{"id":32048,"date":"2024-08-02T22:00:21","date_gmt":"2024-08-03T05:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/acts-9_1-22-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-07-16T00:19:28","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T07:19:28","slug":"acts-9_23-43","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/acts-9_23-43\/","title":{"rendered":"There\u2019s Hope After A Failure"},"content":{"rendered":"

Acts 9:23-43\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0(CLICK HERE FOR\u00a0BIBLE VERSES)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is\u00a0Acts\u00a09:23-43.\u00a0 As usual,\u00a0I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Acts 9:23-28 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n23\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him,
\n24\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.
\n25\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
\n26\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
\n27\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
\n28\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 23-28:\u00a0 Here we see various groups responding to Saul in different ways.\u00a0 Some (his former allies) want to kill him (v23-24).\u00a0 Others (his new converts) want to protect him (v25).\u00a0 Some are afraid of him and doubt his intentions (v26).\u00a0 Barnabas believes in him and advocates for him (v27).\u00a0\u00a0Just as Barnabas advocated for Saul and spoke on his behalf so that he could join the apostles\u2019 team, so Jesus Christ stood in the gap for us and spoke on our behalf so that we could join His team.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Acts 9:29-31 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n29\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.
\n30\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
\n31\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 29-31:\u00a0 In Jerusalem Saul is attracting so much attention from his debates with the Grecian Jews about Jesus that people try to kill him, just like they did in Damascus.\u00a0 So the church thinks it best to send Saul to a safer place like Tarsus, his hometown.\u00a0 Humanly speaking, you might think that Saul leaving the church in Jerusalem would negatively impact the growth of the church in Jerusalem.\u00a0 After all, Saul was the biggest persecutor of the church, became a Christian himself, and this high profile convert to Christianity is bold and articulate in preaching about Jesus.\u00a0 \u201cWe need him here!\u201d you might think if you were part of the church in Jerusalem.\u00a0 Yet Saul\u2019s departure actually leads to a time of unprecedented peace and growth in the church.\u00a0 It goes to show that\u00a0the building of God\u2019s church does not depend on any one individual but on Jesus Christ Himself and all the people \u2013 high profile or not \u2013 who are willing to be used by Him.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Acts 9:32-35 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n32\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.
\n33\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.
\n34\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.
\n35\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 32-35:\u00a0 At one time in Peter\u2019s life, Jesus called him \u201cyou of little faith\u201d and asked him \u201cwhy did you doubt?\u201d (Matthew 14:31)\u00a0 That same Peter is now proclaiming Jesus Christ\u2019s healing over the sick and paralyzed and they are being healed, this time in the town of Lydda.\u00a0\u00a0When you let the Holy Spirit touch your life and He does, you go from \u201cyou of little faith\u201d to someone through whom God can do amazing things for His glory.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0If you\u2019ve had a \u201cyou of little faith\u201d moment recently, here\u2019s believing that that experience is teaching you some important lessons so that you can step into your real identity and destiny as someone he leads others to Jesus.<\/p>\n

Acts 9:36-37 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n36\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor.
\n37\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 36-37:\u00a0 In the city of Joppa, a female disciple called Tabitha becomes sick and dies just when she was busy doing good and helping the poor.\u00a0\u00a0 Those believe in the law of karma would say, \u201cTabitha must have done something bad in the past to warrant this.\u201d\u00a0 But the truth is that God allowed this suffering to happen because He was writing a greater story with Tabitha\u2019s life.\u00a0 In this case, her friends and family get to see that greater story unfold before their very eyes in the verses that follow.<\/p>\n

Acts 9:38-39 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n38\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Lydda 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!”
\n39\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Peter 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 38-39:\u00a0 The fact that all the widows (society\u2019s most vulnerable) were crying and showing the clothing that Tabitha made for them reminds us of this important lesson:\u00a0\u00a0The greatest measure of a life well lived is how well that person loved others during their lifetime.\u00a0 When you die, may people remember you not for what you took from them but what you gave to them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Acts 9:40-43 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n40\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Peter 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.
\n41\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He 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.
\n42\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
\n43\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 40-43:\u00a0 \u00a0In Luke 7:22 Jesus reports what has been happening in his ministry:\u00a0 \u201cThe blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.\u201d\u00a0 Now we see the same things happening through Jesus\u2019 disciples, as\u00a0God uses Peter to raise Tabitha back to life and\u00a0many are turning to faith in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Another lesson we can learn from God raising Tabitha back to life:\u00a0 God is a restorer.\u00a0 The more you get to know Him, the more you\u2019ll see that\u00a0the reason God allows death is ultimately so that He can show His resurrection power<\/strong>.\u00a0 As C.S. Lewis has said, God is not in the business of making bad people good, but making dead people alive.\u00a0 In some cases, as we see here in Acts 9, it\u2019s God actually raising a physically dead person back to life on earth.\u00a0 And in other cases still, it\u2019s God taking a dead soul and making it alive and full of purpose on earth like never before.\u00a0 And in all cases where a person has trusted Jesus as their Saviour, it\u2019s God enabling that person after they die to experience a far greater life in heaven.<\/p>\n

Holy Spirit, thank You for every lesson I can learn from Your Word today.\u00a0 Thank You that in You there is resurrection power, hope after failure, and life after death.\u00a0 Thank You that no matter what, no matter who leaves or goes, You will build Your church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is\u00a0Acts\u00a09:23-43.\u00a0 As usual,\u00a0I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Acts 9:23-28 (NIV)
\n23\u00a0\u00a0After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him,
\n24\u00a0\u00a0but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.
\n25\u00a0\u00a0But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
\n26\u00a0\u00a0When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
\n27\u00a0\u00a0But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
\n28\u00a0\u00a0So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
\n\u00a0
\nOn verses 23-28:\u00a0 Here we see various groups responding to Saul in different ways.\u00a0 Some (his former allies) want to kill him (v23-24).\u00a0 Others (his new converts) want to protect him (v25).\u00a0 Some are afraid of him and doubt his intentions (v26).\u00a0 Barnabas believes in him and advocates for him (v27).\u00a0\u00a0Just as Barnabas advocated for Saul and spoke on his behalf so that he could join the apostles\u2019 team, so Jesus Christ stood in the gap for us and spoke on our behalf so that we could join His team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32050,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32048","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32048"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32048\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32051,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32048\/revisions\/32051"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}