Acts 9:32-43
Acts 9:32-43 September 27, 2020
Acts 9:32-43
32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down
also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, 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. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner. 1
The unfolding narrative in the Book of Acts is amazing. We see amazing scene after amazing scene. We have experienced the birth of the church, the gifting of the Spirit of God upon the church at Pentecost. A transition
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 9:32–43). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 1
for Peter from the disciple with the foot-shaped mouth to the mouthpiece of God and leader of the early church and of the apostles, the calling of more disciples, the strengthening of the church under the pressure of persecution, and the amazing transformation of a man bent on eradicating Christians and the church into the last apostle and missionary to the Gentiles.
And we’re not done.
If the reading of Acts doesn’t get you excited as a follower of Christ, there’s a problem. It’s more epic than the best special-effects laden Oscar winning film. It’s more exciting than the greatest football game ever. It’s more inspiring than any speech you’ve ever heard. It’s God’s church, under God’s lead, empowered by the Holy Spirit taking on the darkness in our world with everything from a human perspective working against them, but without an air of fatalism, but with a sense of hope, victory, and power.
And...we need this today.
We need more than a narrative of long-dead Christians who lived for the Lord centuries ago. Thankfully, these stories are not just historical narratives. These are God-breathed accounts of God-empowered actions given to us not for the sake of contemplation, but for inspiration. The same God at work in the first century is the same God at work in the 21st century.
I think we forget that sometimes.
What Luke does under the Spirit’s inspiration here is take us from the incredible account of Saul’s conversion and ministry genesis to Peter – the leader of the church.
In this era of what was described in verse 31 as a time of “peace” within the church and a great movement of multiplication for the church, Peter,
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the de facto and commissioned leader of the church steps back onto center stage for an amazing moment of ministry.
As I read this account in Acts, I cannot help but think “This sounds very familiar.”
Have you ever found a story, a television show, or a movie you’re enjoying hitting that “déjà vu” button in your mind. It’s not exactly the same, and it’s not really a sequel to another story, but...it surely sounds like you’ve heard this before.
Years ago, I was watching and old John Wayne movie titled “El Dorado.” It came out in 1966 and was a typical John Wayne film and also starred Robert Mitchum and James Caan. I had seen many John Wayne westerns prior and as I’m watching this one, about twenty minutes into the story I’m thinking “I’ve seen this before...but not quite.” I mean, it is familiar, but not exactly how I remembered. I soon realized that I had seen another film by John Wayne that had come out in 1959. It was directed by the same man, Howard Hawks, and co- starred Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson. The thing is...both films were the same story. The names had changed, but the plot, the characters, the details were all the same.
I find that when I read this portion of Acts, I’m reminded of some other things in Scripture that have happened. Maybe you do as well.
1. God Heals the Lame
32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
Among them all? Among whom? Among the multiplied and growing church. The local church is becoming many local churches. Believers are engaging their community with the gospel. The church is growing. It’s expanding. The disciples are equipped and equipping and it is amazing.
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So, Peter goes to visit with the brothers and sisters in Lydda. This is about 23 miles northwest of Jerusalem. In the Old Testament it was called Lod (Lydda was the Greek name.) It is actually called Lod today. In Peter’s day, it was a significant town. Numerous people lived there, and this is where the church was growing. Don’t miss this almost obvious reality but the church grows where people live. It is true today and this is why we see churches planted in cities and urban areas and places where people call home.
The church is growing. Great things are happening, and Peter is going to visit them. It is believed that Lydda was a place that Saul had stopped after leaving Jerusalem on his way to Caesarea. Some wonder if maybe Saul brought up the question to the apostles as to why they remained in Jerusalem as the gospel was expanding. That could be. Regardless, we see Peter outside the city now and traveling to where the church is growing.
What happens with Peter enters Lydda is nothing less than miraculous. It is also a bit strange, especially from our modern-day perspective.
33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
When I read this, I’m reminded of a story that Luke recounts. In Luke 5 we see Jesus in a house that is crowded with people as a paralyzed man is brought to him by his friends. The man is lowered by the friends who have climbed to the roof of the house due to the crowds. As he lays on his pallet before Christ, the following takes place.
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Luke 5
20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” 2
What? How weird. There’s this paralyzed man who is in the city. He’s been this way for eight years and Peter shows up, sees him, and says “Get up.” He does and the entire city gets saved?
Really? Yep. Really.
And we read this and say instinctively “That wouldn’t happen today.”
Because somehow we believe the God we worship today is less powerful, maybe, than the God of the first century? Maybe it’s that we want our God manageable?
Yet, in Lydda with Peter we are reminded that Jesus did the same thing in a house in the Galilee region.
2 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Lk 5:17–26). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 5
2. God Raises the Dead
It gets better. Peter is contacted by some disciples in nearby Joppa after a woman, a disciple named Tabitha (also called Dorcas) dies.
