Bible Study: Acts Chapter 9:32-10:48

Christianity is Extended to Gentiles

Introduction:

An obedient servant of the Lord, Peter, traveled throughout Judea and Samaria preaching the gospel. His responsibility included overseeing the new churches that sprang up in these regions. With a watchful eye, Peter made certain the Truth of Jesus Christ was being presented to all believers. Although Peter traveled frequently to preach the gospel and heal the sick, his home remained in Jerusalem.

Core of the Lesson:

On one his journeys to Lydda, Peter met a paraplegic man named Eneas who had been bedridden for eight years. Without hesitation, Peter addressed Eneas with the healing power of Jesus and said, “Eneas, Jesus heals you. Arise and make your bed” (9:34 NKJV). Within Peter’s statement, we find two important lessons on healing and faith.

“Jesus heals you.” Upfront and foremost, Peter identifies the Person who deserves all the praise, honor, and glory. True disciples always will. Divine healing comes from the Lord. It cannot be learned. It is provided through the work of the Holy Spirit and by the obedience of the disciple. Peter used present tense. Jesus heals you now at this moment – not tomorrow, next week, or in the eternal kingdom. The miracles, signs, and wonders of the early church accomplished two functions: (1) the obvious benefit of the one being healed, (2) the proof of the presence of the Lord and the truth of His gospel that others will seek and receive salvation through Jesus Christ.
“Arise and make your bed.” As with all blessings, part of the responsibility rested on Eneas. He had to act on faith and obey the command. He could have said, “Man, are you blind? I’m a paraplegic, you know. I can’t get up and make my bed. So, go away and let me alone.” Had Eneas done that, he would have missed out and caused many others to miss the opportunity to come to Christ. It is true that Christ has done it all for us, but He has left the decision to obey to us.

Verses 36-43 of chapter nine record another miracle performed by Peter to confirm the gospel. (Tabitha is the Hebrew form of the Greek name Dorcas. I will use Tabitha for clarity.) Tabitha lived in the city of Joppa. She was a generous person. She thought of ways to meet the needs of others and carried them out. After she died, her friends praised her and lamented for her. They knew Peter was in the nearby town of Lydda and sent for him in hopes that he could bring her back to life. When Peter arrived he ordered everyone to leave the room.

Prevention of vainglory. Many people came to mourn Tabitha’s death, but also, to see the miracle. Peter didn’t come to put on a show. He had no desire to receive any glory for the miracle, nor did he want to take the chance of pride becoming imbedded into his soul.
Peter needed to concentrate totally on Christ without distraction. Peter knew what the people desired of him, but he needed to know the will of God. Before raising Lazarus, Jesus prayed openly with the authority of the Son of God. In contrast, Peter prayed privately kneeling in submission as an obedient servant. To avoid doubt, he turned from the body. When praying it benefits us to turn our attention from the obstacle to the promise.
Understanding the will of God, Peter turned to Tabitha and spoke the Word. Only the power of the Living God, who is Life, can breathe life into death. As Tabitha opened her eyes in response to the Word, the spiritually dead should open the eyes of their minds in response to the good news of Jesus Christ. Again, the miracle served as a marvel and a sign. Many who heard came to Christ.

Residing at Simon the tanner’s house near the seaside, Peter remained in Joppa for some time. While there, he envisioned a sheet full of animals descending from heaven. The Lord said, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” The Lord said, “What God has cleansed you must not call common” (10:13-15 NKJV). Peter continued in prayer and meditated about the meaning of the vision when he heard two men enquire about him. The men were sent to find Peter by Cornelius, a Roman Centurion of high esteem among both Jews and Gentiles.

Although a Gentile, Cornelius was not a pagan. He believed in the one true God of Israel. Cornelius worshipped God, followed the Jewish traditions according to his understanding, and generously gave his alms (giving to the poor above the required tithe). He prayed continually and set the ninth hour (3 p.m.) aside to pray as was the custom of the Jews at that time.

When given with sincerity of heart for the benefit of others, alms and prayers are intertwined, accepted by God, and serve as a memorial before Him.

God was pleased with Cornelius’ efforts to do good, but Cornelius lack one thing – the knowledge of salvation. God will not let anyone out who truly seeks Him. So, He sent an angel to Cornelius to advise him to send for Peter. When Peter arrived, Cornelius had gathered his entire household to hear him. Cornelius was not only concerned about pleasing the Lord, he wanted everyone in his family and employment to come to know the Living God. Because of Cornelius’ obedience, they believed the report of Jesus Christ and were baptized in His name.

Conclusion and Challenge

The amazing thread of the love of God is event in this study. When we are in need, God sends His servants to minister to us. In turn, we must be prepared to go when the Lord commissions us to minister to others. If we submit to the Holy Spirit, nothing is impossible

Prayer Requests:

Tammy, Melinda & Barry and family, Jenn, Jordan, Joey, Phyllis and husband, Barb, Aaron, J.J., Joyce, Donna, Jackie, Nora, Karen and Raph, Anna, Trinity, Roger, Ayden, Nick, Anita, Darlene, Cassi, our Monday Bible Study, special unspoken needs, and remember me, Brenda Hendricks.

Next Weeks Study:

Read Acts 11. On January 9, 2006, we will continue our study of the early church.

Invitation:

You maybe a good person, full of good works, but if you don’t call Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God you Savior, you have more that you need to do. Like Cornelius, good works cannot earn you a place in heaven. But, God is pleased with your effort and wants you to know the Truth of Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God. He died on the cross for your sins. He rose from the dead to bring you salvation and reconciliation with God. Like Eneas, you have to take the responsibility to obey the Word of God. Believe, repent, and be baptized in Jesus’ name.

If you are a Christian like Tabitha, do good works with notable generosity. God will notice and bless you abundantly.

If you’d like to participate in our Monday Bible Study, please contact us with your comments, questions, and prayer requests or at twosmallfish@twosmallfish.org.

A special reminder: to find out what other readers have to say check out the comment page.

Trinity has been on our prayer list for a while. She’s a beautiful three-year with A-plastic Anemia. If you’d like more information about her, you can visit her at www.trinityewert.faithweb.com

May God grant you safety, reassurance of His love, and the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Brenda Hendricks.

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