Healing

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

this is happening in Acts—the Gospel has gone to Jerusalem—to Judea and Samaria—and now we are continuing to see here how the Gospel goes out.

Lately, the focus has been on Saul—the Apostle Paul.

and now the Apostle Peter is reintroduced in the story.

Please stand as I read:

Acts 9:32–43 NIV

32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up 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 (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she 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 for the believers, especially 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.

So Peter is reintroduced in the story of Acts—we have not seen him since chapter 5.

Here is a map

(show map)

Lydda is about 30 miles west-northwest of Jerusalem.

Joppa is about 10 miles northwest of Lydda and 38 miles west-northwest of Jerusalem.

One of the questions I sometime hear from you — as you read the Gospels and the book of Acts—we see some amazing stories of healing.

Here we have Aeneas healed—God uses Peter in the name of Jesus to heal a paralyzed man for 8 years. incredible!

and then here with Tabitha or Dorcas—God uses Peter to pray and in Jesus’ name, she is resurrected from the dead.

that’s remarkable!

some of the questions that come up—does God still do that today?

I read the book of Acts and it seems like this sort of thing is happening all the time. what about today? how are we to think of healing today...

and the biggest question--Why does God sometimes heal people and sometimes not? Or I prayed pretty fervently and with passionate faith for God to heal someone — maybe myself or a loved one—and he didn’t. why? how are we to make sense of healing in the book of Acts (only certain people did healing?) and really—the entire Bible.

Great question.

It’s hard to answer in one complete sermon...

I want to approach this in 2 parts.

Let’s talk about healing here in this passage...

and healing in the broader scope of the whole Bible.

Part 1: Healing in this passage...

Why does healing happen here in Acts 9?

Reason #1 — now you could say—because Jesus cares for those hurting… (from someone who is bedridden like Aeneas with no hope to someone well off like Tabitha always helping the poor) Jesus cares—he has compassion on you...

and then 2 together...

Reason #2 — to show us that God’s kingdom and power is breaking in—

Reason #3 - to show us that Peter is an authentic messenger of Jesus...

these 2 really go together here…because the miracles that God does here through Peter remind us of...

the prophets Elijah (1 Kings 17) and Elisha (2 Kings 4) whom God both used to raise people from the dead...

most of all, they remind us of Jesus.

if you know the story where Jesus is teaching—and the house is crowded. and some men carry their paralyzed friend on a mat to Jesus—but the house is so full they can’t get to Jesus---so they go on up on the roof, open up the roof, and lower them in front of Jesus.

Luke 5:20–25 NIV

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

so the story of Aeneas here in Acts 9 — reminds us of Jesus doing the exact same thing! Jesus is continuing to work—the kingdom of God is breaking in—and you can trust Peter that he is an authentic messenger of Jesus as he takes the Gospel to new places.

or the story of Tabitha/Dorcas being raised from the grave—reminds us of the story of Jairus’ daughter — the synagogue ruler...

Mark 5:38–42 (NIV)

38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.

39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.”

40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.

41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). in fact — the Aramaic there Talitha Koum—if Peter spoke in Aramaic in Acts 9—would be very similar — Tabitha Koum.)

42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.

These passages remind us that the same God who worked in the times of Elijah and Elisha—is active here through Peter and the apostles.

The same Jesus who healed in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—is now active here.

The kingdom of God has broken in — Peter is an authentic messenger of Jesus.

so part of the reason healing is mentioned HERE is to show us that God is at work—the kingdom of God is here—b/c in chapter 10—the Gospel is about to break into new territory.

and this is going to be hard for the early Church to accept—especially those of a Jewish background who become Christians—b/c as the Gospel goes out to the Gentiles.

but the big question we have is if God worked like that THEN…why doesn’t He always heal NOW?

what does Scripture say OVERALL about healing. why doesn’t God always heal the sick when we ask him to?

“I have prayed pretty earnestly and God didn’t answer like I had hoped.”

Scripture overall gives us a lot of clues—and one resource that was so helpful was pastor theologian Sam Storms—he is very Jesus-centered, and writes a TON about this.

by the way—I usually offend someone when I teach on this—if you have a background as a Pentecostal or Charismatic background—I may not mention this enough—b/c they do more,

or you may have had a weird experience with someone who tried to heal you and it was traumatic—a “name it and claim it” theology that did damage to you.

or you may be from a more conservative tradition where you don’t emphasize this so I talk about it too much.

Why doesn’t God always heal the sick? (or answer my prayer for healing like I want?) As I interacted with Sam Storms article and scoured the Bible...

let me give you from a human perspective and a supernatural perspective

human reasons:

we don’t ask God to heal…

James 4:2 (NIV)

You do not have because you do not ask God. or maybe we ask once or twice but give up and don’t persist in persevereing prayer.

or we ask God but with wrong motives...

James 4:3 NIV

3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

so sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers for healing…b/c our reasons are very us or me centered....maybe it’s the wrong motivation. am I praying for God’s glory or not? (see Acts 9) we have to know the Scriptures for that—to pray according to his will.

here with Peter—we see that in Acts 9:34—he says Jesus Christ heals you. the motivation is to point to Christ—His power, His glory, his renown.

maybe the person doesn’t want to be healed.

if you look at John 5. And the story of the paralyzed man.

