Evangelism of the Region Through Jesus’ Healing and Restoration (Acts 9:32-43)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Do you know what happens when we make this confession? Even right now, Jesus is the Christ. What does the word, “Christ,” mean? Christ is the name that broke down all of the power of hell, Satan, and sin. There may be some people who don’t think these words are very valuable, but for people whose eyes are spiritually open, they know what these words mean. Before we solve the visible things, we must solve the invisible things. Right now, people’s spiritual eyes are closed, so they’re not able to see the invisible problems that must be solved first. For example, if there are students trying to study or learn a sport, but they don’t have the solid fundamentals, then even if they try hard, they won’t be able to progress. Some people who don’t know a lot about baseball pitching may think you can throw a ball well if you have strength in your arm, but actually, in order to be good at pitching, you must develop strong glute muscles.
In order for us to have the correct life visibly, we must solve the invisible problems first. The name of Christ breaks down the invisible problems. Through Christ, the invisible, Holy Spirit of God works, so over time, even the invisible problems will be corrected. That is the reason you and I are worshipping here today. Whenever the Word of God is proclaimed, the invisible heavenly armies of angels begin to work. What happens when we praise? For those of you concentrating on today’s praise, the invisible heavenly angels take the praise up to God and the forces of darkness break down. These are all things that happen first, invisibly, during worship, then the visible things will follow later afterwards. That is worship today.
So one worship is one thing that can change our whole lives, because when God does the work, He will do it, but if God closes the doors, then God closes them. I hope that through this time, any doors in your life that may have been closed may be opened by the works and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
1. Peter – Saints
The content of the scripture we read today is Peter who goes into these Gentiles’ houses, healing people who are sick, and brings back somebody from the dead, but the main content is that through these works, many people in those regions return to God. What is the message that God is giving to each of us personally, as well as to the church, through the scripture? We must be able to listen to the voice of the living God. If you just read the scripture, then you are just studying the knowledge of the Bible, but there is a Word that God is trying to give to you personally and to the church through this scripture that we must find.
Peter is someone who lived most of his life with no influence and was changed into someone who did have influence. The influence we’re talking about is something that the successful people of the world cannot give. Peter has now changed into somebody who gives influence that even powerful people in the world cannot give. God revealed His influence through Peter.
1) God’s covenant
As soon as you and I accept and believe in Jesus Christ, we’ve become children of God, and when we become children of God, God’s authority will be revealed through you. If you’re a child of God but you’re not able to reveal God’s authority, then you cannot show His influence either. And God wants to restore you in that way through today’s scripture.
In the past, Peter was a nobody, but in today’s main scripture, Peter is now a somebody. Then there must be a standard of his change. Is the reason why he changed because he started going to church diligently? No. Is the reason because Peter started studying the Bible diligently? He did do that, but that’s not the standard of his change. Peter was a fisherman through many generations of his family. In other words, his entire family lived as a minority in the population of Israel. One day, Jesus went and found him and picked him up.
When Jesus Christ called Peter, his life was already changed. Even if we meet one person, it can change our life. But Jesus Christ went Himself and found Peter? Of course his life would change in that moment. When Peter lived his life without knowing Jesus, his life was “nobody.” But from the moment he met Jesus Christ, his life changed to become a “somebody.” There is a standard for that. Jesus Christ said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” In the past, Peter was only living according to his own thoughts, chasing after making a living, and succeeding, and that’s how his family lived for many generations, but as the Lord entered into his life, Peter was set free from that destiny. Jesus said, “Come, follow me.”
Stop following your own thoughts, and follow the Lord instead. The thoughts of the Lord are perfect and they are great. The words of God have life and power that the words of people do not have, and if we follow His words, what will happen? We will become fishers of men who save people. Then do you think he gave up on being a fisherman? Whether he gives up on being a fisherman or not, it doesn’t matter. But your job, your studies: the main priority must be to save people. Then, you will be aligned with God.
Who is someone who is not aligned with God? If their job is their entire goal, then they are not aligned with God. But if my job is my side job and my main job is saving people and saving the church, then that is a person who is aligned with God and God will work upon them. For students, when you study holding onto the covenant of saving people and the church, God will be with you in your studies and will work upon you. If I am aligned with God, then God’s joy and peace come upon me. Are you joyful and are you peaceful? For people who can say yes, it means you’re living your life aligned with God. But if you are someone who is always worried or filled with your own thoughts, then you are bound to face your limitations and fall into them; that’s why you are filled with worries and anxieties.
