This passage is the third of Luke's summary statements in the book of Acts. The first is found in Acts 2:42-47, where he shared about the practices of the early church. Then in Acts 4:32-35, he gave a brief account of the unity of the church and the willingness of those early believers to share their goods.
In this third summary, Luke speaks about two issues. The the two responses to the Gospel and the mighty healing that took place in the ministry of the Apostles.
The first issue concerns the responses of the people who heard the Gospel. There seemed to be an apparent contradiction. We are told that none dared to associate with them yet all the more there were people who believed and were being added to the community.
This is understandable after what happened to Ananias and Sapphira. This new community had the presence of the Lord, that if one wanted to live a flippant, careless and hypocritical life, it would be a place to shun.
However, there were those serious minded people who took their commitment to the Lord seriously. To them what better place would there be, other than the fellowship of likeminded believers. Hence there was this category of believers who were constantly added to the church.
The implication is this: fellowship in God's community is a serious matter. It calls for commitment to live an honest and non-deceitful life. This kind of life allows for openness and transparency. First John 1: 7 sums it best. "But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
The second issue in this summary statement emphasizes the proliferation of miracles of healing and deliverance in the community. People brought their sick folks and extra-ordinary miracles were being experienced.
Verse 15 seems to suggest that anyone within the shadow cast by the Apostle Peter as he walked by, could be healed. Shadow was believed to be an extension of a person. Thus they must have thought that if we couldn't be close enough to get Peter's attention, his shadow would do.
The crowd must have also made it difficult for individual ministry. Hence the people brought their sick folks out on cots and pallets and lined them on the street with the hope that their sick ones would receive healing through Peter's shadow
We are told here that people from all over the cities and vicinity of Jerusalem, came together to bring their sick and even those demonic oppressed. The last part of verse 16 summed up the miraculous happening: they were ALL healed.
This reminds us of what the Lord Himself had promised in John 14:12. "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.
"Does the church today invoke the same seriousness and commitment that would bring a sense of great awe? Are we walking in the rhythm of the miraculous? Individually and corporately, what can we do to bring these about?
When we take our relationship with the Lord seriously, with a strong resolution to live a honest committed life, we would be a force that Satan, his demonic forces and the world, will have to reckon with. We can choose to be His instrument in the world today.
Like the shadow of Peter cast by the sun, we can also cast great shadows of a blessed and glorious life by our serious relationship with the Son. We can make it our choice to personally and individually walk in His Light and be transparent. We can all be His effective instrument. Is that our choice?
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