“Lord Jesus, we thank You, that You confirm that You are bringing people to faith in You, through signs. We thank You for Your great love for us. You are wanting us to come into the habitat relationship with You, by faith. Therefore, to enable us to place our trust in You, You confirm Your message to us through signs. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
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 these 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?” This exceptional gathering of Jews and proselytes from various places were amazed, marvelled and perplexed at the sound that they heard. They heard the disciples speaking in each of their particular languages, the wonderful works of God.
We have seen that the Gospel was being taken to all the nations of the earth but let us examine further. Mark 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” The Lord was awakening the minds of the people. The minds of people had been kept locked by the devil. He does not want anyone to search for the deeper things of God. The purpose of the signs is for people’s hearts and minds to be stirred so that they will search for God. The one who seeks Him will find Him. God longs for people to come into His habitat and experience Shalom. John 5:36 But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.
The Jews thought that they had a relationship with Yahweh but they were actually far away from God. The Father had sent His Son to restore His people back to Himself. This was the cry of Jesus to the Jews that they would believe that He has been sent by the Father. The signs were to stir them and help them believe. John 10:36-38 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? (37) If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; (38) but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” It is only through faith in Jesus that they would have eternal life or come into the habitat of God. He is imploring them to believe in Him because of the signs that He did. Signs, miracles and wonders need to be understood from this perspective. These are not an end in themselves. The church must exercise signs, for these are needed for people, who are in captivity, in distress, in sickness and under various oppressions, to be released. When these miracles take place, people have the opportunity to search for the truth and come to faith in Jesus.
Peter, as he explains to this unique gathering what was taking place, takes them back to the life of Christ. He shows them that Jesus was attested by God, through miracles, wonders and signs. 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”—Peter is, therefore, calling this audience to place their faith in Jesus. John 14:11-12 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. (12) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father”. The works were done to cause the minds of the people to be stirred and give them the opportunity to place their faith in Christ. The Lord is telling us that the works that He did, we, His church, will do, and greater works than what He did, we will do. Why was the Lord saying that His church will do greater signs that He did? It is because, we are being sent out to the nations, for them to come to faith in Christ. The church must ask the Lord to give us a genuine love for people. When we see people in their true condition of bondage, slavery, oppression and sickness, our hearts will go out to them and we will reach out and touch them.
“When we touch people, with the love of Jesus, miracles will happen and then they have the occasion to surrender their lives to Christ and come into His habitat.”