How will we change our mental illnesses, our addiction to substances? That is only the resulting problem. We must change the fundamental problem first. We must be aligned with God, my thoughts must be aligned with God’s thoughts. Not the words of people, but if we are aligned with God’s words, then we will begin to change. That will continue to take place in worship and in our daily lives. Even after meeting Jesus, Peter was not able to escape from his own goals and his own lifestyle. Even though he was following Jesus, he didn’t know what His death on the cross and His resurrection meant. If you cry out to Jesus Christ and you take out the meaning of the cross and His resurrection, then that’s not really Jesus. That’s just like a nonbeliever who shouts out, “Jesus Christ!” But if I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord, then it means I understand what His death on the cross and His resurrection mean.
(1) Jesus – Witness of death, resurrection (Acts 1:1)
Jesus Christ must die on the cross and resurrect in order to solve the invisible and fundamental problem of mankind. The most fundamental problem that we have is the sin of not believing in God. So the issue is not trying to solve the visible things, but we must change our sin of not believing in God. If we have disbelief regarding God, then Satan works upon that disbelief. Then, my thoughts will go in the wrong direction, and I will make my decisions and my actions based on that, then things will happen as a result. It doesn’t matter if what happens as a result is going well or not, it’s already too late at that point. The most fundamental spiritual state inside of me must be within Christ, receiving His guidance.
Jesus Christ died on the cross and resurrected and now lives within me as life. Christ Who is the solution to every problem is with me. No matter what kind of problem or crisis or hardship I may face, Christ Who is inside of me has the answer. For anyone who has that answer, it’s okay even if they face a problem. It doesn’t matter even if I’m weak. When you believe in Christ inside of you, “my weakness,” “my problem,” none of that matters because Christ Who is life is within Me and He has the answer. It doesn’t matter how powerless a baby is, if their parent has the power, then the baby is safe. And the Lord Jesus Christ is not only with me today, He is with me always and forever.
In the past, when Peter was following Jesus, he did not have this answer. Peter just thought, “Oh, if I listen to Jesus’ words and follow after Him, things will work out in my life,” but one day, the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection entered into Peter’s life. For people who receive this answer to the life of Jesus Christ, they receive the mission for their life, “Oh, I must live the rest of my life to give this answer of Christ to everyone who does not have the answer.” It will naturally happen like that.
(2) Work of God’s Kingdom – Mission (Acts 1:3)
And God says, “I will accomplish that mission with My power,” that’s why He tells us to pray. This is how Peter was changed, but there was one thing that didn’t change in Peter. Peter was so stuck in his old thoughts of not proclaiming the gospel to Gentile nations.
(3) Only guidance of the Holy Spirit, fruits of a witness (Acts 1:8)
Without a doubt, in Acts 1:8, Jesus says, “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be my witnesses until the ends of the earth.” Peter understood the words, but in his heart, he was stuck on only the Jews: “Only my family, only my nation of Israel.” But from the very beginning, when God called Abraham, He said, “All nations on earth will be blessed through you.” But when Peter heard that Philip was proclaiming the gospel to Gentiles in Samaria, he thought, “Can this be true?” and so he went down there. So Peter and John went together to confirm because they were skeptical that the gospel was really being proclaimed to Gentiles.
2) Church – Worship and field
(1) Working of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4)
(2) Fulfillment of the Word (Acts 2:16-36)
(3) Doors of evangelism, missions (Acts 2:9-11)
(4) Sunday’s Word – Fellowship, Holy Communion, prayer (Acts 2:42)
(5) Offering (Acts 2:44-45)
(6) Temple, home – Communion, praise, prayer, evangelism (Acts 2:46-47)
2. Region of Lydda
1) Peter
(1) Aeneas – Paralyzed for 8 years (Acts 9:33)
So in today’s scripture, they go into the region called Joppa and go to the house of a man named Aeneas who has been paralyzed for 8 years and believed in Jesus, and the reason they went to Aeneas’ house is because they received the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Peter already knew the mission for the rest of his life and received the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And knowing that there was a paralyzed person in the region of Lydda led Peter to his house.
