It seems like the apostles had an unfair advantage when they told their neighbors about Jesus – they had miracles going on all around them – lame guys walked, their shadow falling on sick people made them well, deceitful pretend-disciples dropped dead.

But they always came back to the same message – Christ crucified. In Acts 3, while walking through the temple grounds, Peter has no money to give a lame beggar, but he gave him the ability to walk, “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” (vs 6).  The man’s leaping, jumping and just plain walking were amazing to all the people who had gathered for prayer.  So the miracle brought in the audience, and Peter was ready with the explanation:

“Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.  But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead.  To this we are witnesses.  And his name – by faith in his name, – has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.  Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus…”

Peter goes on to declare that Jesus is the fulfilment of God’s covenantal promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 – that all nations of the earth would be blessed. Jesus was sent first to the Jews, and then his disciples will be carrying the good news to all the other nations of the world.

It turns out we also have God working miracles for us – it is a major miracle whenever anyone hears the gospel, turns from sin and believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Not always as dramatic as the leaping beggar, but just as powerful.