GOD S WORKMEN (Acts 9:26-43)

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1 GOD S WORKMEN (Acts 9:26-43) The Lord had sent Saul of Tarsus into the deserts of Arabia. It may have been there that he was, in perils in the wilderness. (2 Cor. 11:26) These years of isolation must have been hard for the active man with a burning passion to preach Christ. Saul didn t meet the other apostles in Jerusalem for another 3 years (Gal. 1:10-24). After this period, Saul made his way up to Jerusalem to meet and fellowship with the other leaders of the NT Church. He likely had a mixture of fear and excitement in this. But Saul would get a foretaste of the years of rejection and misunderstanding that would characterise his ministry. Rejected by men often he was always accepted by God. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. (v26-27) From the outset, the Apostle Paul had a ministry of suffering and rejection. His Christian brethren never really accepted him and the Jews wanted to kill him. When Saul entered Jerusalem he assayed or kept trying to join himself to the disciples this verb is in the imperfect indicating he continuously tried to be received into their fellowship. It must have hurt this young convert to be cut off from God s people. Despite the fact that a number of years had now gone past since his conversion his fearsome reputation still preceded him, but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. They probably thought he was a wolf in sheep s clothing. Some may have been suspicious of why he had disappeared for 3 years. Why had he waited so long to speak with the apostles? He was clearly a marked man. Often our past life before we are saved can still be a burden to us. Not everything flows smoothly in the work of God even amongst the best of God s people. In the midst of this rejection, one man stood up to bridge the gap of suspicion and fear, But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in 1

2 the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Barnabas truly lived up to his name, which means son of consolation or son of encouragement. Steve Cole notes, All too often, older Christians are quick to criticize younger believers, treating them as if they should act like mature believers. Rather than welcoming them onto the team, they are quick to point out how immature and inexperienced they are. Sometimes the older saints are threatened by the zeal of the younger saints. But we ought to learn from Barnabas to err on the side of acceptance and encouragement. If the younger believer needs to have some rough edges smoothed out, the Lord will take care of that over time. This godly man always saw the best in others and wanted the best for them. How blessed our churches would be if they were full of men and women like Barnabas! Matthew Henry comments, the introducing of a young convert into the communion of the faithful is a very good work, and one which, as we have opportunity, we should be ready to do. Ananias did his duty for the Lord and now Barnabas did his. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. (v28-29) The first group that Saul went to witness to was the group that murdered Stephen, And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians. These Grecians were Greek speaking Jews. Saul himself was a Hellenist Jew because he was born and raised in Tarsus. So, Saul picked up where his former enemy had left off. The chief opponent has become the gospel s chief protagonist. Stephen had confounded these Hellenistic Jews and Saul probably gave them an even more difficult time. The biggest compliment the devil pays to an effective preacher is to try to silence him, but they went about to slay him. Saul now tasted for himself the very things he had been inflicting upon others. 2

3 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. (v30-31) The conspiracy to murder Saul became known the leaders of the church at Jerusalem. He had become a hot potato! They decided to send him many miles away to Tarsus in Turkey. Saul spent the next number of years in relative obscurity. There is a hint in Acts 15:23 that he founded churches in that region for Tarsus is in Cilicia. This removal from the heart of the church leadership in Jerusalem may well have been up to a decade of isolation and testing for this man in Tarsus when, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart (2 Chron. 32:31). If so, Saul could echo what Job said after his great trial, He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10). In fact, the first 13 years or so of his Christian life may have been spent mostly isolated and limited in scope of service. Guzik notes, He was Saul of Tarsus, the young, successful, energetic rabbi. Then he was Saul the Persecutor; then Saul the Blind. He became Saul the Convert and then Saul the Preacher. Yet before he became Paul the Apostle, he spent somewhere between 8 and 12 years as Saul the unknown. Those were not wasted years; they were good and necessary years. This was likely not what Saul naturally wanted. In Acts 22 he reveals that he prayed in the temple to be used of God there. But the Lord s way was different from Paul s way and ordered him, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. (Acts 22:21) Saul learned never to try to manipulate God s Sovereign will but always waited until God led him. The next move of providence would usher him into the great Gentile Missionary journeys. God s timing is always perfect for His children. The removal of Saul didn t end the progress of the church. God s men are always dispensable. The Lord often changes His workmen but His work always goes forward. Great blessings continued, Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. The pattern here is not without significance. It is no coincidence that the word edified comes before the word multiplied in this verse. For as the saints are spiritually edified and walking in the fear of the Lord then they are comforted by the Holy Ghost and then multiplied. 3

