Acts 9:32-43

Introduction

[READING - Acts 9:32-43]

Acts 9:32–43 (NASB95)

32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. 36 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. 37 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. 38 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.” 39 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. 40 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. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

[PRAYER]

[CONTEXT] The Lord said that His disciples would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The church was born in Jerusalem, but when the church was persecuted by Paul, many Christians fled to greater Judea and even Samaria, but the Apostles remained in the city. But with the salvation of Paul the persecutor, the church entered a time of peace, a time when an Apostle like Peter could travel about proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus and demonstrating the power in His Name.

We last saw Him in Acts returning to Jerusalem after verifying the salvation of Samaritans under the preaching of Philip (Acts 8:25).

[CIT] In our passage this morning, we see Peter traveling about encouraging Christians and proclaiming Christ when he is called on to perform two miracles, miracles that glorified Jesus and reinforced Peter’s status as an authority in the church.

[TS] Look at this first MIRACLE in vv. 32-35…

Exposition

Miracle #1: Peter encounters Aeneas (vv. 32-35)

Acts 9:32–35 (NASB95)

32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

[EXP] Peter came to visit the saints, i.e., the Jewish Christians, in Lydda.

In the OT, Lydda was called Lod, a town in the territory of Benjamin.

It was located at the intersection of major caravan routes that went from Egypt to Babylon and from Joppa to Jerusalem.

At one time the city was called Diospolis, Ludd, and now today Lod once again.

It is only about 23 miles from Jerusalem and about 10 miles from the Mediterranean coast.

You can use Google Earth to explore the modern city of Lod if you want.

In that city, Peter found a man named Aeneas who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed.

Some think that Aeneas was an unbeliever because he is introduced as “a man named Aeneas” while Tabitha in the next miracle is introduced as “a disciple named Tabitha”.

However, because Peter had “come down… to the saints who lived at Lydda” when he “found a man named Aeneas”, it seems that Aeneas was among those believers and was, therefore, a believer himself.

We cannot be certain.

Likewise, we cannot be certain how Aeneas became paralyzed. Was it an injury? Was it a sickness? We don’t know.

We only know that he had been bedridden due to his paralysis for eight years.

Put yourself in Aeneas’s position.

You’re body is unresponsive.

Others have to do everything for you.

You feel like a burden even though you’re assured you’re not.

Others say they’re praying for you and tell you stories about Jesus healing the paralyzed, but Jesus has ascended to Heaven.

You know there’s always hope in Jesus, but lying on your bed, do you feel hopeful?

Enter Peter. “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed,” (Acts 9:34).

Now, your mother always told you making your bed was important. How important is it?

Apparently so important that it’s the first thing you should do after being healed of paralysis.

Immediately Aeneas got up.

The power of Jesus healed him instantly and completely.

In performing this miracle, Peter emulated Jesus.

In Mark 2, Jesus healed a paralyzed man, saying, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home,” (v. 11).

Here Peter echoed the words of His Master, saying to Aeneas, “Get up and make your bed,” (Acts 9:34).

In performing this miracle, Peter relied on Jesus.

In v. 34, Peter said, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up...”

The Greek word behind “Get up!” is the same word used of God raising Jesus from the dead.

The power that healed Aeneas didn’t come from Peter; but the resurrection power of Jesus worked through Peter to heal Aeneas.

In performing this miracle, Peter glorified Jesus.

Acts 9:35 (NASB95)

35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

The purpose of the miracle performed by Peter was to validate the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed by Peter.

As many heard about the miracle performed by the power Jesus and then heard the Gospel of Jesus, they turned to Him in faith.

They turned away from sin and turned to the forgiveness only found in Jesus.

They turned away from sin and turned to the righteousness only found in Jesus.

They turned from sin and all its cursed effects and turned to the healing only found in Jesus…

…a healing sometimes applied to their temporal bodies…

…but a healing always applied to their eternal souls.

The name Aeneas means ‘praise’ or ‘praiseworthy.’

A praiseworthy thing had certainly happened to him, and many in Lydda and along the Plain of Sharon gave the praise and glory to Jesus Christ.

Yes, Jesus did ascend to Heaven, but Jesus still had authority to heal the paralyzed; and He exercised that authority through the Apostle Peter.

[TS] Look at the second MIRACLE…

Miracle #2: Peter encounters Tabitha (vv. 36-42)

Acts 9:36–42 (NASB95)

36 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. 37 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. 38 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.” 39 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. 40 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. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

[EXP] Joppa was an ancient Mediterranean seaport about 11 miles away from Lydda.

Today the city is called Jaffa, just south of Tel Aviv.

Like Lydda or Lod in the passage before, you can use Google Earth to explore the modern city of Jaffa if you desire.

In the city of Joppa, there was a disciple named Tabitha, who was also known in Greek as Dorcas.

“This woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did,” (Acts 9:36).

She was surely beloved by the Christian community in Joppa, which is why they were devastated when fell sick and died.

Put yourself in their place for a moment.

The greatly beloved Tabitha is dead.

She did so much for so many others.

There’s pain in this loss and even desperation, for who else will do the things that Tabitha did now that she’s gone?

Others say they’re she’s in a better place and tell stories about Jesus raising the dead, but Jesus has ascended to Heaven.

You know there’s always hope in Jesus, but seeing Tabitha’s body washed for burial and lying in that upper room, do you feel hopeful?

It seems they did, for they had heard that Peter was in Lydda.

And they had likely heard that the healing authority of Jesus was working through the Apostle Peter.

Would it work through him to raise Tabitha from the dead?

Peter arrived, and “all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas (Tabitha) used to make while she was with them,” (Acts 9:39).

Why did they show Peter all the tunics and garments that Tabitha made?

