Acts 9:31-43 Questions
Good morning, everyone, and Happy Mother’s Day! It was interesting this week because I have been following a lectionary schedule for this Easter Season. I saw Acts 9:31-43 and decided to write on it. It includes the healing of Aeneas and raising Tabitha from the dead. While reading about the life of Tabitha I realized how this can be connected to Mother’s Day. She was like a mother in every sense of the word as we will see. Two weeks ago we studied about the change of the criminal crucified next to Jesus. Last week we studied about the change of a Saul (who remembers?), a persecutor of Christians, to Paul, a fellow Christian believer. Also, because he met the Risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. Today, we will study about the powerful ministry of Peter. He had betrayed Jesus three times, but after meeting the Risen Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he was reinstated as the spiritual leader of the early Christian movement. During his ministry, he not only preached the gospel to thousands of people, but he also ministered to people on a one-on-one basis. Especially, we want to think about the life of faith of a woman Tabitha. She experienced the resurrection power of Jesus that restored her to life. My title is:
Peter Restores the Life of a Disciple Named Tabitha
(Fourth Week of Easter Season and Mother’s Day Message)
Acts 9:31–43
Key Verse: 36:
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.”
Look at verse 31. “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” Last week, we learned before Saul’s conversion that he was like a spiritual terminator, trying with all his strength to kill and put as many Christians in jail as possible. But after meeting the Risen Jesus, he was turned literally from the dark side to the light of Jesus. He became a powerful defender of the gospel in Jerusalem and many other countries as a missionary. After this, the church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. They were encouraged and comforted by the Holy Spirit and increased in number. They also lived with the fear of the Lord. What does this mean? Did it mean that they feared if they didn’t have a certain number of Bible studies or Sunday attendees they would be punished by God? No. It meant that they were in awe in the powerful work of God that was going on around them. One example was the incredible change of Saul, a terrible and feared persecutor of the church, to be St. Paul, a powerful defender of the church. When believers heard this incredible story, they must have praised God because his salvation work is mighty and awesome. God blesses those who have the fear of God in their hearts. Proverbs 1:7 reads, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” When believers live with the fear of God and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit there is always the fruitful work of God. Acts 5:11 and 14 read, “11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events…14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” Because of the increase of Christians throughout the Roman Empire, Peter felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to go to other places.
Look at verses 32-33. “32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.” We see here how Peter and the other disciples were doing their best to obey Jesus’ world mission command. The Risen Jesus had told his disciples that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. We read in verse 31 how this was being fulfilled. Now, Peter was traveling wherever God was leading him to not only preach the gospel but heal the sick. God cares for both the spiritual and physical needs of his people. Today, we would call Peter an itinerant pastor, going from one place to minister and then to another. As you know, in the early pioneering work in America, people were scattered throughout the countryside. In order to preach the gospel to those scattered around in the country, Methodist preachers in the 18th century, known as circuit riders or saddlebag preachers, would ride their horses and minister wherever God sent them. [Pic 1] Today, we have the internet to share the gospel with anyone, almost anywhere in the world. Actually, most of my 1-to-1 Bible studies are on Zoom because one lives in Cincinnati and three live in Ukraine and 2 in Chicago. So, you can be a Bible teacher and not even have to leave your own home. But back in Peter’s time, the gospel was spread mostly by word of mouth. So, Peter went to visit the Lord’s people in Lydda. Where is Lydda? Lydda is 22 miles northwest of Jerusalem. There, God led him to a paralytic man named Aeneas.
