FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF VILLA RICA, PCA

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TWO NOTABLE MIRACLES

4/27/03 Villa Rica

Acts 9: 31-43

Most television and movie dramas are written and presented in scenario style. By that I mean that the story is developed and moves along by switching from one person or event to another. As the scenes are joined together a blending effect and story movement is achieved. Yet characters and places introduced into the script may not at first seem to be related. It is only as they are seen in the context of the rest of the scenes that they are properly understood and add meaning to the overall impact of the story plot.

In this respect writers are borrowing from the way that God presents history to us in the book of Acts and other historical books of the Bible. The book of Acts does not stay with the same persons and places but introduces new persons and places as time goes by.

The book of Acts unfolds the story of the early Church, beginning with the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his resurrection ministry of 40 days, then speaking of his final words of instruction to his apostles. He then ascended bodily and visibly into heaven and the church was launched on its mission of being his witnesses, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

We have moved along from that point in time to this 9th chapter of the book of Acts and we have seen how the event of Pentecost empowered the apostles for a great awakening there in Jerusalem. Following Peter's sermon that explained the meaning of Christ's death and resurrection and the fulfillment of scripture with the language unification that occurred at Pentecost, there were 3,000 souls added to the church. This began a mighty movement of God at Jerusalem, which brought the angry reaction of the Jewish leadership. Persecution began against the apostles culminating in the martyrdom of Stephen and the scattering of the disciples. Then we are given an intimate glimpse of the conversion of Saul -- a most spectacular event in the life of the church matching any miracle of the early church.

The conversion of Saul to become the apostle Paul launched the church on its worldwide missionary enterprise. He is the apostle that especially took the gospel to the Gentiles; yet not working apart from the other apostles. All the scenes fit together and without the work of the other apostles Paul could not have done his work.

Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, now returns to one of the most prominent apostles -- Peter. Peter has not been idle since our last mention of him at Samaria. He has been very busy following the leading of the Lord. We are now told that he is going about. He had just lately come from Samaria and is now at Lydda in Judea to visit some of the Christians of that city.

Peter's ministry has already been marked by significant miracles. In our scripture today we are told of two additional notable miracles that occurred and how these miracles effected the multiplication of the church, adding fresh impetus to the Christian movement.

I.    The Healing Of Aeneas

A. We are not told much about Aeneas, only that he had been bedridden for eight years due to some illness or disease that had paralyzed him. We are not told how it came to Peter's attention that he was in this condition. All we are told is that he found him at Lydda.

Nor are we told what caused Peter to speak the word of healing to this man Aeneas. We can say that God leads his servants by his providence. Our Confession of Faith states that God, the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose and govern all creatures, actions and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.  (COF 24:1)

So we can say that in the providence of God Peter was at Lydda and the Lord prompted him to visit this man's bedside and speak the Word of the Lord to him. We are not told whether the man asked for Peter to come or whether he was asked to go there by some member of his family or by one of this man's friends. Nothing. All we know is that the power of Christ came by Peter's words to heal him. He said to him, ANEAS, JESUS CHRIST HEALS YOU; ARISE, AND MAKE YOUR BED. And immediately it says, the man who had been unable to get up off that bed without others lifting him stands up and shows that he is healed.

          He adds the words make your bed. I remember visiting the hospital room of Bob Meeks shortly after he had replacement knee surgery. When Judy and I walked into the room Bob was making his bed. I thought at the time that he shouldn't have been on his feet trying to make up his bed, certainly not so soon after surgery. But knowing Bob I knew that this was his way of expressing his desire to be back on his feet.

          Making your bed is about the first thing Judy and I do when we get up in the morning. When you can't make your bed you are either unable to do it or lazy. When I was in the service in World War II and taking basic training the first thing they want you to do in the morning is make your bed. I well remember inspections when the inspecting officer would come in and flip a coin on your bed to see if it would bounce. If it didn't bounce off the blanket you hadn't properly made your bed and you would have some extra duty assigned to you to help you remember to do better next time.

          Peter told the paralyzed man to make his bed after he got up. This would be a sign that he was now ready for active living and doing. He had been bedridden for eight long years and now he was able to get up and resume a normal life. What a blessing! If you can get up every day and make your bed you ought to praise the Lord.

B. The upshot of that miraculous healing was that all who lived at Lydda and the region of Sharon who saw this man back in health and strength were converted to Jesus Christ.       Perhaps it was easier for people to be converted by miracles in that day and time.  Today when people are miraculously healed it is very easy to attribute it to medical science and skillful doctors and nurses who have studied hard and practiced well or to modern medical techniques. We pray for sick folks and they get well, but it doesn't necessarily follow that those who hear about miraculous healings get saved. People give the glory to other factors, other persons than Jesus Christ. It is quite common to hear of people getting healed of crippling diseases and terminal illnesses, but perhaps hearts are not as tender and open now as in the first century. There were very few physicians then and they had none of our modern day techniques and equipment to help the sick. So in the days of the apostles God got the glory when someone was miraculously healed.

           The word of Peter's presence and ministry at Lydda   spread over to Joppa on the seacoast, not too many miles distant. This is the same seaport where Jonah went to take shipping to flee from the presence of the Lord when God directed him to Nineveh to preach his Word. Over there were some believers too. One of them had just died and they sent for Peter. The deceased woman's name was Tabitha or Dorcas in Greek.

