How does Acts 9:38 connect with Jesus' teachings on faith and action? Setting the Scene in Acts 9:38 “Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to implore him, ‘Do not delay in coming to us.’” (Acts 9:38) Faith That Refuses to Sit Still • The believers in Joppa had just lost Tabitha, a woman “full of good works and charity” (v. 36). • Instead of resigning themselves to grief, they act immediately—dispatching two men to fetch Peter. • Their urgency (“Do not delay”) shows confidence that God could still intervene. • They believe that the power Jesus displayed in raising the dead (Luke 7:14-15; John 11:43-44) now operates through His apostle (Acts 2:43). Echoes of Jesus’ Call to Active Trust • Seek and Act: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7-8). The disciples knock on Peter’s door, expecting an open miracle. • Faith Expressed Through Deeds: Friends lowered the paralytic through the roof, and “seeing their faith” Jesus healed him (Luke 5:18-20). Joppa’s believers likewise demonstrate faith by their determined trip to Lydda. • Immediate Obedience: In Mark 11:22-24 Jesus links believing prayer with mountain-moving results. The Joppa church prays, then moves—sending messengers without hesitation. • Confidence in Delegated Authority: Jesus told the Twelve, “Heal the sick, raise the dead” (Matthew 10:8). The disciples regard Peter as entrusted with that same commission. • Two by Two Pattern: Jesus sent His followers out in pairs (Luke 10:1). The church mirrors that wisdom by sending “two men,” embodying unity and witness. Practical Takeaways for Today • Real faith mobilizes: we pray, but we also pick up the phone, drive the distance, extend the hand. • Urgency matters: delaying obedience can mean missing God-appointed moments. • Community faith multiplies power: believers together can believe bigger than any one of us alone (Matthew 18:19-20). • Trust Jesus’ ongoing work through His people: the same Lord who healed in Galilee still answers when His followers step out in faith. |
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