WE all no doubt have many refreshing reminiscences of occasions when we have had to face what appeared to be over-whelming odds, but in actual experience they have only proved to be suitable conditions for learning how abundantly ample are our resources in the Lord. Whatever the danger confronting us He has given “more grace.” If however we cannot cite such instances from our own experience, we can always refer to what is far more reliable—the histories of scripture. We find one, for example, in the narrative of Acts 4 and 5.
When Peter and John left the council-chamber of the chief priests and elders and went to their own company, they could hardly have been altogether oblivious of the perilous position they then occupied, taking it of course solely from a human point of view. Their immediate progress in the path of obedience to their Lord’s commands was opposed by a frowning and threatening Sanhedrin which would, if necessary, be reinforced, even in the question of putting them to death, by the military power of the Romans. And they—who were they? A feeble band of country folk, all utterly unskilled in the arts of human strife and defense. Little pigmies as they were, what could they do against such sons of Anak as now mustered in battle array against them? But if they could not resist their adversaries with swords and staves, they could with prayer. As David the stripling looked up beyond the towering crest of Goliath to Jehovah of hosts on high, so did the apostles and those with them turn their eyes upward to the sovereign Lord of all.
They had the Master’s own promise, made before His departure. He had pledged Himself and His Father that they should have whatsoever they asked. In the confidence born of this assurance of the Lord they sought that, in spite of the intimidations of the council, (1) they might speak the word with all boldness, and (2) that the word might be confirmed by signs following (Acts 4:24-30).
The first part of their petition was speedily answered, as Acts 4:31-35 proceeds to show. The company of believers were all “filled with the Holy Ghost,” and they were able to continue their testimony to the name of Jesus of Nazareth with unflinching courage and with marked effect.
And not only so, but grace wrought in the most unexampled fashion in their mutual relations. In consequence, we have an exhibition in Jerusalem of brotherly kindness, holy affection and self-sacrificing concern for the needs of one another that is absolutely without parallel among God’s saints even in the pages of holy writ.
On this point of attack therefore the enemy was distinctly-repulsed. It was sought to prevent them teaching in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18); instead of this being accomplished a more powerful testimony was sounded abroad in that name by the disciples, while the holy self-denial first seen in Christ was again manifested in Jerusalem, being reproduced by the Spirit working upon the hearts and minds of the saints there.
There remains the second portion of their prayer. We have seen how they themselves received a fresh endowment of the power of Christ upon and in them. But they sought on behalf of others also. They asked that the Lord’s hand might be stretched out in healing, and that signs and wonders might be done in the name of Jesus.
After the parenthetical account of the summary judgment which fell upon Ananias and Sapphira because of their mimicry of the fruit of the Spirit in the saints (Acts 5:1-11), we are shown the abundant effects of the Lord’s hand working by means of His servants. “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. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them; but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. 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. 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” (Acts 5:12-16).
Here then were the “signs and wonders” prayed for; but they do not come first in the narrative. On the contrary they are introduced, as far as the history goes, somewhat tardily, as if to impress us who all have an innate love and generally a preference for the marvelous, with the relative importance of the word and the sign.
Miracles in scripture are always given a secondary place. They follow, not precede. Of the herald of Christ, it was said, “John did no miracle.” Miracles like tongues “are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not” (John 10:41; 1 Cor. 14:22). They were given then as sure indications to the nation of the authority with which the preachers spoke (Heb. 2:4).
The “works” of the Lord Himself were of this character, corroborating His words, and removing every shadow of excuse from the unbeliever (John 14:11). And He granted His followers the power of a similar testimony, saying to them, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12). And yet though He went to the Father He was none the less with them, even as we read, “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following” (Mark 16:20).
In response therefore to their appeal to stretch out His hand to heal He wrought mightily in Jerusalem. But it is instructive to note that the Spirit of God in recording this fact wrote, “By the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought.” This passage reminds us of seeing a tiny child holding the reins of a galloping horse. But the child was seated on its father’s knee, whose strong hands held the reins as well. The boy prattled innocently of how he was “making Dobbin go,” but we knew all the while whence came the strength and guidance for the child’s wee fingers. And while in Solomon’s porch all kinds of sick folk-were being cured by laying on of the apostles’ hands, it was, in point of fact, the hand of Jehovah’s holy Servant, Jesus, stretched out from on high to heal the diseases of Israel. And not their sicknesses only, He would “heal their backsliding” also, if they would but have faith. Indeed we do find that “believers were the more added to the Lord.” And what was true of some might have been of all; but Israel would not.
Here again we observe the defeat of the enemy. It was because one crippled man was healed that the apostles were put in prison and sternly threatened by the Jewish council. We now see that multitudes were being healed, of all kinds of diseased folk.
And the news of the marvelous power associated with the name of Jesus of Nazareth spread beyond Jerusalem out into the circumjacent towns and villages, so that there was a remarkable immigration of invalids into the city. The narrow streets were lined with sufferers prostrate on their beds, all seeking the healing virtue of Him Who not so long before was led through those very streets to Calvary. Such confidence had been inspired by the words and deeds of the apostles that they believed that even the shadow of Peter brought a blessing with it. “They were healed everyone,” we read.
We delight to ponder upon this display of miraculous power. We know that miracles have ceased; nor could we expect them in the midst of a ruined church. But it is a sample of what He can do Whose we are and Whom we serve. It was His power and His grace. And He is unchanged. Let us adore Him. Let us trust Him to work in His own way with us as He did with His servants of old.