David Bahn – Reflections

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Acts 9:32-43

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.

³⁶ Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. 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 tunics 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.

IF YOU’RE A CHILD OF THE KING YOU SHOULD ACT LIKE IT The sign caught my attention for sure. It was on a marquee of a church in rural Texas. I think I know what was meant by the sign. If you’re a child of the King, you should live a decent and godly life. I agree with that – albeit with a small caveat. That would be something like, “AND THANK THE KING THAT HE IS MERCIFUL TO REPENTANT SINNERS.” We should love our neighbor. We should obey God’s commandments. We should be kind and gracious. We should live a chaste and decent life. But we don’t always do what we should.

Some people use that as an excuse for all manner of bad behavior. They think – like Paul suggests in Romans 5, “Since God’s grace is boundless, why not sin more so that we can experience more of God’s grace?” (Romans 5:21). That’s a serious question, not to be taken lightly. God’s grace abounds even more than our sins. But we’ve died to sin. We certainly should not live in it any longer.

Aeneas and Dorcas were models of redeemed faithfulness. Certainly her good works and charity were beautiful markers of a life filled with God’s grace. Aeneas is urged to rise and make his bed. There was no charge in this case, “Go and sin no more.” He simply received the gift of healing from Jesus through Peter, and stood up and walked. Sometimes obedience is as simple as that.

Sometimes it is more significant. Acts of kindness and charity are markers of one redeemed by Christ. They are the behaviors that are aligned with being a child of the King. They don’t cause us to be God’s people. They don’t bring God’s grace to us. That’s all his doing. Neither Aeneas nor Dorcas did anything to be visited by Peter or healed by him. This is the work of God. He comes to us. He redeems us. He heals us. He forgives us. He saves us.

Even if we’re not the one directly touched by God’s grace, the evidence of his mercy, grace, power and healing is meant to turn us to him in faith. In the end the healing is a great gift, but it is not the most important gift of God. That would be Jesus, and his gift of redemption and salvation. That salvation is an eternal healing of all infirmities, brokenness, failures, forgiveness of all sin, and an eternity of joy and praise to God.

You and I may wish for a healing we have not yet received. We may yearn for a tomorrow that is yet to come. We may be praying for God’s work in the life of a loved one, and wonder whether we’ll ever see it. The most important thing for us is to hold onto the promises of God, and trust him for all good things. Dorcas and Aeneas are wonderful examples (among many others) of God’s direct touch. Peter is an example of a great and faithful servant of God, and the people who see all this and turn in faith to God are great examples for the rest of us. The most important thing is that we receive the grace of God, believe in Jesus Christ and enjoy his gift of eternal life and salvation.