Didn't See That Coming - The Supernatural & The Ordinary
Movies, concerts, sporting events, something about being there in the flesh truly makes an experience an experience. For example, certain movies are meant to be seen on the big screen, seeing Taylor Swift in person hits differently than watching her tour on Disney+, and the drama of a sports competition isn’t the same as watching from your couch.
There’s something about being there.
Acts 9
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
One of the challenges with miracle stories is that they are vaguely inspirational and a bit problematic for us in the 21st century. What do they mean?
One of the takeaways we could gather from this Bible story is that we should pray more.
So, there has to be something more for us here.
Our faith is experienced most powerfully by others (and by us) when we’re close, not when we’re distant from the things that require and challenge it.
God works in a variety of ways, but they all flow out of an incarnate faith. It’s when we show up with God. “In the flesh.”
John 1
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Our faith is incarnate. When the reality of God meets the tangibility of flesh, something happens. God is seen clearly in power and glory.
The Healing of Aeneas
It’s not evident that he’s a person of faith, but when something bad happens, it’s recommended to “call the Christians.”
Acts 9
34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.
The manifestation of God’s power is always to point people to Jesus. Peter doesn’t heal Aeneas, Jesus does. It was the miracle and power of prayer, not the miracle and power of Peter.
The Raising of Tabitha (Dorcas)
Lydda and Joppa are about 12 miles apart. Joppa was where Jonah went, but it wasn’t convenient. It took him out of the way, so it was an effort to make the trip.
Following where Jesus is working will take you out of your way.
Acts 9
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
Dorcas means “gazelle.” She is a woman of incredible character and grace, but probably not in your top 10 baby names. Tabitha/Dorcas is a widow who shows the things she made.
Some questions to consider for yourself:
It’s not just about the acts, it’s about the love and spirit in the acts.
Peter’s Prayer
There’s a contrast in this story between praying at a distance and showing up – praying as if there is no other hope vs. showing up because you are hope embodied.
Praying like it all depends on God, but working as if it all depends on us.
Peter goes in alone. It’s not about a healing spectacle. There might not be human hope, but there’s God’s hope.
There are two miracle stories, but then there’s this story of Tabitha making clothes and giving them to people. They seem so different, but they have something important in common. Our faith is incarnate. It’s where the reality of God meets the tangibility of flesh.
God shows up in the world when you show up in the world with God.
So, why don’t we do this?
It’s because we don’t think anything will happen, or the chances are so low it’s not worth taking the chance.
We try when we know it’s a sure thing. Think Black Friday doorbusters. A $50 Smart TV can only be yours with some effort.
It’s easy to fall into the belief that our seemingly small efforts don’t matter or make a difference, especially given the staggering difficulty of the world. But the power of God works in both.
The supernatural and the ordinary
The problem is that sometimes we hide in one of these – the supernatural or the ordinary – to avoid the other. We hide in our work to avoid having faith in things we can’t see, understand, or control. We hide in the mystery of the supernatural to avoid having to get busy.
Are you drawn to the supernatural to escape the ordinary, or do you use the ordinary to escape the supernatural?
Acts 9
43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
This seems like a postscript, but in reality, it’s huge. This is the only time in the Bible that a tanner is mentioned. Tanners were ceremonially unclean for Jews. They were constantly dealing with dead animals. No self-respecting Jew would stay at a tanner’s house.
That’s not how the Gospel works. We’re afraid of becoming unclean as if the holiness, righteousness, and power of Jesus are too weak to withstand the tarnish of the world. It’s actually the opposite because the world’s powers and principalities cannot stand before the glory of God.
Where might God be calling you to show up? Where do you need to show up in a place or in a way you didn’t see coming?
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Want to play catch-up, or are you looking for a specific topic? Check out our collection of sermons here.
There’s something about being there.
Acts 9
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
One of the challenges with miracle stories is that they are vaguely inspirational and a bit problematic for us in the 21st century. What do they mean?
One of the takeaways we could gather from this Bible story is that we should pray more.
- We should pray more while knowing that God doesn’t always heal in how we pray.
- We might walk away with the wrong conclusions when God doesn't heal. We might think we should’ve prayed more, or God was inattentive or absent.
- God can and does heal, but sometimes we see it, and sometimes we don’t.
So, there has to be something more for us here.
Our faith is experienced most powerfully by others (and by us) when we’re close, not when we’re distant from the things that require and challenge it.
