Spirit does
not still do miracles, I am stating that we do not have the “same” signs and
wonders that the Apostles did, because we are not serving the same purpose the
Apostles served.
Remember, the scriptures tell us that to “be” an Apostle, you had
to have been with Jesus from the time He was baptized, until the time of His
ascension. And they only chose one
Apostle to replace Judas...NO ONE today can qualify to be an Apostle.
Apostles were to establish God's NEW covenant, which can only be
done through proving they were sent by God to represent God, and as it was with
the Prophets of old, signs and wonders and miracles were used, just as they
were to establish the Old Covenant with man.
Disciples are those of us who have been saved through the grace of
God and Jesus Christ, to serve Him. The purpose of the gifts and fruits we
receive through the Holy Spirit are to grow and strengthen the church.
So Apostles were like the Prophets, establishing God's covenants,
and proving they were sent by God to do so by signs, wonders and miracles.
Disciples, through the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, are to
strengthen the church and build it up through our service to the Lord.
II.
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AT WORK IN BOTH APOSTLES
AND DISCIPLES
1. Many
wonders and signs were done by the Apostles
1. NOTE: Done
by the Apostles. It does not say Disciples...
2. These
signs and wonders were to establish the fact that these men represented God,
and their teaching and instruction was to be considered doctrine, and
the basis and foundation of the church.
2.
Why can’t all believers do signs and
wonders today just like the apostles did in the early church?
1. First
of all we are NOT to listen to those who claim that miracles no longer take
place. What we need to hear is the word of God, the apostles teaching on this
and what took place in the early church history. One of the reasons to study
the Book of Acts!
2. Any
Scripture we may find has to agree with the actual events, otherwise it must
mean something other than what you may think it means. (Collapsing contexts)
3. We are
to believe it as it is written to be in the truth. What the apostles did
is seen in the book of Acts as recorded history and doctrine.
What the apostles taught the church is in the epistles.
4. Believers
are not given the supernatural ability like the apostles to do miracles at the
drop of a hat. Otherwise they would not have had to call Peter to raise
Tabitha from the dead- they would have done it themselves.
1.
Acts 9:36-10:1 “At Joppa there was a certain disciple named
Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and
charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became
sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. And
since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter
was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to
them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they
brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing
the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But
Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he
said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw
Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had
called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known
throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.”
2.
The Disciples could not raise Tabitha, but an Apostle did.
5.
Acts 8:5-7 “Then Philip went down to the city of
Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded
the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he
did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who
were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.”
1.
He was able to deliver people from demons and heal the sick.
6. Acts
2:43 “…and many wonders and
signs were done through the apostles”
7.
Acts 5:12 “And through the hands of the
apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people.
8.
Acts 14:3 “therefore they stayed there a long time,
speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His
grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”
1.
If all the church could do miracles like the Apostles and this was
normal, then this would be meaningless, and not a miracle, for Paul says in 2
Corinthians 12:13 “Truly the
signs of an Apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs
and wonders and mighty deeds.”
2.
These signs, wonders and miracles HAD to be done by the Apostles
alone, so that their teachings, which came directly from Jesus Christ, would be
the teachings of Truth alone! If any
follower could do the same signs, wonders and miracles at the drop of a hat,
then it would appear as he had authority by God to establish covenants...and
anything he said or did would be at the same level as the Apostles teaching.
1. This
would be very dangerous to man, and the word, and establishing it's Truth.
2. Think
of how many “holy” men have fallen.
3. Jesus
Himself taught the Apostles, therefore, what they taught was directly from God
Himself. No other teaching will ever compare, or hold up to the Apostles and
Prophets.
3.
Throughout the book of Acts (actually called the Acts of the
Apostles) we see the apostles doing the signs and wonders and miracles.
9. These
signs, wonders and miracles were used by the Prophets in the Old Testament to
establish they were sent by God, they were used by the Apostles to establish
they were sent by God, and they will be used once again in the end-times during
Tribulation, when the two prophets of God will come and give testimony, and the
signs, wonders and miracles will establish that they too, were sent by God for
a specific purpose!
10. I
believe in God’s power and we can pray and He can still do mighty things, heal
and do miracles. He can do beyond all that we ask (Ephesians 3:20)
but to promise an absolute recovery by supernatural healing, or resurrection of
dead people is not faith but presumption, God does not have to obey what you
ask or command, instead we are to obey him.
11. The
gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be used, and healing is one of those
gifts...BUT, we are told NOT all followers have the same gifts!
12. The
Apostles served a different purpose than us Disciples.
1.
Even Paul's shadow could heal!
CLOSING
We see that the Apostles were now beginning to go into all of
Jerusalem, and show the Jews signs, wonders and miracles to establish the fact
that the Apostles were sent by God, to give the NEW COVENANT to the people,
just as the Prophets in the old days established themselves with signs, wonders
and miracles to give the Old Covenant of God to the people.
We also see that although we, the Disciples, have gifts and fruits
which come from the Holy Spirit, we do not have the same abilities the Apostles
did, because we do not serve the same purpose they do.
And when the two prophets come during Tribulation, they will have
signs, wonders and miracles to establish that they too are from God with a
specific message and purpose.