40 But Peter put them all outside, 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.
It seems that this has happened prior as well. Luke also wrote of this. Jesus is greeted by a religious leader named Jairus. This man’s daughter was very ill and Jairus was hoping, based on what he had heard of Jesus, that he would come and heal her. Yet, by the time he gets to Jesus, the news has come that the girl was dead.
But Jesus...
Luke 8:51-55
51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.3
I know these are stories that just seem unbelievable – like fiction, even. If true (which I believe they are, as is everything in God’s Word) then we wonder how this can happen and why we do not see this more often today. Certainly many are still ill, lame, and disabled. Yes, people still die. So...what is our point with these accounts? Are they just messages of what God used to do, but doesn’t any longer?
3 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Lk 8:51–55). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 6
No. Even then, not everyone found physical healing. No one was spared death (not even Stephen who was killed for his faith, as were many other Christians at the time.)
So why?
We see the answer in the passage...
35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
The paralyzed man was healed and God was glorified and many came to Christ.
The dead woman was raised and God was glorified and many came to Christ.
You say “Well, if God raised a dead person today, many would be saved” but you need to remember that he already has done so, and many have been saved. God’s sovereignty over the universe and victory over death is made clear in Christ and the resurrection.
“But if only my friends and family had a miracle in front of them...”
And Jesus answered that as well many years ago in the story of Lazarus and the rich man found in Luke 16.
Luke 16:29-31
29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If
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they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ 4
While many of the residents and new converts in Lydda and Joppa were Jewish, the church was growing in the Gentile population. It was about to explode in growth very soon. Gentiles did not have the teachings of Moses and the Prophets, but they had Peter in their town and what God did through him left the people in awe and turning to the Lord.
Note that they did not turn toward Peter! This is vital.
Today...we have these stories. These accounts. These truths. And yes, God continues to do miracles in our midst. He is the same God today as he has always been and always will be, but in our current circumstances that lead to hopelessness for many and fatalism for others, God continues to send his ambassadors to speak truth and share the good news of the gospel.
OH, BUT I CANNOT BE LIKE PETER?
Sure, we all say that, but quickly, let me take you to just a few passages.
First – Jesus declares his mission and does it.
Luke 4:17-21
17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled
the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
4 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Lk 16:29–31). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 8
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 5
What did he come to do?
1. Proclaim the good news to the poor 2. Se free the captives
3. Give sight to the blind
4. Free the oppressed
Then , the apostles did it.
Mark 6:12-13
12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. 6
What did they do?
1. Proclaimed the good news
2. Cast out demons, setting captives free 3. Healed the sick
Now, we do it.
John 14:12
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 7
5 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Lk 4:16–21). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 6 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mk 6:12–13). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 7 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 14:12). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
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Will do what Jesus did, which is...
1. Proclaim the good news
2. Set captives free
3. Give sight to the blind and healing to those in need
Maybe we’re guilty of thinking captives are in physical jails and blind and sick are physically ailing. Certainly, at times that is true, but do not discount the freedom from captivity to sin (thoughts based on lies, oppression based on worldviews, addictions, wrong-minded concepts, depraved understandings, etc.) and the ability to see spiritual truth clearly and find completeness spiritually in Christ as the ultimate sight and healing. This is no cop out. This is reality.
And we, God’s children, his church, are empowered with the same Holy Spirit as was Peter and the apostles and the first century disciples to express this.
Church, an entire city turned to Christ because one lame man stood up. A community turned to the Lord when one faithful woman was resurrected. A city was changed and did not celebrate the healed loved one, but the healing God.
That is the call for FBC Orange Park. That is the calling for every First Family member, whether in this room, at Island Church, or at home viewing this service online.
Christ did it. The apostles did it. Now, we are called to live it out and do so as well.
To the glory of God, we must be equipped as saints, engage our community and world for the sake of the gospel, in order to see our town, our county, our region, turn to the Lord as God’s kingdom expands.
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And as family, hear me clearly, as family – whether your married, single, a parent, childless, empty nester, child, or adult, man, woman, black, brown, tan, white, or any other mixture of melanin levels, God, in his wisdom and providence has saved us so that we (not someone else, not another church with more money, not the celebrity pastor or the missionaries living overseas but you, me, and the rest of our family) will do it, will do what God has saved us to do, and be who God has redeemed us to be, for the sake of the gospel that he may be glorified and our town and county will no longer be known as a quaint little bedroom community on the southwest side of Jacksonville known for the dog track and poker room, political soap operas, broken marriages, jacked up families, divided communities, and schools designated as the haves and the have-nots, where classism is the norm, churches line the streets but may not be engaging their neighbors, but as the place where the gospel truly was seen as the good news and where those who call themselves the family of God sought to do all they could to grow their family, so the more and more would be set free, have sight, and be healed and rescued.
And all the residents turned to the Lord.
Are you in?
Let’s do it. Time is running out. Today is the day. No more games.
Footnotes
