Devotional: Acts 9:32-43

Today’s passage: Acts 9:32-43

Helpful thoughts:

• It was customary to bury the bodies of the dead almost immediately.  The Christians in Joppa had another plan.
  • Peter gave her a command in the same way Jesus had commanded Lazarus to get up and come out of his grave.
• Lydda and Joppa are slightly north and west of Jerusalem and toward the coast (Joppa being at the coast).  Sharon is the region surrounding Lydda.
  • If you want to use a modern map to locate the cities, look for Lod and Jaffa.
• Peter did not only do miracles in these places.  He also preached the Gospel.  otherwise, the people would not have known what to believe! (Romans 10:17)

Questions to consider:

1. Tabitha/Dorcas (Her name means “Gazelle”) is named as a follower of Jesus Christ (However, she was dead).  Aeneas is mentioned as “A certain man,” indicating he was not a believer.  Were either Aeneas or Tabitha healed or raised from the dead because they had enough faith?  Why did God allow their healing?  What was the greater purpose?
2. How does this passage continue to move forward the promise of Christ from Acts 1:8?  How do these accounts fit into the overall narrative of the book?
3. When Peter healed Aeneas, what did he say?  Who healed Aeneas?  Who is the hero of your story?  When you share your life with others, to whom should they be pointed?