Preparing Peter
Notes
Transcript
Where the Gospel has gone.
Where the Gospel has gone.
Philip’s Ministry
Paul’s Life, Conversion, and Early Ministry
This is where we have been in the book of Acts so far. God is continuing his purpose for the Church by working through the Apostles and other believers to reach the world with the Gospel.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Peter’s Ministry expands
This is where we are going today and will be our focus for the next one to two weeks.
Pray
Read
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.
36 Now 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.
Peter Ministers outside of Jerusalem
Peter Ministers outside of Jerusalem
32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
What did that look like?
3 This is my defense to those who would examine me.
4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink?
5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?
8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same?
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned?
10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.
11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.
We aren’t given any details of companions with Peter but this testimony from Paul makes it clear that he would take his wife along with him, he would trust the local believers to care for him, and he ultimately trusted that God’s call to this work would be provided for.
As we see in this text, he stays with a man named Simon who is a tanner. It’s not ideal, because a tanner works with dead animal flesh which makes one ceremonial unclean. Up to this point, Peter is still observing the dietary and social customs of his Jewish heritage. In our next sermon, God will free Peter and the church from those restrictions and this may have been a point of preparation for Peter.
Powerful Proofs
Powerful Proofs
God allowed Peter to do two powerful miracles while he traveled amongst the believers.
The healing of Aeneas the cripple led to many people turning to the Lord.
35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
The raising of Tabitha from the dead is an even more powerful proof that in Jesus there is victory over death.
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Preparation
Preparation
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.
Next week we will see that these two events really prepared Peter for what would come next.
How does God prepare people for ministry?
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
My Journey from loosing a ministry position to being prepared for ministry.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
What are you going through now? Do you trust that God is at work on your behalf?
Then don’t be in a hurry to move on, but trust that God’s timing and the prompting of his Holy Spirit will move you at the right time.