While it is true a number of men, although not one single woman, performed miracles or
received the gift of the Holy Spirit but, as a public demonstration, the apostolic
signs did not "follow them everywhere," as they did the apostles. Those receiving a
gift never received the power to do miracles apart from the ministry of the apostles.
I. The seven men of Acts 6.
A. When a problem arose in the First Baptist Church at Jerusalem, "the twelve
(apostles) called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said . . . . wherefore
brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit,
and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business . . . . And the saying pleased the
whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,
and Philip" (Acts 6:2-5). Next we read, "Whom they set before the apostles: and when
they (apostles) had prayed, they laid their hands on them" (Acts 6:6).
B. Note now the results of the apostles laying their hands on them:
1. "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the
people" (Acts 6:8).
2. Next, note as he disputed with false teachers, "they were not able to resist the
wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake" (Acts 6:10). The most important thing to see
here is Stephen could not pass on to anyone else the power to do these things. Only
the apostles--the twelve--could do that.
3. Note again the second of the "seven men of honest report." (Would to God those who
profess to be doing the same things today were "honest.") "Philip went down to Samaria
and preached Christ, and the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which
Philip spake" (Acts 8:5-6). Now why did they unanimously give heed? Because they not
only heard what he said, they saw "the miracles which he did" (Acts 8:6).
4. A former sorcerer, by the name of Simon, bore testimony to his preaching and
miracles that "this man is the great power of God" (9-10).
5. Up to this point no one else was doing these things in Samaria. However, "when the
apostles . . . . at Jerusalem . . . . heard . . . . they sent Peter and John (two
apostles). Then laid they their hands on them" (those baptized believers in Samaria)
and they received the Holy Spirit" (or the gifts)(8:14-17).
6. Now even Simon could see--as could all the converts at Samaria--Philip could not
lay his hands on anyone and pass on the gifts. Simon "saw that through laying on of
the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given" (vs 18).
7. He then made the mistake thousands are making today, he tried to get the power to
lay hands on men so as to impart the gifts of the Spirit. But he could not have either
"part nor lot in this matter." Before you criticize him too severely, remember Philip
and Stephen could not have it either (Acts 8:21). Why? Was it because he offered
money? No! It was because these signs followed only the apostles for they were "the
signs of an apostle" (II Cor 12:12). Only the apostles "preached the gospel unto you
with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven" (I Pet 1:12) in a miraculous and
supernatural way.
C. Again, when Philip went from Samaria to Gaza to preach to the Ethiopian eunuch, "he
preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35) but there were no miracles and there was no
"baptism of the Spirit." Why? For one thing, that could only be done by the hands of
an apostle; but also no individual ever was baptized of the Holy Spirit in the Bible.
This only happened to the twelve at Pentecost (Acts 2) and "a like gift" was bestowed
upon the Gentiles who believed at Cornelius' house, as a sign to the Jews present with
Peter (Acts 10).
1. Today there are no individuals or groups receiving the real experience as those
were given because the Word of God and God's turning to the Gentiles has already been
fully confirmed.
2. Furthermore, the Word of God is completed and it now "throughly furnishes the man
of God unto all good works" (II Tim 3:16-17).
3. Be aware of the fact too that with Philip, Stephen and Peter, these things were
always seen and heard--but never felt.
II. The ministry of Peter to the Gentiles in Acts 10.
A. Remember initially there is an apostle present. One divinely commissioned and sent
to deliver a special message to the Gentiles and to confirm the fact God is turning
from Israel to the Gentiles.
1. "While Peter spake . . . .the Holy Spirit fell on all them (not one or two
individuals like the modern-day advocates claim) which heard the word. And they of the
circumcision (Jews) which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit"
(10:44-45).
2. How did these Jews know this? "They heard them speak with languages" (10:46).
B. In reporting on this to the Jerusalem church, Peter said, "the Holy Spirit fell on
them as on us at the beginning" (11:15-16). He called their experience "the like gift
as he did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ." (See also his report to the
apostles in Acts 15:7-8)
III. The ministry of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:3.
A. In Acts 13, the Antioch church ordained Paul and Barnabas then sent them out to
reach the Gentiles.
B. In 14:3 we read, "the Lord gave testimony . . . . and granted signs and wonders to
be done by their hands."
C. You ask, how is this which was done by Peter and John, by Peter alone, and by Paul
and Barnabas, any different than what occurred to Philip and Stephen and others? The
answer is still simple. "The apostles went everywhere preaching, and the Lord worked
with them confirming the word with signs following" (Mk 16:20). These signs (plural)
did "follow" the apostles everywhere they went. These other men were given a temporary
gift they exercised in one place. They could only do one thing--miracles. They could
not pass on to anyone else the power to do these. Only the apostles gave out the
"gifts" and these temporary "manifestations of the Spirit" by the laying on of their
hands. No one else could. They could and they did until the Word was completed.
We emphatically insist, there are no apostles now. There are no "signs, wonders and
mighty deeds" now. And no one gets or gives out the miraculous gifts of the Holy
Spirit now. No individuals, either in service or alone, ever experienced these "gifts
and manifestations." When they were given or experienced, "they fell on all them," as
in Acts 10:44. If the Holy Spirit was giving "a demonstration . . . . of power" in a
church, a house or on Pentecost, every person go it. No one prayed for it or sought it
or tried to get it. All got it--none were excluded.
