Study No. 10 Chapter 9:31-43 "Itinerant' Peter
Luke tells us that Peter has been traveling (not fleeing). The churches are experiencing a time of rest from persecution.
A calendar of events would look like this. (Calendar)
Churches have been springing up everywhere. The apostles who have been remaining in Jerusalem cannot supervise their development from there. Peter likely was not the only apostle visiting churches. What a huge challenge! I wonder how many days might he have spent with each church?
Miracles were a part of the early ministry of the church. The apostles performed miracles. Some of the deacons did as well. It is apparent that the believers of Lydda did not.
It would seem that God reserved the privilege of performing miracles to the leadership in order to show that they were commissioned from Heaven. Peter's service to them was both welcome and inspiring.
People in surrounding communities turned to the Lord. Why? Because Aeneas was known to them. Eight years he had lain powerless, now he is healed
News spreads to Joppa where Tabitha (Dorcas, which means Gazelle) has just passed away. They send for Peter. Why? Have the apostles raised anyone back to life? No, not up to now. They know that the God of miracles has been active during the entire early days of church life. It sounds to me like this is a case of desperate, but genuine, hope … in a God that can do anything. Although Israel had been living in a time of silence from God, when Jesus appeared, all that changed. The miraculous ministry of the Lord for three and a half years is very recent history to them. And then Jesus was crucified. Seemingly, that was the end. And then a new wave of the power of God spread out from Jerusalem. Now these people could recall scripture pertaining to God, and it would stir up their faith.
Ge 18:14 "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Jer 32:27 "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?
Peter is brought from Lydda to the house in Joppa . What does he do? He does what Jesus did in Luke 8:49-56 (Let’s turn there and read it). Peter was there. He put everyone out of the room. Jesus took the little girl by the hand, calls to her and bids her to get up. Peter kneels in prayer, calls her name and then, as she comes back to like and sits up he offers his hand, helping her to stand
What is different about it? Prayer. It would be the poignant moment that could seem like an hour … would he be thinking, ‘Can I actually do this?’ When God answers prayer … when God does something very definite and obvious … it does something to our faith … for next time. We learn from each experience. God learns nothing about us. When he tests us, He already knows everything about us. The test, unlike that of a teacher giving an exam, is not for God to learn anything new about us, but it is for us to learn something about ourselves. We grow from each of these tests. Remember what we studied in James …
Jas 1:2 ¶ Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
This encounter with Tabitha was a trial of Peter’s faith.
The result? Many more coming to faith in Christ AND a refreshed, enlarged faith for Peter. He stays on in Joppa for an extended period of time.
As we read in chapter 9:31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
The gospel took root in Jerusalem. Then it spread to Judea … then Samaria. God says they are ready for the final stage.
…-To the ends of the earth.
Philip has been used to start this process. The Ethiopian eunuch was on his way home, rejoicing. As Philip continued preaching we note that he went northward up the coast from Gaza, speaking in each town, as far North as Caesarea.
Looking ahead we discover a couple more things about Philip
a) he is referred to as Philip the evangelist.
b) He relocated to Caesarea
c) He has a family
Ac 21:8 ¶ On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. (9) Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
In our next study we learn that God had another important task for Peter. He was going to learn from it.
.
A calendar of events would look like this. (Calendar)
Churches have been springing up everywhere. The apostles who have been remaining in Jerusalem cannot supervise their development from there. Peter likely was not the only apostle visiting churches. What a huge challenge! I wonder how many days might he have spent with each church?
Miracles were a part of the early ministry of the church. The apostles performed miracles. Some of the deacons did as well. It is apparent that the believers of Lydda did not.
It would seem that God reserved the privilege of performing miracles to the leadership in order to show that they were commissioned from Heaven. Peter's service to them was both welcome and inspiring.
People in surrounding communities turned to the Lord. Why? Because Aeneas was known to them. Eight years he had lain powerless, now he is healed
News spreads to Joppa where Tabitha (Dorcas, which means Gazelle) has just passed away. They send for Peter. Why? Have the apostles raised anyone back to life? No, not up to now. They know that the God of miracles has been active during the entire early days of church life. It sounds to me like this is a case of desperate, but genuine, hope … in a God that can do anything. Although Israel had been living in a time of silence from God, when Jesus appeared, all that changed. The miraculous ministry of the Lord for three and a half years is very recent history to them. And then Jesus was crucified. Seemingly, that was the end. And then a new wave of the power of God spread out from Jerusalem. Now these people could recall scripture pertaining to God, and it would stir up their faith.
Ge 18:14 "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Jer 32:27 "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?
Peter is brought from Lydda to the house in Joppa . What does he do? He does what Jesus did in Luke 8:49-56 (Let’s turn there and read it). Peter was there. He put everyone out of the room. Jesus took the little girl by the hand, calls to her and bids her to get up. Peter kneels in prayer, calls her name and then, as she comes back to like and sits up he offers his hand, helping her to stand
What is different about it? Prayer. It would be the poignant moment that could seem like an hour … would he be thinking, ‘Can I actually do this?’ When God answers prayer … when God does something very definite and obvious … it does something to our faith … for next time. We learn from each experience. God learns nothing about us. When he tests us, He already knows everything about us. The test, unlike that of a teacher giving an exam, is not for God to learn anything new about us, but it is for us to learn something about ourselves. We grow from each of these tests. Remember what we studied in James …
Jas 1:2 ¶ Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
This encounter with Tabitha was a trial of Peter’s faith.
The result? Many more coming to faith in Christ AND a refreshed, enlarged faith for Peter. He stays on in Joppa for an extended period of time.
As we read in chapter 9:31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
The gospel took root in Jerusalem. Then it spread to Judea … then Samaria. God says they are ready for the final stage.
…-To the ends of the earth.
Philip has been used to start this process. The Ethiopian eunuch was on his way home, rejoicing. As Philip continued preaching we note that he went northward up the coast from Gaza, speaking in each town, as far North as Caesarea.
Looking ahead we discover a couple more things about Philip
a) he is referred to as Philip the evangelist.
b) He relocated to Caesarea
c) He has a family
Ac 21:8 ¶ On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. (9) Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
In our next study we learn that God had another important task for Peter. He was going to learn from it.
.