(2) Jesus Christ heals you (Acts 9:34)
(3) Rise and make your bed (Acts 9:34)
Then, in Acts 9:34, Peter said, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.” How did Peter know this to say it? The Holy Spirit gave him a strong conviction and confirmation. “Go to the house of Aeneas.” And the Holy Spirit continued to give him assurance that God will heal Aeneas. Many people are under the misconception that this person is powerful, but that’s not true; Jesus Christ is the One Who heals.
So many people still have this New Age ideology or thinking that there is a person who is very powerful and that person is able to heal or do works. The person is not the one who is healing people, but Jesus Christ is the One Who heals through people. You too can heal people by putting your hands on diseased or sick people and praying for them, because inside of Jesus Christ in the Word of God, there’s the promise of works or miracles of healing those who are diseased. Mark 16:25-26 says that these are the signs that will follow those who believe, you will lay your hands on people and they will be healed. God does not want us to live afflicted by diseases and demons, but inside of Jesus Christ is hidden the mystery of restoration, and inside of Jesus Christ, there is the message that, “You will be restored,” and when the people who receive this mission are restored, then they begin to change.
2) Jesus’ works
(1) Aeneas rose (Acts 9:34)
(2) Soul, flesh – Word goes in (Heb. 4:12)
(3) Faith – Restoration (Heb. 4:12)
So Peter says, “Jesus Christ heals you, go and pick up your mat,” and immediately Aeneas got up. Why do you think Jesus Christ raised up this paralyzed man in Lydda? Most people would be stuck on the miracle of this diseased person being healed, but God had a greater plan than that.
3) Jesus’ plan
(1) Through one person’s healing
(2) People living in Lydda and Sharon saw him (Acts 9:35)
(3) Turned to Jesus Christ (Acts 9:35)
Acts 9:35 says all those who were living in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. So the plan of God was that through this man who was paralyzed for 8 years, God would heal them and make all those people in the region come to the Lord and believe. There must be a problem inside of your family, and we ask God to solve the problem. Yes, the problem should be solved, but we must see the greater plan of God. The reason God has allowed this problem in the first place is so that through this problem, the people in your family and your region will come to believe in Jesus Christ.
Let’s say there’s a problem in the child of a family, and many people may try and call powerful people to try and solve this problem. There is no powerful person, there is only the powerful Jesus. The issue is how accurately you are able to know and testify of the will of Jesus Christ. So parents keep on trying to give their children to different people and try to solve this problem, but that is not God’s will. Through that problem or through that child, God wants everyone in that family and in that region to know Jesus Christ correctly. Even beyond that, God wants the gospel of Jesus Christ to be testified to the entire region through this problem, and depending on how you think about your problems, your time schedule will be different.
In John 9, there was a man who was blind since birth, and the disciples asked Jesus, “Is this because of the sins of his parents or his sin?” So when we face a problem in our lives, we look for someone to blame, “Is this my fault? Is this my parents’ fault?” No, the Lord says, when God allowed this to happen, He had a plan. There is a work that God wants to do. Then Jesus Christ spat in the mud and put it on the blind man’s eyes and his eyes were healed. But that’s not the real issue. The really important thing here is that through this work, many people in the region came to know Jesus.
So let’s look at this in today’s version. In each of your families, there is a stubborn problem. And that problem is already influencing people around them, but if that problem is continuing in your family, you must remember one thing: “There is a plan of God Who allowed this problem. He wants to restore the true and correct words of Christ, and through this problem, God wants the gospel to be testified to the family and to the region.” So the true answer is, whatever you’re thinking right now changes according to the words of God.
So lately, I’ve been going to Korea for conferences, and I also went to the conference last week and there is a great grace that I receive every time. The first blessing is that I receive God’s accurate Word, which is great, but also in those few days, I’m concentrating nonstop. For multiple days and nights, I’m concentrating on only God’s Word, and one-by-one these things inside of me that I wasn’t aware of are breaking down. Things that I didn’t even know were inside of me will go away, and yes, it does cost money to go to these conferences and retreats, but money is not what’s important because this blessing cannot be replaced by money. I was seized inside of me by something that I didn’t even know about, and as long as we have that, it changes how we see things and all of our reactions. And when the Holy Spirit reveals it, then we realize. Then, we are liberated, we are set free, and we receive joy.
