“Lord Jesus, we thank You that as miracles take place through Your church, You set in process Your impact in several other circles for the growth of Your Gospel. We give You the glory. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
Acts 2:43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
We continue to ponder on the healing of the lame man and the impact of this healing. We find that this healing of the lame man led Peter and John to confront and witness Jesus Christ to the leaders of the Jews.
Act 4:8-10 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: (9) If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, (10) let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
I have said this several times earlier, Simon Peter was one who was afraid of the maid and did not identify himself with Jesus. Here we see Peter and John witnessing Jesus Christ, before the highest leadership body of the Jews. Their witness to Jesus Christ stemmed from the healing of the lame man.
Acts 4:12-14 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (13) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. (14) And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
While they witnessed Jesus Christ to the leaders of the Jews, because of the healing of the lame man, Peter and John made a profound declaration. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. This declaration has been pivotal for His church down through the centuries.
We see another great move of God that took place because of the healing of the lame man. The leaders had threatened the apostles but instead of being afraid of their threats, the Lord lifted His church to a higher level of boldness for His name. The healing of the lame man enabled the church to praise God even amid trials and be filled with boldness.
Acts 4:21-31 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. (22) For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. (23) And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. (24) So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,…
(29) Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, (30) by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” (31) And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
One healing resulted in such a mighty move of God, which was having an ongoing impact on the spread of the Gospel. These are the ways of God.
The next move of God that we see that resulted from this healing was that there came about a wonderful oneness in the early church.
Acts 4:32-33 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. (33) And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
The oneness that came about in His church, resulted in greater power being released through the apostles as they witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Acts 5:12 And *through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch
Through the healing of a lame man, the Lord was bringing about ongoing work for the spread of the Gospel. These are the ways of God.
As the Lord did during the days of the early church, the Lord will do the same again. It is necessary for us to be like Peter and John, as they responded to the move of His Holy Spirit in reaching out to the lame man and bringing about healing.
We too will witness the roll out of the spread of the Gospel as the Lord causes signs and wonders to take place through His church.