Look at verses 34-35. “34 ‘Aeneas,’ Peter said to him, ‘Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.’ Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.” According to verse 33, Aeneas had become a paralytic eight years earlier. Maybe before paralysis, Aeneas was a strong man who could support a family, but for some unknown reason he became paralyzed. We don’t really know much about him, but that God led Peter to him. Now, Peter had become well-known because not only was he a powerful preacher, but God endowed him with the gift of healing. Many people brought their sick to him to be healed. They believed that even his shadow could heal the sick. Acts 5:15-16 reads, “As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” It’s amazing that with so much spiritual gifts from God, Peter could remain humble and be useful to God. If I thought my shadow could heal sick people, I would probably become very proud and think I’m someone special. But when Peter met Aeneas, he only wanted to glorify Jesus. Peter said, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Peter did not take any credit for any healing. He didn’t ask for any money in return. He only wanted to glorify his Lord and Savior Jesus. This is why some scholars even think that Aeneas may not have been a believer before conversion. But by God’s sovereignty he led his servant Peter to him. In Acts 3, Peter had healed a crippled beggar saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” After he was healed, he began to jump around and praise God. Peter’s healing ministry was not about him, but glorifying the name of Jesus. After saying the name of Jesus and experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit, Aeneas got up and rolled up his mat. His body was restored and he could not only walk but work hard again. It is very interesting in this healing how Peter imitated Jesus’ healing of a paralytic. After healing a man from paralysis, Jesus had also commanded him to pick up his mat and walk. Peter was attributing his healing ministry to what he saw his Master Jesus did. It’s like a boxing champion who gives credit to his victories to his coach who taught him how to fight and win. In verse 35, we see the result of this paralyzed man’s healing. “All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.” This seems just as amazing or even more because of one man’s healing so many came to faith in Jesus. It was like the spark of a spiritual revival in the regions of Lydda and Sharon. Now we can understand one of the reasons why God sent Peter to heal this man Aeneas. It was not only to bless him, but bless many people who heard his story. Sometimes, we may think serving one helpless person seems to take a lot of effort and resources. But to God healing one helpless person can produce a spiritual harvest. Once, Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who was harmful to his community. Everyone was avoiding him as much as possible. But Jesus healed him and he became a fruitful gospel worker. Luke 8:38-39 reads, “The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 ‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you.’ So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.” After the healing of Aeneas, Peter stayed to take care of the growing ministry in Lydda. In the meantime, God was preparing for his next visit. As God’s servants, we should also be ready to follow God’s leading for us.
Look at verses 36-37. “36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.” Now, Joppa was a city on the Mediterranean Sea and the nearest port to Jerusalem. [Pic 2] And there was a disciple named Tabitha there, whose name in Greek was Dorcas. It was good she went by the name of Tabitha also. Just imagine being called by your family or friends, “Hey, Dorc, come over here.” Also, she is the only woman in the Bible directly called a disciple. So, she was a woman of faith and believer in Jesus. Who here at WestLoop Church among sisters-in-Christ would like to be known as a disciple of Jesus? By the way, her name in Greek, Dorcas, meant gazelle. Perhaps, she was a tall, lean, active, and graceful woman of God. She was indeed a graceful woman for she was always doing good and helping the poor. We like to do good from time to time, but Tabitha was always doing good. It was just part of her life and character. It doesn’t say she was married, so perhaps up to then she had dedicated her life to serve God’s good purpose for her. Her ministry was helping the poor and needy. Maybe she was like the spiritual Mother Theresa or Florence Nightingale of her time. She was not living to please herself, but help others in need. She could be useful to God because she was simple and had a clear focus. She probably kept a daily and hourly schedule of who she was planning to help or visit. She probably worked on her budget so that she would have enough to survive on, and the rest of her money she could help the poor in the community. She was an example of someone who lived according to Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Sometimes, we have a misconception of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Because of church influence we may picture a disciple as one who is always carrying his Bible around and preaching to everyone they meet. But in Tabitha, we see that a disciple of Jesus is one who practices what he or she preaches. It is one who shows the love and grace of Jesus in their actions and words. Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” As disciples of Jesus, we must really take to heart the adage, “Actions, speak louder than words.” Everyone recognized Tabitha as a disciple of Jesus because they saw her doing many good things for the poor and needy. They must have praised God for this one precious woman of faith. However, one day something tragic happened—she got sick and died. It was really unexpected and many people who knew her mourned over this terrible loss. As part of their burial ritual her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. It was placed there a little while so people who loved her could pay their last respects. The next step in the burial ritual was to cover and pack her body with spices and incense in order to cover up the smell of the decaying body. But those arranging her funeral service did not continue in the burial ritual because they thought of one more chance. In the next few verses, we find out what their reason was to wait.
Look at verses 38-39. “38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, ‘Please come at once!’ 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.” Lydda was in the middle between Joppa and Jerusalem. [Pic 3] So, it was not too far from where Peter was. Immediately, the disciples sent two men to find him and bring him to Joppa. When they found him, they urged him saying, “Please come at once!” Peter could have excused himself that it was already too late, Tabitha was dead. He could have used the phrase that Jesus once said out of context, “Let the dead bury their dead. I need to help these growing disciples here in Lydda.” But he didn’t hesitate at all because he was ready to go wherever God led. Peter had the attitude of a doctor, who is always on call. When he arrived, he immediately went upstairs to the room. There he found many widows who stood around her body, crying and showing him the robes and clothing that Tabitha had made for them. Maybe she did a special embroidery for each widow’s robe. “To grandma Tamar” or “To grandma Abigail, with love Tabitha.” From them we learn how much Tabitha served and even used her sewing skills to help needy widows. As you might know, our ministry has donated money to help victims of natural disasters through the Christian organization Samaritan Purse. But they don’t only use money to buy food and medicine for the needy, but they have believers who also do construction. They use their skills as carpenters and electricians to build churches, hospitals, and homes for the homeless. [Pic 4] So, God’s people can help the poor and needy in many practical ways. This is the kind of life Tabitha had lived until it was cut short due to a fatal sickness. It was too sorrowful for the widows that this godly woman had died so early in life. Though it was understandable for their mourning, at the same time it was not conducive in preparing to raise her from the dead. So, Peter asked them to leave the room.
