The early days of the church were a time of phenomenal growth and apostolic miracles. In Acts 5:15-16 we read, “People brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.”
Jesus promised the Twelve that after they received the Holy Spirit, they would be able to do greater works than He (John 14:12). Obviously, Jesus' works included dying on the cross for our sins and rising again for our redemption, and there is no greater work than that. But it's reasonable to conclude that over the course of their ministries, the disciples performed more healing miracles than Jesus in His three years.
We explore some of these “signs and wonders” and what they meant for the early church. Additional scriptures referenced include Acts 2:43; Mark 5:25-34; Acts 9:36-42; Acts 5:12; John 10:23; Acts 3:11; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 19:11-12; Ephesians 6:12; and Acts 16:16-18.
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