The Greatest Miracle in Acts

All these years as a Bible student, teacher, preacher, writer, and pastor, and something big just occurred to me in the last few days. You know what I think the biggest miracle in the whole book of Acts was? Perhaps the greatest miracle in the Bible? Maybe in all of church history?

Not the tongues of fire or the gift of tongues (Acts 2:3-4). Not the healing of the crippled man at the Beautiful Gate (Acts 3:1-8). Not the healing of Aeneas (Acts 9:33-34) or even the raising of Dorcas (Acts 9:36-41).

I think the greatest miracle is one that apparently happened over and over in the early days of the church. It's recorded in Acts 1:14. And again in Acts 2:1. And Acts 2:46. And Acts 4:24, and 5:12. The miracle is described in Acts 2:1 in just nine words:
"They were all with one accord in one place."
The early church is repeatedly described as being "in one accord."

I wonder if that's the miracle that engendered all the other miracles. I wonder if the Holy Spirit worked so mightily in those first days of the church BECAUSE of the church being in one accord. I wonder if THAT miracle made all the OTHER miracles possible, even commonplace. They weren't arguing about worship styles or hair styles. They weren't judging each other or jealous of each other. They weren't petty, piqued, or peeved with each other. "They were all with one accord in one place."
Wow.

That is a miracle.

It's one I've never really recognized before as a miracle. But it deserves to be recognized. And repeated.

I don't know if I've ever experienced that "in one accord"-ness. Maybe in the earliest days of my church, Cobblestone. And, indeed, I think that "in one accord"-ness resulted in miracles. But, as will happen when human nature wins out over God's nature, we've lost that. But I pray with my whole heart: God, please do it again.


Bob Hostetler

Bob was a Salvation Army officer in the USA East where he served in corps' appointments and until 1990, as Assistant War Cry Editor. In 2000 he co-founded the Cobblestone Church. His books have sold by the thousands and are translated in many foreign languages. He is a member of the Former SA Officers Fellowship and a regular contributor of articles to the 360 member fellowship's blog site. The fellowship was founded in 2007 by Sven Ljungholm who remains its Administrator.