Are you healed?

Introduction:

Today we will finish up chapter 9 of the book of Acts. Today in our text the narrative changes from Saul/Paul back to Peter. And as we already heard through the reading there are a couple of crazy stories that took place that we are going to unpack today, and hopefully we can see how this applies to us today.

Because the same God that was then, is the same God who is now, and the same God in the future.

This miraculous power of God that we are reading about, is necessary for us believers to respond to the needs around around us with compassion, active faith, and radical love. Such acts do not merely serve as spectacles but are instrumental in strengthening and expanding the Christian community, eliciting a response from those who witness these miracles.

These miracles are demonstrating that genuine faith is manifested through tangible acts of radical love and compassion

Our text today highlights that the church is called not just to believe but to actively participate in the ministry of Jesus through acts of mercy, healing, and care for others.

I will be asking lots of questions with the intent that Holy Spirit will use it in your walk with Jesus

Alright lets jump into out text and begin to unpack it.

Acts 9:32–35 “As Peter was traveling from place to place, he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed,” and immediately he got up. So all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.”

Okay lets look at a map and figure out where Peter is at. And his missionary journey that he was on

Slide of Map

Lets do a quick history lesson of this city.

Lydda is also known as Lod.

145 BC Lydda is given to Jonathan Maccabeus as a Jewish Town

This was in the province of Benjamin

Shortly after Acts was written the whole town was burned by Cestius Gallus while most of the inhabitants were celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem.

After the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, Lydda became noted as a seat of rabbinical learning.

It was made a Roman colony and renamed Diospolis.

Judaism virtually disappears from the city, but Christianity survived.

In the 4th Century Diospolis had it own bishop, who attended the council of Nicea in 325.

Click next slide (Acts 9:32-35)

When Luke writes and mentions the “Saints” they may have already been here since Pentecost, the time of persecution where the believers were scattered in Acts 8:1. It is also possible that they are from Philips ministry in Acts 8:40 as well.

Now we are given a name, Aeneas, which was a common greek name at the time. So there is no evidence that this man is ever mentioned again in scripture other than this miracle. It is not super clear whether Aeneas was a Jew nationally or a Christian . However what is clear in Lukes narrative which we haven’t gotten to yet, is the Gospel message reaching Gentiles, or non-jewish people hasn’t really been emphasized yet, which we will get to in the next couple of weeks in chapter 10 with Peter.

This is actually Peter’s second miracle of healing a cripple that we have in scripture, the first was in Acts 3: 1-10

What was Peter's message to Aeneas, and what does this reveal about the source of healing?

Peter understood very well that any sort of healing was not of himself but only through Jesus, Peter is very clear and Luke records, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.” Not Peter, not anything you have done, or didn’t do, Jesus Christ heals you.

This illustrates God's ability to turn impossible situations around. This point emphasizes that, like the healing of Aeneas, our encounters with Christ's power can testify to His sovereignty and inspire a shift from despair to hope in our lives.

We can encourage believers to be open vessels for God's power to work through, impacting our communities and bringing others to faith through our testimony of transformation. These few verses highlight that Peter's actions were steeped in faith and demonstrate how faith must translate into action to bring about real change.

The actions of Peter, performed in the name of Jesus, exemplify how believers, through faith, carry forward the ministry of Christ, showcasing His power to intervene in lives and communities.

Do you see Aeneases in your life?

Are you to busy to see them?

Does it interrupt your plans that you had?

Does it make you feel uncomfortable to help those who are in need?

You know this person is difficult to have a conversation with. You know they have a hurt and broken past. Do they need the same transformative power that you have experienced?

Our simple acts of faith and prayer can lead to transformation.

Do you actually believe this?

Do you overly complicate your spirituality?

Could it be as simple as being fully present physically, emotionally, and Spiritually with person for 5 minutes and pray with them.

Lets move to our second story and see if we can make any observations from it and allow it to shape and mold us.

Acts 9:36–37 “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity. About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs.”

Lets just get this out of the way now Dorcas, that is a pretty unusual name or maybe one that you have used towards some else on the playground growing up? I did double click on this word/name and it does mean gazelle, FYI.

Tabitha is described as:

Disciple

Doing good works

Doing acts of charity

Question for you, how will people describe you at your funeral?

I have been to and facilitated all sorts of funerals. Some for people who have no faith in Jesus and others who say they do. You can really learn a lot about a person in how friends and family members share about their loved one. There have been times when the filter is off and you really hear about a person. It saddens me sometimes the legacy that some people leave and how this well effect generations from them.

Back to our text.

Acts 9:38–39 “Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who urged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them.”

Eckhard J. Schnabel makes this observation in his commentary.

