THURSDAY 13 May 2021 “Adventure”

Click To Download and Print Document or PDF

Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends all around the world, I hope you are well today! If you were invited to write a brief paragraph of your summary of the condition of our world in the last two or three years, I wonder what you would write?

Lately we’ve been walking with the apostles, those closest friends of Jesus, in the months and years immediately following Jesus’ return to heaven. In the first 8 chapters of Acts, the book in the Bible which gives us the story, it’s really been quite amazing, hasn’t it? And now in the 9th chapter the dramatic events surrounding the total transformation of Saul, the angry Pharisee who was determined to erase any memory of Jesus, from the entire Roman Empire! Saul encountered the resurrected Jesus and his life changed forever. So much so that Saul became the premier living advertisement in celebration of Jesus! Of course that was met with skepticism by many people and anger by others, especially those who like Saul, wanted everything about this “Jesus movement” removed from society. Wherever you live in our world, what efforts do you see are underway to remove from your society anything related to Jesus, including silencing Jesus followers? Are those efforts succeeding?

Luke, the author of Acts, writes in Acts 9:31 this summary statement of conditions in Palestine, his part of the world, about 2000 years ago: “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.” Honestly now, can you say that about the followers of Jesus Christ, ‘the church’, in your part of the world? Are God honoring churches where you live enjoying a time of peace? Are they being strengthened? Are they growing in numbers and in spiritual vitality? Are Christ followers where you live, being encouraged by the Holy Spirit and are they living ‘in the fear of the Lord’? Now go ahead… I invite you to write a sentence or two which describes what you see in the churches and individual Christ followers in your part of the world, and then spend a moment asking yourself WHY things are the way they are?

Time passed. Actually a few years passed. Saul was in Tarsus, his hometown. Philip was in Caesarea, remember we left him there in Acts 8:40? And the apostles? Well, they were in Jerusalem and traveling around the nearby region meeting with followers of Jesus, telling the stories of Jesus and teaching the people the truths of Jesus, just as Jesus had told them to do. Remember Jesus had said “As you are going, make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them…and teaching them all I have commanded you…” (Mat. 28:19)

Luke tells us “As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Christ followers in Lydda.” (Acts 9:2) Lydda is still today a town in Israel, not far from the main road going north from Jerusalem. You can see it to the west as you drive north. Luke tells us Peter met a crippled man in that town and proclaimed to him “Jesus Christ heals you, get up!” I presume it was very much like the crippled man Peter had invited to get up who sat on the ground near the gate Beautiful at the temple. Remember that in Acts 3? I suspect Peter extended his hand, urged the crippled man to have faith in Jesus, take his hand and stand. And Luke reports the man was healed, and word spread through the town, and many people placed their faith and trust in Jesus.

It’s only a few verses, and we never hear of this man again in Luke’s account. So I presume God gives us this glimpse to help us understand what was going on during this season of peace and growth for the ‘Jesus movement’. As the apostles traveled around, they were doing as Jesus had promised they would do. They were Jesus’ witnesses, telling the people everywhere their stories of Jesus and occasionally doing miracles which proved the power of Jesus at work in very practical ways. Jesus had said to these apostles “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” (John 14:12,13) And that’s what Peter did in Lydda. May I ask, are these things happening in your town these days, wherever you live in our big world?

Well, both then as now, word of amazing things spreads quickly doesn’t it? Of course there was no Facebook or Twitter or What’sApp in those days, not even cell phones, but quickly word of what happened in Lydda reached the town of Joppa on the coast, less than 20 miles from Lydda. Luke tells us the story of a special event and I urge you to use the Bible audio link at the end of “Walking with Jesus” to LISTEN to Luke’s description of this event. Evidently a very special woman named Tabitha (Dorcas) lived in Joppa and her reputation was that “she was always doing good and helping the poor.” (Acts 9:36) Now think about what a moment, my friends. What is your reputation in your town, or any town in which you’ve lived? Less than 10 words summarize this woman’s entire life! What 10 words describe you?

Sadly, Tabitha became ill and died. Friends prepared her body for burial. While they were doing that sad task, some of the Christ followers in Joppa had heard about the miracle of the healed cripple in Lydda, and they sent word asking if Peter was still in Lydda? When they found him, evidently they asked if he would come to Joppa. I’ve often wondered why? What did they honestly expect Peter could do? Perhaps comfort the grieving? Did anyone really expect Peter would do what Luke reports happened next? When Peter heard of Tabitha (Dorcas) he went immediately to Joppa.

Luke records this: “When Peter arrived he was taken upstairs to the room (where they had laid Tabitha’ body, prepared for burial). All the widows stood around crying and showing Peter the clothing Tabitha had made for them. Peter sent them all out of the room, and got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman Peter said ‘Tabitha, get up’. She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.” (Acts 9:39,40)

Now friends, I can’t explain that miracle except this way: do you remember the shoreline conversation Jesus and Peter had about how much Peter truly loved Jesus, and Jesus’ response to Peter to ‘take care of My sheep’ (John 21)? Do you remember Jesus telling Peter and the other disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit would come on them in power, and then they were to go out as His witnesses, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, do and say whatever the Spirit led them to do and say…always for Jesus’ glory?! (Acts 1:4-8) So, that’s what Peter was doing. Empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit, Peter was proclaiming Jesus’ truth and doing miracles in Jesus’ name, and the result was lots and lots of people were trusting their lives to Jesus. Luke writes: “This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord Jesus. Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.” (Acts 9:42,43)

Now friends, compare what Luke tells us about Lydda and Joppa with your town. What are the miracles being accomplished in Jesus’ name in your town? Who are the people, like Peter, who have great faith in Jesus, in your town? How interesting that Simon Peter the fisherman turned apostle stays with Simon the tanner in Joppa. What do you suppose they talked about late into the evenings? Had they ever met before this miraculous experience? I suspect they talked a lot about Jesus and the adventure of living a life ‘walking with Jesus” as Peter was doing.

Are you living that kind of life my friends? Is it truly an adventure for you? Spend some time right now talking with Jesus about the adventure that you and He are living together. That’s what I’m going to do, and here’s a song to help both you and me with that…

Today’s Scripture is Acts 9:31-43.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).

Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.