"Intro to Acts 9:32-43

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/6/2018 8:18 AM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  Intro to Acts 9:32-43

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 9:32-43

            Message of the verses:  “32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed." Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

    “36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. 37 And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, "Do not delay in coming to us." 39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter sent 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 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.”

            John MacArthur entitles this chapter in his commentary “Marks of an Effective Personal Ministry,” and we will look at the introduction to the verses he covers in this chapter in today’s SD.

            In his introductory comments on this chapter MacArthur goes over some things found in Scripture that are very interesting, and perhaps one could easily miss if they were not looking for them.  I also think that it is possible that he could be talking about certain “religions” who do not follow what the great men of the Bible followed, including the Greatest, Jesus Christ.  In my Spiritual Diary that I posted earlier on my other blog it was on Revelation 1:11 which spoke of Jesus Christ being the Head of the church, and also in my Sunday school lesson on Revelation 3:1-6 which is His letter to Sardis I see that although Jesus is the head of the church, that in His letter to Sardis He talks to the very few believers who are in that church, He takes the time to talk to a very few people caught up in the dead church at Sardis.  Not only did Jesus do this in His letter to Sardis, but while He was on earth He spoke to individuals and in like matter so did other prominent leaders found in the Scripture such as Moses, and David, along with New Testament leaders like Stephen, Paul, and Peter as seen in this section of Scripture.  Peter was doing similar things that he saw His Master do in this section and just as when Jesus did similar things He was ministering to individual people, Jesus, nor Peter got so large in their ministry that they forgot the individuals who were in need of being ministered to that they did not minister to them.  This is not the case of some so called leaders today who call themselves Christian leaders.

            John MacArthur concludes “The apostle Peter knew what it was to preach to the masses.  From the day of Pentecost on he spoke to huge crowds in Jerusalem.  He also preached twice before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4, 5).  This passage reveals the other side of Peter’s ministry, his personal service to individuals.  Six elements of that service are implied, not from Peter’s direct teaching but indirectly from his actions.  Peter was effective with individuals because he was involved, Christ-exalting, available, powerful, fruitful, and free from prejudice.”  We will look at these elements found in this passage as we work our way through it in the next few days.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There was a certain section in my preparation for my Sunday school class teaching that I was having some troubles with and this introduction was used by the Lord to help me understand this much better.  Jesus certainly speaks to the hearts of His children individually. 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, and because He cares very much for His individual children.

Memory verses:  Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”  Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Jerusalem” (Luke 13:34).

Today’s Bible question:  “Whom did Jesus say had chosen the good part?”

Answer in our next SD.

1/6/2018 8:49 AM