{"id":763,"date":"2021-02-27T14:19:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-27T19:19:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/?p=763"},"modified":"2021-02-27T14:21:21","modified_gmt":"2021-02-27T19:21:21","slug":"on-the-road-with-peter-acts-932-43-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/?p=763","title":{"rendered":"On the Road with Peter Acts 9:32-43"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lesson 17<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the Road with Peter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acts 9:32-43<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 I have often discovered that the best laid\nplans often do not work out as I expected. \nIn Proverbs 16:9 the writer says, \u201cThe mind of man plans his way, but\nthe Lord directs his steps.\u201d  This\ncertainly does not mean that we are not to prepare for the future or stop\nlearning or just wait around to see what is going happen.  For many years as I studied the Bible, I\ncould not figure out why God had given me such a passion.  It seemed that I was doing it for my own\ngrowth.  What I learned that in order to\nteach or lead or whatever God is calling us to do that He gives the person the\ndrive to know all that he needs to know to carry out the task.  I do not know what God has planned for my\nfuture, but I do know that I want to be ready when He says this is the next step\nfor you to take. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes In\nthe church we spend more time talking about what we are going to do than\nactually performing the tasks.  We have\nby-laws, constitutions and manuals of procedures which often times hinder us\nfrom following God\u2019s leading.  We find\nourselves having to try figure out what to do or how to work around man made\nrules to perform the ministries to which God has called the church.  In our lesson today and next week we will see\na man who just went where God led him and found that the situations for service\njust came to him.  We must keep our eyes\nopen to what is occurring around us.  If\nwe do, we will be able to discern the reason that God has brought people and\nsituations into our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acts 9:32<\/p>\n\n\n\n

None of the\nevents that took place in the life of Peter would have occurred if he had\nremained in Jerusalem.  Peter probably\nfelt a freedom and the leading of the Holy Spirit to travel more since the\nhostility against the church had stopped for a while.  Prior to the incidents that follow, there may\nhave been a sense that his leadership was not needed as much in Jerusalem to\nkeep the church together in the face of the persecution that took place under\nSaul.  Now there was peace and Peter\ncould leave the church in hands of other leaders like James.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The healings\nin Lydda and Joppa opened the door to the real purpose God had planned for\nhim.  There is no indication why he\nhappened to be travelling through those regions west of Jerusalem. It would not\nappear to be a continuation of the trip he had made with John because he is the\nonly one mentioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Why did Peter begin travelling more\nat this point?<\/li>
  2. What more could he accomplish by\nremaining in Jerusalem?<\/li>
  3. In what ways was it detrimental to\nthe growth of God\u2019s kingdom for him and others to continue to just serve in\nJerusalem?<\/li>
  4. What was the challenge for him?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Acts 9:33-35<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We do know\nwhat took place in Lydda.  He first\nhealed a man named Aeneas.  This opened\nthe door for many from Lydda and Sharon to become followers of Christ.  It is interesting that there was no call by\nthe disciples for Peter to heal the man.  \nAs a result of the miracle many in those two cities became followers of\nChrist?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. What did Peter appear to be doing in\nLydda?<\/li>
    2. Why do we not see any reference to\nPeter preaching?<\/li>
    3. Just looking at the setting in which\nthe healing occurred what does it tell us about what Peter hoped to accomplish?<\/li>
    4. What was special about Aeneas that\nGod should heal him?<\/li>
    5. How is it people became believers\nwithout the sharing of the gospel by Peter?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Acts 9:36-37<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In the\nnearby city of Joppa another drama was being played out that would affect\nPeter\u2019s life.  There was a disciple there\nby the name of Tabitha or Dorcas in Greek. \nTabitha took her Christianity seriously. \nIt was said of her that she continually performed acts of kindness and\ncharity.  As the narrative continues it\nis said that Tabitha died and was prepared for burial.  As tragic as this event was in the lives of\nthose who knew her, there was a sense of hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. What are the admirable qualities that\nare seen in the life of Tabitha?<\/li>
      2. Why was a person like her so\nimportant to those who knew her?<\/li>
      3. Why did they not bury her\nimmediately, as is the custom in the Middle East?<\/li>
