THE CHARACTER OF A TRUE DISCIPLE
Acts 9:32-43 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. 34 "Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 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!" 39 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. 40 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. 41 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. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
INTRODUCTION: THIS SECTION WE ARE IN – ACTS CHAPTERS 9-12 IS A SECTION THAT IS, TO SAY, BLENDED. THE FIRST MAJOR DIVISION OF THE BOOK OF ACTS – CHAPTERS 1-12 DEAL A MAJORITY OF THE TIME WITH PETER. THE REMAINING CHAPTERS OF ACTS – 13 TO THE END DEAL WITH PAUL. HERE IN CHAPTERS 9-12, WE HAVE A BLENDING OF PETER AND PAUL, WITH PETER DIMINISHING, AND PAUL ADVANCING.
SO, WHAT WE HAVE HERE ARE TWO QUICK INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF PETER, WHICH WHEN LOOKED AT SHOW US THE CHARACTER OF A TRUE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST.
TRANSITION: FOR WITH ALL OF THE STUMBLES PETER MAKES IN HIS LIFE, IT IS PETER THAT SHOWS HERE TRUE DISCIPLE SHI FOR CHRIST IN ACTION. HE IS DOING WHAT, WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, A DISCIPLE IS SUPPOSED TO DO! SO, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT WHAT PETER DOES RIGHT AS A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AS DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
I. WE NEED TO GET OUT OF OUR JERUSALEM
a. THE FIRST COMMAND OF A DISCIPLE WAS TO WAIT FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT
b. THE SECOND COMMAND OF A DISCIPLE WAS TO MOVE OUT FROM JERUSALEM, AND INTO THE WORLD WITH AN EVER GREATER REACH
c. IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED IT, YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE FIRST COMMENT IF YOU ARE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST.
i. YOU HAVE BEEN REGENERATED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Titus 3:5 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
ii. YOU HAVE BEEN INDWELT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
1 Corinthians 3:16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?
iii. YOU HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT – 1 COR 12:13
1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
iv. YOU HAVE BEEN SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption
AS YOU SIT HERE RIGHT NOW YOU ARE A SOUP TO NUTS HOLY SPIRIT ACTIVATED FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST
v. SALVATION FULFILLED GOD’S FIRST COMMAND TO HIS DISCIPLES. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT!
d. NOW WE NEED TO GET OUT OF OUR JERUSALEM
i. I HONESTLY CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT YOUR JERUSALEM IS, ONLY YOU CAN DO THAT.
ii. I CAN DEFINE WHAT YOUR JERUSALEM IS; IT IS WHERE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE AND FEEL AT HOME.
iii. IF THAT IS THE SPHERE WHERE YOU ARE LIVING FOR CHRIST, THEN YOU ARE DEAD IN THE WATER, AND YOU NEED TO MOVE OUT.
iv. JUST LOOK AT THE EXAMPLES WE HAVE HAD IN THE BOK OF ACTS SO FAR. EVERY TIME SOMEONE MOVED OUT OF THEIR SPIRITUAL COMFORT ZONE TWO THINGS HAPPENED.
1. THOSE ENTRENCHED IN THE COMFORT ZONE WITH THEM COMPLAINED.
2. THOSE REACHED OUTSIDE THE COMFORT ZONE RESPONDED TO THE GOSPEL
3. IT SHOULD TELL US SOMETHING, THAT AS THE BOOK OF ACTS PROGRESSES WE HEAR LESS AND LESS ABOUT THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM, AND MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE CHURCHES ON THE FRINGE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION.
II. WE NEED TO FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS
a. IN FACT LUKE USES A BEAUTIFUL, EVEN THOUGH SELDOM USED WORD IN ACTS TO DESCRIBE BELIEVERS – SAINTS
b. A SAINT IS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN SET APART FOR A DIVINE SERVICE.
c. THIS HAS BECOME A LOST ART IN THE CHURCH TODAY.
i. WE HAVE TURNED FELLOWSHIP INTO A MEAL, WHEN FELLOWSHIP WAS MUCH MORE TO THE EARLY CHURCH
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
1. FELLOWSHIP CARRIES WITH IT THE IDEA OF ASSOCIATION WITH ONE ANOTHER.
2. YET, NOTICE WHAT FELLOWSHIP IS INCLUDED WITH – DOCTRINAL TEACHING, COMMUNION, AND PRAYER.
3. BEING TOGETHER WITH THE SAINTS WAS FAR MORE THAN A MEAL. IT WAS PART OF REAL WORSHIP.
ii. REAL FELLOWSHIP – TIME WITH OTHER BELIEVERS FOCUSES ON THE THINGS OF THE LORD.
