The city was alive with movement that lovely day. The midday sun cast light upon the bustling city, where merchants called out their wares, children wove between carts, and travelers from distant lands made their way to the Temple.

But amid that ordinary hum of life, an extraordinary move of God was taking place. And the followers of the Way were right at the heart of it.

Gedaliah, Berechiah, Talmor, and Gideon walked together through the streets, their eyes fixed on the man leading the crowd before them—Bartholomew, one of the Twelve. The people pressed close, eager to hear his words, and to see what God would do next. The past days had been filled with wonders. Since Peter and John’s release, it seemed the Spirit of God was moving with even greater power.

And as the quartet moved behind the apostle and the crowd, the youngest, who happened to assist with work in the temple, was informing his brother and friends about what he had heard.

“It’s beyond comprehension, I tell you. Hamath told us that two days ago, people were bringing the sick out into the streets and laying them on mats so that at least Peter’s shadow would fall on some of them as he passed by,” Berechiah explained as they walked. “And it worked! He said so many sick people were healed, and those tormented by evil spirits were set free.”

Gedaliah shook his head in wonder. “Amazing. It is a season of miracles, signs and wonders, is it not?”

“Absolutely,” Berechiah agreed. “It is simply astounding what has been happening in the past couple of days. The signs, the prayers, the boldness—the Spirit has not ceased to move. It is truly astounding.”

“I have never seen anything like it,” Talmor added. “It is as though the very air of the city has changed.”

Gideon nodded. “Everywhere, people are speaking of Jesus and His amazing power. And those who once doubted—like myself—can no longer deny the truth.”

Gedaliah smiled. “And to think we are a part of this. We are witnesses to His power.”

“What a privilege!” Talmor exclaimed.

Just then, the crowd slowed, murmurs spreading.

Up ahead, two women stood by the roadside, their faces weary and their eyes full of silent pleading. One was stooped low, gripping her leg as if in pain, her skin pale and drawn. The other trembled, leaning heavily on a wooden staff, her breathing labored. 

Bartholomew halted before them, his expression filled with compassion. The crowd quieted, anticipation thick in the air.

One of the women lifted her eyes to him. “Master, we have heard of the mighty things God has done through you and the others,” she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. “Have mercy on us.”

The second woman, the one gripping her leg, spoke through gritted teeth. “For years, I have suffered. I am unable to stand without pain, unable to walk without agony.” Her voice broke. “But I know… if you call upon the name of Jesus, I will be healed.”

A hush fell over the crowd.

Gedaliah’s breath hitched. This is it. The power of God is about to be revealed again.

Bartholomew took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. He extended his hands toward them. 

“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, be healed.”

For a brief moment, all was still.

And then…

The woman gripping her leg gasped. Her hand slowly lifted away as her body straightened. She stood fully upright, placing weight on her foot—and found no pain. 

The second woman dropped her staff in shock. The weakness that had plagued her body was gone.

A cry of astonishment broke from their lips.

“I am whole!”

“I am healed! I am healed!”

The crowd erupted.

“Praise be to God!” someone shouted.

“He has made them whole!”

The healed women fell to their knees, tears streaming down their faces as they lifted their hands toward the sky, filled with gratitude.

Gedaliah’s hands trembled in awe.

This was not a mere show of sorcery. This was a demonstration of the power of the risen Jesus  before them.

Living, moving, changing lives.

Beside him, Gideon exhaled, shaking his head in disbelief. “Oh, the folly of thinking all of this is madness and sorcery. This is the truest display of heaven’s power.”

Talmor clasped a hand to his chest. “We are standing in the days the prophets spoke of.”

Berechiah’s voice was thick with emotion. “And this… this is only the beginning.”

Around them, praises filled the streets. The excitement was electric as people surged around Bartholomew, their voices overlapping in exclamations of wonder and praise. Many pressed closer to the two healed women, touching their arms as if to confirm the miracle was real. Others stretched their hands toward the apostle, marveling at what they had just witnessed and acting like he was.

It was quite a rowdy couple of moments, as the young men had to step in and stand firm to avoid any accidental trampling; the excitement was that intense.

Bartholomew, standing tall amidst the crowd, raised his hands for silence. Slowly but eventually, the noise and cheers faded, and all eyes turned to him.

“Fellow Israelites, and all who dwell in Jerusalem,” he began, his voice steady yet filled with passion, “why do you marvel at this, as though by my own power or holiness I have made these women whole?”

The crowd grew silent, everyone’s eyes and attention fully fixed on him.

Bartholomew continued, his voice carrying across the gathered people. “No, my brothers, this healing is not of my own strength. It has come by the power of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—He whom you handed over to be crucified, but whom God has raised from the dead!” 

Gasps rippled through the crowd, but he was not finished. He lifted his hands and spoke again, his voice rising with authority.

“Have you not read the words of the prophet Isaiah? *He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; like one from whom people hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.”

Some in the crowd nodded, recognizing the sacred words of the prophet.

Bartholomew pressed on, his eyes alight. “But listen! Isaiah also said: Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows… but He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds, we are healed!”

A hush fell.

“This Jesus,” Bartholomew declared, “is the One the prophet Isaiah spoke of. He was rejected, He was pierced, but He was also raised to life! We are witnesses of these things! And now, through His name, these women stand healed before you!”

Gedaliah could feel the shift in the atmosphere. The words were cutting deep, just as Peter’s had done on the day of Pentecost.

A man near the front, his face lined with years of labor, took a hesitant step forward. “Then what must we do?”

Another voice from the crowd called out. “We mocked Him—we turned away from Him. Is there hope for us?”

Bartholomew nodded, his face filled with both urgency and love. “Yes! Repent! Turn away from your sins and believe in Jesus the Messiah. Be baptized in His name for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!” 

Gasps spread through the people. Many looked at one another, conviction and longing warring in their expressions.

Then… one by one, heads began to nod.

“I will be baptized,” a woman declared, stepping forward.

“As will I,” said a man, clutching his heart.

More and more voices joined in, declaring a desire to receive this new life.

Gedaliah’s chest swelled with joy. He had experienced this very feeling—the stirring of the soul, the weight of truth pressing upon the heart. And now, before his very eyes, others were experiencing the same.

He turned to Berechiah, Gideon, and Talmor, who stood wide-eyed at the sight of the crowd responding.

“This is incredible,” Talmor whispered.

Gideon let out a slow breath, shaking his head in amazement. “Look at what God is doing…”

Bartholomew lifted his hands once more. “Come, then! Let us go, and be baptized in the name of Jesus!”

A great cheer erupted, and the crowd moved, following Bartholomew and the other believers toward a place where water could be found. Gedaliah could hardly contain his excitement—this was the work of God unfolding before his very eyes.

As he walked with them, surrounded by people ready to step into new life, he whispered a quiet prayer of thanks.

The kingdom of God was growing. And he was a part of it.

A powerful display of God’s power, isn’t it? And it wasn’t just about the miracle, it was about exalting the ultimate Miracle-Worker!