Scripture: Read Acts 9:32-43.
Insights:
- The story leaves Paul (for now) and returns to Peter, and it sets up tomorrow’s lesson, which will be another major shift in Peter’s understanding of who might become followers of Jesus. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
- Lydda (which means “strife”), is the Greek name of the town that in Hebrew is called Lod, and is in the area given to the tribe of Benjamin. It was 12 miles from Jerusalem on the main road to the sea port city of Joppa, which was another 9 miles further. A stream outside the town is still bears the name of Abi-Butrus (Peter), in memory of the apostle.
- Joppa was the chief seaport for Jerusalem and Judea. It was from Joppa that Jonah tried to escape the call of God (see Jonah 1:3). It is the modern city of Jaffa, and is the southern and oldest part of the Tel Aviv - Jaffa municipality.
- Twice, Luke uses the Greek word hagios to refer to the Christians at Lydda. It means “holy”, or in this context, “saints” (see Acts 9:32,41). This is the same word that Paul always uses to describe the church member, for he always writes his letters to the saints that are at such and such a place.
- Don’t let verse 43 just slide by. Peter stays with Simon, a tanner of hides. Simon would have constantly dealt with and touched dead animals. That meant he would have always been unclean in the Jewish mind, and anyone and anything within the house of an unclean person would also be considered unclean. This is a big, big deal that Peter is staying with him!
- Peter heals Aeneas with the words, “Jesus Christ heals you…” Peter knows that the power to heal is not his, but comes from Jesus. We think too much of what we can do and too little of what Christ can do through us. What area or ministry in your life needs less of you and more of Jesus?
- Do you think of yourself as a saint? What if “saint” meant more than “holy”, but also meant “different?” It does. Christians are the people who are different, their difference lying in the fact that they were chosen for the special purposes of God. So then we who are Christians are not different from others in that we are chosen for greater honor on this earth; we are different in that we are chosen for a greater service. We are saved to serve.
