Acts 9:32-43 - Meeting Needs Miraculously

Acts 9:32-43 describe two miracles that took place in Peter's ministry. The first incidence recorded in verses 32-35 happened in the town of Lydda. This is where the airport at modern Tel Aviv is located today.

Here Peter saw a man who was paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Aeneas was his name. Just imagine the inconvenience he must have experienced. The physical restriction, the discomfort, the immobility, etc, that he was confronted with daily for eight years.

Now imagine the feeling he must have felt when he heard the words of Peter, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed." We are told that he immediately got up. No other explanation needed. Aeneas just got up. What followed was a natural consequence. Those who knew him and saw his new condition turned to the Lord. Hallelujah!

Then there was this second incidence described in verses 36-43. This miracle took place in Joppa, to a lady disciple of Christ, by the name of Tabitha. In Greek she was known as Dorcas. And she was lovely, gracious and generous.

Tabitha fell sick and died. We are not told the reason. So they took her body, performed the last office and than laid it in an upper room. Meanwhile they heard that Peter was at Lydda which was about 10 miles away. They quickly despatched two men to implore Peter to hurry to them in Joppa.

Peter responded to the distress call. He arose and followed them to Joppa. On arrival, they ushered him into that upper room where Tabitha's lifeless body was laid. Beside the corpse of Tabitha were other widows, weeping and mourning her death. They remembered fondly the garments she had sewn for them, for Tabitha was a seamstress.    

Sending the people out, Peter first knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to that lifeless body and firmly said to her, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes. On seeing Peter, she sat up.

Stretching his hand to hold Tabitha's, Peter raised her up. Then calling together all the fellow believers and widows who were mourning her death, he presented the resurrected Tabitha to them.

How can anything prevent people from believing in the Lord after this had happened? So stating the obvious, verse 42 tells us that the news of Dorcas'  resurrection spread throughout  Joppa and many came to faith in the Lord.

Meanwhile Peter continued to stay in Joppa in the home of  Simon the Tanner. This was in preparation for the next scene in Peter's life.

We need to know that praying for the sick is a Biblical injunction. Some have difficulty accepting this ministry. Aren't we told in James 5:14-15: "Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up..." Let's boldly obey this instruction.

From Peter's life, we also learned the importance of personal ministry. We must learn to  respond to the call of distress.  There will be times in our lives where  we need to put aside what seemed urgent to attend to the more important. It could be a matter of life and death. The Lord is counting on us to meet the needs of others in the community of faith. Dare we ignore His call to meet needs?