In our next lesson, I want to explore somewhat the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We are
not through with "gifts" and "tongues" and "miracles" but we need to consider the
experience of the apostles on Pentecost and the experience at Cornelius' house a
little further. JM
received the gift of the Holy Spirit but, as a public demonstration, the apostolic
signs did not "follow them everywhere," as they did the apostles. Those receiving a
gift never received the power to do miracles apart from the ministry of the apostles.
I. The seven men of Acts 6.
A. When a problem arose in the First Baptist Church at Jerusalem, "the twelve
(apostles) called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said . . . . wherefore
brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit,
and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business . . . . And the saying pleased the
whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,
and Philip" (Acts 6:2-5). Next we read, "Whom they set before the apostles: and when
they (apostles) had prayed, they laid their hands on them" (Acts 6:6).
B. Note now the results of the apostles laying their hands on them:
1. "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the
people" (Acts 6:8).
2. Next, note as he disputed with false teachers, "they were not able to resist the
wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake" (Acts 6:10). The most important thing to see
here is Stephen could not pass on to anyone else the power to do these things. Only
the apostles--the twelve--could do that.
3. Note again the second of the "seven men of honest report." (Would to God those who
profess to be doing the same things today were "honest.") "Philip went down to Samaria
and preached Christ, and the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which
Philip spake" (Acts 8:5-6). Now why did they unanimously give heed? Because they not
only heard what he said, they saw "the miracles which he did" (Acts 8:6).
4. A former sorcerer, by the name of Simon, bore testimony to his preaching and
miracles that "this man is the great power of God" (9-10).
5. Up to this point no one else was doing these things in Samaria. However, "when the
apostles . . . . at Jerusalem . . . . heard . . . . they sent Peter and John (two
apostles). Then laid they their hands on them" (those baptized believers in Samaria)
and they received the Holy Spirit" (or the gifts)(8:14-17).
6. Now even Simon could see--as could all the converts at Samaria--Philip could not
lay his hands on anyone and pass on the gifts. Simon "saw that through laying on of
the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given" (vs 18).
7. He then made the mistake thousands are making today, he tried to get the power to
lay hands on men so as to impart the gifts of the Spirit. But he could not have either
"part nor lot in this matter." Before you criticize him too severely, remember Philip
and Stephen could not have it either (Acts 8:21). Why? Was it because he offered
money? No! It was because these signs followed only the apostles for they were "the
signs of an apostle" (II Cor 12:12). Only the apostles "preached the gospel unto you
with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven" (I Pet 1:12) in a miraculous and
supernatural way.
C. Again, when Philip went from Samaria to Gaza to preach to the Ethiopian eunuch, "he
preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35) but there were no miracles and there was no
"baptism of the Spirit." Why? For one thing, that could only be done by the hands of
an apostle; but also no individual ever was baptized of the Holy Spirit in the Bible.
This only happened to the twelve at Pentecost (Acts 2) and "a like gift" was bestowed
upon the Gentiles who believed at Cornelius' house, as a sign to the Jews present with
Peter (Acts 10).
1. Today there are no individuals or groups receiving the real experience as those
were given because the Word of God and God's turning to the Gentiles has already been
fully confirmed.
2. Furthermore, the Word of God is completed and it now "throughly furnishes the man
of God unto all good works" (II Tim 3:16-17).
3. Be aware of the fact too that with Philip, Stephen and Peter, these things were
always seen and heard--but never felt.
II. The ministry of Peter to the Gentiles in Acts 10.
A. Remember initially there is an apostle present. One divinely commissioned and sent
to deliver a special message to the Gentiles and to confirm the fact God is turning
from Israel to the Gentiles.
1. "While Peter spake . . . .the Holy Spirit fell on all them (not one or two
individuals like the modern-day advocates claim) which heard the word. And they of the
circumcision (Jews) which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit"
(10:44-45).
2. How did these Jews know this? "They heard them speak with languages" (10:46).
B. In reporting on this to the Jerusalem church, Peter said, "the Holy Spirit fell on
them as on us at the beginning" (11:15-16). He called their experience "the like gift
as he did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ." (See also his report to the
apostles in Acts 15:7-8)
III. The ministry of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:3.
A. In Acts 13, the Antioch church ordained Paul and Barnabas then sent them out to
reach the Gentiles.
B. In 14:3 we read, "the Lord gave testimony . . . . and granted signs and wonders to
be done by their hands."
C. You ask, how is this which was done by Peter and John, by Peter alone, and by Paul
and Barnabas, any different than what occurred to Philip and Stephen and others? The
answer is still simple. "The apostles went everywhere preaching, and the Lord worked
with them confirming the word with signs following" (Mk 16:20). These signs (plural)
did "follow" the apostles everywhere they went. These other men were given a temporary
gift they exercised in one place. They could only do one thing--miracles. They could
not pass on to anyone else the power to do these. Only the apostles gave out the
"gifts" and these temporary "manifestations of the Spirit" by the laying on of their
hands. No one else could. They could and they did until the Word was completed.
We emphatically insist, there are no apostles now. There are no "signs, wonders and
mighty deeds" now. And no one gets or gives out the miraculous gifts of the Holy
Spirit now. No individuals, either in service or alone, ever experienced these "gifts
and manifestations." When they were given or experienced, "they fell on all them," as
in Acts 10:44. If the Holy Spirit was giving "a demonstration . . . . of power" in a
church, a house or on Pentecost, every person go it. No one prayed for it or sought it
or tried to get it. All got it--none were excluded.
In our next lesson, I want to explore somewhat the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We are
not through with "gifts" and "tongues" and "miracles" but we need to consider the
experience of the apostles on Pentecost and the experience at Cornelius' house a
little further. JM
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