Acts. Acts 9:32-43 Pastoral Healing?

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1 Acts Acts 9:32-43 Pastoral Healing? T here is much suffering in the world today. There are many people in pain. They suffer from physical disease, everything from asthma and allergies, all the way to life threatening illnesses such as AIDS and MS. Disease is a major problem of life, one which can effect anyone regardless of their race, age, social position or material prosperity. It affects all, Christian and non-christian alike. But the presence of illness in this world brings up an added difficulty within the Christian community. The problem is that some Christians believe in healing and others do not. Some teach that when Christ died He provided healing for any and all disease. Others believe that God allows us to suffer from illness and doesn't intend us to be healed. Finally, there is the middle ground which holds that God can and does heal--when He desires to--leaving us suffering from disease when He knows that we will benefit spiritually in the midst of that affliction. There is a substantial amount of disagreement over the whole issue of God's healing of individuals. Did God heal? If God did, does He still do so? Did Messiah's death and resurrection on the cross provide healing for all individuals? How should we pray when confronted with illness? 1 The question then is should we expect God to heal? While much of the sign gift activity in Acts should not be considered normative by any stretch of the imagination, that doesn t mean God doesn t sill act miraculously today. To the Jew First (Judea and Samaria) C. The Church Scattered by Persecution 8:1-12:24 3. Peter s Ministry in Lydda and Joppa 9:32-43 a. In Lydda Verses b. In Joppa Verses Introduction: The story of Acts is the story of movement. As I ve already noted, much of it isn t normative, but is the account of the birth of the church and its toddler status. A significant amount of the balance of the New Testament is instructions to move the toddler into adolescence, and adulthood. Ostensibly, by our volume we are adults. But the primary concerns have not changed, loving God, loving others, and making disciples. We are disciples and should be reproducing ourselves. Peter, Paul and others down through history are our examples. And so Luke lifts the curtain on a new series of scenes. We rejoin Peter as he moves from Jerusalem to the north west to Lydda and Joppa. Again, we have no sense of chronology here. It does seem since based on the previous verse 1 Kragen, Geoffrey, Does God Still Heal?, /heal.htm.

2 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied (Acts 9:31). that things must have been quiet in Jerusalem so Peter s traveling was not persecution driven, but Holy Spirit driven. First, let s take a few moments to talk about these areas before moving into the text proper. LYDDA (Lˆïd daå) Place-name of uncertain meaning. The OT Lod (1 Chron. 8:12), Lydda was a Benjaminite town near the Plain of Sharon. It was located at the intersection of the caravan routes from Egypt to Babylon and the road from Joppa to Jerusalem. According to Ezra 2:33 it was resettled after the exile (Neh. 7:37; 11:35). Later, it became a district capital of Samaria. The church spread to Lydda early (Acts 9:32) as the result of Peter s ministry. Christianity became a strong influence in Lydda by the second century. 2 SHARON, PLAIN OF (Sha r oån) Geographical name meaning flat land or wetlands. 1. Coastal plain which runs from near modern Tel Aviv to just south of Mount Carmel (about 50 miles). The area had abundant marshes, forests, and sand dunes, but few settlements during biblical days. Because of its fertility and low risk of flooding, the plain was used more by migrant herdsmen than settled farmers. Isaiah 35:2 parallels Sharon with Lebanon, which was known for its trees. Isaiah 65:10 speaks of the area as an excellent pasture for flocks, symbolic of the peace that God would one day grant to His people. 3 JOPPA (Jo p paå) Place-name meaning beautiful. Situated on the Mediterranean coast, Joppa is located some 35 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Excavations have revealed that the city dates back at least to 1650 B.C. Originally Joppa was situated on a rocky hill just over 100 feet high, a hill that was just slightly beyond the coastline, forming a small cape. To the north stretches the Plain of Sharon, to the south the Plain of Philistia. The OT name for Joppa was Japho (or Jaffe or Yafo), the name the Israeli nation has chosen as the modern designation for the city. The Phoenician form of the term comes from the name Jafe, the daughter of Aeolus, god of the winds. Joppa is the only natural harbor on the Mediterranean between ancient Ptolemais and Egypt, and its facilities in biblical days were far less than outstanding. Reefs forming a roughly semicircular breakwater approximately 300 feet offshore made entrance from the south impossible. Entrance from the north was shallow and treacherous, but small vessels could navigate it. The NT records that Joppa was the home of Dorcas, a Christian woman known for her gracious and generous deeds. At her death the Christians of Joppa called for Simon Peter, who with the command Tabitha, get up (HCSB), restored her to life (Acts 9:36-41). Simon Peter remained in Joppa at the home of Simon the Tanner. At noon, while Simon Peter waited for a meal to be prepared, he prayed on the flat roof of the tanner s house. In a trance Peter saw what seemed to be a large sheet being lowered to the earth by its four corners (HCSB) and learned that the Gentile world was a fit audience for the gospel (Acts 10:9-16). Joppa is now annexed to the modern city of Tel Aviv, forming a part of the southern section of the largest city of Israel. Industrial, shipping, and residential complexes have been developed on this ancient site. ~ Timothy Trammell 4 a. In Lydda: So Peter goes first to Lydda. Notice Luke s wording. Peter was going here and there among all the believers. So obviously some significant time has passed since Pen- 2 Brand, Chad, gen. ed., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, TN, Ibid. 4 Ibid. ) 184 (

