Daily Devotional Sunday 22nd March 2020
by William Moody
Acts 9:32–43
The Healing of Aeneas
32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
Dorcas Restored to Life
36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas.1 She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics2 and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, 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 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
Footnotes
[1] 9:36
The Aramaic name Tabitha and the Greek name Dorcas both mean gazelle
[2] 9:39Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin (ESV)
Peter travels to the west of Jerusalem towards the coast. In Lydda the power of Christ is revealed in healing Aeneas who was paralysed for eight years (v32-34).
We need to believe in the power of Christ to change situations of desperate physical and spiritual need today. Do you believe in Jesus’ power?
When Christ’s power is released many were brought to faith in Christ (v35).
In Joppa, Peter is called for because of a beloved saint called Tabitha who had died (v36-39). Again the power of Christ comes and Tabitha is restored to life (v40-41). The result of this is that again many come to trust in Jesus (v42).
When people are closed to the Gospel, we as a church must work to try and reach them and we have that responsibility. But what is needed even more than us working, is for Christ to be working in His great power transforming lives. We must pray for Jesus to move by His Spirit to raise the spiritually paralysed and to raise the spiritually dead. Prayer is key to God’s power moving among us. Are you committed in praying for God’s power to move?
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