ACTS 9:36

The Bible says in Acts 9:36-43, “Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body, said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord. And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.”

Why was this woman raised from the dead? Like all the miracles performed by the apostles, God did it to show that the apostles were sent from God and therefore the teachings that they gave should be listened to. The apostles had divine authority. No doubt God also raised up this woman to show His compassion for those who grieved the loss of their dear Christian friend. These friends were reunited by this miracle of resurrection. One day all Christians will be reunited by the miracle of life after death through Jesus. The Bible says in First Thessalonians 4:13-14, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

Another thing that is shown by the resurrection of this woman from the dead is that there is nothing too hard for God. When the worst of things happen around, and there seems to be no hope that things could get better; we always have the Lord to rely on. Never forget that. Jesus wanted His disciples to remember it. Jesus said, “With God all things are possible.” Jesus also said in Mark 9:23, “All things are possible to him that believeth.”

One other reason that this woman was allowed to die and that she was raised from the dead is given in Acts 9:42 that says, “And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.” There is a purpose to all things: a good purpose. God is still in control. What He allows, He allows for a reason. We do not always see that reason right away. But some day we will see that it fit perfectly into His great plan.

So did the next situation in Peter’s life. This entire situation between Peter and Cornelius was to teach Peter and the other Jewish Christians a very important truth about the gospel of Christ: the fact that Jew and Gentile are saved in the same way, through faith in Christ. If they are saved in the same way, then they should join together in equality. If a Gentile is received and accepted by God only on account of faith, then that Gentile should not be required to become a Jew by circumcision.

It says in Acts 10:1-8, “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea-side. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.”

One more time we are shown that God knows what is happening in the hearts of people. This answers the question of what about the heathen. What about those who have not heard? One thing is for sure: God knows if someone would respond to the gospel if only they heard it, and God can see to it that such a person comes into contact with the gospel. That is exactly what happened in this case with Cornelius. Cornelius was a Roman soldier, a Centurion. It is something to notice and remember that those who are considered unbelievers are more honorable human beings than anyone else in the community.

Of course, this situation with Cornelius shows us that God wants human beings to deliver the gospel. Cornelius had prayed. God had heard his prayers, and God had sent an angel with a message to Cornelius, but not the message of the gospel. The Apostle Peter was the one from whom Cornelius would hear the gospel. That is the way that God wants it to be. God wants human beings to deliver the gospel. Jesus said to human beings, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel.”

One of the important things to remember about Cornelius in this situation is that he was not a Jew and he was not yet a Christian. Up to this point in the book of Acts almost all of the believers in Jesus had been Jews. The people to whom the apostles had been ministering had been Christian Jews: Jews who had converted to Christ, just as was the case with all of the apostles themselves. The Lord was going to teach Peter and the rest of the apostles through Peter that they had a certain bias that needed to be corrected, and they had some faulty assumptions that needed to be straightened out even though they were apostles.

It says in Acts 10:9-16, “On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. And he became very hungry and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet, knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth. Wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fouls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done three times; and the vessel was received up again to heaven.”

Of course, the thing that is most notable about this passage of scripture is the fact that Peter is told to eat animals that in the Old Testament were forbidden. Take a look at Leviticus chapter eleven. After listing some of the animals that the children of Israel were not allowed to eat, the Bible says in Leviticus 11:11, “They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.” This is more than a change in diet that God was teaching Peter. Above all it is a teaching that emphasizes the difference between law and grace, the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament, and the difference between Jew and Gentile in this age of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God told Peter to eat of these animals. These are animals that were forbidden in the Old Testament. If they were still forbidden, then that would make God inviting and commanding Peter to sin, which of course could not be. God is holy, and God does not tempt any man to sin. The reason that it would have been perfectly acceptable for Peter to have eaten of these animals is because now that we are in the New Testament and we live in the age of grace, the law has been set aside. We are no longer debtors to the law. Galatians 5:3-4 says, “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

There is a difference between law and grace, just as there is a difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Don’t ever read something from the Old Testament and automatically say, “It is in the Bible and therefore it applies to me.” That was the mistake that Peter was making. You should always say instead, “Okay, it is in the Old Testament. But is this a part of the law of the Old Testament that no longer applies today?”

Since the times of the Old Testament, the Jewish people had always reasoned that a person must become a Jew through circumcision in order to be rightly related. In their minds if you were not a Jew, then you were a sinner, corrupt and defiled. That was one of the criticisms against Jesus: that he was a friend of sinners. God wanted to make sure that Peter and the other apostles became like Jesus instead of like the Pharisees. God wanted to make sure that the apostles clearly understood that if salvation was by grace through faith in Christ and by nothing else, then no one needed to become circumcised or do anything else to be accepted by God. If someone believed in Christ, they had all the privileges and honors as anyone else who believed in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile. Once someone has been cleansed from their sins through faith in Christ, then God has pronounced them clean. If you have accepted Christ, God has pronounced that you are cleansed from your sins. Acts 10:15 says, “What God has cleansed, that call not thou common.”

The Bible says in Acts 10:17-22, “Now when Peter doubted in himself what this vision that he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, was lodged there. While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise, therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them. Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek. What is the cause wherefore ye are come? And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.”

An important thing to notice about this passage is the fact that Peter was careful to listen to the leading of the Spirit. In order to do that you must be sensitive to the Spirit. Sometimes He speaks in a still, small voice. Even though Peter did not yet understand certain things that God had just revealed to him, Peter was thinking about them and was trying to discover what God wanted him to know. Peter was setting aside time to reflect upon God’s revelation to him. Peter did not want to miss out on the truths that he still needed to know. In other words the Apostle Peter did not think that he already had all the answers. He was still willing to learn something new from the Lord.

The Spirit wants to lead every believer at times in a way that is somewhat similar to the leading that Peter had. “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” Peter was willing to do what God wanted him to do. Peter gave time to reflect upon the revelation that God had made to him. To us that revelation is the Word. Once Peter knew in what direction the Spirit was leading him, Peter obeyed and went in that direction. If the Spirit is leading you, make sure you go God’s way. That will always be the best way. Maybe the Spirit is leading you to come to Christ for the salvation of your soul and the forgiving of your sins. Are you listening to the Spirit?

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