3 tecost because the church is ever larger. His role was probably that of an Apostle, acting in a pastoral nature. He was going from place to place caring for the new believers and the local congregations which would have been forming. Here he is specifically visiting the saints of Lydia. The word is: a gioß hagios; sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated): (most) holy (one, thing), saint. 5 Note: Just as aside there is nothing in scripture which leads to the concept of saint as it is defined in Orthodoxy. The word saint is simply one more term used to describe those who are followers of God. This is why we talk of OT saints as well as NT ones. Holman puts it this way. SAINTS Holy people, a title for all God s people but applied in some contexts to a small group seen as the most dedicated ones. 6 One this specific occasion, Peter came across Aeneas. Some eight years previously something had happened to him and since then he d been paralyzed and confined to his bed. God, continuing to validate Peter s credentials, had him heal Aeneas. Peter s words almost border on the humorous. First he heals in the name of Jesus. And then he tells Aeneas to get up and make his bed. The symbolism is obvious. You are no longer a prisoner of your bed. The word spread through out the area and as a result many people were convinced of the truth of the Gospel and were saved. Luke s words all the residents are generally ignored or seen as somewhat of a euphemism. Stern expresses the general view, when expressed at all, by saying: A mass movement among Jewish people toward faith in Yeshua, likewise at v. 42 in the Yafo area. 7 b. In Joppa: Here the scene begins in Joppa with Peter off stage. The focus is on a godly woman named Tabitha in Aramaic, and Dorcas in Greek, both of which mean Gazelle. She was obviously a special individual among the peoples there in Joppa. She was greatly loved. And so when Tabitha became ill and died the community in their grief sent for Peter, whom they knew was in nearby Lydia. Their urgency certainly leads one to believe they hoped that Peter might intervene. Note that while they washed the body, they moved it to an upper room, but did not anoint it for burial. Keep in mind with the resurrection being so recent, with miracles still occurring at the hands of the disciples and others, it would have been more reasonable for their expectation than for any today having similar expectations. 5 Bennett, Rick, Key Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, OakTree Software, Brand, Chad, gen. ed., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, TN, Stern, David H., Jewish New Testament Commentary, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., Clarksville, MD, ) 185 (

4 When Peter arrived the women show Peter examples of Tabitha s ministry. Their love is seen in their grief. It is fairly obvious they were demonstrating to Peter that Tabitha was worthy of his intervention. Peter s response to the community s need was to send the women out of the room and to pray for God s intervention. Then in faith in God and the confidence of the Holy Spirit, he instructed Tabitha to rise. And so Tabitha was raised from the dead. She was presented to the believers and the word spread throughout the area. The end result is that many people were saved because of the miracle, and certainly Peter s teaching. With all the new converts Peter chose to remain in the area for an extended period of time. He stayed with Simon, a tanner, which in and of itself was testimony to the changes Christianity was bringing about. Tanners would have been ritually unclean much of the time because of the nature of their work. Apparently this wasn t as important to Peter as it would have once been. Conclusion: There are a number of things to be learned from this passage. 1.) The first is simply a principle that the Christian life is one of process and progress. Step by step Peter is lead away from the legalism of Judaism. He had his ups and downs, but then again that s the Christian life. We learn to move, in love, from a judgmental spirit to one of compassion and concern for the spiritual welfare of those around us. But we sometimes fall backwards. Even Peter did this, and accordingly Paul had to take him to task. When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? (Galatians 2:11-14). 2.) Now I want to talk about the pastoral role and healing. As believers we when ill, as the result of living in a fallen world, or even as a result of our own sin, we have the opportunity to call upon the leadership to pray for our healing. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven (James 5:14-15). Now there is no guarantee of physical healing there is the hope because God can act as He chooses and, as we ve seen, he does. This brings us to the real issue regarding healing. Scripture does teach that God heals, and still heals today. What Scripture does not teach is that God intends Christians to be without disease, that God in- ) 186 (

