Tag Tabitha

Introduction

In Acts 9:32-35 Luke recounts how the message of the gospel was given a greater audience through the miraculous healing of a paralytic named Aeneas in Lydda (Acts 9:32-34). In that small passage we took time to look at two principles that must be honored if miracles are to be used effectively in ministry.

• The Principle of Right Going – all going must be by people empowered to present the gospel. There must be an anointing that enables the wonder and most importantly the witness for Jesus.
• The Principle of Right Giving – all glory goes to God. Miracles must be used to make Him known. They are not permanent fixtures of discipleship community but seasonal signs pointing to the Savior.

The miracle was so marvelous that all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw [the healed man] and turned to the Lord (Acts 9:35).  Sharon is not a city but a coastal plain of some 30 miles stretching from Joppa to Caesarea. See Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 — The regions reached by Peter when Aeneas and Tabitha are healed. Sharon is not a city but a coastal plain of about 30 miles.

Luke makes mention of  Sharon as a segue into a new story using the same main character — Peter the apostle. As we consider this next passage we will also encounter a third principle that must be honored if a ministry is going to use miracles effectively: The Principle of Right Getting.

After Aeneas (Acts 9:36-39)

³⁶ At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha^a, which is translated Dorcas^b. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds^c which she did. ³⁷ But it happened in those days that she became sick and died.^d When they had washed here, they laid her in an upper room. ³⁸ And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. ³⁹ Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

The contrast is stark. Luke takes his reader away from the scene of repentance, revival, and rejuvenated life in Lydda to a scene of tragedy and mourning about 12 miles away in Joppa. (See Figure 1 above.) Where Aeneas has made his bed and is walking in the gracious gift of restored health, Dorcas is dead. Her lifeless form lies on a table or bed surrounded by weeping widows (Acts 9:39).

While we are wanting to get to the principle of effective use of miracles in ministry we must not be so hurried that we miss other truths that, when prayerfully considered, will do much to help us live effectively in the Lord’s service. First, do not overlook the fact that the person upon whom this illness came was a Jesus follower – a disciple. Disease and even Death itself had visited a woman full of good works and charitable deeds. Think on the facts: (1) Dorcas was a disciple. (2) Dorcas was full of good deeds; her hands were neither idle nor involved in evil. (3) Dorcas got sick. (4) Dorcas died. We do well to consider these facts when we suggest that a person’s sickness today is (a) not God’s will because the person is a Christian or (b) that the sickness will be eliminated by casting it out in Jesus’ name.

Let us not corrupt the gospel by promising people a life free from sickness when they receive Jesus. There is no pass on pain for those who have given their lives to Christ. The promise of the gospel is forgiveness for all our failings, eternal and abundant life with purpose, the Lord’s abiding presence, and the privilege of partaking in His sufferings (1 Peter 4:13).

Dorcas had used so much of her time and talent and treasure to help the poor that her passing was the cause of exceedingly great sorrow among the disciples… especially the people she had helped. The second thing we must not miss is that Dorcas is missed so much that the disciples decide to ask for something that has not happened in the recorded history of the church at this point: raising the dead. Do not miss the questions that you should ask yourself:

• Could it be proven that I have, in serving the Lord, provided help for the poor and made a difference that will be missed?
• Could anyone gather enough evidence of my good deeds to show that my life was a blessing and not a blight on the community?
• Would the sum total of my good works warrant a crazy plan to get a busy man to come and raise me from the dead?

Having heard about the healing of Aeneas the disciples sent two men to ask Peter to come immediately. He goes with them and, when he has arrived at the home in Joppa, is taken to the upper room. At this point the widows begin working on Peter. They aim to convince him that Tabitha’s life was worthy of a special work of God through him.

Unprecedented Power Displayed Through Peter (Acts 9:40-42; Mark 5:21-43)

⁴⁰ But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. ⁴¹ Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴² And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

Peter has seen a situation like this before. During His master’s ministry there was a little girl that had just died. Her father was a ruler in the community (Matthew 9:23) and their position made his daughter’s death highly visible. Jesus assesses the situation and then puts out the people (Matthew 9:24).

Peter sent them and the other mourners out of the room, as he had seen his Master do before he raised Jairus’s daughter from her deathbed; then he uttered a short sentence in Aramaic, differing only in one letter from Jesus’ words to Jairus’s daughter. Whereas Jesus had said Talitha qum (i) (Mark 5:41), Peter now said Tabitha qum (i))—“Tabitha, get up.”

