"never The Same Again - Part 2) Series

In Jesus Holy Name August 7, 2022

Text: Acts 9:32-43 Redeemer Lutheran

“Never the Same Again -Part II ”

When visiting the Hawaiian Island many tourists will visit the island of Molokai. It has quiet charm, gentle breezes and a soft surf. Father Damien came to the island for a different reason. He came to help people die. He came there because leprosy came there first. No one knows how leprosy came to Hawaii but the first case recorded was about 1840.

While no one can trace the source of the disease the results are well known; disfigurement, pain, decay and panic. The government responded by depositing those with leprosy to a small part of the island surrounded on three sides by water and a tall mountain on the 4th. Colleen and I had the opportunity years ago to hike down the mountain to village.

The lepers lived there in shanties with limited food. Ships would drop off crates of food and hoped the sea would float the supplies to the land. The message was clear. You are not valuable anymore. But for Father Damian the message was different.

He wrote: “I want to sacrifice myself for the poor lepers.” He immersed himself in their world, hugging them, dressing their sores, burying their dead. His choir sang in rags and received communion with stumped hands. Because they mattered to God they mattered to him.

Somewhere along the way, through a touch of kindness or sharing of communion, the disease passed from member to Father Damian. He became a leper and on April 15, 1889 he died of the disease. Scientists now know the disease as “Hansen’s Disease” and have learned how to treat it. We no longer quarantine lepers to islands like Molokai.

Their lives were never the same once they contracted leprosy. When Father Damien brought the love and good news of Jesus, they were never the same again. They knew they had the gift of forgiveness and eternal life.

In our sermon series through the book of Acts the scene in Acts chapter 9 now shifts from the conversion of Paul….to Peter, who was visiting the churches along the coast. While Luke was telling us about Saul, Peter was visiting the cities where Christians may have fled from Jerusalem after the death of Stephen. Peter came to the saints who lived in Lydda. It was a predominately Gentile city about 35 miles from Jerusalem with a Jewish community. (v. 32).

Lydda had a large market and was noted for the raising of cattle. Textile, dyeing, and pottery industries flourished there. This, then, was the kind of bustling, flourishing community that existed when Peter visited the city and ministered to the Christians living there.(Acts 9:32–35).

Upon his arrival, he met Aeneas, who had been bedfast for eight years with a disease that had paralyzed him (v. 33). For the 2nd time God used Peter to heal a man who had been paralyzed. Peter said to Aeneas: “Jesus heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” He immediately got up.

Some of us have been saying to our teenagers, ‘Arise and make your beds,’ with no result!”

“The Holy Spirit is the chief actor in the book of Acts. In chapter 1 Acts began with 120 disciples. Jesus had promised them that His Holy Spirit would be given to them and they would have a future ministry of teaching, witnessing and healing. The Pentecost event added 3000 new Christians. The healing of the lame man in Acts 3 added 2000 more. Acts chapter 6 saw the persecution of Stephen and caused many to flee Jerusalem.” (The Contemporary Christian, John Stott, p. 330)

The greatest work of the Holy Spirit is conversion to faith in Jesus. Acts chapter 9 is the story of the Holy Spirit bringing Saul to faith to be one of the great theologians and missionaries of Christianity. In Acts chapter 10 the Holy Spirit will use Peter to share the gospel with the Gentile family and friends of Cornelius. As a result of the healing of Aeneas Luke writes: , “And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.”

Immediately the news flashed up and down the coastal towns Lydda. People came to see what had happened. They had questions and Peter had answers.

This was the Holy Spirit at work giving Peter the gift of healing just as he had months before at the temple. We remember the story. Peter and John were going up to the Temple to pray when a lame man begged for money. Peter reached out his and grabbing his hand. Immediately the man was healed. What happened next? Thousand of people wanted to know what happened. How was the man healed? Peter then told them about the power of the risen Jesus.