APOSTOLIC EVANGELISM
By: Frank Tunstall, D. Min.
The Holy Spirit led Peter to leave Jerusalem and begin an itinerant ministry (Acts 9:32-43). He obeyed, traveling west in a journey that ultimately climaxed in Caesarea on the coast of the Mediterranean.
Abraham is the first notable example of an itinerant. God told him to leave Ur of the Chaldeans, and he did it, living in tents by faith in God’s word. He was always moving from place to place, owning no permanent dwelling. God provided his needs and more, making this faithful father of the Hebrew people a man of wealth. Abraham always longed for the heavenly city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 7:9; 21:14).
Abraham must have felt something like this: One day I’ll live in a city with foundations. One day… one day…(see Hebrews 11:10).
Peter moved about in the great tradition of the father of the faithful.
Peter’s first visit that Dr. Luke recorded was with the saints in Lydda. This was a town about eleven miles inland from the Mediterranean, near to ancient Joppa, made famous by the prophet Jonah.
It is a well-known principle of evangelism that an area will have at least one key person, and if that individual accepts Jesus as Lord and experiences a miracle, a revival will break out and many others will come to Christ.
The first key-person-miracle in Peter’s itinerate ministry was a cripple man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight long years. In that amount of time his legs had surely experienced some atrophy.
The Holy Spirit anointed Peter to speak the word of faith: “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” And the miracle happened.
The good news spread like a prairie fire across Lydda as the people with excitement told the story: the man who has been bedfast for eight years is up and walking after Peter prayed for him! (Acts 9:34).
Muscles, bones, tendons, blood vessels and nerves became strong in seconds, and Aeneas stood up! The impact of the miracle was such all the residents in Lydda believed the Gospel. But the prairie fire did not stop with Lydda. Dr. Luke recorded the nearby town of Sharon became witnesses to the miracle too.
Imagine it. “All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw [the lame man] and turned to the Lord” (Acts 9:34-35). Everyone!
Another such key person is in the story of a disciple named Tabitha whose name translates as Dorcas. She “was always doing good and helping the poor,” but she became sick and died (Acts 9:36). Two men were sent to make the eleven-mile trip from the seaport town of Joppa to Lydda to get Peter. They urged him, “Please come at once” (Acts 9:36-38). For Peter, the trip was surely a good time to pray.
When Peter arrived, the widows “stood around crying and showing him the robes and other clothing Dorcas had made” (Acts 9:39).
Peter emptied the room of the mourners. “Then he got down on his knees and prayed.” Turning toward the woman who had been dead at least ten hours, Peter addressed her by her Hebrew name, “Tabitha, get up.” She “opened her eyes and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he “called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive” (Acts 9:40-41).
Dorcas was a “key person” too. When she was restored to life, the great miracle “became known all over Joppa.” Understandably, “many people believed in the Lord” (Acts 9:42).
The stories of Aeneas and Dorcas illustrate the power of the Holy Spirit to heal a man who had not walked in eight years, and to give life back to a woman who was dead. We can be sure Peter gave all the credit to Jesus for the miracles.
Peter continued to lead the revival in Joppa as an itinerant evangelist living in the home of Simon the tanner. The Holy Spirit was guiding Peter, preparing him for what was ahead. Peter had no idea what was coming next, but he did understand he was to stay in Joppa to guide the city-wide revival there.
Peter could have said he was going back to Jerusalem after the great miracles that happened in Lydda and Sharon, but the Holy Spirit kept him in Joppa. Jesus had trained Peter to serve with his whole heart in the present while at the same time getting him ready in the Spirit for his tomorrows.
Apostolic evangelism.
We are to live for today even as the Spirit prepares us for what is ahead.
Peter was the apostolic leader at the first Pentecost in the Upper Room, and of the Samaritan Pentecost. He would soon learn he was the Holy Spirit’s man to launch in Caesarea the Gentile Pentecost that ultimately would take the Gospel to the nations (Acts 9:42-43).
Peter was faithful even when the Holy Spirit did not tell him what was ahead.
Yes, we today are to live in the present while at the same time praying to discover the key man or woman, and let the Holy Spirit guide us in our tomorrows.
It is the Spirit’s model for raising up pastors and teachers for what is next. And, like Peter, we will often discover only later the full purpose for what the Spirit has done in our lives.
