When the Rock Rolled: Reaching Different People

June 14, 2014

When the Rock Rolled

Reaching Different People

Acts 9:32-43

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Introduction

Medical mistakes are made from time to time.

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These few examples teach us something important.

• Dr. and nurses are humans too.

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• They are not ‘gods’...they are not infallible.

In Peter’s day things were different though.

• As long as he was around everyone was healed, and there were no mistakes.
• Acts 4 - a man cripples from birth was healed.
• Acts 5 - the sick are brought to the street so that the shadow of Peter would heal them.
• Acts 9 - Peter heals one and raises another from the dead...not a bad days work!

What is the result of these two miraculous acts?

35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

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Text

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. Acts 9:32-35

The Apostle Peter had been engaged in an itinerant ministry.

• In this text we find him visiting the saints in Lydda.
• This is a largely Gentile city about twenty-five miles from Jerusalem.

In a little bit we will find him in Joppa.

• It is located on the seacoast, some ten miles beyond Lydda.
• This city is important in Bible history as the place from which the Prophet Jonah embarked when he tried to flee from God.
• Jonah went to Joppa to avoid going to the Gentiles, but Peter in Joppa received his call to go to the Gentiles!
• Because Jonah disobeyed God, the Lord sent a storm that caused the Gentile sailors to fear.
• Because Peter obeyed the Lord, God sent the “wind of the Spirit” to the Gentiles and they experienced great joy and peace.

What a contrast!

Lesson

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God cares for all people!

• In this lesson we find particularly how He cares for a few different groups of people.
• You may feel like one of these two individuals.

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I have nothing to contribute - Aeneas the paralytic

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• The first person we meet in the text today was Aeneas the paralytic.
• We don’t know how old he was or even how he became paralyzed.
• We do know that he had been paralyzed for 8 years...can you imagine?
• No one likes to be like Aeneas.
• We don’t like being inconvenienced for eight minutes much less 8 years.

He had nothing to contribute...no way to help!

• No way to help friends, if there were any.
• No way to help family, if there were still around.
• But God cared for him!

What I want you to see in this is that by today’s standard Aeneas was a ‘nobody.’

• In the eyes of our society he didn’t measure up.
• However, in the eyes of God there was value...He had made him!
• Maybe you feel like Aeneas...like an outcast or even worthless.
• You matter to God, He cares for you, He made you and will never forget you!
• How do we know? - John 3:16

The amazing part of this account is the result of this healing:

35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

• What happened here...because of Aeneas hundreds if not thousands came to know the Lord.

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I have a lot to give - Tabitha the helper

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• The next person that we meet is the exact opposite of the first.
• While she may not have know it or not she had made a significant contribution to society.
• She was a helper...but how?
• She made robes and clothes for those in need...poor people and widows!
• She loved doing good and helping others!

When she became sick and died she was missed.

• Some had heard about Peter and believed that he could raise her from the dead...why?
• This was a huge ‘act of faith’ on their part.
• Up to this point no Apostle had never raised someone from the dead!
• There had been a lot of healing but no resurrections...yet!

Peter saw the sadness of the widows and others who were sad.

• We so desperately want to keep those we love around.

• Peter got down on his knees, prayed...and then said, “Tabitha, get up.”
• And just like the paralytic she got up.
• Imagine the joy and the celebration of everyone there!

Just as we saw in the first healing something amazing happens following this raising from the dead.

42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

• Just like Aeneas, Tabitha, through God’s work in her, also led many people to faith in Jesus.

These two individuals were so different yet they had the same result.

• God cares for those who do contribute and those who can’t.
• Do not ever underestimate how God can use you and what can be accomplished because of you.

Conclusion

In each of these instances none of the parties knew what God was going to do.

• However, in time they found out what God was up to.
• This is how we can apply this lesson to us this morning.

We may not know how God is going to use us:

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• We may feel like we have nothing to offer others.
• We may feel like we have too much and poured ourselves into everyone.

We may not know the future, but we know who holds the future.

• We might not be able to see how it is that God is going to use us, but He knows.
• God will use each of us with whatever we have to give.
• He can use us to make a contribution to those around us.
• There is a place for everyone in the kingdom of God.

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• Sometimes those who think they’re nothing bring many to the Lord.
• Sometimes those who don’t know the impact they have reach the masses too.

Don’t be discouraged!

• When we live in submission to Him, His will will be made known!
• Start with faith...believe that God will use you!