Worship is that time. We must worship in prayer, meaning we are asking, “What does God want to tell me?” If you still keep on holding onto your thoughts, then you only accept God’s Word if you agree with them and you reject God’s Word if you don’t agree with them. Then, that’s not really worship, but if you’re listening and asking, “What is the Word God wants to give to me?” then you are praying. Then, you will hear God’s voice, and when you hear God’s voice, that is what changes your thoughts, and with that Word of God, you race towards next week.
3. Region of Joppa
1) Tabitha – Female disciple (Acts 9:36)
(1) Dorcas – Greek (Acts 9:36)
The next region they go to is, in a house in Joppa, there was a disciple named Dorcas. Her Greek name was Dorcas, and her Hebrew name was Tabitha, and you can tell she is a Gentile because she is Greek, or you can see that she is a Jew who is living in a Greek or Roman area.
(2) Person who had done many good works and acts of charity (Acts 9:36)
But either way, this is a woman who made clothes for a living and she always used to do good works and made clothes for many people.
(3) Illness – Death (Acts 9:37)
She died, and because she died, all the many people she helped and served were so sad. The Bible said she was a female disciple. In other words, all her devotion and service were to proclaim the gospel. It’s not about whether this is easy or hard, I just do it for the Lord. When you’re raising your baby, you go beyond whether this is difficult or easy because you’re doing it out of love. If you do everything with the mission from God, it goes beyond whether this is difficult or not. We do it with joy.
But you can tell how a person lived their life after they’ve died. There are some people who as soon as they die, people want to forget them, or there are people who are only remembered for a few days. But this female disciple Tabitha was someone who many people wanted to remember for a long time. Why is that? Where did she focus all her life, her time, her energy, her money into? She is someone who used her job and her skills in order to save many people and spread the gospel; that’s why so many people remembered her after her death. So how can we use our lives to allow many people to hear about Jesus Christ, using our money, using our time? So as we read about this female disciple Tabitha, we are able to realize what our skills, our job, our studies should be used for.
2) Peter
(1) Two people went to Peter for a request (Acts 9:38)
One day, Tabitha got sick and died, and because of this, these widows were so sad.
And the region where Peter was and the region of Joppa where Tabitha was were not far apart, so the disciples sent two people over to ask Peter and John to come. Whether they were inviting him to the funeral service, we don’t really know why, but either way, they called him over and they urged him, “Please come at once so her body doesn’t decay.”
(2) All the widows showed the garments that Dorcas has made (Acts 9:39)
So Peter went to them and he went upstairs to the room where Tabitha’s body was lying, and the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Tabitha used to make when she was still alive.
(3) Peter’s prayer (Acts 9:40)
Then, Peter sent them all out of the room, and he got on his knees and prayed to God.
3) Jesus’ works and evangelism
(1) Tabitha, arise (Acts 9:40)
(2) Sat up (Acts 9:40)
He turned to the dead woman and said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes and seeing Peter, she sat up. In the Old Testament, Elisha also brought a dead person back from the dead. Jesus Christ also resurrected Lazarus from the grave. Then, I don’t think we should be focusing on, “Oh, they resurrected a dead person,” because either way, they’ll die again. The paralyzed person is now healed, but eventually he too will die. But we’re so excited by that work, then we’re not aligned with God’s will and intention.
(3) Through miracles many people believed in the Lord (Acts 9:42)
Why did God do that? God is Christ. The One Who raised up the paralyzed man was not a person, it was Christ. The one who resurrected the dead was not Peter; it was Christ. That Christ is the Creator God and Christ came as a human and as evidence that He truly resurrected, He is still doing His work through the Holy Spirit in us. So seeing this work, many people came to believe in the Lord.
Conclusion
1. Gospel – Only way to save
Then, through today’s scripture, what is the message God is giving to us? The message God is giving to us is that no matter what the situation is, the name of Christ must be exalted and the gospel of Christ must be spread to many people to save them. Even if we’re going to a funeral, what does God want? He wants the name of Jesus Christ to be revealed. God’s will is that many people will hear that even if this person is no longer with us physically, they will live enterally because they’ve believed in Jesus Christ. What words can a pastor give to someone in their final stage of cancer?
