The Apostles and Sign Gifts #2

We know we can trust the apostles because they were eyewitnesses to the resurrection. Jesus personally appointed them in a way that was witnessed by others at the time.

They had signs that accompanied them that showed that there was a unique power upon them that authorized them to speak. We welcome you again to the Truth Pulpit with Don Green, founding pastor of Truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. And today Don continues teaching God's people God's word.

Hi, I'm Bill Wright. We're moving further into our series titled The Holy Spirit Today. Don has part two of a message titled The Apostles and Sign Gifts. Last time Don began a look at the credentials of the apostles. We saw that the apostles were directly appointed by Christ and were eyewitnesses of the resurrection.

Today our teacher will look at a third qualification, the ability to perform miracles. We'll be reminded that these apostles were unique, as were their sign gifts. So friend, have your Bible open as we join Pastor Don Green now in The Truth Pulpit. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 9 as we read about the apostle Paul. 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 1.

Oh, this is so important. It is a blessing from God to me to be able to say these things, even though a lot of people would disagree. Here we've seen the apostles were directly appointed by Christ.

Secondly, we get to a qualification, and that is this. The apostles were eyewitnesses of the resurrection. They were eyewitnesses of the resurrection. 1 Corinthians chapter 9, the apostle Paul is speaking about his own testimony, and he says this, Am I not free? Am I not an apostle?

What comes next after that? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? He says, I'm an apostle. I've seen Jesus raised from the dead. He saw the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. And so Paul was qualified to be an apostle, even though he had not walked with Christ during his earthly ministry.

The eyewitness factor is essential to it all. Now, one more passage. 1 John, the book of 1 John, the letter of 1 John, after Hebrews, after James, after Peter. 1 John chapter 1, beginning in verse 1. 1 John chapter 1, verse 1. The apostle John, speaking of his own experiences and speaking collectively as a representative of the apostolic circle, says this in chapter 1, verse 1, what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands concerning the word of life.

He says, I am writing to you. He opens this letter saying, I am writing to you about realities with which I have firsthand experience through my human senses, through my eyes, through my ears, through my hands. I have been in direct contact with Christ and I speak to you from that privileged position. Verse 2, he gives a parenthetical explanation about who this word of life is. He says, the life was manifested and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also so that you too may have fellowship with us and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. He says, Christ came and appeared to us and like a link in a chain, having received this from Christ, I now give to you what we have seen and heard. He says, I realize that you don't have the direct contact with Christ that the apostles have had and so I'm giving to you that which you do not have on your own. I speak as an apostle, John says, with unique authority and he emphasizes the eyewitness role that he had to be able to do so. This was part of the qualification to be an apostle. If you had not seen the resurrected Christ, you could not be an apostle of His. Now, we know that there is no one alive today, there is no one alive in the past 1900 years who could possibly have that qualification. It's impossible for anyone to have that qualification in their life today because where is Christ?

Right? Where is He? What did He do? He ascended up into heaven. He was received into the clouds beyond human sight. He is in a place where human eyes on earth cannot lay upon Him. Human eyes cannot see Him now and therefore there cannot possibly be any apostles today because it is impossible to meet the qualification. There are no eyewitnesses living today or at any time in the past 1900 years who saw the resurrected Lord in human flesh with human eyes.

The apostolic office does not exist today because the apostolic qualification as a physical eyewitness of the resurrection of Christ cannot exist today. Now, why is that so important? I'd actually ask the question a little differently. Why isn't this discussed more often because this settles so many issues for us? But why is it so important? Beloved, this is a hinge of spiritual health for you in the midst of a difficult spiritual environment in which we live today. Why are the apostolic qualifications so important? It fixes the body of men who could represent Christ and speak as His representative. Because the apostolic qualification can no longer be reproduced, it is not possible for a man to speak on behalf of Christ in the same way that the apostles did.

Everything that we speak today is derivative. We explain what the apostles have given. We're not giving new revelation like the apostles did in their writings. This is the distinction. We teach a fixed body of revelation that has been given rather than adding to it by claims that God has spoken to us and therefore we have a...

I need to step back, my compound sentence is getting too complex there. We cannot speak as though we have received direct revelation from God, from God directly to my mind as a 21st century man. And see, even Samuel is giving his voice of affirmation to everything that I'm saying right now. Thank you, Samuel.

You're right on, buddy. The apostolic qualification to be an eyewitness of the resurrection of Christ limits the body of men through which revelation could be given. It limits to a specified number those who can speak for Christ on his behalf.

