PDF file - Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement

July 11 Miracles
The Early Church
“[The early Christian believers] continued stedfastly in the apostles’
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And
fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by
the apostles” (Acts 2:42, 43).
The Holy Spirit especially rested upon the apostles, who were
witnesses of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension—important
truths which were to be the hope of Israel. All were to look to the
Saviour of the world as their only hope, and walk in the way Jesus
had opened by the sacrifice of His own life, and keep God’s law and
live. I saw the wisdom and goodness of Jesus in giving power to the
disciples to carry on the same work which caused the Jews to hate and
slay Him. 22
Through the gift of the Holy Spirit the disciples were to receive a
marvelous power. Their testimony was to be confirmed by signs and
wonders. Miracles would be wrought, not only by the apostles, but by
those who received their message. 23
Said Jesus, “They shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new
tongues; they shall take up serpents [as in the case of Paul], and if they
drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on
the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17, 18).
At that time, poisoning was practiced to quite an extent.
Unscrupulous men did not hesitate to remove by this means those
who stood in the way of their ambition. Jesus knew that His apostles
would be subject to this danger, if not specially protected from it. He
knew that there would be many who would be so deluded as to think
it would be doing God service to put these witnesses to death by any
means. He therefore guarded them against this insidious evil. Thus the
Lord assured His servants that they were not to labor in their own
strength, but in the strength of the Holy Ghost. Though the disciples
received their commission to preach the gospel to all nations, they did
not at the time comprehend the vast extent, and wonderful character
of the work that was before them—a work that was to descend to their
successors, and to be carried on to the end of time. 24
200