Go Team!
Acts 9:32-43
June 9, 2002
Intro:
A. [Beauty of Unity, Citation: Mike Royko, One More Time (University of Chicago Press, 1999), pp. 85-87; submitted by Dallas Roark, Emporia, Kansas]
The late columnist Mike Royko writes about a conversation he had with Slats Grobnik, a man who sold Christmas trees.
Slats remembered one couple on the hunt for a Christmas tree.
The guy was skinny with a big Adam’s apple and small chin, and she was kind of pretty.
But both wore clothes from the bottom of the bin of the Salvation Army store.
After finding only trees that were too expensive, they found a Scotch pine that was okay on one side, but pretty bare on the other.
Then they picked up another tree that was not much better—full on one side, scraggly on the other.
She whispered something, and he asked if $3 would be okay.
Slats figured both trees would not be sold, so he agreed.
A few days later Slats was walking down the street and saw a beautiful tree in the couple’s apartment.
It was thick and well rounded.
He knocked on their door and they told him how they worked the two trees close together where the branches were thin.
Then they tied the trunks together.
The branches overlapped and formed a tree so thick you couldn’t see the wire.
Slats described it as "a tiny forest of its own."
"So that’s the secret," Slats asserts.
"You take two trees that aren’t perfect, that have flaws, that might even be homely, that maybe nobody else would want. If you put them together just right, you can come up with something really beautiful."
B. Friends, that is a perfect picture of what the church should be!
1. "You take [lots of people who] aren’t perfect, that have flaws, that might even be homely, that maybe nobody else would want. If you put them together just right, you can come up with something really beautiful."
2. And that "something really beautiful" is the church and I believe that God wants to tell us some things about this today from Acts 9; first…
I. Christ healed Aeneas from paralysis.
Acts 9:32-35, 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.
A. Peter was on a preaching crusade.
1. Peter was travelling around the country preaching the gospel.
2. Peter had stayed in Jerusalem during the time of the persecution, but now that it had ended, he was going out to visit the believers in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria.
3. Peter went to visit the saints in Lydda.
4. Clearly, Peter wasn’t going to preach to dead people in Lydda.
5. That may sound like an odd statement, but that is what many people consider to be saints.
6. But when the Bible refers to saints it is referring to believers in Jesus Christ.
7. Turn to your neighbor and say, "I am a saint!"
8. Peter went to the city of Lydda to visit with and preach to the saints.
B. There he met a man named Aeneas.
1. We don’t know anything about this man.
2. We just know that he lived in Lydda and his name in English means "praise."
3. Praise had been a paralytic and confined to a bed for the past eight years.
C. But Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you."
1. And immediately Praise got up and walked.
2. Peter told him to get up and roll up his mat because he would no longer need it.
3. And we notice that it is not really Peter who heals Praise, its Jesus.
4. Peter said, "Jesus Christ heals you."
5. All healing comes from Jesus Christ.
6. It may come through a doctor, but it comes from Jesus Christ.
7. It may come through a prayer, but it comes from Jesus Christ.
8. It may come through a person with the gift of healing like Peter, but it comes from Jesus Christ.
9. "Jesus Christ heals you!"
D. And Luke says that all those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
1. People in two cities heard about the healing of Praise.
2. People in two cities were saved as a result of the healing of Praise.
3. When the word of Praise spread, people were saved.
4. Yes, there is a double meaning there.
5. When the word of Praise spread, people were saved.
II. Christ raised Tabitha from the dead.
Acts 9:36-41, 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.
A. About the time that Peter was in Lydda, a woman named Tabitha died in Joppa.
1. Now Joppa and Lydda were only about 10 or 12 miles apart.
2. Peter was in Lydda, but the believers in Joppa knew he was visiting over there and was no longer staying in Jerusalem.
3. So the believers in Joppa sent two men to Lydda to get Peter.
4. They sent the two men to Peter and said, "Please come at once!"
5. They needed Peter to come at once because they knew that Tabitha’s body would begin to decompose soon.
B. Now this woman who had died was named Tabitha.
1. Tabitha was her name in Arabic, which was the language Jesus spoke and probably Peter was using at this time as well.
2. In Greek her name was Dorcas.
3. In English her name was Gazelle.
4. It was common for folks to name their daughters after beautiful animals.
5. Now Gazelle was a beautiful woman who was well-loved.
6. There is no indication of a husband, but there is mention of other widows, which could mean that Gazelle was a widow as well.