2. Prayer – Discovering God’s plan, God’s works
Whether this patient gets better or not is not up to the pastor, and you also cannot tell them whether they will get better or not, but there is a plan of God. Either God wants to call them up to heaven now or God allowed this situation to happen to restore their mission for the rest of their lives.
3. Evangelism – Seeing God’s mystery for all people
When you go to evangelize, go and find those who are sick, go and find those who are suffering from mental problems, go and find those who are suffering from addictions, or find the families suffering from family problems and relay the message that God desires for them. What must you tell them? Testify Christ. Through this problem in your family, God wants to restore Christ correctly. In your problems, in your failures, in your crises, God wants you to know and restore who the Christ is correctly. Then, you can become a child of God. Then, that problem or that disease can actually be a channel of blessings for you to meet with God. Then whether the problem is solved or not, that’s in God’s hands. You must testify this accurately. If you testify the incorrect message, then that’s a problem. Whether they are in financial difficulty or not, let them know that this is an opportunity for blessing to know the Christ correctly. Then, because this problem, whether it is financial or a disease or any other problem, is allowing them to meet with and believe in Christ, it is actually a blessing.
The children of God can use the authority of God. When we pray, holding onto the Word of God in the name of Jesus Christ, God Who is seated at the throne of heaven will send His angels to fulfill His Word in your field. It doesn’t matter how powerless you may be, because our background is the throne of God. By nature, some of us may think, “Oh, I’m so weak, I can’t do it,” and others may think, “I am great; I can do it without God,” but both these people are the same. It’s not about whether I can do it or not; if it is God’s will and plan, then God will do it, and God’s plan is to save the churches and save the field. It’s not about whether I can do it or not, but God is with me but I believe God is with me and He has power. Phil. 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength.”
God’s plan is to save the souls in America. Whether I have the right language or not, that’s not for me to know, that’s in God’s hands. What’s important is if we are holding onto the plan of God correctly or not. Even the impossible works can be possible by God. I hope you will stop looking at the problem and instead look at God Who is the solution inside of you. Then, whatever problem you’re facing will actually be a tool for blessings. This has to become your habit in order for you to not fall into problems. Humanism is all about trying this way or that to try to get rid of the problem, so you’re always nervous. Just be with Christ Who is the answer. If you ask Him, He will give you the answer.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the One Who is with me and will show the way is Christ. Do not get trapped in your problems of mental problems, addictions, family problems, financial problems. Do not fall into your powerlessness, do not fall into your powerfulness, because you will face your limitations. Instead, look at the Christ, the Lord Who is inside of you. He is the Creator God. There is nothing He cannot do, He is the One Who can create something from nothing. May you walk the rest of this journey through Him, with Him. May all the problems come to me; let’s see how God Who is with me solves this problem and guides me. I will stand as a witness of Christ. Only the evangelists who testify Only Christ in this land of America that has dropped the name of Christ to the ground will survive. He already has victory and you will see evidence of His victory throughout the week.
There is a message that God has given to each of you individually through today’s Word. so, do not listen to other people’s words; only follow the words God has given you, then you will receive the unique answers.
Message Prayer
Let us pray together, right now.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We pray that the Word that You have given to us will be the direction of our lives, our thoughts, our decisions. We confess that You have bought our entire lives with the price of the cross and we pray that You will allow us to live our entire lives entirely for You. We thank You for allowing us to give the offering for the economy of light that will save the church, raise the new church building, save the future generations and all of the nation fields. We believe that You will work upon us with the answers to save the 237 nations and 5,000 unreached tribes. We pray that You will work with the same blessings upon our future generations. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
God, we thank You. We pray that the blessing of the Word being fulfilled will be upon Abigail and Trinity exactly today. We pray that you will allow them to come to the conclusion and go through the journey in their lives that proclaims the gospel in their regions and all of America. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Closing Prayer and Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of our Father God, and the indwelling, working, guidance, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be upon the heads of all of the people of God, the future generations, and the people of all nations who desire to hold onto the covenant and carry out the will and the work of God, be upon their businesses, their ministries, and their fields, be with them now and forevermore always, amen.