Hex 5, 12 through 16. Now many signs and wonders were 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 honor.

And more than ever, believers were added to the Lord, multitudes, both of men and women,

so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and pallets. 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.

Two weeks ago we focused on the prayer in Chapter 4, v. 29 and 30, where the disciples and Peter and John, in view of the condition of the world

and the knee of the church, prayed,

grant your servants to speak the word with all boldness

while you stretch out your hand to heal,

and signs and wonders are done

through the name of thy Holy Servant Jesus.

So there's a sense of tremendous need and there was a desire for signs and wonders to be shown.

And therefore they prayed for them and I said we ought to

pray like that. We ought to pray that way.

Now the question that I want to get to in just a few minutes is this.

Why did those early Christians in acts four want so badly for signs and wonders to be shown.

There are a couple of things that you would think would make them not necessary or desirable.

Of all the generations that have ever existed in the history of the church, that generation

was in least need of divine validation as truly Christian and as knowing the resurrection.

Because there were hundreds of eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus walking around in Jerusalem.

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