TRUE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST FIND TIME TO BE TOGETHER AROUND THE THINGS OF CHRIST APART FROM CHURCH!
MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT SHOULD BE RELATIONSHIP DRIVEN (WITH GOD) AND INDIVIDUALLY SUPPORTED
III. WE NEED TO SPEND TIME WITH THOSE IN NEED
a. AGAIN WE SEE THAT HIS IS KEY IN THE LIFE OF PETER. PETER DID NOT AVOID THOSE IN NEED.
b. PETER EMBRACED THOSE IN NEED AND MINISTERED TO THEM AFTER THE PATTERN OF CHRIST.
c. PETER FOLLOWED THE MODEL OF JESUS – JUST LOOK AT HOW HE WITH THE RESURRECTION OF DORCAS.
d. NOW, I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO GO OUT AN RAISE THE DEAD – EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT BE DEAD IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
e. I AM ASKING YOU TO FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRIST AS HE DEALT WITH PEOPLE.
i. BRING THE GOSPEL
ii. MEET THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE
f. THIS IS NOT ONLY A PROBLEM IN THE CHURCH TODAY, IT WAS A PROBLEM IN THE EARLY CHURCH
James 2:14-18 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
g. THE CHURCH THEN AND NOW IS GUILTY OF BEING SO HEAVENLY MINDED THEY ARE NO EARTHLY GOOD. WE ARE ON DANGEROUS GROUND WHEN WE IGNORE THE OBVIOUS NEEDS IN FRONT OF US.
MATTHEW 25:31-46
IV. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT SERVICE ENDS WHEN WE SEE CHRIST
a. ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT, I CAN “RETIRE” AT AGE 62 AND RECEIVE 71.7% OF MY BENEFITS.
b. I CAN WAIT UNTIL I AM 66 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS AND RECEIVE 100% OF MY BENEFITS
c. OR I CAN WAIT AND RETIRE AT 70, AND RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 32% MORE.
d. THE GOVERNMENT HAS ESTABLISHED A RETIREMENT AGE FOR ME. GOD HAS NOT
e. HERE WE HAVE TWO INCIDENTS THAT SHOULD HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT GOD DETERMINES WHEN WE STOP SERVING, NOT US
i. DISABILITY DOES NOT CEASE OUR SERVICE FOR GOD.
ii. DEATH DOES NOT CEASE OUR SERVICE FOR GOD
1. GOD HEALS AND GOD RESURRECTS!
SO, IF WE THOUGHT WE HAVE “SERVED” OUR TIME, WE HAVE NOT. WE DO NOT GET TO DETERMINE THAT, GOD DOES!
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN, EVEN IN THIS!
V. WE NEED TO GO WHEN WE ARE CALLED
a. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CALL FOR SERVICE E IS A DIVINE INVITATION, NOT A BOTHER IN MY LIFE.
b. IF WE ACCEPT THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL THINGS, THEN WE NEED TO ACCEPT THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL OF EACH AND EVERY EVENT OF MY LIFE
c. NOTICE THAT IN ONE INSTANCE PETER FOUND A NEED AND MET IT.
d. AND IN ANOTHER INSTANCE PETER WAS CALLED TO A NEED AND HE MET IT!
e. WHETHER FOUND OR CALLED NEEDS COME OUR WAY IN ORDER TO BE MET, NOT AVOIDED.
f. REMEMBER THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN. THE ONE WHO MEETS THE NEED IS THE NEIGHBOR!
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE MISSED THE BOAT OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT UNDERSTOOD THAT A NECESSARY CHARACTERISTIC OR TRAIT OF DISCIPLESHIP IS HANDS ON MINISTRY TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS?
