Acts 9:31-43

Introduction

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Have you ever seen a movie that has a memorable extra in it? If you have seen the Dr. Strange In the Multiverse you know what I am talking about. In the movie, Dr. Strange is attending a wedding. A woman sitting behind him is oddly looking around a little to excited. Here eyes and movements are distracting and once you see her in the see you can hardly see anything else.

In the book of Acts, our passage we are looking at this morning is kind of like two perfectly forgettable extras in a movie. Before this sermon, I would venture to say that most of you would not be able to tell someone about Aeneas and Dorcas. Trust me, there are in the Bible, but like good extras in a movie, you really don’t remember seeing them in the excitement and action.

I remember at our old church, the youth joined the young adults class. Bronson, now a missionary in Ecuador, was teaching through the book of Acts. He began by asking everyone in the class about the story of the woman named Dorcas. Not a single person in the room knew what he was talking about. He asked me. I said, I think you are making this up. I don’t remember ever hearing about a woman named Dorcas in the Bible.

Need

Saints, this morning, we are going to see our need to be forgettable. I want my life to be so similar to Jesus that people around me focus on Jesus more than they do me.

Referent

Acts 9:31-43

Organization

Walking in Fear

Walking in Faith

Walking in Love

Sermon in a sentence:

I want to walk like Jesus and be forgotten.

Walking in Fear (v. 31)

The church grew by walking in fear of God and comfort of the Holy Spirit

Acts 5:11-16 God uses great fear and numerical growth together

“Words and Wisdom: Hebrew Word Studies and the Fear of the Lord,” by Dr. Adam Howell

Psalm 2:11 “11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.”

Deuteronomy 10:12 “12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,”

Saints, I want to walk in fear and comfort in my life. I want to be like David who is able to walk in confidence and trembling to the giant Goliath. He was probably reciting to himself creating in his mind, “Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me.”

I want to walk in fear and comfort like our dear Savior. He was being crushed by the punishment of God the Father in the garden at Gethsemane. Yet, he was comfortable as well.

I want Colgate to be a place were we fear God! We walk in dependence, fear, comfort, and joy. Not in contradiction but in concert.

Walking in Faith (vs. 32-35)

Aeneas was paralyzed for 8 years.

This man wasn’t able to walk or function properly on his own.

It was only by the healing (present tense) of Jesus Christ.

Luke makes it clear that this healing was not able Peter or Aeneas. This healing was about the work of Jesus Christ.

The healing is very similar to the paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus by his four friends.

Mark 2:9 ESV

9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?

Sometimes, you might feel like its been 8 long years and the Lord has forgotten you. Why would God even put me in this situation? Because its not about us. Even the healing itself did not point the residents of Lydda and Sharon to Aeneas. The healing pointed everyone to Jesus!

Aeneas position is our position too! Without Christ, we are helpless. Saints, sometimes, I forget that. I think I can do it all on my own. I need a reminder that it is only because it is Christ in me that I am able to serve him. He came to me first! I did not come to him.

Walking in Love (vs. 36-41)

Tabitha (Dorcas) was full of good works and acts of charity (v. 36). And this was likely towards the widows.

James 1:27 “27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

Peter himself was a man that loved the church(es)

v. 32 Peter went among them

v. 38-39 the people ask for Peter’s coming without delay and he gets up

Peter’s actions throughout these two miracles are almost identical to Jesus. It’s like Peter is walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

1 Kings 17 and 2 Kings 4 describe Elijah and Elisha raising boys from the dead.

Jesus healed Jairus’ daughter

Mark 5:41 ESV

41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”

Walking in love requires something from us. Holly and I have talked a lot about this in the context of the local church. Sometimes people will serve in ways that is not meeting the needs of those around them. Tabitha wanted to serve real physical needs. She was a disciple. I would hope that someone would look at my life and describe me as a disciple of Christ. I would hope they would see Christ more than they see me!

Application

Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Walk in the newness of life as Paul says.

Go for a walk. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to things in your life. Ask the Lord for you to be ok with being forgotten.