Were they simply giving Peter an example of her deeds of kindness and charity?

Were they trying to convince Peter that this disciple of Jesus was a blessing to needy widows, and was, therefore, worthy of Peter’s best efforts?

Whatever they reason, Peter sent them all out, knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body of Tabitha, said, “Arise,” (Acts 9:40).

She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.

“And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive,” (Acts 9:41).

The power of Jesus raised Tabitha from the dead.

In performing this miracle, Peter emulated Jesus.

In Mark 5, Jesus healed the daughter of a synagogue official. Before He did so, He put out all those who were causing a commotion with their weeping, then “taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’),” (Mark 5:41).

Just as Peter had seen Jesus do for the synagogue official’s daughter, he did for Tabitha through the power that Jesus supplies.

In performing this miracle, Peter relied on Jesus.

When Peter healed Aeneas, he said, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you,” (Acts 9:34), but we don’t have that sort of statement in Tabitha’s resurrection from the dead.

That doesn’t mean, however, that Peter took matters into his own hands in the resurrection of Tabitha.

No, he was still dependent on the power of Jesus, which was demonstrated in his kneeling down and praying before telling Tabitha to arise.

The late Anglican preacher, John Stott, made the point that this detail about kneeling and praying must have come from Peter because no one else was there with him in the room.

Peter wanted everyone to know that it was the power of the resurrected Jesus that raised Tabitha from the dead.

In performing this miracle, Peter glorified Jesus.

Acts 9:42 (NASB95)

42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

The purpose of the miracle performed by Peter was to validate the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed by Peter.

As many heard about the miracle performed by the power of Jesus and then heard the Gospel of Jesus, they believed in Him.

They believed that Jesus lived the life of perfect obedience before God that they should have lived.

They believed that He died the death that they deserved on account of their sins.

They believed that, having paid the price for their sins and having no sins of His own, God raised Him from the dead.

They believed that in Him they had forgiveness of sins and righteousness before God.

The names Tabitha and Dorcas both mean ‘gazelle’, and many people ran to believe in Jesus because of what happened to her.

Yes, Jesus did ascend to Heaven, but Jesus still had authority to raise the dead; and He exercised that authority through the Apostle Peter.

[TS]…

Illustration

Every story you hear is meant to motivate you to feel something, think something, or do something.

I was once telling a few of our deacons about a burnt church building I had seen on Highway 98.

I was going on and on about how it looked like the fire started in the sanctuary and burned through the center of the roof, which left only the shell of the brick building and the charred ribs of the rafters sticking into the sky.

When I was done, Larry asked what all the others wanted to, “Why are you telling us this? You gonna start a fire or something?”

Larry knew that my story was meant to make him feel, think, or do something; he thought it might have been a warning, but he didn’t know, so he asked.

We ought to ask Luke that same question about this passage this morning.

Application

What does Luke want us to feel, think, or do in response to the story of these two miracles performed by the Apostle Peter? There are at least three ACTIONS that Luke wants us to take…

Action #1: Luke wants us to turn to the Lord Jesus.

Action #2: Luke wants us to believe in the Lord Jesus.

When people heard about the healing of Aeneas, they turn to the Lord Jesus.

When people heard about the resurrection of Tabitha, they believe in the Lord Jesus.

The Holy Spirit of God inspired Luke to write these things so that we would turn to the Lord and believe, and that by believing have life in His Name (cf. John 20:31).

Have you turned away from sin and turned to the forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal healing found in Jesus?

Do you believe that Jesus lived the perfect life of obedience before God that you should have lived?

…that He died the death that you deserved on account of your sins?

… that He rose from the dead to present you righteous before God Almighty?

Will you publically declare to the world your belief in Jesus?

The Holy Spirit of God inspired Luke to write these things so that you would turn to the Lord and believe.

[Action #3:] But Luke also wants us to trust the testimony of Peter. That’s the third ACTION we are to take in response to these two miraculous accounts.

In the book of Acts…

…the grace of God in Jesus Christ was first preached to Jews in Jerusalem.

…then surprisingly to the Jews the grace of God in Jesus Christ was preached to Samaritans in Samaria.

…and in this passage the Holy Spirit is moving Peter closer and closer to something perhaps even more surprising— preaching the grace of God in Jesus Christ to the Gentiles in their cities.

Lydda and Joppa were still in Judea, but each one was a step closer to this reality.

After spending some time in Joppa, Peter will be called to preach the grace of God in Jesus Christ to a Gentile named Cornelius in Caesarea.

And just as the Holy Spirit had fallen on the Jews in Jerusalem and the Samaritans in Samaria, so will He fall on the Gentiles in Caesarea when they hear the Gospel.

They too will be baptized in the Name of Jesus like the Jewish and Samaritan believers before them, and then Peter will report to the church in Jerusalem, “The Holy Spirit fell upon (the Gentiles) just as He did upon us at the beginning,” (Acts 11:15).

And based on Peter’s testimony, the church will glorify God and say, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life,” (Acts 11:18).

It’s through Peter that Jesus healed Aeneas.

It’s through Peter that Jesus raised Tabitha.

Jesus had authority to heal the paralyzed;

Jesus had authority to raise the dead;

Jesus had authority to save the Gentiles, and He exercised that authority through the Apostle Peter first.

Conclusion

Acts 9 ends with Peter staying in the home of a tanner named Simon.

This was an individual who would tan the hides of animals to make a living, an unclean occupation in the eyes of stricter, more scrupulous Jews because it would have put Simon in contact with dead animals, which were considered unclean.

But Peter seems unconcerned about being made unclean by staying in the house of Simon, the tanner.

Perhaps he was already learning what he will be told explicitly in the next chapter, “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean,” (Acts 10:15, NLT).

[PRAYER]