Acts 9:32-43 (Wednesday Evening Bible Study)

Acts 9:32-43

• Can God put us in places where we can help people?
• Context:
  • Where have we seen the gospel message go so far?
    • Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, & possibly to Ethiopia.  Luke has introduced us to Saul, who soon goes by Paul but Luke brings Peter back into the picture as he writes the early church history.
• Act 9:32-35
• 32 As Peter was traveling from place to place, he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed,” and immediately he got up. 35 So all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
  • The town of Lydda was about 22 mile northwest of Jerusalem towards the coast.
  • What is Peter doing away from Jerusalem?
    • Visiting the Saints (Christians). When we last read about Peter traveling, it was with John. Here Peter is traveling by himself. The apostles apparently had a pattern of visiting the saints living in nearby towns. Remember Jesus had taken them on such travels to different towns.
  • What about Aeneas, what is his problem?  How long had he been sick?
    • Bedridden for 8 years. As a side note, this is one of the verses which helps provide support that Acts was written by Luke, a physician, since we see the word “paralytic” used here.  What is Aeneas lying on?  Does this tell us anything? He is using a mat… rather than lying in a bed. This may indicate he is from a poor family. Since he can’t walk it makes it hard to help work and support the family.
      
  • Was Aeneas a Christian, what do you think?
    • Since Peter was visiting the Saints he probably was. 
  • Who acted in faith in this healing miracle?
    • Peter’s faith in the Lord and Aeneas’ faith to respond to Peter’s command to get up and his own faith in the power of God. Peter in claiming that Jesus has healed Aeneas and Aeneas in believing he spoke the truth. There is no mention of Peter reaching down to help Aeneas, Aeneas simply got up. I tend to believe that it was when Aeneas moved to comply, acting in faith, that he was healed.
  • How would you define a miracle if you look at what happened to Aeneas?
    • God does it, it is supernatural, it was immediate and it was complete. Who gets the credit? Jesus Christ!
  • Why do you think Peter heals Aeneas?
    • Compassion, prompted by the Spirit, 
  • Whatever Peter’s reasoning for the healing what did this incident create?
    • Opportunity to spread the gospel.
  • What impact did this miracle have on the people?
    • People turned to the Lord…Was it just because they saw or heard of this healing?  No it gave opportunity for Peter to preach.  The people knew the miracle was true; God was behind what Peter was saying therefore the message Peter brings must be true.  (The word Sharon refers to the area around Lydda… The plain of Sharon “it is a fertile plain running 50 miles roughly along the coast, from Joppa to Caesarea).  The news of this miracle spread far. What is the evidence of the miracle? Aeneas himself, look at verse 35 … Immediately Aeneas got up. 35All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
  • Can God still do miracles?
    • Yes! Who is it up to if a miracle is done? God’s sovereign will…. It is not up to us …all we can do is pray in faith asking God to heal and that He might be glorified in the healing.    If God does not respond with a miracle what then does that mean? Was my faith to weak, did I not say my prayer right… No. More likely God has another plan.
• Acts 9:36-38
• 36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity. 37 About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. 38 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.”
  • Joppa was a major port city of Judea. It is about 12 miles northwest from Lydda.
  • What was Tabitha / Dorcas known for?
    • Always doing good and helping the poor… We will see she was famous among the widows for making clothes. Tabitha is Aramaic, Dorcas is Greek. Both mean “gazelle.” In a culture where both languages were spoken it is not surprising she was known by both names. This may indicate she was respected by both the Hebraic and Grecian Jews.  
  • Do you ever wonder why someone who is doing good is taken from this life? 
  • Do we know what Tabitha dies from?
    • Just that she was sick.  How quickly is she prepared for burial? The very day of her death which was common for both the Jews and the Greeks at that time.
    • If burial was delayed it was customary to lay the body in the upper room.
  • After she died why do you think men were dispatched to get Peter?
    • A)   Was their hope that Peter would raise Dorcas?  
    • B)   Did they want Peter to pray and comfort those who loved her? 
    • C)   Did they think it was important for Peter to come and pay his respects?
• Acts 9:39
• 39 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.
  • What does Peter find when gets there?
    • Does this sound like a time of visitation and viewing of the body?
      • I imagine many there were people she had helped showing their lover and concern for her.
• Acts 9:40-43
• 40 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. 41 He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive. 42 This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with Simon, a leather tanner.
  • What is the first thing Peter does?
    • Gets them all out of the room. 
    • Where did Peter learn this?
      • From the example of Jesus. Peter was present at all three occasions recorded in the Bible when Jesus raised someone from the dead. In one story, in the raising of the Jarius’ daughter, Jesus had the crowd removed from the room first.
  • What does Peter do next?
    • See verse 40 … Peter gets on his knees and prays.
      • Why? Could it be Peter is asking what is the Lord’s will for Tabitha. Does the Lord want her brought back to life?
  • What is death for the Christian?
    • For the Christian, death is not an evil, but rather the way God calls us home.  Verse 36 tells us that she was a disciple, so it was not a case of an unbeliever being brought back from Hell so that she can have a second chance. No, if she was to be brought back, it had to be for another reason… what might that reason be? To glorify God and draw others to hear the gospel message. Tabitha responds as did Jairus’ daughter.
  • What great words does Peter use in this resurrection?
    • “Tabitha, get up.” Words of confidence and faith.  These words are one letter off from what Jesus said in raising Jarius daughter from the dead.  Where Jesus said “Talitha Koum” meaning little girl get up. Peter says “Tabitha koum” meaning “Gazelle get up.” This is the first recorded instance of anyone other than Jesus actually raising the dead. Now Jesus had given the power to raise the dead tom the 12 disciples back in Matthew 10:7-8 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
  • What impact does this miracle bring about?
    • 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. Many people come to Christ as a result.
  • What does Peter do after this, see verse 43?
    • 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.  Why do you think Luke puts this tidbit in here?  Peter being a good Jew would He usually stay with someone who is ceremonially unclean… you see a tanner deals wither hides of dead animals many of them unclean animals. Peter’s decision to stay with him shows already a willingness to reject Jewish prejudice and prepares the way for his coming vision in the next chapter and the mission to the Gentiles.
• TAKE AWAY
  • How should we treat the sick, diseased and hurting?
    • Pray for them and encourage them. Show them the love of Christ.
  • Haven’t we all experienced God’s healing spiritually or physically at some time in our life?
  • We do not have Peter here to resurrect the dead but what can we do to prepare others for the greater resurrection?
  • Peter was moved to help fill the needs of people which lead the greater need of seeing the gospel message spread to others