God works in a variety of ways, but they all flow out of an incarnate faith. It’s when we show up with God. “In the flesh.”
John 1
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Our faith is incarnate. When the reality of God meets the tangibility of flesh, something happens. God is seen clearly in power and glory.
The Healing of Aeneas
It’s not evident that he’s a person of faith, but when something bad happens, it’s recommended to “call the Christians.”
Acts 9
34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.
The manifestation of God’s power is always to point people to Jesus. Peter doesn’t heal Aeneas, Jesus does. It was the miracle and power of prayer, not the miracle and power of Peter.
The Raising of Tabitha (Dorcas)
Lydda and Joppa are about 12 miles apart. Joppa was where Jonah went, but it wasn’t convenient. It took him out of the way, so it was an effort to make the trip.
Following where Jesus is working will take you out of your way.
Acts 9
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
Dorcas means “gazelle.” She is a woman of incredible character and grace, but probably not in your top 10 baby names. Tabitha/Dorcas is a widow who shows the things she made.
Some questions to consider for yourself:
- What are you leaving behind?
- How specifically would you be missed if you weren’t around anymore?
- What’s the legacy you would leave?
It’s not just about the acts, it’s about the love and spirit in the acts.
Peter’s Prayer
There’s a contrast in this story between praying at a distance and showing up – praying as if there is no other hope vs. showing up because you are hope embodied.
Praying like it all depends on God, but working as if it all depends on us.
Peter goes in alone. It’s not about a healing spectacle. There might not be human hope, but there’s God’s hope.
There are two miracle stories, but then there’s this story of Tabitha making clothes and giving them to people. They seem so different, but they have something important in common. Our faith is incarnate. It’s where the reality of God meets the tangibility of flesh.
God shows up in the world when you show up in the world with God.
- When there’s a need that has to be met or a wrong that has to be righted, no matter how big or small, how does that usually happen? Someone shows up with God.
- Even when there’s a supernatural healing, how does that happen? Most often, someone shows up and begins to pray.
- God doesn’t need us to do these things to be God. But God has chosen to interact and relate to the world by beginning with Jesus. We often miss this and end up with a disembodied faith.
So, why don’t we do this?
It’s because we don’t think anything will happen, or the chances are so low it’s not worth taking the chance.
We try when we know it’s a sure thing. Think Black Friday doorbusters. A $50 Smart TV can only be yours with some effort.
It’s easy to fall into the belief that our seemingly small efforts don’t matter or make a difference, especially given the staggering difficulty of the world. But the power of God works in both.
- Tabitha – In the flesh, she didn’t write checks. She didn’t offer vague sentiments from a distance. She didn’t like or share on Facebook, she just showed up.
- Peter – He doesn’t stay in Lydda even though traveling to Joppa would’ve been a big inconvenience. He shows up to pray.
The supernatural and the ordinary
- Sometimes God works in fantastic, unexplainable, unmistakable ways.
- Sometimes God works through our ordinary, faithful small efforts.
- God is always found at work in both ways when His people show up.
The problem is that sometimes we hide in one of these – the supernatural or the ordinary – to avoid the other. We hide in our work to avoid having faith in things we can’t see, understand, or control. We hide in the mystery of the supernatural to avoid having to get busy.
Are you drawn to the supernatural to escape the ordinary, or do you use the ordinary to escape the supernatural?
Acts 9
43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
This seems like a postscript, but in reality, it’s huge. This is the only time in the Bible that a tanner is mentioned. Tanners were ceremonially unclean for Jews. They were constantly dealing with dead animals. No self-respecting Jew would stay at a tanner’s house.
- Is there a place where you go in spirit with “thoughts and prayers” but won’t show up in the flesh because you’re afraid of becoming unclean?
- Are there some people you secretly think Jesus could never or would never want to reach? Are you expecting those people to come to you instead of you going to them?
That’s not how the Gospel works. We’re afraid of becoming unclean as if the holiness, righteousness, and power of Jesus are too weak to withstand the tarnish of the world. It’s actually the opposite because the world’s powers and principalities cannot stand before the glory of God.
Where might God be calling you to show up? Where do you need to show up in a place or in a way you didn’t see coming?
For more LHC content, subscribe to our newsletter below or follow us on Instagram.
Want to play catch-up, or are you looking for a specific topic? Check out our collection of sermons here.
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