7. But Gazelle was a Godly woman who was always doing good.
8. Gazelle was a Godly woman who was always helping the poor.
9. Gazelle was a Godly woman who always sewed robes and other clothing for widows.
10. What a blessing women like this are to a church and what a loss is felt when they depart.
11. Its therefore no surprise that there was much weeping when she suddenly got sick and died.
C. But Peter came, prayed for her, commanded her to get up, and presented her to them alive.
1. And I must say again that it was not Peter who raised her from the dead, it was Jesus Christ.
2. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
3. Resurrection from the dead comes only through Jesus Christ.
4. Peter didn’t say Jesus did it as he had with Praise, but before Gazelle was raised, Peter did pray.
5. Resurrection only comes through Jesus Christ.
D. There’s only one more thing I want us to notice before we move on…
1. Why did the believers send for Peter in the first place?
2. She was already dead.
3. They weren’t sending for Peter to heal her; she was already dead.
4. Were they sending for Peter to preach the funeral sermon?
5. Do you recall that when Peter pronounced judgment on Ananias and Sapphira back in Chapter 5 that they immediately carried them out and buried them?
6. Did the believers in Joppa immediately carry Gazelle out and bury her?
7. No, the Scripture says that they washed her body and placed her in an upstairs room and then sent for Peter.
8. They weren’t burying her because they weren’t ready to bury her yet; they wanted Peter to raise her from the dead.
9. They believed that Christ could raise their friend Gazelle back to life and they sent for Peter.
Transition:
At this point, I need to make and important statement…
1. The HS is already pouring out the gifts here at Somerset.
2. We do have people who speak in tongues.
3. We do have people with miraculous gifts.
4. We do have people with gifts that might not be considered miraculous.
5. We also have people who don’t have what they think they do.
6. So we need to be very careful about how we use these gifts.
7. We need to pray very much about how we use these gifts because they can do the kingdom of God a great deal of good if they are used correctly, but they can do the kingdom a great deal of harm if they are used inappropriately.
8. So what I’m saying here today is that this is no longer in the realm of theoretical, it is reality.
9. The HS is here at Somerset and is pouring gifts to people just like the Scriptures say.
III. Christ calls us from inaction.
Acts 9:42-43, 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.
A. The text says that people all over Joppa believed in the Lord.
1. What caused people all over Joppa to believe?
2. Raising Gazelle from the dead caused them to believe.
3. Gazelle had been raised from the dead and they didn’t have much choice but to believe in Jesus.
4. And Jesus Christ is calling us in Greencastle to belief and action as well.
B. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
1. Here Paul says that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to each one as He sees fits.
2. The HS gives gifts (which we may call talents and abilities) for the common good—or the good of the body of Christ, the church.
3. The Scripture says that some people receive messages of wisdom from God.
4. Some people receive messages of knowledge.
5. Some people receive miraculous powers.
6. Some people receive prophetic utterances.
7. Some people receive the ability to speak in other languages or tongues.
8. Some people receive the ability to interpret those tongues.
9. These is not an exhaustive list, there are other gifts mentioned in other passages as well.
10. Now does the Scripture tell the truth?
11. Do people receive these kinds of things?
12. YES! The truth is that God intended for believers of all times to receive these gifts.
13. That’s why they are in the Bible.
14. Some people get some gifts, other people get other gifts—only Jesus had them all.
15. Some people are gifted to teach, some are gifted to help others, some speak in tongues, some do miracles; but the HS gives them out as He sees best.
C. 1 Corinthians 12:31, But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
1 Corinthians 14:1, Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
1. Now these are very clear.
2. The Bible says that we are to eagerly desire spiritual gifts.
3. We are to eagerly desire spiritual gifts.
4. I know that it is part of our pop-Christian culture to say things like we are to seek God’s face and not his gifts, but this clearly is not Biblically accurate.
5. We absolutely must seek God more than the gifts.
6. God Himself should be what we desire more than anyone or anything else.
7. We should seek an intimate relationship with Him and that should be our number one priority in life.
8. But when we love God we obey His commands and these are clearly commands of the Word of God: eagerly desire spiritual gifts.
9. If we are seeking God and seeking to obey Him, we will seek these gifts and seek to use them for the glory of God.
10. We will seek Spiritual gifts and we will seek to use them for the common good.
11. Romans 12:6-8, We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
12. You see, Christ is calling churches everywhere into action today.
13. Yes these passages of Scripture have always been there, but for some reason now the HS is opening our eyes to them in new ways.
14. God is calling the church to get out of the pews and start using these gifts to further His kingdom.
D. Satan, on-the-other-hand, is getting very concerned about how the HS is beginning to move in churches and he is on the prowl.
1. I know of three specific churches in Greencastle that have significant numbers of people in the church who are moving against their own pastor.
2. I know of two others in northern Putnam County that are in the same condition.
3. For some reason, God’s people are giving in to the temptations of Satan to attack the leaders of the church and other church members.
4. Satan is doing a good job of throwing believers into confusion.
5. Satan is working very hard to divide brothers and sisters in Christ and it is because God is releasing the HS in powerful ways today.
