Lessons From Acts – Lesson 13
The last time we were in the book of Acts Paul got saved and did a complete 180. He went from persecuting Jesus to serving Jesus. He went from hunting Christians down and throwing them in prison to ministering to them.
This caused quite a stir. The Jews had just lost their champion. And everywhere Paul went to preach they wanted to kill him. Paul went from wanting to kill Christians himself to people wanting to kill him because he was one.
The Christians in Jerusalem did not want the trouble it seems. So they tell Paul just go home. Tarsus was Paul’s home town.
Act 9:30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
Act 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
It says churches throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria. Throughout all.
A huge number of churches were by the persecuted Christians leaving Jerusalem. And God here calls them all churches. And they were not started by the Apostles. The Bible says when the others left that the Apostles stayed in Jerusalem.
But one of them did not stay in Jerusalem all the time. Peter would travel some and spend time with believers who were outside of Jerusalem.
Act 9:32 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
Lydda is only about 25 miles from Jerusalem. Peter passed throughout all quarters. Quarters of what? Places close to Jerusalem. So Peter is traveling from Jerusalem but not too far. He is traveling just in Judea at this time.
Act 9:33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
Act 9:34 And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
Act 9:35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.
We see from verse 35 the reason the healing was empowered by God. Peter did not have a New Testament yet to preach from. The miracle was done so that people would get saved.
The physical healing was a visible picture of the healing power of Jesus for the soul. The physical healing that they saw with their eyes pictured the healing that Jesus can do to the soul.
The man was sick of the palsy and he could not heal it. No one could. Every man is born sick. Everyone has the sickness of sin. And they cannot heal it. No one can, except Jesus.
I personally believe that Peter would have preached Jesus after the healing. He would have explained how Jesus can heal not only physically but Jesus is the answer to the sickness of sin.
The man was in his bed for 8 years unable to go to the fields and work. What a huge turnaround Jesus made for him. He can now get up and pick up his bed and be productive.
A lost man is like that. O he can walk and go to work physically. But as far as serving God, in his sin, he is like that sick man. But once Jesus comes into your life, you now can spiritually get up and work for the Lord. A bedridden man healed and become productive.
It was a very powerful object lesson and it was done out in public. And of course the man and his newfound life became a witness to the power of Jesus. People knew him and of his sick condition and now they see a huge change. He is up walking around.
People would take notice and of course talk about it. And people got saved.
Act 9:35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.
Miracles were never done for show or fame. They were done as object lessons of the healing and saving power of Jesus. Once those lessons were recorded in the New Testament there was no longer a need. To learn about it now you can simply read about that truth.
Peter then travels to Joppa. Joppa is about 30 miles from Caesarea which is on the coast. So Peter is still in Judea.
Act 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
Tabitha is one of those great women of the Bible. She was a woman dedicated to loving her neighbor as herself. In a helpful practical way. This woman was full of good works.
And she had the heart of a giver. The Bible talks about the grace of giving. God can and does give people the grace to be a giver, and this woman was a receiver of that grace in a big way.
She not only was full of good works but she was full of almsdeeds. That means that she gave to the poor. Most likely you have seen a British comedy where a poor man is sitting on the ground with a cup calling out alms, alms for the poor. He may even be pretending to be blind until the coin drops in.
Now the British might make fun of it, but it was no joke for Tabitha. Helping people was, as it should be, serious business for her.
Act 9:37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
She did not faint or just pass out. She died. When it says they had washed her, that is talking about preparing the body for burial. She was dead.
Act 9:38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
It is clear that news travels. Even in those days without phones. News still traveled fast. People love to spread news back then just like they do today. And the disciples that were with Tabitha heard the news that Peter was traveling.
And I think they heard about Peter healing the man who was sick for 8 years. These were disciples. They knew that Peter did not actually heal the man. It was God. Peter was just a vessel that God used.
And they knew all about Jesus and His healing power. They knew about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. They knew from the O.T. about Elisha raising that boy from the dead. They had faith that if it was God’s will that God could use Peter to bring their beloved Tabitha back to them.
So they quickly sent two men to fetch Peter.
Act 9:39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
Don’t just read by that. That is worth stopping for a moment and thinking about.
Tabitha done something with her life. When you get to the end of your life, which can be in old age, or it could be right around the corner. Any of us could have a brain aneurism and be gone in a heartbeat.
Whenever and however the end comes, what really mattered. The hours you put in at work. The days you spend entertaining yourself. The things you did for self-gratification.
Many people live that way. My parents sure did. For them it was all about self. All about them. Even the things that they did do that on the surface seemed to be about others it was really only about what they could get out of it.
I also knew a couple that lived down the street a ways that were like that. They got the nickname con artists. When people like that die, it is sad. A wasted life. And you don’t see too many people saying good things about them when they are gone.
Tabitha was totally different. She made her life count for something. She helped and gave, not for what she got out of it, but just to show love. Just to help and care.
Act 9:39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
Tabitha had widows. Plural. They were crying. Tabitha made a difference in their lives. Her love was not empty words. The widows were showing the coats and garments that she had made for them.
She saw their need, and then moved with compassion and action and put her hands to work. It takes a lot of time and effort even today to make coats and clothing. And we have electric sewing machines.
I went to a high school, yes about half a century ago, and they taught more than just math and reading, they wanted us to have at least some level of basic knowledge on how to get by. We had to take basic cooking and shop class.
I never got the hang of welding by the way. That one teacher made us guys make a shirt. I think to teach us a lesson because we were not the calmest students. Made too much noise in class.
She got the last laugh. She made us guys make a shirt from scratch. Yep cut all the material and sew it together. By the time I was done I learned some things.
1 thankfulness that I can just go to the store and just buy one.
2 I learned just how difficult that it is. I don’t remember how many times I had to sew that collar on. And it was crooked. Tear it out and do it again.
3 after that I really appreciated people who could make things like that.
Some of the greatest gifts people get are those that are handmade.
Hand made things done out of love that take hours and hours are special. And for these widows it was even more special because it was not just a gift to admire on a shelf. These items were needed.
Widows, especially in those days, were poor. They needed coats but could not afford them. Think about if that was you. How much would Tabitha mean to you.
Act 9:39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
I have been to many funerals over the years. And this is what you like to see. A life that was spent loving and helping others. You want to see people who have something good to say about them.
You want to see a life that was spent well with others in mind. I have seen too many funerals where that is not the case. You can just tell when the good things said they are real shallow and most likely only said because they kind of have to.
It was not like that for Tabitha
The clothes these widows were showing was all made by needle and thread by hand. Hours and hours of work poured out in love for each widow. And it made a huge impact on them.
They genuinely loved her because of how she loved them.
Act 9:40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Act 9:41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.
It is not said here. I don’t think there is a need to say it. It is overwhelmingly obvious. Can you imagine the joy of those widows?
Can you see the hugs and the smiles and yes the tears of joy. They have Tabitha back.
God had performed another miracle. And again it was not done for show. There are smaller reasons. God can and does do things for more than one reason. The people in that town will benefit in the future.
Why? Because Tabitha will continue her ways of helping, loving, and giving.
But the main reason is given in the next verse.
Act 9:42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.
Once again the miracle was done, and people then would talk about it. The preaching and message of Jesus would go with the talking about the miracle.
And people would get saved.
Peter then stays in Joppa until the Lord sends him another task.
Act 9:43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
We can learn a lot from this section of scripture.
One of the things is the importance of spending your life well.
And how important it is to care, and love, and help, and do. And not for what you get out of it. Our service needs to be truly about others.