4 (1) They grew Upward toward God in edification; (2) They grew Outward toward men in multiplication. That is biblical Church growth! We should all want the church to grow but it must be biblical growth. MacArthur observes, People say to me; how do you build a church? You don't build a church, you build a believer and the church will build itself. There it is, first edify, what kind of growth is that? Spiritual. Then multiply, what kind of growth is that? Numerical. You people who are here today aren't here because we had a contest to get you here. You're here in most cases, in fact, if not in all cases, because some Christian s lives were changed and they touched your life. That's the only way God ever intended the church to grow. Secular history reveals that this period in history was when Pilate was removed as governor because of a change of Emperor and there was a new Jewish High Priest. The new Emperor, Caligula got quickly involved in a bitter dispute with the Jewish leadership over an attempt to set up idols in Jerusalem. Hence, the season or respite from hostility against the Christians by both Jews and Romans. This time of rest and peace was not times of complacency. God brings seasons of persecution and rest to the Church. We need to accept both and continue to evangelise fervently in both. The church should always be like a maternity ward where there is constantly heard the cry of newborn babes in Christ. And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. (v32-35) The Holy Spirit draws our attention back to the ministry of the Apostle Peter. We don t read of Saul again until Acts 11:25 at least 7 years later. The work of God is not dependent on any one man or group of men. In this next section, Peter will heal a lame or cripple man, raise a dead woman to life, and be the preacher to reach the Gentile Cornelius and his household with the gospel. 4

5 Peter is led to minister to the saints at Lydda, which was 25 miles North West of Jerusalem. Likely he came to encourage and strengthen them in the faith. The time of relative peace for the church enabled him to begin an itinerant ministry. This would be a difficult journey for he would likely be travelling by foot and leaving his wife and family behind. But Peter was available for whatever sovereign appointments the Master planned for him. The first miracle that the Lord enabled Peter to do was the healing of the lame man in Acts 3. This miracle is now repeated in the life of a man names Aeneas. He was crippled and paralyzed for 8 years. This would have been a tragic existence for there were little of the modern conveniences we have today to make his life more tolerable. Peter is very careful to ensure that all know there is no power in the name of Peter but in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. The Lord honoured his faith and we read, And he arose immediately. He didn t wobble around or need physiotherapy. For when God heals a person by a miracle He fully heals that person. Peter s efforts in directing those who had seen the miracle to the power of the living Christ was rewarded, And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. (v36-37) Christianity elevated the status of women more than any other religion or movement in world history. There were many godly women who made an impact in the work of God down through the centuries. Vance Havner once observed, A good woman is the best thing on earth. Women were last at the cross and first at the open tomb. The church owes a debt to her faithful women which she can never estimate, to say nothing of the debt we owe in our homes to godly wives and mothers. The saints at Joppa had a woman called Dorcas. She was not famous for her looks, her wealth or even for her powerful Bible teaching ministry. But she was famous for her selflessness and her heart for others this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. Dorcas didn t do the odd good deed but was full of them. Her life was one fountain of goodness to others. It is always a blessing to have people like Dorcas in any local church. One of the good works she did was that she used the gifts of her hand to sew and make garments for others like widows. This took time, effort, and money to do so. It wasn t the most glamorous but it touched many lives. Christians are not saved because of good works but they are saved to do good works. Therefore, the true Christian will have good works flowing from his or her life. Faith and good works always go together. They cannot be separated. We are saved by faith alone, but faith that saves is never alone. Paul makes it clear, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:10). It was Jesus Christ who commanded in Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Dorcas truly lived up to that glorious calling of living a life of service. She had the gift of helping others. This meant she had daily to 5