VI. WE NEED TO KEEP FROM MOURNING AS THE WORLD MOURNS
a. ONE OF THE GREATEST TESTIMONIES THAT A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST CAN HAVE IS IN HOW WE RESPOND TO THE EVENTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND US.
b. WHAT DO WE DO?
IN MY FIRST CHURCH, ONE YOUNG MAN BY THE NAME OF SETH WAS PLAYING BASEBALL, AND IN AN EFFORT TO CATCH A POP FLY, HE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER PLAYER. THE OTHER PLAYER GOT UP, BUT SETH REMAINED ON THE GROUND. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE COLLISION HAD RESULTED IN A PERFORATION TO HIS SMALL INTESTINE, AND THAT FLUID, BILE, ETC FROM THE SMALL INTESTINE HAD LEAKED INTO HIS BODY. HE WAS SEPTIC, AND THE FAMILY WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD BE TOUCH AND GO. I SPENT THAT NIGHT IN THE HOSPITAL WITH SETH. HIS FATHER WAS THERE, AS WAS MY SON. AS BOTH MY SON AND SETH’S FATHER WERE ASLEEP, DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHTS DO. THIS IS HOW FO. I WAS MOVED TO DO THE ONLY THING I COULD DO, TO PRAY. AS I PRAYED FOR THIS YOUNG MAN, WHOSE BREATHING WAS LABORED, AND HE HAD A FEVER – ALL OF A SUDDEN HE TOOK A HUGE BREATH. I THOUGHT I WAS WATCHING HIM MOVE FROM THIS LIFE INTO THE NEXT. HE EXHALED, AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON WAS LOWBREATHING WITHOUT THE LABOR, AND I WOULD FIND OUT THAT HIS FEVER BROKE. I SAW GOD DO A MIRACLE IN THAT HOSPITAL ROOM THAT NIGHT. LATER, AS I WAS RELATING THIS STORY TO ANOTHER BELIEVER, HE ASKED ME, “WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?” I TOLD HIM THE DATE AND TIME. HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS SLEEPING, HAD BEEN AWAKENED WITH THE URGE TO PRAY FOR ME, WHICH HE DID. HIS URGING TO PRAY WAS AT THE SAME TIME I WAS PRAYING FOR SETH. I BELIEVE THAT NIGHT GOD ANSWERED MY PRAYER, AS IT HAD BEEN STRENGTHENED BY THE PRAYERS OF ANOTHER.
c. THIS IS WHAT BELIEVERS DO. THIS IS HOW FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST RESPOND. DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD!
d. THIS IS WHAT PETER DID. WHEN EVERYONE AROUND WAS CRYING, PETER WAS PRAYING.
ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BEING A DISCIPLE IS TO NOT SETTLE FOR WHAT THE WORLD THINKS WE SHOULD BE DOING IN A GIVEN SITUATION, BUT FINDING OUT WHAT GOD THINKS WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IN A GIVEN SITUATION AND DOING IT!
VII. WE NEED TO BE A LIVING EXAMPLE
a. IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT A CHANGED LIFE SHOULD DO IT IS TO CHANGE US.
b. CHANGE TO THE POINT THAT WE BECOME RECOGNIZABLY DIFFERENT THAN WE WERE BEFORE.
c. PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT IN THIS PASSAGE COMES AT THE END, WHEN WE READ THAT PETER, JEWISH PETER STAYED WITH A TANNER
d. JEWISH LAW FORBID COMING IN CONTACT WITH ANYTHING DEAD. TO DO SO WOULD MAKE ONE UNCLEAN.
e. PETER CHOSE TO STAY WITH A TANNER – LITERALLY SOMEONE WHO DEALT WITH DEAD ANIMALS
f. THIS MAN WAS ACCEPTED BY PETER, AND PETER BY HIS ACTIONS SHOWED THAT THE GOSPEL CAN CHANGE US.
CAN EACH OF US SAY, OR ANY OF US SAY THAT WE ARE VISIBLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE EFFECT OF THE GOSPEL ON OUR LIVES?
IS OUR DISCIPLESHIP VISIBLE TO THOSE AROUND US?
WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US IS AN EXAMPLE FROM IMPERFECT, OFTEN MAKING THE WRONG DECISION, PETER ON HOW A DISCIPLE SHOULD ACT AND LOOK.
WE WOULD DO WELL TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.
