Act 5:13 | KingComments | STEP | After the evil has been judged in the church, there is a powerful testimony. When sin is not judged, it is always a barrier to God’s work. Wherever sin is removed, either by self-judgment or by being removed from the church, the way is cleared for God’s work. In the beginning, the power of the Holy Spirit immediately revealed that barrier. In the days of decay in which we live, there is a lot of secret evil, as a result of which the Spirit cannot work powerfully in the church. Nevertheless, the Spirit still wants to make the evil public. If we read God’s Word in prayer, He will certainly show us what we must remove and also give us the strength to do so. The hands of the apostles are busy in blessing and grace. All the apostles, not only Peter ( ), perform many signs and wonders. These are all testimonies of the rejected Messiah Who is now exalted at God’s right hand. Signs are not always wonders, but wonders are always signs. Signs point to Him Who has power over a sighing creation. Wonders are the powers of the coming age ( ) of the reign of the Lord Jesus Who could still come if the people would accept Him now. They are the signs and wonders of the time of the beginning. Later in Acts it still occurs, but it is getting less and less. Because of the consistent rejection of the Lord Jesus, the use of signs and wonders has disappeared in places where that happens. The place of action is the portico of Solomon. There the believers come together, with one accord, because the upper room must have become too small. Although it is a public place, the company of Christians is a holy company where the presence of God is noticeable. As a result, none of those who are not part of it dares to associate with them. There remains a distance. In addition to holiness, there is also a great benevolence emanating from this company. The whole behavior of the first Christians causes esteem among the people. A true follower of the Lord Jesus evokes hatred and resistance among people who are jealous and who get stuck in their self-willed religion. People who do not do much about religion often admire and respect those who faithfully serve the Lord. The fear of associating with Christians prevents it from becoming an uncontrolled mass movement. In an interlude Luke notes that this does not mean that the church does not grow. What a superficial observer would see as a severe blow to the church – the judgment of evil and that no one dared to associate with them – on the contrary gives God the space to do a profound work in hearts. To associate with this company, faith in Christ is needed, not the attraction of the company. It is not about adding to people, not even to apostles, but to the Lord. God’s Spirit can work powerfully precisely through the judgment exercised, so that many come to faith and multitudes are added to the Lord. For the first time, Luke also mentions women among those who are saved. Women play an important role in the apostolic church. Luke mentions them regularly in Acts. After the interlude ( ) Luke continues describing the special things that happen through the apostles. Jerusalem becomes a large hospital; the streets are filled with sick people who all seek healing from the apostles. The power of the Spirit is so abundant present that all are healed. In contrast to today’s healing meetings, all are healed without exception. There is no failed or partial healing. There is a special power emanating from Peter. He heals with his hands, but also with his shadow. Someone’s shadow is not the person himself, but is inseparable from his person. Shadow is caused by walking in the sun. Peter only passes on what the Lord Jesus – of Whom the sun is a picture of – gives him. Not only the sick inhabitants of Jerusalem are healed, but also all those who are brought from the cities around Jerusalem. Jerusalem is currently still the center of the apostles’ actions. All the sick are brought there. Later the apostles are scattered. I once read on a forum on the internet, a strong piece of the foolishness of today’s healers, who think they can imitate everything the apostles did in the early days,. There someone posted the following message: ‘In a speech in the Pentecostal community of Alkmaar (15-02-2004) [a preacher] said: I also went to a bible school and learned there about Peter that when his shadow fell on the sick they were healed ( ). I liked that. One day I saw someone in a wheelchair in the street and I walked a little bit on the sunny side of it, so my shadow fell on that man. Unfortunately, he didn’t heal. Yes, I could try, for if you don’t try something you don’t know.’ It appealed to the person who placed the message. He noticed the following: ‘I personally never had that idea and I never did it after the speech. But the statement struck me. Have you ever tried it? I don’t think you have ever tried it either, why not?’ Commenting on so much foolishness seems superfluous to me.

