“Acts 9:32-43”

Tuesday, January 05, 2016

“Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.’ Immediately he got up. And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, ‘Do not delay in coming to us.’ So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.”

---End of Scripture verses---

With “the church throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria” enjoying peace (verse 31), the Apostle Peter seized upon the opportunity to travel through all these areas and teach the Gospel (verse 32). The latter two-thirds of the book of Acts focus heavily upon the deeds and teaching of the Apostle Paul. In chapters nine through eleven, an interlude between Saul’s (Paul’s) conversion and the dispatch of his apostolic duties, we are reminded that Peter was heavily involved in the work of the Lord as well. We do well to remember that the book of Acts is really only an account of “some of the acts of some of the apostles.” Luke didn’t record all of the endeavors of the all of the Lord’s ambassadors, but they all went about fulfilling Christ’s commandment to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

With the miracles that were done in the cities of Lydda and Joppa, we see a small sampling of the mighty works performed by the Lord through the hands of the Apostle Peter. In Lydda a man named Aeneas was healed who had lived in a state of paralysis for eight long years (verses 33-34); and in Joppa Peter actually raised a sister in Christ back to life who had passed away! These were truly amazing times and it thrills the heart to see the performance of these powerful deeds through the eyes of faith as we read these remarkable true stories. I love the detail that is given in the account of the raising of Tabitha. Verse 40 tells us that Peter sent the mourners out of the upper room where the body of the dearly departed had been laid. Then he knelt down and prayed. After that he turned to the body and spoke to it saying, “Tabitha arise”. “And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.” Then Peter “gave her his hand and raised her up” (verse 41).

Friends, the events that are recorded in the Bible really happened! These were real people with real problems and the Lord actually intervened in their lives! But more importantly, God brought eternal spiritual life to the people who believed in and obeyed Jesus! That was the main reason for these supernatural works in the first place. As amazing as it was that Tabitha arose from the dead, the reality is that at some point, she died again physically. But we have every reason to believe that as a faithful Christian, she lives on in eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ. These miracles were performed to instill faith in the hearts of the people who witnessed them and heard about them, so that they would turn to the Lord and be saved. “And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord” (verse 35). “It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord” (verse 42). What kind of troubles are you experiencing in your life right now? You just trust in the Lord and turn to Him in obedient faith and you can rest assured that He is going to make everything perfect for you in eternity! That is the message that we should take away from these readings!

Let’s read some more tomorrow! Acts 10:1-8. Hope you have a great day!

- Louie Taylor

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