Signs and Wonders
At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico (Acts 5:12)
Imagine if a rag-tag group of musicians got together and set up outside the Sydney Opera House. Before and after concerts (that boasted world renowned singers and musicians), our little group would continue at the bottom of the entrance steps. But what if after a while, their audience (initially only those going into the Opera House) began to grow? And then the media began to report it, even if at first only as an oddity. And before you know what’s going on, there’s more excitement outside the Opera House than there is inside. How would those organising Opera House concerts react to all this?
This is what’s happening in our text above. Solomon’s portico was literally the front entrance of the property Jerusalem’s temple sat on. The lame beggar was miraculously healed here and now the first Christians have made it their meeting place!
The leaders of the temple insisted the only way to God was through the temple. But outside their very doorstep is a growing, jubilant rabble of people experiencing healing miracles and freely worshipping God.
God had finished with the temple. It was the old wine-skin that couldn’t handle the new wine. Jesus was pouring the new wine of His life into His followers. God would destroy the temple within another generation. Jesus’ body was the real temple of God, the only place now where God would meet with man (John 2:19-21).
You and I are children of God, adopted into His family and brought into His presence through the death of His Son for us. We are wholly accountable to Him. Our freedom is in serving Him with all of our heart.
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