      4. Why was there, in their minds, hope\nfor a different outcome?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Acts 9:38-39<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Peter now\nenters the scene.  Rather that burying\nTabitha on the day of her death they sent for him.  He was still in Lydda so two men were sent to\nask him to come with them.  The Scripture\ndoes not mention that they asked him to raise her from the dead but only\nimplored him to come with them.  Upon\narriving he was confronted by those who had benefited from Tabitha\u2019s kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        1. Why was Tabitha not buried\nimmediately?<\/li>
        2. What did they hope Peter would be\nable to do?<\/li>
        3. Who would benefit by Tabitha being\nbrought to life?<\/li>
        4. What thought was given to what it\nwould mean for her to be raised from the dead? \n<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          Acts 9:40-42   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Peter put\neveryone out of the room.  He then\nprayed.  Only then did he speak her\nname.  Upon hearing her name she opened\nher eyes and sat up.  Peter then extended\nhis hand and she got up.  He then called\nall of the saints and widows \u201cpresented her alive.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          As would be\nexpected the word of what happened went throughout the city.  Once again many who heard became followers of\nChrist?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          1. Why were the widows showing Peter the\nthings that Tabitha had made?<\/li>
          2. Why did Peter put all of the people\nout of the room?<\/li>
          3. For whose benefit was Tabitha raised?<\/li>
          4. What was the good that came out of\nthis event?<\/li>
          5. What could be the witness of Tabitha\nfrom that point on in her life?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            Acts 9:43<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            This is an\nimportant verse that should not glossed over. In it there is the continuing\nchange taking place in Peter\u2019s life.  The\nverse reads, \u201cPeter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.\u201d Why\nis this verse so important?  To answer\none only needs to look at the way the Jewish religious would view such a man as\nSimon.  Because he constantly worked with\nthe skins of animals he would have been considered unclean by the Jewish\nreligious leaders and would not have been allowed to worship in the\ntemple.  Peter puts aside all those rules\nand stayed with an unclean man.  He could\nnot know it but, this time also was preparing him for what lay ahead which will\nbe discussed next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            1. Why would Simon be considered unclean\naccording to the Jewish religion?<\/li>
            2. What did this mean in terms of his\nability to worship in the temple?<\/li>
            3. What was happening in the life of\nPeter that he would not have any problem staying with such a man?<\/li>
            4. Why did Peter remain in Joppa?<\/li>
            5. Why are we not given any more\ninformation about Peter\u2019s activities there? \n<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

              During the\ncoming week as you think about this lesson, you should spend your time<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              • Praying that God would continue to\nprovide unexpected opportunities for you to witness.<\/li>
              • Consider how you might use the gifts\nGod has given you in service here at Bethany Place<\/li>
              • Put your own agenda, wants and needs\naside and consider how you might encourage and help others.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                We need to\nlearn to seize every opportunity to serve wherever we find ourselves.  Although one of the primary ways to witness\nis through the spoken word we need to realize the smallest deed done in\nkindness can have tremendous affect on a person\u2019s life.  As others see us acting in a Christ-like\nmanner they will be drawn to the Savior we lovingly serve.  Let us use all the tools God has provided to\nus to advance His kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Additional\nnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                C-Peter healed Aeneas of a paralysis that had kept him\nbedridden for eight years.  As a result\nof the healing many in Lydda and Sharon came to know the Lord. (Acts 9:32-36)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                GC-A follower of Christ abounds with deeds of kindness\nand charity. (Acts 9:36)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                C-Tabitha a disciple who lived in Joppa died.  When Peter came he prayed for Tabitha,\nDorcas, and God brought her back to life. \nThis act brought many in Joppa to Christ. (Acts 9:36-42)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                 C-Peter spent\nmany days with a man named Simon.  He was\na tanner.  Therefore, he would be\nconsidered unclean according to the Jews. (Acts 9:43)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Lesson 17 On the Road with Peter Acts 9:32-43  I have often discovered that the best laid plans often do not work out as I expected.  In Proverbs 16:9 the writer says, \u201cThe mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.\u201d  This certainly does not mean that we are not to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-acts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=763"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":764,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/763\/revisions\/764"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}