John 5:5–6 NIV

5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

some people may not want to get well—and you may say, “why...” it could be complicated…but sometimes our sickness or disease could become our identity. or maybe we enjoy the attention our condition brings. or maybe we don’t want the responsibility that would come our way if our condition improves.

now these next 2 reasons that we find in Scripture…I think you have to be very pastorally sensitive...

faith is lacking (Matthew 9:22, 28-29; Mark 2:5, 11; 5:34; 9:17-24; Mark 10:52; Luke 17:19; Acts 3:16; 14:8-10; James 5:14-16) (Matthew 13:58—and he did not do many miracles there b/c of their lack of faith)(his hometown)

now i think you have to be so careful—with this—if someone came to me and said, “Rick, i have been praying earnestly and faithfully for my son’s cancer to go away. Is it my lack of faith.” I would say, “No, I don’t think so!” sometimes this can be used as a hammer on people—a legalistic weight— “God would answer your prayer if you just had more faith.”

This is wrong and has been abused. and really traumatizes people.

but at the same time—we see in all these passages—God either commending people for their faith or challenging them for their lack of it.

Sam Storms says it like this: “Faith is not a weapon by which we demand things from God or put him in subjection to us. (legalistic) Faith is an act of self-denial. Faith is a renunciation of one’s ability to do anything and a confession that God can do everything. Faith derives its power not from the spiritual energy of the person who believes, but from the supernatural efficacy of the person who is believed: God! It is not faith’s act but its object that accounts for the miraculous.

Storms, Sam. Tough Topics (p. 356). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

so when we pray—it is worth asking—am I trusting in God to heal—not myself, not my spiritual energy or faith-o-meter—but God alone.

why else may healing not happen?

sin is present (again be careful with one pastorally) warning—this is not the first place I would go…)

James 5:13–16 NIV

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

healing here is more comprehensive than just physical—but spiritual as well.

Sam Storms again says — We have to reckon with the possibility that lingering bitterness, anger, resentment, envy, or forgiveness in our hearts is the reason why God withholds physical healing from our bodies.

but again be careful— don’t think “God is punishing you for this...” no…anytime we seek healing—it is an opportunity to look at our entire lives.

Storms, Sam. Tough Topics (p. 357). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

supernatural reasons:

demonic presence - now again, don’t jump to weird conclusions. I am not suggesting that all disease is demonically caused.

but consider this: Luke 13:11

Luke 13:11 NIV

11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.

Luke 13:16 NIV

16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”

Paul says his thorn in the flesh was caused by a messenger of Satan. (overseen by God)(talk about it in a second)

it takes a lot of sensitive discernment to see if something is demonically oppressed—maybe there is a deeper sin or spiritual issue going on.

let me give you the final and biggest reasons: you might call it...

mystery of divine providence

God has a reason we don’t understand

look at one of the most famous passages on this.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 (NIV)

7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Sam Storms says it like this: In other words, healing the sick is a good thing (and we should never cease to pray for it), but often there is a better thing that can be attained only by means of physical weakness. More important to God than our physical health is our spiritual holiness. This isn’t to say that the body is unimportant. God isn’t a gnostic! He values and has redeemed our bodies and now dwells within them as his eternal temple.

Storms, Sam. Tough Topics (p. 359). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

think of Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 NIV

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:29 NIV

29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

God’s ultimate purpose for me and you—is to be conformed to the image of his Son—to make you more like Jesus. (for His glory!)

so if I am not healed or my friend or family member—I have to trust that God has a greater purpose in mind.

Storms: I can only conclude that, all things being equal, if I’m not healed it is because God values something in me greater than my physical comfort and health that he, in his infinite wisdom and kindness, knows can be attained only by means of my physical affliction and the lessons of submission, dependency, and trust in God that I learn from it.

Storms, Sam. Tough Topics (p. 359). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

final application:

Keep praying for healing. (we ultimately know God’s will in a situation—so keep praying for physical, and also mental, emotional, spiritual, relation healing.” Peter prays here for healing. James 5:13-20 encourages you to call the elders of the church to pray over you and anoint you with oil.

Remember — all physical healings in Scripture serve a great purpose:

they point to our ultimate healing in Jesus for eternity

so physical healings here are temporary. Tabitha/Dorcus would die again. (can you imagine dying twice!) can you imagine you die, go to Jesus and be in heaven—John Crist talks about this—and one of the apostles comes to you and says, “Sorry, we need to send you back to earth!”

they point to our ultimate healing and help spread the good news that all can be reconciled and restored to an amazing God.

Acts 9:35 NIV

35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

Acts 9:42 NIV

42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

God still loves you so much even if He doesn’t answer your prayer like you want.

He has got a plan—that we don’t always understand.

and we can trust him—b/c His Son—his Son knows what this is like.

His Son prayed—Father if it is possible take this cup from me…but not my will but yours be done.

His Son had to live out Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 NIV

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

he had to trust His Father on the cross, even when he became a sin offering for us in our place, taking on the weight and guilt and penalty of sin.

close...

Easter Eggstravanganza?

James 5:13–16 NIV

It is perfectly ok and even encouraged to pray for all kinds of healing—physically, emotionally, spiritually… (Acts 4:30, James 5:13-20) Peter prays for it here 9:40

Remember - all physical healings serve a great purpose (vs. 35, 42)

quote other Scriptures

and remember—all healings are temporary—only one is eternal—spiritual.

the greatest healing possible is eternal life with God!! :)

remember - while we can pray for healing and ask others to pray for healing—God doesn’t have to answer this prayer like you want.

Just because God doesn’t heal you or someone you love, remember God still loves you, has a plan for you, and it doesn’t mean you don’t have enough faith. (thorn in the flesh)

Healing

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