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More Acts commentaries
Acts 2:1-13
A Special Sign for the Early Church
Acts 2:14-21
Peter Preaches On Prophecy
Acts 2:22-28
Peter Proclaims Jesus’ Resurrection Power
Acts 2:29-36
Four proofs of the Resurrection and Ascension
Acts 2:37-47
Characteristics of the early Church
Acts 3:11-16
Supernatural healing of the crippled man
Acts 3:17-26
Peter’s Message of Repentance
Acts 4:1-12
Early Church Persecuted for their Faith
Acts 4:13-22
Boldness Brings Results
Acts 4:23-31
Prayer Produces Unity
Acts 4:32-37
Sharing Shows Brotherly-Love
Acts 5:1-11
Ananias & Sapphira Hide the Truth & Suffer Consequences
Acts 5:12-16
Effective Church Ministry
Acts 5:17-32
Obedience to God and Man
Acts 5:33-42
Gamaliel Convinces the Council – No Persecution
Acts 6:1-7
Deacons Chosen To Serve
Acts 6:8-15
Stephen Summoned before Synagogue Leaders
Acts 7:1-8
Stephen’s Sermon–God’s Covenant of Circumcision to Abraham
Acts 7:9-19
Stephen’s Sermon–Abraham’s Promised Descendents
Acts 7:20-29
Stephen’s Sermon–Moses Identifies with God’s Chosen People
Acts 7:30-43
Stephen’s Sermon–Moses’ Mandate From God
Acts 7:44-53
Stephen’s Sermon–The Bold Conclusion!
Acts 7:54-60
Stephen Stoned to Death for his Faith
Acts 8:1-8
Persecution Scatters Believers / Philip Boldly Preaches
Acts 8:9-25
Simon Seeks and is Denied the "Spiritual” Gift of Healing
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Effective Church Ministry
Acts 5:12–16
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
“The world has yet to see a Christlike, victorious, fruitful believer who was not a person of considerable prayer”. (Jim Cymbala - Brooklyn Tabernacle). … More
It tells us where the Church met (v. 12). It was in an open space on Solomon’s Porch, It tells us how the Church met (v. 12). They assembled where everyone could see them. It was on one of the two great porches which surrounded the Temple area. It tells who didn’t meet with them (v. 13). No one outside their group dared join them. It tells what happened to those who came (v. 14). Many started having faith in the Lord. It tells us that the early Church was a supremely effective Church (vv. 15-16). Things happened.These were the days when the healing ministry of the Church was in the forefront of its work. The Church still exists to make bad men good; and men will always throng to a Church where lives are changed. We find God giving the apostles power to perform great miracles. These “signs and wonders” were God’s way of putting His stamp of approval on their ministry. It was His way of saying, “Follow these leaders.”
One of the qualifications for an apostle was that he had seen the risen Christ (Acts 1:22; I Corinthians 9:1). Since no one can claim that experience today, there are no apostles in the church. If there are no apostles, this means there can be no “signs of the apostles” as found in Acts. This does not mean that God is limited and can no longer perform miracles. It is just that we do not have the need for confirming miracles now that we have the completed Word of God. We should be testing each pastor, evangelist and teacher today by their message, and not by miracles.Application
Does my church display the three qualities listed above? If not, which one is missing? What can I do to help bring these qualities into my church? It is one thing to criticize, and another to help solve the problem.
Acts 5:12-16 (English Standard Version)
Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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