Martin Lloyd-Jones saw the implication of this when he said, and I quote, the church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. We must therefore reject every supposed new revelation, every addition to doctrine. We must assert that all teaching and all doctrine must be tested in the light of the scriptures, end quote. That is why, beloved, one reason among others, but that is why I never stand before you and say something like God spoke to me and this is what God said. God does not speak to me like he spoke to the apostles. He doesn't speak to any of you like he spoke to and through the apostles. We're not eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Christ. And Christ in his infinite wisdom limited the circle of men through which he would give his revelation so that for all time we would have a standard by which to measure teaching and we would know for all time that we don't have to chase after men claiming that God has spoken to them as if they have a revelation that was not given to us, as if God has given them something that he's withheld from us. It's the foundation of the apostles and we build on that.

We do not expand the foundation. We simply build on what has already been given to us through those men. Now, you say, but there aren't any apostles. All the apostles are gone and there might be a sense in which you feel a sense of panic and say, well then how do we hear from God if he's not speaking in that way today? Well, what did the apostles do? They wrote and wrote and wrote under the inspiration of God and rather than having men, living men who speak God's Word to us, we have a living Word that has been given to us, a fixed written Word delivered to us speaking in New Testament terms by the apostolic circle and it is that to which we go to see what God says. It is that to which we go to hear God speak.

It is that to which we go to find the authority of God. That's why we teach God's Word. It's because God has spoken in the Scriptures now and the Scriptures were given through the apostles.

What does that mean? The apostolic qualifications have expired. The apostles are gone. What does that mean for us? The finality of the apostles tells us that new revelation has ceased.

It's over. There is not new revelation coming from God like he gave in the Scriptures 2,000 years ago. Now, a third and final qualification here that leads into our future discussions in future weeks. Thirdly, the apostles had power to perform real miracles. The apostles had power to perform real miracles, miracles that were visible, that were obvious, that were undeniable, that could not be replicated by others. We saw in Mark chapter 3 that Jesus gave authority to cast out demons. Look at Matthew chapter 10 and we're just going to go through some various passages very quickly here today and in some ways we're just kind of getting started today and we're going to break off mid-course because it was just too much for a single message. Matthew chapter 10 verse 1.

They both start with them, that's the best I can say for myself. Matthew chapter 10 verse 1. Jesus summoned his 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. And then we go through the list of the 12 names again, verses 2 through 4.

Notice what he did and to whom he did it. He identifies the 12 and he gives them authority. He conveys, he confers to them the authority which resides in him as the omnipotent Son of God. He gives them a unique authority to go out and do supernatural things, to cast out unclean spirits, to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Notice that, every kind of disease, every kind of sickness.

You don't see that happening today, beloved. I realize there are men claiming that they're doing miracles, but what kind of miracles are they doing? Are they giving new limbs in objective settings to people who were born without them? Are they opening the eyes of people who were once blind, who were born blind I should say?

They're healing back pain. They're healing things like that that are not objectively verifiable. If you have the power to heal every kind of sickness, in other words if you have apostolic power like the Lord gave and the first thing you ought to do is run to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and empty the place, you know why they don't do that? Because they don't have apostolic power. To do tricks on a stage like you're some kind of magician with sleight of hand, sleight of hand, how are that words pronounced, is not an apostolic miracle.

It's a cheap fraud as we'll see in future years, future weeks. I'll probably be talking about this years from now if the Lord gives me the opportunity. But Scripture emphasizes this apostolic action repeatedly. I want you to turn to the book of Acts and we'll go through some passages really quickly as time begins to get away from me. Acts chapter 2 beginning in verse 42. Acts chapter 2 verse 42. We'll start at verse 41 I guess. Those who had received Peter's word were baptized and that day there were added about 3,000 souls.

What were they doing? Verse 42, they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe and many wonders and signs were taking place. Keep reading beloved, through the apostles. The signs and wonders were taking place through the apostles who had been given that authority. Look at chapter 14, we'll skip a couple to skip one anyway, to chapter 14 verses 3 and 4. Acts chapter 14 beginning in verse 2. The Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. By whose hands?

He explains. But the people of the city were divided and some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. With the apostles who were doing the signs and wonders by their hands. Look at Acts chapter 19 beginning in verse 8. Paul is teaching here and in verse 8 it says that he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months reasoning and persuading with them about the kingdom of God.

He's teaching. How did they know that his teaching was true? How did they know that Paul was to be believed? Verse 11, God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul.