Bruce, F. F. (1988). The Book of the Acts (p. 199). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

The ministry of Peter to Dorcas and the community was not occasioned by his presence or his preaching. He became effective in helping them only in his willingness to be humbled. Every knee must bow. His words toward the body were imbued with power only after his pleading. Before he could give the command he needed to get the power. Peter follows Jesus’ lead and gives us the following principle for ministry with miracles:

The Principle of Right Getting (Get Down, Get Help)

What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use — men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men — men of prayer. (Bounds, Kindle Locations 46-48)

Figure 2 — Time in prayer with Chancellor Barnes on 2024-11-11 at the home of Austin and Aubrey lane during a Compass Young Adults meeting.

The language of the quote above is old. It speaks of prayer in ways that seem to make it the province and power of men. I will not charge E. M. Bounds with being chauvinistic; he spoke in a manner customary of his times. An updated version of the quote would change the word men to people; people of prayer are an indispensable part of a ministry that will be able to use the miraculous for the glory of God and the good of many. Such people take to heart the words of the Lord regarding prayer and make it their business to both be obedient and follow his example.

• Receiving Requires Prayer and Faith (Matthew 21:22) And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
• Some Changes Require Prayer (Mark 9:29) So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
• The Ultimate Purpose of the Prayer is the Glorification of the Son (John 14:13-14) And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
• Corporate Prayer in Jesus’ Name Has Special Influence with the Father (Matthew 18:19-20) Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

The Persistence of Peter (Acts 9:43)

So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.

Aeneas has been healed and Dorcas has been raised from the dead. The miracles were used by Peter to occasion faith in Jesus. And now that there are a number of new believers the real work begins – discipleship (Matthew 28:18-20). Peter stays in the region in order to teach the new believers all that Jesus commanded. Beyond the excitement of the miracle is the more mundane work of day-to-day teaching, mentoring, and helping the Jesus followers in their new relationship with the Lord. Unlike the mass revivals of our day where people are reached and then left to the locals for teaching, Peter stays for a hands-on approach to making disciples.

Questions for Community Discussion

1. Why did the healing of Dorcas cause many to believe? (Acts 9:37, 42)
2. Why did Peter stay? (Mark 3:14; Matthew 28:18-20)
3. Peter prayed before he did anything. Why did he do that? (John 15:15)
4. Does your approach to helping others and discipleship look like Peter’s?
5. In what ways should your approach to helping people be changed to match the example of Jesus and the apostles?

Footnotes

^a Literally in Aramaic her name means Gazelle.

^b Dorcas is Greek for Gazelle. It is obvious that Luke wanted to make his work accessible to an audience that was not Jewish.

^e The text that follows is from the Mishna Shabbat – a written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions known as the Oral Torah. Mishna Shabbat 23:5 One may perform all the requirements for a corpse [on Shabbat]: [One may] anoint and wash him, provided one does not move a limb. One may move the pillow from under him to place him on the sand so that he will keep [from decomposing]. One may tie his jaw, not so that it rises but so it does not fall. And similarly, [if] a beam has broken one may support it with a bench or boards from a bed, not so that it rises but so it does not fall. One may not close the eyes of a corpse on Shabbat, nor [even] on a week-day while he is [still] expiring. [If] one closes the eyes of a dying person while he is [still] expiring he has shed blood.

References

E.M. Bounds (2015-11-23). Power Through Prayer (Kindle Locations 46-48). Scriptura Press. Kindle Edition.

Introduction

The itinerant ministry of Jesus, with all His miracle-working power, was all that His men knew.  In His presence for over three years they were made to see with their own eyes the lifestyle of witness-with-wonders evangelism even before they could understand their Master’s messages. But Jesus took time to make sure that they knew how to use signs properly. “Do what I do” was and is the most effective strategy for educating Jesus followers in evangelism… especially when miracles are involved. Robert Coleman puts it this way:

Amazing as it may seem, all Jesus did to teach these men his way was to draw them close to himself. He was his own school and curriculum. Coleman, Robert E. (2006-04-01). Master Plan of Evangelism, The (pp. 37-38). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Through His example they were witnesses to His way of bringing the gospel to the world. Although they did not realize it at the time of their teaching, they were students of the principles that must be honored by anyone that would be effective when using miracles for the King and His kingdom. In the closing of chapter nine we will see that the gospel, advanced using amazing and gracious displays of healing power, is going to move most effectively when (1) there is a right going, when (2) there is a right giving, and when (3) there is a right getting.

Figure 1 – Jesus healed a man that had been born blind and thereby provided evidence for the shocking truths that He has been teaching (John 9:1-11).

