The Lord is Pragmatic in His Love for All

Scripture: Acts 9:32-43

Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.  There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed.  Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up.  And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Insights: Contextually speaking the verses we are going to look at this week are a part of God’s moving toward the Gentile world for the proclamation of the gospel.  In the first half of Acts nine we find Saul being converted and the Lord appointing him to be the apostle to the gentiles.  Yet, at this point the church of Jerusalem has not sanctioned a work with this people group.  Peter’s journey into Judea is going to eventually lead him to Caesarea and there he will encounter Cornelius.  So, really, the first part of verse thirty-two when we are told that Peter is traveling through those regions is really the key part of this section.  God has from the foundations of the earth planned to redeem the world to Himself.  This journey is going to eventually open the doors wide for the gentile world to be added as a part of God’s pragmatic plan to save the nations.  At the same time, however, I don’t want to underplay the significance of God’s healing of Aeneas.  This healing act is building the credibility of God through Peter to work in the lives of those in need of a Savior.  In other words, the miraculous news of God’s power at work through Peter is going to spread.  In the next few verses we are going to find Peter called to Joppa to heal.  Joppa is just one step closer to getting to Caesarea.  All of these events point to God’s pragmatic plan to love a world to Himself by having people respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Beloved, God has commissioned us to continue on in His pragmatic work of reaching a world.  Let us join Him in His mission and see many lives changed as a result of His mercy and grace.  

Questions:

1. What part of God’s intentional plan are you playing for His redemptive history?

2. What are some words you would use to describe your involvement in this assignment from the Lord?

Prayer: Father, I am grateful You have had an intentional plan from the foundations of the earth.  Thank You for allowing me to play a very small part in the big picture of Your amazing tapestry of human history.  Thank You for Your love and grace. Amen.

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