Signs and Wonders!
There is always lots of hesitation when it comes to signs and wonders. When Jesus left his disciples he said, "you will do even greater things that I have done." And indeed, when Jesus sent the 72 disciples out in two'a, they came back reporting many of the things they did, including healing the sick, and casting out demons. Almost always when we see sign and wonders done in and through Jesus' followers, it is to confirm the message they have given. It is not so much the sign itself, but what the sign is pointing to, the Good News about Jesus.
This is the case with Paul and Barnabas when they went to Iconium. They spoke so effectively and persuasively about Jesus, that many came to faith. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles. So when they continued in boldness, God enabled them to do signs and wonders to validate their message. But despite the preaching and the signs, the Jewish men stirred up other Jews as well as Gentiles to mistreat and stone them. No matter what Paul and Barnabas would have done in the name of Jesus, they would have resisted. There is some resistance so strong that even if God raised someone from the dead, some would remain unconvinced. This was the case in Jesus' own resurrection.
Many would argue that the sign and wonders that the early apostles and early church experienced were only present at the start of the church, the apostolic age. But yet we see in church history that throughout the ages, men and women in the church have continued to show signs and wonders of God's grace and healing. When God promised us the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit has enabled each us with different gifts.
Here is Paul's description of the spiritual gifts given to believers in Corinth,
"You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts."
1 Corinthians 12:28-31
And we see all through the book of Acts the healing of: sickness, diseases, paralysis and fevers. Even someone was raised from the dead by Jesus' disciples. While we need to be careful of those who purport to do signs and wonders in Jesus and then don't preach the one, true Gospel, God is still using and wonders to affirm the message of the kingdom. When some does a miracle or heals someone in Jesus' name; it is a sign of the in-breaking kingdom and a foreshadowing when the kingdom will come in fullness when Jesus returns.
In Iconium
14 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.
This is the case with Paul and Barnabas when they went to Iconium. They spoke so effectively and persuasively about Jesus, that many came to faith. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles. So when they continued in boldness, God enabled them to do signs and wonders to validate their message. But despite the preaching and the signs, the Jewish men stirred up other Jews as well as Gentiles to mistreat and stone them. No matter what Paul and Barnabas would have done in the name of Jesus, they would have resisted. There is some resistance so strong that even if God raised someone from the dead, some would remain unconvinced. This was the case in Jesus' own resurrection.
Many would argue that the sign and wonders that the early apostles and early church experienced were only present at the start of the church, the apostolic age. But yet we see in church history that throughout the ages, men and women in the church have continued to show signs and wonders of God's grace and healing. When God promised us the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit has enabled each us with different gifts.
Here is Paul's description of the spiritual gifts given to believers in Corinth,
"You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts."
1 Corinthians 12:28-31
And we see all through the book of Acts the healing of: sickness, diseases, paralysis and fevers. Even someone was raised from the dead by Jesus' disciples. While we need to be careful of those who purport to do signs and wonders in Jesus and then don't preach the one, true Gospel, God is still using and wonders to affirm the message of the kingdom. When some does a miracle or heals someone in Jesus' name; it is a sign of the in-breaking kingdom and a foreshadowing when the kingdom will come in fullness when Jesus returns.
In Iconium
14 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.
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