Acts 9:32-42

I do not know anyone who has raised the dead like Peter did. I do not know if such miracles still happen today, but I do believe in, because I have witnessed, miraculous healing. I have known a few doctors, and it is likely that some of them have brought people back to life.  However, they used modern medicine and not a miraculous touch of the Holy Spirit.  I have known some Christian doctors, and they believed that their ability to use medicine was a gift of God.  (I am aware that some doctors are atheists.)

Consider what we are supposed to learn from these verses in acts. I do not believe they teach us that our ability to evangelize is dependent upon our ability to heal the lame and raise the dead miraculously.  If that were true, very little evangelism would be taking place today.  I do not believe we are less Christian than Peter was, just because we do not perform the miracles he performed.  These verses tell us what happened, but they do not tell us what is supposed to be happening.

These verses do reveal some principals behind human behavior and relationships.  People respond to the gospel when they are convinced Christians care about them.  One of the ways a Christian proves they care is by making the lives of others better.  God helped Peter make a difference for others, because without God’s help there was nothing much he could do.  He had no money or special medical ability.  All he had was God.

We cannot expect God to help us help others if we are not willing to do the things that we can already do. God has blessed Christians in the modern world beyond measure with knowledge, abilities and wealth.  He has already given us the means to help others.  When we give of our time, wealth and labor, the world will recognize we care.  Until we do that, it is unrighteous to ask God for miracles.  The church is God’s miracle.