Look at verses 40-41. “40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.” The first thing Peter did after sending the widows out was to get on his knees and prayed. Why? Because he knew that raising someone from the dead was beyond his power or ability. There was no way and no how he was going to get her to sit up. This was the first time he was ever asked to raise someone from the dead. So, he prayed and prayed. Here, we see how much Peter relied on prayer to do God’s ministry. This was a far different Peter who was sleeping while Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Even though Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to pray with him they only fell asleep. They were not aware of the great spiritual battle that Jesus was going through. But now Peter knew that he was fighting against he power of death. At the same time, he was not hesitant or afraid because he remembered how his Master, Jesus, had also raised a girl from the dead. This may have also been one of the reasons Peter asked everyone to leave the room. Mark 5:38-42, “When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.’ 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.” This story must have come into his heart and mind while he was praying because after prayer, he said to Tabitha as Jesus had to the dead girl, “Tabitha, get up.” He also took her by the hand and helped her up. This was incredible because Tabitha had already been verified and certified as dead. At Peter’s words she stood up as healthy and normal as before she had gotten sick. What do you think she did after given life again? She went back doing what she did before—helping the poor and needy. And making robes and clothes for the widows and others who needed it. She could do so because she loved Jesus and she had a mother’s heart to help others. If Peter had tried to raise her by his own strength nothing would have happened. But since Peter relied on God’s power a miracle happened and the news of Tabitha being raised from the dead spread like wildfire.
Look at verse 42. “42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.” Here, we find the real reason why God used Peter to raise Tabitha from the dead; it was to confirm to the world that the gospel of Jesus Christ was true. God also used it to authenticate Peter’s apostleship. As Jesus’ successor to the earthly ministry, God showed that he was using him mightily to spread the gospel. After this miracle, many people all over Joppa became believers and followers of Jesus. Because Peter made himself always available to God’s leading, his life and ministry became fruitful and productive. I’m sure Peter was not thinking about how the church of Christ was going to grow in number after healing Aeneas or raising Tabitha from the dead. He only focused on helping the needy person God had put in front of him. That is why we cannot make God’s work grow by our own efforts, but if we allow God to work in and through us, he will make our work fruitful, like the branches of a vine. When Jesus in John 4 was talking to the Samaritan woman who had a severe husband problem, he only focused on helping her. She wanted her to know he was her true husband and in him she could be truly joyful and satisfied in her soul. But by helping this one sin-sick woman to be healed, many from a hometown came to faith. John 4:39-42, “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.42 They said to the woman, ’We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.’” Again, because of the growing work in Joppa, Peter decided to stay longer and help out.
Look at verse 43. “43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.” It seemed like a simple conclusion to a wonderful story, but this one verse is also a story on its own. Why? It was because Peter stayed with Simon whose trade was tanning leather. This meant that he had to deal with dead animals, which was considered unclean in the Jewish culture. People avoided him like he was leper. If fact, because of the unclean manner of his job and the stench that was produced, a tanner had to live a certain distance apart from other homes. But among all the people in Joppa, Peter decided to stay with him for some time. Probably Peter was praying for him and helping him to live as a disciple of Jesus. Peter had really grown up to be a mature man of God and true disciple of Jesus, overcoming his Jewish legalistic mentality.
