Friday, March 09, 2007
Bring Life to the Dead
One of the things that made Peter special was his heart. He desired to be with Jesus and to become like Him. Peter never reached the point where he said that he had gone far enough. He never looked back on the past and considered that he had fulfilled his obligation. This can be easy to do when we see God work through us. We can reach a point of complacency where we think we are due a break. But Peter had been forgiven much and as a result he loved much.
Peter was willing to do whatever God asked of him. Sometimes he would complain, question or throw up concerns. But he always relented and followed the Master.
Peter kept his Master's call to feed the early Church. While traveling from place to place, God worked great miracles through him. Peter healed Aeneas by calling on the name of Jesus. He then went to Joppa because a beloved Christian named Tabitha had died. It is unclear whether Peter knew what he was getting into when he agreed to see Tabitha. He may have known she was dead. He may not have. Regardless, Peter answered the call to go to yet another place.
The scene must have been familiar to what Peter saw when Jesus brought Jairus' daughter back to life. There was a crowd of women weeping near the body. They showed Peter the beautiful garments that Tabitha had made when she was alive. They lamented the passing of a gifted member of their community.
Standing in an upper room near a dead women, Peter finds himself once more beside His master. He must have remembered the many times that Jesus brought life to those who were dead. Overwhelmed by the size of the task, Peter knows the only one who can do the impossible is God. Yet he seems willing to be the vessel that God will use to do a miracle.
Just as Jesus had done, Peter sent all the women outside so that he could be alone. Peter fell to his knees and began to pray. At the right moment, he spoke to the dead women. He reached the point of full assurance. The moment of faith in what God would do and then he acted. This shows one of the real reasons why we pray. Our prayers build up our faith and align us with God's heart. As we listen to God, we become aware of how to respond to even the worst circumstances.
Turning to the body, Peter said, "Tabitha, arise." Power went along with this word. And she opened her eyes and sat up.
Once again God had used his people to bring life to the dead. This is God's work even today. Peter's miracle opened the door for the Gospel to be preached. News of the miracle spread all throughout Joppa. As a port city, the story would go well beyond the city to other countries. As great as it is to see the power of God touch one life, it is even better to see the message extend to the nations.
Finding that a door of opportunity was opened for him, Peter stayed in the city many days. He stayed not in the house of Tabitha. Instead, Peter stayed at the house of Simon a tanner, an ordinary tradesman. Tanning was a trade regarded by many Jews as partially unclean and somewhat disreputable. Tanners dealt with the hides of dead animals and blood. For this reason the business was usually done on the outskirts of town. By lodging with a tanner, Peter was breaking taboos just as Jesus had done.
Peter was willing to do whatever God asked of him. Sometimes he would complain, question or throw up concerns. But he always relented and followed the Master.
Peter kept his Master's call to feed the early Church. While traveling from place to place, God worked great miracles through him. Peter healed Aeneas by calling on the name of Jesus. He then went to Joppa because a beloved Christian named Tabitha had died. It is unclear whether Peter knew what he was getting into when he agreed to see Tabitha. He may have known she was dead. He may not have. Regardless, Peter answered the call to go to yet another place.
The scene must have been familiar to what Peter saw when Jesus brought Jairus' daughter back to life. There was a crowd of women weeping near the body. They showed Peter the beautiful garments that Tabitha had made when she was alive. They lamented the passing of a gifted member of their community.
Standing in an upper room near a dead women, Peter finds himself once more beside His master. He must have remembered the many times that Jesus brought life to those who were dead. Overwhelmed by the size of the task, Peter knows the only one who can do the impossible is God. Yet he seems willing to be the vessel that God will use to do a miracle.
Just as Jesus had done, Peter sent all the women outside so that he could be alone. Peter fell to his knees and began to pray. At the right moment, he spoke to the dead women. He reached the point of full assurance. The moment of faith in what God would do and then he acted. This shows one of the real reasons why we pray. Our prayers build up our faith and align us with God's heart. As we listen to God, we become aware of how to respond to even the worst circumstances.
Turning to the body, Peter said, "Tabitha, arise." Power went along with this word. And she opened her eyes and sat up.
Once again God had used his people to bring life to the dead. This is God's work even today. Peter's miracle opened the door for the Gospel to be preached. News of the miracle spread all throughout Joppa. As a port city, the story would go well beyond the city to other countries. As great as it is to see the power of God touch one life, it is even better to see the message extend to the nations.
Finding that a door of opportunity was opened for him, Peter stayed in the city many days. He stayed not in the house of Tabitha. Instead, Peter stayed at the house of Simon a tanner, an ordinary tradesman. Tanning was a trade regarded by many Jews as partially unclean and somewhat disreputable. Tanners dealt with the hides of dead animals and blood. For this reason the business was usually done on the outskirts of town. By lodging with a tanner, Peter was breaking taboos just as Jesus had done.
