The Stuff Jesus Did

“Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.”    —Acts 2:43

Pastor John Wimber, one of the founders of the Vineyard Movement, often tells the story of his conversion and early Christian growth. In 1963, God got a hold of this musician who played the Las Vegas circuit and eventually helped form the Righteous Brothers. John described himself as a “beer-guzzling, drug abusing pop musician, who was converted at the age of 29 while chain-smoking his way through a Quaker-led Bible Study” (Christianity Today, Feb. 9, 1998).

John became a voracious Bible reader. After weeks of reading the life-changing miracles in the Scriptures and attending boring church services, He asked a lay leader, “When do we get to do the stuff? You know, the stuff here in the Bible; the stuff Jesus did, like healing the sick, raising the dead, healing the blind – stuff like that?” He was told that they didn’t do that anymore. They only performed their weekly services. John replied, “You mean I gave up drugs for that?”

The early church began with miraculous signs and wonders. People were either drawn to the church in holy reverence or driven away in fear. Acts 2:43 describes the atmosphere, “Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.” Although three thousand came to faith on the day of Pentecost, not everyone gladly joined the early band of believers. “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. But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem” (Acts 5:12-13). Loved, hated, feared, and revered, the early Church was anything but irrelevant.

People are still waiting and watching the Church, today. If the world is not seeing God in our midst, it may be because we are not attempting anything that only God can do. “When the world sees things happening through God’s people that cannot be explained except that God Himself has done them, the world will be drawn to such a God” (Experiencing God, 144). Some may refuse; others may criticize; but everyone will be moved to acknowledge that something supernatural is happening.

Jesus told the Disciples and us, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father” (John 14:12). Notice that this promise includes us. Jesus said, “He who believes in me.” We will not do greater things than Jesus in our own strength, but God will do greater things through us. Acts 2 describes these wondrous signs as “taking place through the apostles.”

What are you attempting that cannot be explained except that God has done it? Are you reaching out to the broken and downtrodden? Are you giving beyond your means? Are you stepping outside of your comfort zone in obedience to the voice of the Spirit trusting God to accomplish whatever He will? The world is waiting and watching for those who claim to be Christians to do the stuff Jesus did. Jesus said we would. The early Church did. Let us draw near to God, listen for His voice, and obediently step out in the power of the Holy Spirit. God will show Himself to an unbelieving world as we do the stuff Jesus did.