Pastor and 1st Lady Mims

Mims Chapel Church

Lesson 12 • Third Week

Peter's Ministry Flourishes
Under the Holy Ghost

Background Reading

Leviticus 11:46-47; Deuteronomy 14:1-3; Psalm 103:3; Jeremiah 32:27; Acts 8:25; 9:36-43

Devotional Reading

Acts 9:32-35

Central Verse
"Then Peter opened his mouth, and "Then Peter replied, "I see very clear-
said, of a truth I perceive that God is ly that God shows no favoritism."
no respecter of persons." Acts 10:34, NLT
Acts 10:34, KJV

Key Terms
Executioner: A person who carries out a sentence of death.
Bedridden: Forced to stay in bed, especially by illness or weakness.

Perseverance: Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

Introduction

Peter was presented in the New Testament as the wise leader of the Jerusalem Church, who acted not as a judge or executioner, but as a prophet with insight like Moses. He had lived, walked, and talked close to Jesus while He was on Earth. He followed close to Jesus and observed Him in all things. He was with the 120 followers who waited in the Upper Room until the power of the Holy Ghost fell and filled each of them. Peter helped to start the early Church in Jerusalem and Judea. In his first message, over three thousand men were added to the Church; later, over five thousand souls were added. The Holy Spirit began to use him immediately to impart the Word, heal the
sick, and bring deliverance. He was a bold and fearless leader, unafraid to stand up against the establishment. He had a powerful prayer life and was unafraid to go to jail for the Gospel's sake.

Discussion

As the Saints were scattered, Peter traveled through several regions. He came to the Saints who lived at Lydda. There, he found a man named Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years because he was paralyzed. Jesus had told His disciples to heal the sick, so Peter told the man to arise and make up his bed, and he arose immediately. And those who dwell at Lydda and Saron saw him and turned to the Lord.

Many believers forget that God has given each person a measure of faith, and this faith, when exercised, will work for them. Many times, after Jesus prayed for people, He told them their faith had made them whole.

Usually, when people see others getting healed, it inspires them and helps them to release their faith and believe in the Holy Spirit so that they may be saved, healed, delivered, or set free. A few miles away from Lydda was a town called Joppa, where a certain disciple named Tabitha, also called Dorcas, was full of good works, alms, and deeds. When the disciples heard that Peter was at Lydda, they sent two men there to bring him in a hurry. Tabitha was sick and had died. When Peter arrived, they took him to the Upper Room where she was, and all the people were weeping. They had many garments she had made for them while she was alive.

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter went to the Upper Room, kneeled, prayed, turned to Tabitha's body, spoke her name, and told her to rise. She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Peter gave her his hand and lifted her. He then called the Saints and presented her to them. Again, when the people heard of her being restored to life, many believed in the Lord.

God is the God of all flesh, and nothing is too hard for Him. Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday, and forever, and He is no respecter of persons. He forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases. The Holy Spirit just needs a willing vessel to use, as He used Peter. As the Holy Spirit worked through Peter to heal and raise the dead, He worked through Tabitha with deeds of kindness and love as she shared with the Saints in Joppa.

While God was using Peter in Joppa, God was visiting another man who was a Centurion of the Italian Band. This other man was a devout man who, along with his household, feared Him, and he gave to the poor and prayed daily. An angel said unto him, "Cornelius -" He looked at the angel and became afraid, but answered, "What is it, Lord?" The angel answered, "Thy prayers and alms come up for a memorial before God" (Acts 10:4). God wants you to know that He considers prayers to be a sacrifice, reminding Him of your perseverance in calling upon Him in faith and devotion.

The angel told him that God wanted him to send two of his men to Joppa to get Peter, who was staying at the home of Simon the Tanner, whose house was by the seaside. Peter would tell him what to do. Cornelius sent two of his men to Joppa to get Peter.

Conclusion

Meanwhile, Peter went to the house the next day to pray at the sixth hour. Peter prayed regularly every day. This reminds believers that there cannot be much Holy Ghost power without fervent prayer. Peter became very hungry, but while the food was being prepared, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens open.

In the trance, he saw a certain vessel descending onto him, as it was a great sheet knit at the four corners and let down to the earth. On this sheet were all kinds of beasts of the world—wild beasts, creeping things, and fowls of the air. God told him, "Rise, Peter: kill and eat" (Acts 10:13). But Peter said, "Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common or unclean." And the voice spoke to him, saying, "What God hath cleaned, that call not unclean, nor uncommon." It was done three times and then raised back up.

Peter was trying to decide whether he had this vision and to figure out what it meant. Meanwhile, Cornelius had sent three men looking for him. Peter asked who they were and what their business was. They told him that Cornelius had sent them for him because he wanted to talk with him. Some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him to Cornelius' house.

Cornelius told him that he had been fasting for four days and nights, and God had spoken to him. He followed God's instructions to send for him and let him talk to him. Peter preached Jesus and the Resurrection to him. While Peter was preaching, the Holy Spirit fell on them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues. This was the first outpouring upon the Gentiles.

Questions

Why do you think that Peter was picked out to be the leader?
What were some of his attributes of leadership?
In what ways did he compare to Moses?
Why was the man in Lydda healed?
Who can be healed?

Essential Thought: "All souls belong to God, so He sends the Holy Spirit to each and every person who believes in Him"