Jesus The Christ heals You

Peter at Lydda & Joppa

After Paul was converted Story goes back to Peter

At this time he was staying in Lydda

Lydda was a town SouthWest of Jerusalem (also called Lod)

There he met a man named AEneas who was paralyzed

act9.32-

Acts 9:32–35 NKJV

32 Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. 33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. 35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

Jesus the Christ heals you (makes you whole)

Jesus is The healer

The bibles says He took our infirmities upon His own self

By His stripes we were healed

We should believe this today as much as we believe it was then

This man had been paralyzed eight years

It is significant that the Bible tells us how long he had been sick

Of course we know it is no harder for God to do the miracle if he was sick for eight years or eight minutes

But we have a tendency to lose hope after a while

Do you suppose this guy prayed to get better when he first got sick?

He most probably did - but nothing happened

maybe he had a lack of faith

maybe he had a sense of guilt that kept him from being healed

maybe something else was blocking his faith

We have a tendency to get used to our “conditions”, and lose faith

especially after some time has passed

it just becomes the normal

for some people it is normal to be sick

others it is normal to be poor

normal for us to

normal to be depressed

normal to be angry

normal to be afraid

normal to be lonely

normal to have anxiety

It had become normal for AEneas to be paralyzed

In fact, the whole town knew of it

Perhaps he was an important person before he got sick

Maybe people saw him now and regularly felt sorry for him

Jesus Christ Makes you Whole!

Peter came and declared to him that Jesus makes him whole

Maybe he just needed someone to stir that faith that was in him already

to inspire him to believe that he still could be healed

It’s not too late, its not over! AEneas Jesus makes you whole!

Then Peter joined his faith with AEneas’ faith

“if two or more of you agree as touching anything...”

It doesn’t matter how long you have been dealing with the same circumstance

Jesus Christ makes you whole

“whole” - whatever it is you have need of

In Jesus

Let’s join our faith together here today, for one another

What is your need?

Is there something that you have just gotten used to?

Jesus Christ saves you today

Acts 9:35 NKJV

35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

When others see your faith in action - they believe as well

faith is contagious

those who see the good that God does for you will also trust in the Lord!

Tabitha Raised

While Peter was at Lydda, a disciple in Joppa, named Tabitha became sick

She was full of good works, and charitable deeds

very loved by the Christians there

She became sick and died

The people cleaned her body and laid it in an upper room

Since Lydda was near Joppa and they had heard that Peter was there, they sent for him

asking him to come quickly

When he arrived people were standing-by weeping and shoed him all the coats and things she had made

act9.40-

Acts 9:40–42 NKJV

40 But Peter put 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 Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

Tabitha, Arise. -

First he put out the others

So often, people will hinder our faith - even Christians

They mean well - but they doubt

Sometimes, we have to put the out, or block them out

Negative talking - unbelief

complaining about circumstances - reciting the problem instead of calling on the solution

Complaining dishonors God - believing Him, proclaiming it, gives Him honor

He prayed -

Why did Peter pray if he had the authority to raise her?

We should realize more that we are the answer to many of our prayers

Very often God will anoint you, and empower you, to make the difference you are praying for

When we pray, we should be expecting that authority -

We should be then bold enough to declare it - after prayer

Then Peter proclaimed, in faith - “arise

Sometimes we may need to pray for a long while, sometimes less

as our faith is increased - (Examples)

Then Peter continued in Joppa and stayed with Simon the tanner

Cornelius the Centurion

A devout man

one who feared God

gave much alms

prayed to God always

Like so many people, he believed in God, but was not a believer

He did good deeds, but wasn’t “saved”

He prayed to God, but didn’t know Him

He gave to charity, but his sins were not forgiven

Acts 10:3–5 NKJV

3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.

His prayers and his good deeds were noticed by God

The bible says the eyes of the Lord are going to and fro . . .

They were noticed, but they did not “save” him

If his good deeds were enough, he would have had no need to send for Peter

Peter’s Vision

The next day as these were on their way

Peter had gone up tot he roof to wait for lunch

fell into a trance and had a vision

repeated three times

Acts 10:11–16 NKJV

11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Peter would never have eaten this kind of meat - it was unlawful, sinful

Yet God declared - “What God has cleansed you must not call common”

What God has cleansed is clean

What God has touched is no longer “common”

You are holiness unto God

You are a peculiar people, are royal priesthood, a holy generation

So at this time the people arrived, and Peter went with them

act10.25-

Acts 10:25–28 NKJV

25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Peter would have thought it was a sin even to enter this man’s house

until now, they thought that only the Jews could be saved

Like so many “religion” that get caught in selfish pride -

Even many in these present days

But God had reminded him - what God has cleansed. . .

We are cleansed from all sin, through the blood of Jesus

act 10.

Acts 10:34–35 NKJV

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

In every nation - (greek word “ethnos”)

God has not partiality - He is the original Equal opportunity

With Him, everyone has an equal opportunity to be saved

an equal opportunity to repent of sin

drunkards, adulterers, liars, thieves, homosexuals, cowards, and whatever other sin has separated us from God, we all have an equal opportunity to be “cleansed” by the blood of the lamb.

Whoever fears Him and works righteousness

No matter what you past, your family, your circumstance, you are accepted with God, if you repent and trust Him

This is a pattern we keep seeing repeated in the book of Acts:

Christians are saved regardless of nationality or status

Christians are faithful regardless of persecution

Christians are expected to repent of sin - No such thing as universalism

Christians are compelled to take of the gospel and preach it - everywhere they go

Christians are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do “works” in His name

This is the pattern we should follow today