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A CHURCH WITH A HEART
ACTS 9:32-43
Introduction
How many of you have ever seen a Kaleidoscope? I don’t even know if they even make them anymore. I know it was a favorite toy of many of us who are “over the hill” and those of us getting close to the crest of the hill! [If you remember, it was very simple in its construction– Made of a cardboard tube, colored glass/mirrors/designs] As you would turn it, it changed because you were looking at the contents from a different perspective.
I find that Scripture is much like that. Almost every time I look at Scripture, I can see some things that I haven’t ever seen before. The actual composition of it doesn’t ever changed.
But my view of it simply changes or broadens as God shows it to me from a different angle or shows me different perspectives that I haven’t seen before.
Here in this passage we see some things about the early Church. As we look, we realize how caring and compassionate this Church really was. It was truly a Church that had a heart.
That is the kind of Church ever Church needs to be! AMEN!
I want us to turn the kaleidoscope tonight and look at this passage from a few different angles!
I. THIS EARLY CHURCH HAD A HEART FOR HUMANKIND.
They cared about people. I’m not just talking about the masses, but individuals.
This Church wasn’t just a mass of people, even though thousands were being saved. (Some estimates sat that perhaps 25,000 were saved in just the first few months of ministry!)
But we see here that God takes the time to share with us about 4 of these early converts, showing us that they are real people with real names, real feelings and real needs.
Let’s look at some of the proper names that are mentioned here:
A. Peter. (vs. 32)
From the time Peter first met Jesus, God has been really doing a work in his heart.
Up until now, Peter has been thinking that the Gospel is only for some–only the Jews–so God sends him to Lydda.
Lydda is about 25 miles from Jerusalem, but it is primarily a Gentile city.
God is breaking down the walls of prejudice in Peter’s heart, and he is learning what Paul would later state in Galatians 3:28.
Galatians 3:28–“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
It is wonderful what God does in the hearts of individuals to help prepare them for what He has planned in the future.
God loves individuals. We are more than just a number to Him!
B. Aeneas. (vs. 33-34)
He had been crippled for 8 years, but then he was healed in an instant!
Why did God insert this brief story? Well, it shows the power of God.
But it also speaks of the fact that in the midst of thousands being saved, God knew about this one man, a real man, with a real need, and God met that need!
God cares about individuals! He knows where we live! And He cares about us!
If God cares about individuals, His Church should also care about them!
C. Tabitha. [a/k/a Dorcas] (vs. 36-38)
This was a demonstration of incredible faith on the part of the disciples.
Up to this point there’s no record of any Apostle raising anyone from the dead, but they believed by the power of Christ it could be done!
Yes, it was a demonstration of faith and power, but more than that, this was further proof that God cares about individuals, God knew her name, He knew where she was, He knew her need, He knew hearts and the needs of those that Tabitha (or Dorcas) had ministered to, and He met those needs by restoring her to life.
Every day in newspapers all across this country, there are lists of names that appear under “Obituaries.”
Some like to look and see if they knew anyone, but mostly, we pass over most of the names unless their age listed is lower than ours or something else pops out at us!
Ill.—Another preacher told a story about visiting his great grandfather, who was 93 at the time. His great-grandfather was reading the obituary column and saw where a man aged 87 had died and he said, “It really makes you think!” .
I’m glad God cares for individuals, in this life, and even afterward, and proved it by not only snatching Tabitha or Dorcas from the clutches of death, but more than that He proved He cares for us all by providing a way for us to escape eternal death!
Aren’t you glad he cares for individuals? We must never lose sight of the individual. There are as many needs here today as there are people here today, and every need is different.
D. Simon the tanner. (vs. 43)
When Peter goes to Joppa he is invited to stay with this animal skinner, he skinned dead animals, tanned the hides, and sold them.
Why include this information? Again, we see that God is working on Peter in a specific area of His life.
Understand that in those days a tanner would have been considered ceremonially unclean and despised by a “good Jew.” He wasn’t “Kosher”, because he worked with dead animals.
God is moving Peter away from the bonds of Jewish legalism and another step closer to the freedom of grace! (Cf. Acts 10 and the Gentile Cornelius)
God uses a real man with a real name, a real job and really dirty hands to do a great work for Him in the heart of Peter! God loves individuals and has a plan for each one and will often do His best work through the ones who least expect He could!
It seems as though we live in a very impersonal society sometimes. Doesn’t it?
To our government, we’re just a Social Security Number.
To the bank and credit card company, we’re just an account number and a PIN.
On websites we’re a user name and password.
