Putting the Gospel to Work

MEMORY SELECTION: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, 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

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Acts 9:32-43

OUR memory selection has been the source of much misunderstanding among professing Christians. They have taken this text as an authoritative promise from our Lord that believers would have the power to perform miraculous feats of healing, whereas we find the Scriptures teach that these powers were exercised by our Lord first as signs and proofs of his messiahship and also as illustrations of the wonderful works and powers that will be exercised on behalf of the people in the kingdom.

In John 14:11 we read, “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” Philip had asked the question of Jesus: “Show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”—vss. 8,9

In this cluster of texts Jesus is intending to establish his identity in two ways: first, by bringing to the attention of Philip the facts of his life—the manifestation of God’s character in all his thoughts, words, and deeds. Jesus expresses this close relationship as his being in the Father and the Father in him. This closeness can be expressed as having his own will buried into the will of the Father, so that the things said and done by Jesus were never an expression of his own will but only that of the Father. Since the Messiah was to be the anointed of God, Philip should have recognized this relationship.

Then Jesus said, in effect: “You know the prophecies and the things that the Messiah was to do when he came. He was to heal the sick, the blind, the lame, etc., and to raise the dead. (Isa. chapters 35 and 42) I have done these things before your very eyes; therefore you should believe on me for the very works’ sake.”

The disciples were given the commission to preach the Gospel, as are all the footstep followers of Jesus. But in the disciples’ day the only means of communication was by word of mouth. There was no central authority that could establish credentials. In order, then, to give substance to their message, the early members of the church were given powers to perform miracles, and certain other gifts, such as speaking other languages and dialects. This last gift was of particular value in enabling the disciples to fulfill their mission of preaching the Gospel to the nations and people roundabout.

It is important to realize that even at that time, when such a good purpose was served, not all Christians were given this special gift. We read in I Corinthians 12:29,30: “Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues [languages]? do all interpret?” Just as all were not apostles, neither were all given the gifts of healing, performing miracles, or speaking in other languages. The particular need for these gifts was for a special time; and then, the Apostle Paul tells us, they were to cease.—I Cor. 13:8-10

In our selected scripture we have the account of two miracles performed by the Apostle Peter which well illustrate why these powers were given to the disciples. The first incident involved the healing of a man with palsy, who had been bed-ridden for eight years. In Acts 9:35 we read, “And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.”

In the second incident Peter raised a disciple from the dead. And as a result of this miracle, we read in verse 42, “And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.”

The promise that the disciples would do greater works than those Jesus was performing is reserved for them in the kingdom, when they will bring these wonderful blessings to all the peoples of earth.

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