Acts Explanation of the Text

In the context of the reference to the paralyzed Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years (v. 33), the good works that Tabitha was continuously engaged in perhaps included, besides sewing clothing for widows (v. 39), visiting and caring for the sick and the chronically ill. This description probably implies that Tabitha was a prosperous woman and an indispensable pillar of the congregation. Since no husband is mentioned, she may have been a widow.

Her story shows that a life dedicated to serving others is deeply valued in God's kingdom.

The community's response to her death reveals the widespread impact one dedicated life can have.

What about us what kind of legacy are we going to leave?

I want to lean in for just moment to anyone older than me, which by default makes you old.

Don’t end your life being grumpy and complaining about everything. End the race well. How can you finish well? This matters to those who are around you now and how we will end our life well. Be that example for us.

That in spite of your body falling a part, that it takes you longer to do things, you can’t control some of your body parts you still choose joy in the midst of you failing body. Be that example for us to see.

Tabitha’s life was a testament to active faith.

This illustrates a big idea that faith involves action.

This underlines that our daily acts of kindness and service can profoundly touch lives, aligning with Christ’s call to serve others.

Is your faith Visible?

Is your faith Active?

Acts 9:40–43 “Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with Simon, a leather tanner.”

I wonder why Peter did things like this, where did he see this modeled before?

Mark 5:37–43 “He did not let anyone accompany him except Peter, James, and John, James’s brother. They came to the leader’s house, and he saw a commotion—people weeping and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, but he put them all outside. He took the child’s father, mother, and those who were with him, and entered the place where the child was. Then he took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum” (which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up”). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (She was twelve years old.) At this they were utterly astounded. Then he gave them strict orders that no one should know about this and told them to give her something to eat.”

It is very difficult to not see the parallels with these stories.

In both stories the super natural is used and people are drawn towards the Creator of all natural.

It seems like God uses miracles to turn hearts towards Him.

Click next slide (blank)

We need to recognize that our faithful actions, which can include our spiritual lives, which can seem like the super natural, can bring hope and life to others.

Because of Jesus’ death/burial/resurrection, we can experience a full life. This is the great paradox, death brings life. Just like a seed fall to the ground to die it then brings life.

The power of Christ can bring life where there is death. And for some of you, you might be breathing right now but your whole life seems like it is dead.

This miracle, performed in Jesus' name, serves as a powerful testament to His ongoing work through the church(us). This should be encouraging us believers to act with bold faith, like Peter, we can grasp the truth that through Christ, we can be conduits of His life-giving power, inspiring faith and hope in those around us.

We have spent most of our time today discussing physical healing and restoration. We have looked at how the same God then moved powerfully through His disciples. But there is a healing that we haven’t discussed yet.

This healing goes all the way back to the garden of eve, where humanity began.

Where sin entered this world.

Even before Jesus was on the scene there were men and women who would prophetize about this ultimate healing that was going to take place for all of humanity.

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.”

Peter, who we have observed here today. Who went on his missional journey to share the Gospel message. In one of his letters writes this…

1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

Each miracle becomes a catalyst for people turning to the Lord, as they witness the impact of Jesus' power at work through His followers.

Miracles are not just to meet physical aliments but is to point us to the reality of sin.

The true miracle is the God who created all things, the stars we stare at night, galaxies we look at from telescopes, to the sunsets and sunrises we marvel over.

The Creator of the breath in our lungs, the skin that covers our bodies. The details of even a cell in our body, Loves us so much that He made a way for us to be in relationship with Him.

The very God who not created humanity, loves humanity, loves to serve humanity, because of His great mercy on all of us

These passages should embolden us believers to recognize that God can work through us to perform extraordinary acts of service, love, and healing in our communities. It encourages us to step out in faith, bear witness to God’s miraculous work, and reflect on how we can be agents of transformation for others, embodying Christ's compassion in practical ways.

Again Eckhard J. Schnabel

Miracles are caused by Jesus’ power, and conversions are caused by Jesus’ power. Sometimes Jesus chooses to heal miraculously; sometimes he does not heal despite the believers’ prayers and their faith in the Lord. Tabitha is brought back to life not because she was devoted to good works, but because this was the will of the Lord.

And we devoted followers of Jesus need to be ready when God’s will is to heal. Why do I believe this…

God empowers His church to be vessels of His miraculous grace.

Which the byproduct of this happening will be inspiring faith and drawing many to Him through acts of love, restoration and healing.

Faith in Christ compels us to action; by serving others with love, we can become instruments of God's miraculous work in the world, bringing hope and healing to those around us.

Duane Miller video

Worship team make your way up please.

Call the Prayer team up.