Worship

“What a Miracle” by Elevation Worship

Scripture Foundation

“As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. ‘Aeneas,’ Peter said to him, ‘Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.’ Immediately Aeneas got up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 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!’

“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.

“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. 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. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.” -Acts 9:32-43, NIV

The Goodness of God

There’s just something so wonderful about the goodness of God. It confounds the imagination and undoes us in His presence. He is true to His Word, His promises, and His character. This passage of Scripture is such a beautiful confirmation of the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:7-8: “‘As you go, proclaim this message: “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.’” And as Peter went, the fulfillment of Jesus’s words played out in his life. God’s word was not bound by time or context or calling. His words are as true for us today as they were for Peter that day. The Kingdom of God was ever-increasing as the Church grew to include both Jews and Gentiles.

On a recent trip to Latin America, I sat with a family who intently listened to the gospel. All nine pulled up a chair, and their eyes never shifted from me. They were locked in on every word I was sharing—all but one woman. As I asked them if they would like to receive this free gift of salvation in Jesus, they all prayed to receive Christ—all but the one. I asked the Lord what the barrier was to her lack of faith to receive Jesus as her Savior. The Lord placed these words in my spirit:

She is disappointed with Me.

I got down beside her and placed my hands on her hands and shared what the Lord had just shared with me. She burst into tears and began to tell me that she has a chronic kidney disease, is in constant pain, and battles continual infection. She struggled to understand the goodness of God in her suffering. We prayed for her healing and ministered to her broken heart. Jesus poured out His love and His presence, and she gave her life to Him. Perhaps the Lord healed her body that day, and she will have a testimony that will bring many other people to Him. But regardless, I know that there is nothing like a touch from Jesus to bind up and heal broken hearts, wounded souls, and diseased bodies. The increase of His Kingdom knows no bounds!

Following Jesus’ Model

So here was Peter, being led by Jesus in the power of the Spirit that resided in him. Two people in this story received a touch from the Lord—one who was paralyzed and one who was dead. Neither one of them could run to Peter. Neither one of them could exert any physical evidence of faith. Instead, Jesus came to them. And that particular day, the Holy Spirit took Peter 35 miles from Jerusalem to find two who were waiting for a God-encounter.

Peter couldn’t do ministry in Peter’s self-effort. He had to remember what had been modeled for him by Jesus. Then, Peter applied it with the fullness of faith the Lord had given him, in the power of the Spirit.

Peter likely had been with Jesus when He healed the paralytic man in Mark 2:10-12. And with similar words he learned from Jesus, he spoke to Aeneas. What Peter saw Jesus do with the paralytic, he exerted the same faith and the same command: “‘Get up and roll up your mat (Acts 9:43).’” That day, Aeneas walked home, most likely leaping and praising God because the whole town was said to have been reached with the gospel!

Then Peter was called to Joppa to the bedside of Tabitha. And with the recollection of what Jesus did with Talitha, Peter followed the very instructions of Jesus from Mark 5:38-44. He put the onlookers outside the door, and in the words of Jesus, “‘Talitha, koum (Mark 5:41),’” Peter said to Tabitha, “Tabitha, cumi.” Jesus modeled for Peter so beautifully, and Peter simply followed exactly what Jesus did.

Both of these glorious miracle stories compelled people to trust in Christ. The Church was continuing to grow, entire regions of people were coming to faith, and the Kingdom of God was expanding. There is nothing stagnant about the Kingdom of God; only stagnant believers who do nothing to release His Kingdom!

“Finally, this story shows us a great deal about the goodness of God and the character of God’s kingdom. Peter does not go about Israel spreading death and decay, or preaching platitudes and changing nothing. Instead, the apostles of Christ bring life and renewal. This story gives a faint glimpse of the type of kingdom into which we have been saved, just as the acts of the Lord Jesus himself did during his time on earth- a kingdom where death is not only reversed but wholly undone. In the coming kingdom, death will be no more and life will be all that God intended it to be.” -R. Albert Mohler, Jr., “Acts 1-12 For You”

Final Encouragement

I want to close with a heartfelt challenge to you this morning. Will you be one who goes all in to follow in the footsteps of Jesus? Will you follow the example of how He modeled ministry to people and ask the Lord to let your laid-down life release the Kingdom of God on the Earth? It’s OK to lose it all for the sake of Jesus because, if you have Him, you have gained everything! As my parents have said to me for 39 years, “There’s no greater adventure than following Jesus with your whole life!”