Within moments of the birth of the church, they were out in the streets preaching the Gospel.  We need to ask ourselves a question.  If the preaching of this gospel of the resurrection of Jesus and signs and wonders are being done simultaneously at the birth of the church, what should be happening in the church in the twenty‑first century?  The same thing.  This is the church.  This is what evidences the church.  This is the expression of the true church, and it’s accompanied by signs and by wonders.  It was that which was sought.  You look over in Chapter 4 for just a moment, and we’re familiar with these, but look down at verse 29.  And in verse 29, after having been persecuted and they’re separated and they’re seeking the Lord and they’re praying, “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Your servants, that with all boldness we might speak Your word.  Stretch forth Your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done in the name of the holy child Jesus.”  Signs, miraculous power.  One of the renderings is “the signature of God”—showing divine authority.  What a powerful thought.  Grant that these signs and wonders might be done in the name of the Holy Child Jesus.

In this same fourth chapter we see, “Many that heard the word believed;”—verse 4—“and the number of the men was about five thousand.”  Now, look.  Many heard the word and believed.  Verse 7 says, “And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have you done this?”  And Peter responds, by the power, by the authority of the name of Jesus, “Now, if we’re being examined about the good done unto this man,”—verse 9—“Be it known unto you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole.  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which has become the head of the corner.  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby they must be saved.”  Then, I like as he says, as he goes on, “And they saw the boldness, and that these were unlearned men, but they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them,”—how does all of this come about?—“that they had been with Jesus.”  Got to hang out with and imbibe Spirit of Jesus.  Embrace the will of God that’s been revealed in Jesus.  “And they beheld the man which was healed…they could say nothing against it.”

Now, as you go down through the book of Acts, it’s very interesting.  We follow through the Scriptures here, and we see, then, that these miracles as they begin to express themselves—“We cannot deny”—verse 16—“that indeed a notable miracle has been done.”  Verses 20‑22 say, “For we cannot but speak”—as they’re being persecuted and being commanded not to minister any longer—“the things that we have seen and heard.  So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people:”—why?—“for all men glorified God for that which was done.  For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing showed itself.”  Powerful!  They glorified God.