To the phone company, we’re just a phone number!
Aren’t you glad God sees us as individuals. With Him we are not just a speck among the billions of people on this earth. We are a real person with a real name and needs, and He wants to meet those needs and know us more!
Jesus calls each of us by name:
John 10:27–“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”
John 10:14–“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.”
Matthew 10:30–“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
And if this Church is going to be what God wants it to be, we will have to have to be like God in this area and have a heart for people! Our area is full of thousands of real people with real needs.
No doubt in our area this week there are children who found out their parents are divorcing, and they need to choose who to live with.
No doubt there is some woman or even some man who just found out that their spouse is cheating on them.
There is someone who has lost a job or worse, has lost a child or other loved one.
There is someone who has lost hope because of an addiction that has enslaved them.
All of these people need a Church with a heart that will see them as a real people with real needs!
As we turn the kaleidoscope today, we see not only a church with a heart for humankind, but…
II. THIS EARLY CHURCH HAD A HEART FOR HELPING.
vs. 36 It says here that Tabitha was “full of good works and almsdeeds.”
That means she lived her life to help others.
vs. 39 Apparently she was a great seamstress, and used her talent to bless people with clothing for poor widow ladies! She used her gifts and abilities for others.
She knew how to sew. You may say “sew what?” What they needed!
Ill.—A paper clip is an amazing thing. It holds things together that you want held together without putting holes in it. It is really just a small thing. There is not much metal in it. But it’s not about the metal, it’s about the way it’s bent!
And you may not have the flashiest abilities in the Church. But all that matters is how it’s bent, how you use it for others!
“Little is much when God is in it, labor not for wealth or fame, there’s a crown and you can win it, if you’ll go, (i.e. work, serve) in Jesus’ name!”
God wants us to use the gifts and abilities that He has given to us for His honor and glory!
It’s not so important what gift or gifts we have, what’s important is how we use them!
Do we use them to help people?
When the body of Christ is functioning well together, in the middle of it all you will find a heart that is shared by all!–A heart for people!
That is the kind of Church God wants us to be. 1 Corinthians 12:25-27–“. . . the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
When you see something wrong, don’t become part of the problem, but become part of the solution. When you see something broke, don’t wait for someone to come ask you to fix it, volunteer to fix it for God’s glory! (It might give the preacher a heart attack, but I’m willing to risk it!)
A Church with a heart has a heart for humankind. . .for helping. . .
Let’s turn the kaleidoscope one more time…
III. THIS EARLY CHURCH HAD A HEART FOR HEAVEN.
There are two miracles in this passage–one was healed, and one was raised from the dead. Look at the ultimate result of both miracles:
A. When Aeneas was healed in verse 34, look what resulted in verse 35:
vs. 35 “. . .they turned to the Lord!” ( i.e. People got saved!!!)
B. After Tabitha (or Dorcas) was raised from the dead, notice the result:
vs. 42 “. . .many believed in the Lord”
People saw what was going on with the Church and got saved!
That’s what it’s all about! Even today, when God answers our prayers and someone receives healing of some kind, that’s great, but they are going to die anyway eventually!
In the New Testament we can read of scores that Jesus healed, but they’re all dead!
Now the big question is, where has their soul been for the last 2000 years?!
We can’t just have a heart for helping, we must have a heart for heaven!
We must realize what people’s main need is!
If we can help someone get off drugs that’s great, but we must see their main need of Salvation!
Every thing that we do here should all be about our concern for the souls of men!
We should be helpful as God gives us opportunity, but we need to seize the opportunity to share Christ, also.
We all come across people all the time who are going to die some day.
Everyone we meet is going to die and spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell depending on what they have done with Jesus Christ.
And we must help them with their greatest need!
Conclusion
If you are not saved, your greatest need is not a social ministry, but a spiritual ministry.
God offers you the forgiveness of sins and a new life of victory for you!
If you have some other need that you would like someone to pray with you about. We can do that, but understand that your greatest need is to be born again by God’s Spirit if you haven’t been already.
Some Churches offer culture, but without Christ, they just produce dignified lost people.
Some Churches offer education, but without Christ, they just produce enlightened lost people.
Some Churches offer religion, but without Christ, they just produce religious lost people.
To be a Church with a heart, we must offer, at every opportunity, the gift of salvation, the answer to man’s greatest need. We must have a heart for heaven!
May God help us to be a Church with a heart for humankind, for helping, but most of all, for heaven!
Home Page Contact Us Service Times Sermons Are You Going To Heaven?
NOTICE: THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!