6. Satan is trying to counteract the movement of the HS by trying to divide the body of Christ.
7. But last week we learned that God is in control!
8. And we must do everything we can to resist the devil and move with the HS to keep advancing the kingdom of God in unity!
9. We must follow our leaders!
10. We must use these gifts in subjection to the leadership of the church.
11. Hebrews 13:17, Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
12. That’s what God wants—unless your leaders are doing or teaching something that is against the Word of God—God wants believers to live under the authority of Godly leaders.
13. And Satan is working overtime today to keep people from obeying their leaders.
14. What God wants is for us to eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit and work together to further the kingdom of God.
15. Along with that, I should say that the HS will not lead you to use your Spiritual gifts against the church in anyway.
16. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says that spiritual gifts are to be used for the common good and if the temptation comes to you to use a gift against another brother or sister or leader of the church, you’d better start praying that the HS will help you to resist the devil, that the HS will help you find your real gifts, and help you to use those gifts to build up the church.
E. Jesus said in John 14:11-14, Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
1. Did Jesus lie?
2. Was Jesus lying when he said that anyone who has faith could do greater miracles that Jesus did?
3. Was Jesus telling the truth?
4. Was Jesus telling the truth when he said that YOU could do greater miracles that He did?
5. Jesus said that anyone who believes could receive miraculous gifts.
F. John 14:25-27, "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
1. This is Jesus, my friends.
2. This is the same Jesus who gave up everything He had as God in heaven to come to earth and show us the Father.
3. This is the same Jesus who loves you so much that He went to the cross of Calvary for you.
4. This same Jesus promised that He would never leave or forsake you.
5. This same Jesus said that the way He would stay with you was through the HS.
6. This same Jesus said that He was going to send the HS.
7. This same Jesus said that the HS would enable us to do things greater than He did.
8. This same Jesus said that there was nothing to fear about this.
9. This same Jesus said that even though you haven’t experienced anything like this before, there is nothing to be afraid of because the HS is going to comfort you.
10. This same Jesus said that the HS would give you peace.
11. If you are afraid, Jesus understands. He is asking you to trust and believe Him.
F. Christ is calling us to start seeking the gifts of the Spirit and using them to further the kingdom of God.
1. So start praying, eagerly desiring spiritual gifts.
2. I have a spiritual gifts questionnaire that can help you determine your gifts.
3. You need to try different things and ask others what things you seem to be good at.
4. Spiritual gifts are strengthened when they are exercised; they may not be real strong until they are used over a period of time.
5. Christ is calling us to action and the starting point is prayers of eagerly desiring spiritual gifts.
Conclusion:
A. [Jenny Thompson’s Gold-Medal Teamwork, Citation: Jon Mutchler, Ferndale, Washington, from AP reports (September 2000)]
Jenny Thompson is the most decorated American woman when it comes to Olympic competition.
Her ten Olympic medals in swimming (in the last three Olympics) also mean that she has won more medals in swimming than any other Olympic athlete of any nation.
Eight of those ten medals were gold.
However, she didn’t win any of the golds in individual events; rather, she won them in a team event with three other swimmers.
As a result, some people have questioned whether Jenny’s swimming accomplishments ought to rank her with the "great" Olympic champions.
She asks the question herself. The 27-year-old swimmer from Dove, New Hampshire, said: ’’It’s got to be very different to experience an individual gold versus a team gold.’’
I find Jenny’s accomplishments in the ego-driven U.S. culture refreshing.
With ballplayers moving from team to team and demonstrating little team loyalty, Jenny is a marvelous example of a person whose genuine success came in the context of team play.
This is how the church should work, as well.
Our true "stardom" occurs when we participate as part of a winning team.
On God’s team, there’s no room for superstars or mega-celebrities who do it all on their own.
B. Friends, Christ is calling us to action in unity.
1. Your gifts are not the same as everyone else’s.
2. But you do have gifts that the HS has given you that you need to be using.
3. The time for showing up for church and going home until next Sunday has come to an end.
4. God is calling us to action: at work, at home, in the neighborhood, and in the church.
5. You have strengths that others don’t have.
6. We need your strengths to fill in the bare spots of others to make this a beautiful tree!
7. We all need to use our gifts (miraculous or otherwise) to advance the Kingdom of God in unity.
8. Whether you are called to help the poor and widows like Gazelle or your called to do miraculous things like Peter, Christ is calling us to be doers of the word and not just hearers only.
9. Christ is calling us to join together as a team.
10. Christ is calling us to action.
11. Christ is calling us to use our God-given gifts to advance the kingdom of God.
12. Christ is calling us to action in unity.
13. And when this becomes known all over Putnam County, many people will believe in the Lord just as they did in Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa.