II. The Raising Of Tabitha

A. This woman was greatly loved. She was known for her works of kindness and charity. She was a woman who stayed busy doing deeds of mercy. She made clothes for people and gave them to them. She gave of herself in a very simple yet meaningful way. She was generous with her time and talent. It is easy to love someone who goes through life always doing good things for others. We have them in this congregation. Whenever there is a need they are there with a helping hand. People appreciate the selfless acts of kindness they do, most of the time without being asked to do them. When there is an illness or a death, they are there with food and comfort. They are on the lookout for things to do that will show kindness. They are all about us. And when they die there is a great mourning over them. They are sorely missed.

          I had a funeral six months ago in November 2002 for an elect lady named Savilla Ellis. Savilla was very good with needlework. She could make quilts, sweaters, garments of various kinds and Afghans. We have two Afghans she made for us: one for Judy and one for me. We use them every night on our bed during cold weather. During the funeral I referred to this scripture about Tabitha and I showed the congregation one of our Afghans as an evidence of her labor of love. Most of the people at the funeral had received something similar at one time or another. Her daughter Carolyn told me afterward that her mother would have been so pleased to have her work remembered in that way.

B.  Tabitha's mourning friends sent for Peter. Peter is not some busy minister who can't be contacted. He is available to minister. He didn't know Tabitha but he is such a man of God that they feel free to get in touch with him and ask him to come. Love for Tabitha was so great that there must have been hope that she could be healed or restored or that they could at least find some comfort in Peter's coming.

 Tabitha was dead but her faith and works were yet speaking from her deathbed. They may not know what Peter will do but they somehow feel that he will be a help to the situation. And his help would be God's help. He is the apostle of the Lord. He does what the Lord bids him to do.

When he comes they show him with tears her clothes that she made. They wanted him to know what sort of woman she was.  Peter sends them all out of the room. He feels the need to seek the Lord in private. Death is the final enemy. Yet for the believer it is but the gateway to heaven. What should he do? What thoughts must have run though Peter's mind? The widows who are weeping would no doubt like for Tabitha to be back among the living to continue her ministry. Her work was a blessing to them. Yet to die and go to be with the Lord is great gain. He seeks the mind of the Lord.

I remember when my mother died in Atlanta in May of 1973. I went to the hospital where she had been taken. Her body was still in the ambulance where they had transported her. She had been pronounced dead. I went inside and looked upon my dead mother and I felt a peace. I knew that she had come to know the Lord. I cried later but at that moment I felt peace. Since then I have thought to myself, should I have prayed for her to return to life? I don't have the anointing of an apostle. But still, I might have prayed for her to revive. I didn't do that. I have comforted myself by remembering that I had felt a peace in my heart that she was in good hands. But I would have liked to have seen her return to life and at least spend a few more years with my sisters and me.  I had gone by her home that very same day and had missed her. She was out on an errand and I couldn't wait for her to return. I had a meeting to attend that day. I had come with an elder from Savannah to attend the convocation of sessions in Atlanta at Westminster Presbyterian Church. This was when we decided to move ahead with forming a new denomination. She belonged to the old PCUS and as she died we formed a new church now known as the Presbyterian Church in America, which at first was simply called the Continuing Presbyterian Church.

Peter is on his knees praying. His mind and heart are focused on the Lord. When he is through praying he turns to her body and speaks to her, "TABITHA, ARISE." And she opened her eyes and sat up. Peter gives her his hand and she gets up off the bed, and he calls all the saints, all her friends in the other room, and he presents her alive.

C. Can you imagine their amazement and joy? They may have hoped for a miracle but to see a miracle is something else again. They knew she was cold and dead, and now she is alive again.

Again, it is the power of Jesus Christ that has done this. Peter makes sure they all know that. And the scripture says IT BECAME KNOWN ALL OVER JOPPA, AND MANY RELIEVED IN THE LORD.

 The blessing that flowed out of the miracle was salvation to others. Shouldn't that be the benefit of God's miracles? We are glad Tabitha was given extended life in this world, but what is far more important is that souls came to know the Savior and Lord through this miracle. Souls are in heaven now that came to Christ after Tabitha was raised back to life through the mighty power of that Name. Everyone who was alive at that time are now gone. They did not remain but a few more years. But the miracle still has validity and meaning for you and me today.

Men may still be saved today. They really don't need anymore than those people in the region of Joppa needed -- knowledge of the miracle. They believed the report that was given of her restoration to life and that caused them to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. That is just as possible today. By believing the scripture that we have read and preached on today you can be saved. These two miracles happened almost two thousand years ago but you and I can believe in them today from the Word of the Lord. You can turn to Jesus Christ and ask him to be your Savior and Lord right now, just as those who heard of these miracles believed and turned to Jesus Christ for their salvation. They were saved and they are now with the Lord. You can do what they did! You can be saved by believing just as they did. What would keep you from believing on the Lord Jesus Christ right now? Begin today a life of faith in the risen Savior. Doing that not only assures you of heaven when you die but it opens for you the opportunity to serve him with your time and talents and lay up treasures in heaven. Come to Jesus Christ today! Let these notable miracles done in Lydda and Joppa convince you that Jesus Christ is risen and has power to save you just as he saved those who believed and were saved in Lydda and Joppa long ago.