By the hands of Paul so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. The signs of an apostle were taking place. The signs that Jesus had given them a unique authority were taking place. In Romans chapter 15, if you'll turn there with me, Romans chapter 15 beginning in verse 18, Paul here is speaking in the first person singular. And he says in Romans 15 verse 18, I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed.

What was happening when you were speaking? What did Christ accomplish, Paul? Verse 19, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. I'm an apostle.

I was doing signs and wonders. Christ has completed his work. Christ has done his work. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 11.

Paul is wrapping up his defense of his apostolic credentials and he says in verse 11, after talking about his many sufferings, about the surpassing greatness of the revelations given to him that were not given to others, he says in verse 11, I've become foolish. You yourselves compelled me. You compelled me because you wouldn't listen to me.

So I had to say this even though I didn't want to. And he said, actually, I should have been commended by you. For in no respect was I inferior to the most imminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. And then he goes on in verse 12 and he says, the signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance by signs and wonders and miracles. See what he's saying? He's saying, I'm an apostle and you ought to know this.

How should you know it? You should know it because I performed the signs and wonders that apostles do before you. Not everybody did signs and wonders. If they did, there would not be a unique attestation to the unique authority of an apostle to speak as a legal representative of Christ. And you can see this in one other place that we'll look at very quickly in the book of Hebrews chapter 2.

We're going to pick up on all of these things and expand on them next week and in the week that follows. But in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 1, the writer of Hebrews says, for this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard.

How was it confirmed? God also testifying with them both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. The apostles did signs and wonders. And here's the question, beloved, and this is where we'll leave it for today, just to make this statement and then build on it next week. Why was the power given to the apostles to perform signs and wonders?

Why not give it to everybody? Well, what you see is that the signs and wonders were not an end in themselves. They were not a goal in themselves. In fact, Jesus could say it's a wicked generation that wants signs. People can want signs without actually wanting the gospel.

That's rampant in the church today. Why was power given to the apostles to perform signs and wonders? And what is it that has the enduring value in the church today?

Well, beloved, write this down. The power given to them in the visible realm confirmed their authority to reveal truth in the spiritual realm. They had authority to do in the physical realm what others could not do so that everyone could see and everyone could understand that they had power to speak for God in the areas of revealed spiritual truth. They could give new revelation on behalf of God because they obviously had a power from God that no one else shared.

And their power in the visible realm confirmed their authority in the invisible realm. We know we can trust them because they did things that nobody else could do. We know we can trust the apostles because they were eyewitnesses to the resurrection. We know we can trust the apostles because Jesus personally appointed them in a way that was witnessed by others at the time. These men were not self-appointed. They did not just show up and say, hey, God spoke to me without any kind of verification or validation. They had signs that accompanied them that showed that there was a unique power upon them that authorized them to speak.

Now, beloved, now we're just going to connect this for a moment and leave it here and we'll pick it up next time. The fact that the apostles died off, the fact that Christ is not now visible to men, the fact that there can be no repeat of the apostolic qualifications means that there are no more apostles. That means that the apostolic office has ceased. That means that the signs and wonders that accompanied and authenticated apostles have also ceased. The signs were given to achieve a purpose of authenticating the apostles. The apostles' work is done. The apostles are dead.

The things that accompanied them therefore have likewise expired. That has a lot of implications. That's a critical statement.

We're going to build on it next time. The apostles appointed by Jesus himself were eyewitnesses to both his ministry and resurrection, and they had unique sign gifts. Pastor Don Green has pointed out that believers today are not apostles. Rather, we are followers in their footsteps, responding to their written testimony. Don will offer a biblical history of sign gifts next time on The Truth Pulpit as he continues our series, The Holy Spirit Today.

Be sure to join us then. Right now, though, here again is Don with some exciting ministry news. Well, my friend, it's always meaningful for me to be able to preach God's Word to God's people and to share it with you here on the radio.

Recently, I completed a series that is one of my all-time favorites. It's called The Bible and Roman Catholicism. It was several messages designed to test Catholic teaching by what Scripture says. We'd like to share a copy of that with you, a full complete CD album of 10 messages.

Just go to our website and request it, or you'll find the downloads. We just want you to have this material at no cost as our gift and ministry to you. Just visit us at TheTruthPulpit.com and click on radio offers to learn more. That's TheTruthPulpit.com. I'm Bill Wright, inviting you back next time on The Truth Pulpit as Don Green continues teaching God's people God's Word.