Paralyzed until Peter’s missionary journey
What must it be like to be paralyzed, either from birth or as the result of a traumatic impact of this fragile flesh and bones at any time?
We have seen paralyzed men many times in Scripture. And Simon Peter had met paralyzed or lame men at various times in his lifetime. For this Apostle, who by faith had walked on water when Jesus had called out to him from their boat, Peter certainly would have had great empathy for any person who could not walk on the many roads of Galilee, Samaria and Judea or the streets of Jerusalem.
Luke has just shown us in Acts that now Peter and the Apostles are no longer confined to Jerusalem, but travel as missionaries for the Gospel of the risen Jesus throughout their beloved Israel.
Acts on a Missionary Journey of Peter
32 Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda.
Acts of the Apostles 9:32 NKJV
Please understand something of Simon’s mission from the Lord: Peter travels the same roads between the cities of his fellow Jews where the Apostle followed his Teacher and Lord, the Anointed One, Yeshua.
Luke 22: Recalling the Lord’s Supper
From the Hebrew Names Version of Luke's Gospel
When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles..
“I have earnestly desired to eat this Pesach with you before I suffer..
.. “This is my body which is given for you.
Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you..
But you are those who have continued with me in my trials. I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.
You will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Yisra’el.”
Πέτρος
Petros in Lud
Simon Peter’s journeys from the hills of Jerusalem bring him down to the plain of Sharon, which lead through Jewish towns approaching the Mediterranean ports controlled by Rome, like Joppa and Caesarea (from where they just sent Saul back to Tarsus).
32 Now it came about that Kefa, passing through all the parts of Eretz Yisrael, came down also to Moshiach’s kadoshim dwelling in Lud.
Simon was given the name Peter by Jesus. The apostles name translates as "ROCK." (for more info about the Aramaic form, Kefa, click HERE) Λύδδα - Lydda [lud'-dah] Lydda = "strife" - a town 9 miles (15 km) from Joppa, and is the first town on the northernmost of the two roads between that place and Jerusalem It's Hebrew name לֹד lōḏ Lod = "travail" in the plain of Sharon in the territory of Benjamin was the head of a family of returning exiles from Babylon.
Aeneas of Lydda
33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.”
Ἰησοῦς Χριστός ἰάομαι σύ
JESUS CHRIST HEALS YOU
Immediately he got up.
Imagine that you are Aeneas, a paralyzed saint in Lydda who believes that Yeshua IS the Anointed One of Israel who IS risen from the grave after His horrific Blood Sacrifice on a Roman Cross in Jerusalem.
And now, into your town of Lud on his way to Jaffa comes Simon Peter, who in Jerusalem had stood in the Temple with a man lame from birth clinging to his side as the Apostle preached to the crowds. Many witnesses have already passed through Lydda.
Like the man who had clung to John and Peter, YOU are no longer paralyzed!
So as the Apostle had done in the Temple, Peter continued to preach the gospel of Jesus the Christ to all in your town with you (Aeneas) as a sign of proof from God standing at his side.
35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
How about you? – Is YOUR faith paralyzed?
Jesus and the Apostles had seen it many, many times. After some sign from God many came to follow the Lord, the Anointed One of the Father. They could not deny the powerful sign — the miracle of God; YET some remained paralyzed – confined to their failing flesh of this brief life even as they marvelled at men and women of faith in Jesus doing what only God could empower.
We have all heard the amazing signs before, even as Peter or another Apostle or one of their many disciples came into our town.
A Man Lowered Through a Roof
Aeneas the paralyzed man may have heard of this man whose name we do not know and his faithful friends who we also do not know by name. YOU have heard the story of this great sign as Jesus taught to a houseful of those paralyzed in their faith. From Luke's Gospel & also (Mat 9:2–8; Mar 2:1–12 ) Peter and the Apostles had been there..
One day He was teaching, and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the Law sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing..
.. because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.
“Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”
.. Who can forgive sins, except God alone?” ..
“Why are you thinking this way in your hearts? Which is easier, to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”
He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your own bed.” Immediately he got up.
ACTS 9:34 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος Αἰνέα ἰᾶταί σε Ἰησοῦς Χριστός ἀνάστηθι καὶ στρῶσον σεαυτῷ καὶ εὐθέως ἀνέστη
And immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.
Gospel of Luke 5:25
GET UP.
Saul of Tarsus got up after he had seen the Lord Jesus. Apneas got up after the Apostle Peter commanded him in the Name of Jesus Christ.
IMMEDIATELY he got up, Scripture records of those men like the paralytic on the mat before Jesus.
So what keeps YOU from immediately wanting to TALK OF JESUS CHRIST to others?
Please comment on this sign of healing in the name of Jesus Christ TODAY. May grace, peace and the love of our Lord heal your frozen witness for the only Gospel which raises the paralyzed perishing soul. Roger@TalkofJESUS.com ACTS of the Apostle Peter: to be continued...
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