Monday, May 14, 2012

From Acts to Revelation : Part 26 – Aeneas and Tabitha


From Acts to Revelation
Part 26 – Aeneas and Tabitha
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

We are looking at the entire book of Acts, discovering how the first church began, and operated.

We see many difficulties they endured, as well as how they dealt with the trials and tribulations of being a new founded group of believers.

Acts began with the ascension and command of Christ, leading the believers to communion with the Holy Spirit. The church then dispersed from Jerusalem, escaping the grasp of the Sanhedrin, as a result, growing in numbers as they traveled to Judea and Samaria.

We see that Saul, with permission from the Sanhedrin, left Jerusalem to hunt the men and women who were followers of Christ, so they could be brought back to Jerusalem and imprisoned.

On his way, Saul met with the Lord who revealed He was Jesus Christ.

Saul submitted to the Lord, who gave him a command, and he obeyed, traveling to see Ananias, who had also spoken to the Lord, and healed Saul's blindness.

Saul was then baptized, received the Holy Spirit, and began preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

He too found himself an enemy of the Jews, and had to escape their murderous plots by sneaking out of town, returning first to Jerusalem, where the Apostles were slow to accept him, and afterwords returning to his home town of Tarsus.

Today we are going to take a look at Aeneas and Tabitha.

One who needed a healing, and the other who gave all she had in the name of the Lord.




SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Acts 9:32-43
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.















I.       AENEAS
a.      Aeneas was found by the Apostle Peter in Lydda
i.       Was it by chance?


b.     He had been paralyzed for eight years
i.       God brings His word and His healing to all

ii.    In Matthew, Jesus says to the Disciples, “Take the Gospel into all the world.”

iii. The scriptures tell us in John that “He loved us first...”

iv.   God has already made the first move, we need to respond.


c.      Peter says to him, “Jesus Christ makes you whole.”
i.       Giving all credit to the power of Jesus Christ

ii.    In verse 35, All who saw this healing turned to the Lord

a.      This is why it is so important to give the Lord all the credit
1.      Because it is by His power, these things are done

2.      and it is He who should be followed


d.     Then gives Aeneas commands
i.       We see here that Peter is acting in the same manner as Christ, giving a command so that Aeneas could be obedient.

ii.    Without a command, you cannot be obedient.
a.      Get Up
1.      To receive his healing, Aeneas had to “get up”

b.     Roll up your mat
1.      Why?

2.      To show that he not only obeyed, but repented...
3.      This was a symbolic gesture. Without the mat on the ground, there would be no more sitting there, paralyzed.

II.    TABITHA (IN SYRIAN, DORCAS IN GREEK) MEANING GAZZELLE
a.      Tabitha was an obedient Disciple of Christ, living love.
i.       Scriptures say she was always doing good and helping the poor

ii.    When she died, the other disciples in Joppa sent for Peter in Lydda


b.     When Peter came, the widows were in the upper room crying
i.       They showed Peter the clothes and robes that Tabitha had made them


c.      Peter sent them out of the room and prayed
i.       Peter then gave Tabitha a command

ii.    Tabitha, get up!

iii. She opened her eyes, and he helped her up


d.     Many in Joppa heard of this and believed in the Lord
i.       Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.


III. TO RECEIVE, THERE MUST BE OBEDIENCE AND REPENTANCE
a.     Two examples of receiving miracles from the Lord
i.       One, a healing from being chained to a mat for eight years

ii.    One, a raising from the dead


b.     Two people with a need
i.       Aeneas with a need to be freed from captivity of being paralyzed

ii.    Tabitha with a need to be freed from death


c.      Both were given a command
i.       “Get up!”


d.     Both obeyed
e.     Both repented
i.       Aeneas repented (turn away from) his mat

ii.    Tabitha turned away from deaths bed


CONCLUSION
There are some here today who need a miracle in their life.

There are some here like Aeneas, who are paralyzed in their existence, sitting there day after day not serving the Lord.

It is time for you to obey the word of God, and do what you know the word to say and the lord to command. You need to “Get up!”, and repent of your old ways!


There are some here, who, though they are alive, are dead.

The real walking dead are not imagination made into a television series, but are real people, who though from all appearances look to be alive, are dead.

You need to “Obey” the Lord, and repent of whatever it is in your life that is keeping you from serving like Tabitha.

Was it by chance that Peter came across Aeneas who was in need of a meeting with the Lord?

Was it by accident that Peter happened to be in the town next to Tabitha's when she died?

Is it mere coincidence that you are in need of a meeting with the Lord and you are here today hearing this message?

If you are tired of being a slave to your sickness, stand up.

If you are tired of being paralyzed in your service to the Lord, stand up!

If you are tired of living and breathing, but completely dead inside, stand up!

Obey the command, in the name of Christ, be healed, live for Him, serve Him, and repent of the old life that enslaved you!