Right Going and Giving (Acts 9:32-35)

32 Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. 33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. 35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

Verse 32 picks up after the brief account of Saul’s conversion. It came to pass is Luke’s way of unpacking the how and why of Acts 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. (Acts 9:31, NKJV)

In that verse we hear that the churches had peace and were edified. The peace was twofold. First, it is the work of the Holy Spirit; He metes out a peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7). Such a peace would be a comfort of the Holy Spirit. Second, it is no doubt a consequence of converting the leading critic — Saul of Tarsus. The one who had waged war with the people of God had become a Jesus follower himself. But how were they edified?

In the New Testament edification is the building up of the commitment and character of saints; it can be the result of teaching or revelation that causes the hearer to be strengthened in their faith and more mature in their service of God (1 Corinthians 14:4, 17). This had been happening in Jerusalem for over two years (AD 33 – 35). Now Peter is bringing the ministry of teaching to the saints dispersed by recent persecution. He is going through all parts of the country teaching. While the ministry of teaching or preaching is not explicitly mentioned, it is implied that Peter is teaching and preaching as he goes. As a shepherd he is going to where the flocks have been moved by recent persecution; when he arrives on the scene he teaches them. This is what he has been called and trained to do:

• Peter Has Been Trained to Teach (Mark 3:14; Acts 4:13) – Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,
• Peter Has Been Charged to Teach (John 21:15-17; Acts 5:19) – He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. …”
• Peter Has Been Changed to Teach (Luke 24:45) – And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

The Principle of Right Going: The Mission, Missionary, and Ministry Must be His

The first principle of effective ministry involving miracles is that the person through whom the work is done must have been sent. Carts are placed before horses and woe follows when unconverted people attempt to use Heaven’s power without the permission of Heaven’s Prince. For at least two reasons, if Jesus is not involved, using miracles in ministry will not work. First, the work done will not be rewarded and the workers will not be recognized (Matthew 7:21-23). Second, the hellions being exorcised are able to distinguish between genuine practitioners of the Christian faith and powerless soothsayers. Simply making mention of Jesus’ name will not work when Jesus has no intention of working through the person for His own glory and the good of His own people (Acts 19:11-16). There will be no genuine miracle apart from genuine mission.

Philip the Evangelist, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, has already come through this region preaching in all the cities till he came to Caesarea (Act 8:40). As Peter was serving in Lydda he found a certain man named Aeneas (praiseworthy; praise). Luke tells us that the man had been bedridden eight years.

The healing power present in Peter does not require his voice. His shadow was enough to effect healing. So then, why did he feel it necessary to speak to the man? During his time with Jesus the former fisherman had seen many miracles. On some occasions, preceding the miracle, there were words spoken by Jesus that were aimed at helping the audience understand the meaning of the miracle. When the sense and significance of the miracle were present with the work it became more than a miracle; it became a sign (John 11:41-42).

Figure 2 – On 2025-01-19 a few people from Compass Church went to an assisted living facility to bring the gospel, worship, and encouragement. They went in Jesus’ name.

What Jesus began to do in the flesh he continues to do in the Spirit through surrendered people. He continues to do the work for His own glory and the good of His own people. When miracles are going to be used in ministry the minister must recognize the purpose of the power that runs through him.

The Principle of Right Giving: Give God the Glory

The second principle says that miracles must always make much of God and give more force to the argument for following Jesus. When there is going to be a healing that actually helps the cause of evangelism the evangelist cannot get away from the goal of giving God all the glory. While the miracle may serve to give credibility to the minister and his ministry it must ultimately be used as a means for magnifying the Son of Man, as a platform for promoting Jesus, as a sign pointing toward the Savior, and a reinforcement of the requirement to repent and believe the gospel.

Peter gives the glory away when he says, “Jesus Christ heals you.” He uses the miracle of making a man well to make the Master well known. And the desired effect is achieved:

So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. (Acts 9:35)

The So of Acts 9:35 translates a conjunction that ties the action of healing in Jesus’ name (Acts 9:34) to the reaction of surrounding peoples (Acts 9:36-43) at the sight of the restored man. After eight years his muscles would have been atrophied and the neurological framework required to support an activity like making a bed would have to be retrained. But after Jesus heals Aeneas he is in a state like he was before becoming paralyzed. He was a wonder to behold. So great was the transformation that, with the enabling that comes from the Spirit, believing in Jesus was the unanimous response.

Some may ask if it is really necessary to give God the glory. This is a good question. I believe that He should only get the glory for His part in ministry. The opening of Acts makes it clear that Jesus continues to have a part:

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, (Acts 1:1-2)

Jesus began his ministry with His men and continued to do ministry through them. The apostle Paul has this to say concerning the ministry of Christ’s ministers:

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Questions for Community Discussion

1. How does Peter ensure that the focus goes to Jesus when Aeneas is healed?
2. When people comment on how your life has changed since you started following Christ what do you typically say? Are you prepared to share your testimony with others?