“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You are revealing Yourself through us to the world, through signs. Your heart does not want anyone to perish but that all should come into eternal life. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke in other tongues. The audience was perplexed, wondering what this could mean. The Lord was using this experience to cause a stir in the hearts and minds of these devout Jews. Acts 2:6-12 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. (7) Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all those who speak Galileans? (8) And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? (9) Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, (10) Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, (11) Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” (12) So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
We know that 3000 of them came to Christ. Not only were they reached but they became the ones through whom the Gospel was reaching the nations of the earth. Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know”. When signs take place through the church, what is God doing? God is attesting Himself through us, to various audiences. He is longing for people to turn and give their lives to Him. When miraculous experiences take place through His church, the Lord is wanting people to know that man must reckon with God. God is giving people an opportunity to repent and surrender to Him or else man will perish. Therefore, signs are about the love of God that longs for people to be reconciled with Him. I Corinthians 1:4-9 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, (5) that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, (6) even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, (7) so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (8) who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. The testimony of Christ is confirmed through His church, through signs. The Lord affirms Himself through us as we are blameless to the very end. We, are the attestation of Christ to the world.
Hebrews 2:1-4 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. (2) For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, (3) how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, (4) God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” The salvation of God was confirmed through signs, wonders, and miracles. Gifts of the Holy Spirit were in operation to confirm His plan for man’s salvation. Therefore, man cannot neglect so great a salvation. I Timothy 2:3-6 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (4) who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (5) For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, (6) who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. God longs that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, for Jesus is the only mediator between God and man. We see the attestation of God through miracles and signs.
Acts 3:7-10 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. (8) So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. (9) And all the people saw him walking and praising God. (10) Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” Peter lifted the man up and an amazing miracle took place. His feet and ankle bones, which were limp from birth, suddenly received strength. The man stood up, walked, and entered the temple, walking, leaping and praising God. What was God doing? God was attesting Himself through a supernatural sign.The Lord was reaching people. People were stirred because of this phenomenal sign that took place. The three chapters of Acts 3-5 are dedicated to the attestation of God through a sign. Acts 4:4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
“God is attesting Himself through His church, through signs, so that people’s minds will be stirred and that they will turn and surrender to Him.”