6 die to self to serve others. But tragically she died. Often the Lord calls His choicest servants home in the midst of their usefulness and blessing to others. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. (v38-41) Ten miles further to the North West was the coastal town of Joppa. Word had reached there that Peter was nearby. The people besought Peter to come. We don t know whether they thought he could be the means of rising from the dead or whether they just wanted him to comfort them in their loss. Peter seemed to sense the Holy Spirit leading him for he went on the day s journey with them. When Peter arrived, he found the dead body of Dorcas washed and laid out for burial. He must have been reminded of the incident with Jairus daughter and the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter removed the onlookers for he sought no personal glory or publicity. He took time to pray for he needed God s power for this miracle and he needed God s grace to handle the aftermath well. Then in simple faith, Peter, turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. We can imagine the rejoicing and thanksgiving of the saints there when they were reunited with this precious gift. She was raised for the glory of God and for further service to the saints on earth. There is a mystery here in the sovereign mind of God. Guzik rightly points out, The fact that the Lord raised Dorcas, yet Stephen (and later, James in Acts 12:2) remained dead, reflects on God s unknowable ways. After all, it certainly seemed that 6

7 Stephen and James were more important to the church than Dorcas. Yet we must always trust God s greater wisdom and knowledge in all such things. There are obvious parallels between the healing of Aeneas and Dorcas and two similar miracles Jesus did in Mark 2:10-12 with a paralysed man and Jairus daughter in Mark 5: Peter is doing the works of the Saviour. He is walking in the footsteps of Jesus. There is no higher calling. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord. And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner. (v42-43) This amazing miracle spoke to many in that area of the power of the living Saviour, And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord. Now we can see with the benefit of hindsight why Dorcas had to die and these saints had to enter into such sorrow over her passing. For God used her death and subsequent reviving from the dead as a means to reach many souls with the gospel. Doubtless, Peter stayed on there for many days to disciple these precious new converts. This is the first record of Peter (or any other apostle) raising someone from the dead. Yet we don t see Peter running around boasting in his achievement. Cole notes, Think of how Peter could have abused the power that the Lord gave him to perform these two amazing miracles. He could have set up a tent and held healing services, with big banners reading, Come and See Peter the Apostle and Evangelist Work Miracles. Everywhere he went, he could have attracted attention. If he lived in our day, he could have gone on talk shows and written books to tell about how it happened. But Peter was not into miracles to bring glory to himself. No, Peter gave God all the glory and God was pleased to use these incidents to bring many to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Peter resided at Joppa in the home of Simon the tanner. This verse prepares us for what was to come as tanning was a trade regarded by the Jews as half unclean, and consequently disreputable, from the contact with dead animals and blood which was connected with it. For this reason, it is usually carried on at some distance from towns. Simon s house was by the seaside (Acts 10:6). Tanners were ceremonially unclean so that they could not participate in the religious practices of Judaism. Peter s lodging there shows him already to some extent above Jewish prejudice. He had already accepted the Samaritans as believers, which was a great step for him. Peter was getting the victory over the natural man in this matter. His pre-conceptions are being increasingly challenged and transformed by the Lord. Everything is now in place for the church to take the gospel to the Gentiles, and then to the ends of the earth. God would choose Peter (Acts 15:7) to be the one whom the Gentiles should first hear the gospel of sovereign grace. Peter had already accepted the Samaritans, which was a major transformation in his thinking. However, to go to the Gentiles would require a seismic shift. We all are tainted by prejudices of one sort of the other. It is only grace that can truly change us. 7

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