‏ Acts 5:13

Signs and Wonders

After the evil has been judged in the church, there is a powerful testimony. When sin is not judged, it is always a barrier to God’s work. Wherever sin is removed, either by self-judgment or by being removed from the church, the way is cleared for God’s work.

In the beginning, the power of the Holy Spirit immediately revealed that barrier. In the days of decay in which we live, there is a lot of secret evil, as a result of which the Spirit cannot work powerfully in the church. Nevertheless, the Spirit still wants to make the evil public. If we read God’s Word in prayer, He will certainly show us what we must remove and also give us the strength to do so.

The hands of the apostles are busy in blessing and grace. All the apostles, not only Peter (Acts 3:6-7), perform many signs and wonders. These are all testimonies of the rejected Messiah Who is now exalted at God’s right hand. Signs are not always wonders, but wonders are always signs. Signs point to Him Who has power over a sighing creation. Wonders are the powers of the coming age (Heb 6:5) of the reign of the Lord Jesus Who could still come if the people would accept Him now.

They are the signs and wonders of the time of the beginning. Later in Acts it still occurs, but it is getting less and less. Because of the consistent rejection of the Lord Jesus, the use of signs and wonders has disappeared in places where that happens.

The place of action is the portico of Solomon. There the believers come together, with one accord, because the upper room must have become too small. Although it is a public place, the company of Christians is a holy company where the presence of God is noticeable. As a result, none of those who are not part of it dares to associate with them. There remains a distance.

In addition to holiness, there is also a great benevolence emanating from this company. The whole behavior of the first Christians causes esteem among the people. A true follower of the Lord Jesus evokes hatred and resistance among people who are jealous and who get stuck in their self-willed religion. People who do not do much about religion often admire and respect those who faithfully serve the Lord.

The fear of associating with Christians prevents it from becoming an uncontrolled mass movement. In an interlude Luke notes that this does not mean that the church does not grow. What a superficial observer would see as a severe blow to the church – the judgment of evil and that no one dared to associate with them – on the contrary gives God the space to do a profound work in hearts. To associate with this company, faith in Christ is needed, not the attraction of the company. It is not about adding to people, not even to apostles, but to the Lord.

God’s Spirit can work powerfully precisely through the judgment exercised, so that many come to faith and multitudes are added to the Lord. For the first time, Luke also mentions women among those who are saved. Women play an important role in the apostolic church. Luke mentions them regularly in Acts.

After the interlude (Acts 5:14) Luke continues describing the special things that happen through the apostles. Jerusalem becomes a large hospital; the streets are filled with sick people who all seek healing from the apostles. The power of the Spirit is so abundant present that all are healed. In contrast to today’s healing meetings, all are healed without exception. There is no failed or partial healing.

There is a special power emanating from Peter. He heals with his hands, but also with his shadow. Someone’s shadow is not the person himself, but is inseparable from his person. Shadow is caused by walking in the sun. Peter only passes on what the Lord Jesus – of Whom the sun is a picture of – gives him. Not only the sick inhabitants of Jerusalem are healed, but also all those who are brought from the cities around Jerusalem. Jerusalem is currently still the center of the apostles’ actions. All the sick are brought there. Later the apostles are scattered.

I once read on a forum on the internet, a strong piece of the foolishness of today’s healers, who think they can imitate everything the apostles did in the early days,. There someone posted the following message: ‘In a speech in the Pentecostal community of Alkmaar (15-02-2004) [a preacher] said: I also went to a bible school and learned there about Peter that when his shadow fell on the sick they were healed (Acts 5:15). I liked that. One day I saw someone in a wheelchair in the street and I walked a little bit on the sunny side of it, so my shadow fell on that man. Unfortunately, he didn’t heal. Yes, I could try, for if you don’t try something you don’t know.’ It appealed to the person who placed the message. He noticed the following: ‘I personally never had that idea and I never did it after the speech. But the statement struck me. Have you ever tried it? I don’t think you have ever tried it either, why not?’

Commenting on so much foolishness seems superfluous to me.