5 tends all believers to be healed from illness and if we aren't it is simply because we don't have enough faith. To the contrary, illness is one of the things God uses to keep us dependent on Him. There are essentially three principles that underlie this truth. 1) God is sovereign. It is not up to us to demand that God heal. It is up to Him to decide what is in our best interest, which may be to allow us to remain in our stricken condition. The LORD said to him, 'Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD?' (Exodus 4:11). Again, remember God's words to Paul: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Who are we to say, God heal me! when He chooses not to? 2) Clearly, God is more concerned with our souls than our bodies. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). Scripture does not teach that God desires our happiness. What He desires is our maturity. All suffering can bring us benefit. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Now does this mean all things except disease, or does it really mean all things? Listen to the words of Peter, the great Apostle, one who healed others himself. Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:12-13). Now while Peter is talking about the suffering that comes from standing for Christ, as a witness for Him, how we stand faithful in our pain is also a witness for Him. Notice then that we are not to be surprised by suffering. We are not to go demanding that God heal us. We are to rejoice that we are allowed to suffer so that God will be glorified in our dependence on Him.) We have certainly seen this principle of God using the suffering of believers to His glory. Joni Eareckson Tada, a paraplegic, has had the opportunity to touch the lives of many physically challenged individuals because of her willingness to accept God's decision to remain in her chair. Merrill Womach, the great singer, has had an outstanding testimony for the Lord despite the fact that his body, his face, are ravished by the act of a fire through which he suffered. Then there is the great Hymn writer Fannie Crosby who, in the midst of her blindness, wrote some of the outstanding standards of the church. Among her great works are To God Be The Glory, Tell Me The Old, Old Story, and Blessed Assurance. As she wrote Perfect submission, perfect delight! Visions of rapture now burst on my sight, in the midst of her blindness, she kept her eyes on her Lord. Think the great loss to the church if God choose to heal all of His children. Think of the loss of testimony to the world of those who say their faith is in God, not in God's changing their circumstances. 8 So, as participants of Volume 21 each one of us has the opportunity to minister, in Christ s name and the Spirit s power, to heal and to resurrect heal from the bondage of sin and to resurrect from spiritual death to eternal life. It is God who does the work, but he allows us to be part of the process. Blessed be the name of the Lord! 8 Kragen. WORSHIP LEADER: God of the living church empow r, Thine ancient might reveal; Give wisdom for this crucial hour, And in Thy mercy, heal. PEOPLE: God of the living church forgive, Renew, perfect, translate, ) 187 (

6 In Thee to be, and move, and live, Immanuel, we wait. WORSHIP LEADER: God of the living church renew, Fresh vision now impart, And as we strive to live for You Sustain each faithful heart. ALL: God of the living church, we plead, Bestow Thy mighty pow r, Thy loving presence, Lord, we need, To guide us in this hour. God of the Living Church by Alfred H. Ackley 9 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. ~ Hebrews 13: The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration, The Living Church, Word Music, Waco, TX, 1986, #290. ) 188 (

7 Acts Acts 9:32-43 Pastoral Healing? To the Jew First (Judea and Samaria) C. The Church Scattered by Persecution 8:1-12:24 3. Peter s Ministry in Lydda and Joppa 9:32-43 a. In Lydda Verses b. In Joppa Verses Introduction: (Acts 9:31) LYDDA SHARON JOPPA a. In Lydda: a gioß hagios; Note:

8 SAINTS b. In Joppa: Conclusion: (Galatians 2:11-14; James 5:14-15) Personal Application: This week focus on opportunities, identified by the Spirit, to be an instrument of God s healing for the sick in body, but even more, in spirit. Prayer for the Week: Lord, we praise You for the gift of our salvation and the restoring of our walk as it needs to be restored. Amen.