THE CHURCH OF THE HELPING HAND
Acts 9:32-41 - Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. "Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Immediately Aeneas got up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas[a]), who was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!"
Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive.
God has been using Paul in a mighty way. The center of attention now turns to Simon Peter and I want you to see the marvelous magnificent preacher of Pentecost.
Remember the Lord said to Simon Peter, “You are Peter and Upon this Rock I will build my church. “ Peter makes the great confession and God is going to use Peter to usher in his Kingdom and to do some marvelous work
As unstable as Peter was – God is going to make a rock out of him. I am sure there were days when Peter thought, God cant use me!
Many people around Peter looked at his life, at his failures, inconsistencies, and wondered if God could ever do anything with him.
Paul said, “when I am weak – then I am made strong” God majors in building up the broken.
God has been moving mightily in Paul’s life. However when we come to Acts 10, there is a major breakthrough in the Gospel to the gentile world.
A door has open for the gentiles to be recipients of the Gospel God is going to use Peter as His divine appointment to reach out the gentile world.
Peter had some impediments in his life that God had to remove if Peter as going to have an unbiased – unprejudiced ministry.
God had to do a work in his life. Experience by experience – Day by day God prepares His people for what He has inshore for them.
When I look at Acts 9:32- 41, I see a ministry of the helping hand.
I want you to see that every Bible believing church has some undeniable characteristics.
You can call your church whatever you will, however the bottom line – Does the character and life of the church meet the mandate God has for it.
I. THE CHURCH IS A HUMAN MINISTRY:
The church is centered in people, interested in human beings, and cares about individuals and their needs.
Our text is filled with people: There is Aeneas, Dorcas, the Disciples, and the saints. Not faceless nonentities – but people with personalities, people with feelings, people with needs.
The world sees you as a number, you are a number on a computer somewhere and you are knowm primarily by your social security number. However in the New Testament, you study the life of Jesus and see how he was caught up with individuals. He called them by name: Martha, Mary, Zaccheius, Bartimaeaus, Peter, Andrew, John, and James.
When Jesus died on the cross – he died for Tom, Ed, Rick, John, Fred, Rose, Sharon, Janet, Miley, Wes, Kevin and Kaye, Faye, Beth and Jim, Palmer, Barbara, Arlene, Marline, Bill, Wilbur, Sharon etc:
The church is interested in all people:
The Devil game plan is to get us thinking about all thee masses so we do
not focus on the individual We win people one at a time. If we can’t
help individuals – we can’t help the masses.
I fear we lose our perspective: We do not exist so people will come in and help us – we are here to be a blessing to others --- one person at a timeWhy would God give us more if we do not take care of the one he sends our way.
We are interested in all kinds of people:
1.Young people: Next generation: Kids in class room.
2.Seniors: the forgotten generation:
3.Families in crisis: Blended families, divorce, jobless, singles,
4.Young adults: Ministries that meet their needs, deal with issues that affect their corner of the world.
In our text – a real man named Aeneas ---sick for eight years. A real women named Dorcas and she died. There are real brothers and sisters broken over her loss.
1.In our town there are families with rebellious children
2.Someone is going thru a divorce
3.Someone is grieving because they have lost a loved one.
4.Someone has taken and drink and now the drink has taken them.
5.Some of these individuals cannot find anything in their own power to break the shackles of their own devices.
The church exists to help people with their needs. When Dorcas died and they heard Peter was in a nearby city they sent for him. When they had a need –who did they turn too?
When people are in trouble they need to be able to turn to someone who knows the Lord and knows how to pray. I have an announcement to make: The church of my Lord has the answers to human needs:
We have the answer to the alcohol problem and the drug
problem too. ITS CALLED THE --- CALVARY CURE
We believe Jesus Christ has the power to break the shackles the bind us.
You see, when I was saved – I got high on Jesus Christ – it’s a natural high, a supernatural high. I am talking about being filled with the Spirit and in love with Christ.
II. THE CHURCH IS A HEALING MINISTRY:
Aeneas was sick for eight years and is healed. Dorcas is deceased and is raised from the dead. While on earth Jesus performed miracles. Jesus came preaching, teaching, and healing.
When Christ went back to heaven, He promised the send the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and before the N. T. was completed the Apostles and those they laid hands on authenticated their message by signs, wonders and miracles. Then were walking on the water and raising the dead.
These miracles were to produce faith in Christ until the full revelation of God’s word was established. These miracles were for a specific time and for a specific purpose. However the bible says, When that which is perfect is come, that which is in part --- will be done away with. Prophecy, speaking in tongues and super natural knowledge were for a specific time.
Miracles confirmed the word and provided validity to the claim that Jesus Christ was the son of God. He now have the word of God that produces Faith.
John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Romans 10:17 – Faith comes by hearing the word of God.
Many have ask me –Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe God still heals today? Absolutely!!!
God who made the body knows how to repair the body.
Our churches are filled with the testimony of those who have experienced first hand the healing of the Lord. We should take prayer for the sick very seriously. More things are accomplished by the hand of the Lord than this world can dream of.
God does not always choose to heal and His timing and what he wills to do his business. God is God and we are not!
Aeneas had been bedridden for 8 years before he was healed and at some point he died.
God raises Dorcas from the dead. I am not sure they did her a favor! Paul said,” to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”
She is up there in glory somewhere making robes for the angels . She is up there shouting around the great thorn of God. And somebody taps her on the shoulder and says, “Peter is down there praying for you your going to have to go back”
If you and I ever had a one minute glimpse of heaven we would never want to come back.
We have a human ministry and a healing ministry.
III THE CHURCH HAS A HELPING MINISTRY:
Dorcas a women full of good deeds. She served God with a Needle and thread making Robes for the widows. She blessed the life of others through her ministry.
Use your gifts to the Glory of God.
1.I often think about how important little things are: ( a paper clip)
2.The value of the clip is not the amount of wire in the clip- but the bend of the clip.
3.The value of your spiritual gift is the bend the Lord gives it to his glory.
IV. A HEAVENLY MINISTRY:
Note the end result of each miracle. “when they saw the miracles, they believed on the Lord.” People got saved!
It’s thrilling when people are helped and blessed by the hands of Christian people. But the ultimate priority and the consummate goal of all we do is the salvation of souls.
The greatest thing that can happen here is when a person gives their life to Jesus Christ.
The bells of heaven sound off when someone who is lost comes to Jesus
The greatest need of man is not for physical hearing but to know Jesus and to have forgiveness of sins. Without Christ we are nothing..
1.You might have culture – its dignified paganism
2.You might have education – its Enlightened paganism
3.You might have entertainment – its Amused paganism.
4.You might have religion – its religious paganism
CONCLUSION;
A human ministry – we are here for people
A healing ministry – we believe in the Power of God.
A helping ministry – Glorify God with your gifts
A heavenly ministry – Somebody needs to be saved!