In conclusion, we see how God worked powerfully in Peter’s ministry healing Aeneas from paralysis and raising Tabitha from the dead. We also learned how he had imitated the life and ministry of Jesus in serving others. May God help us to serve others as Peter and Tabitha did. As it is Mother’s Day, we could see in Tabitha a mother’s heart to show compassion and help others. From Peter and Tabitha, I learned that a disciple of Jesus must live like a doctor on call always. Of course, I’ve never studied medicine, but I know that interns must be ready, 24-hours a day, to be on-call and ready to go and help whenever needed. Though it is difficult, I pray by God’s help to be always ready to help others when needed. Just like any ordinary person I want my personal time, relax, and take vacations from time to time. These desires are not sinful and we need to do them from time to time for our mental, emotional, and physical health. But I pray to have the attitude of Peter and Tabitha to be on spiritual-call to help those God leads me to. I praise God for many spiritual women of God at this Mother’s Day, who have sacrificed much to serve others. I cannot name everyone, but because I’m married to her, I can mention a little bit about Maria. So, if I didn’t mention you don’t be emotional because I know God blessed our ministry with many wonderful mothers of faith. As a nurse, she was trained to be on-call and help the sick in emergencies. This training translated to her ministry before God. Personally, I have seen that she is on-call 24 hours a day to help those in need. Of course, she is only human and needs time to rest, recover, and personal time. [Pic 5] But in my opinion, she has the attitude of Tabitha, always doing good and helping the needy. May God help each of us, as disciples of Jesus, have the attitude of Peter and Tabitha to be ready to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and help those whom God has put before us. Amen.
Acts 9 31-43 Presentation
Since it’s Mother’s Day I wanted to have a short quiz about women of faith in the Bible [Pic6]:
Which women in the Bible did these things? Some are easy but a few may be difficult.
1.Who helped Apollos become a more powerful gospel preacher?
Priscilla
2.Who risked her life to ask the king to save her people from destruction?
Esther
3.Who was the first convert of Paul in Philippi?
Lydia
4.Who lived near the walls of Jericho and helped Israel win a war?
Rahab
5.Who put a peg through the enemy general Sisera of Israel?
Jael (Jdg. 4)
6.Who was the prophetess who led Israel into battle?
Deborah (Jdg. 4)
7.Whose mother, though not named, was like a mother to St. Paul?
Rufus’ mother (Ro. 16)
8.Which two sisters wanted Jesus to come earlier to their house?
Martha and Mary
9.Who were two believers in the church who sometimes had strong disagreements in the church?
Euodia and Syntyche
10.Who was the mother of Timothy?
Eunice
Let’s pray: Dear heavenly Father, thank you for using Peter powerfully as a gospel messenger and healer as well. Thank you especially for the life of Tabitha who always did good and helped the poor. Thank you for raising godly young women and mothers in our ministry. Continue to bless them and give them good health so that they may continue to serve the ministry that you have put them in. Please bless the upcoming events like the prayer life event this week, and summer Bible conferences in June in Podil, Ukraine and Mid-Valley conference. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Bible Study Questions:
Peter Restores the Life a Disciple Named Tabitha
Acts 9:31–43
Key Verse: 36:
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.
1. Read at Ac. 9:31. What had happened to the church that gave them a time of peace and fruitful work? Read Ac. 9:32-33. In John 21, how did Jesus reinstate Peter after betraying him 3 times? How had Peter actively served God? (Ac. 2:38-41; Ac. 9:31) Does God use available people or able people or both? Where is Lydda? Who was there?
2. Read at Ac. 9:34-35. What do we learn about Aeneas? How did Peter heal him? Who did Peter give all the credit and glory to? What do we learn about Peter who served personal ministry? What was the effect of his personal ministry? Remember what happened after healing in Lk. 8:38-39.
3. Read at Ac. 9:36-37. Where is Joppa located? Who was there? Why is it significant in this passage that Tabitha is the only woman called a disciple in the Bible? What does her name mean? What were some of the charitable works did she do? Why was her body washed and placed in the upstairs room?
4. Read at Ac. 9:38-39. What did other disciples do when they heard that Peter was in Lydda? Did they believe Peter could raise her from the dead? How did Peter react when he was told about this sad news? What did the widows say and show Peter when he arrived at the home where Tabitha was placed?
5. Read at Ac. 9:40-41. Why did Peter send everyone out? Do you think he was following the example of Jesus in Mt. 9:23-26 and Mk. 5:38-42? After sending them out what did Peter do next? (2 Cor. 12:10) What happened after Peter called out her name? How did Peter encourage the believers and widows?
6. Read at Ac. 9:42-43. After helping one person, what was the powerful effect? How can helping one person promulgate the gospel? (Jn. 4:39-42) What do we learn here about the important roles women have in God’s ministry? (Ac. 16:14-15; Ac. 18:24-28; Ro. 16:13) What is the spiritual significance that Peter stayed in Joppa some time with a tanner named Simon?
Aeneas and Dorcas
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
