Acts 9:32 As Kefa traveled around the countryside, he came down to the believers in Lud. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas who had lain bedridden for eight years, because he was paralyzed. 34 Kefa said to him, “Aeneas! Yeshua the Messiah is healing you! Get up, and make your bed!” 35 Everyone living in Lud and the Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
Now in Yafo there was a talmidah named Tavita 36 (which means “gazelle”); she was always doing tzedakah and other good deeds. 37 It happened that just at that time, she took sick and died. After washing her, they laid her in a room upstairs. 38 Lud is near Yafo, and the talmidim had heard that Kefa was there, so they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 Kefa got up and went with them.
When he arrived, they led him into the upstairs room. All the widows stood by him, sobbing and showing all the dresses and coats Tavita had made them while she was still with them. 40 But Kefa put them all outside, kneeled down and prayed. Then, turning to the body, he said, “Tavita! Get up!” She opened her eyes; and on seeing Kefa, she sat up. 41 He offered her his hand and helped her to her feet; then, calling the believers and the widows, he presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Yafo, and many people put their trust in the Lord. 43 Kefa stayed on in Yafo for some time with a man named Shim‘on, a leather-tanner.
Peter is now hitting in the big leagues. An 8-year paralytic and raising someone from the dead? This is well beyond his humble beginnings as a low-trusting fisherman. The change that has taken place within him is the stuff of legend.
But are we mesmerized by what happened here in Jaffa?
If we read this story on its own, we will likely be amazed that something so profound could take place. After all, it isn’t everyday that people are raised from the dead.
But we have been on a journey and based on all of the miracles we have seen up until this point, this seems a little anticlimactic, doesn’t it? I mean, we’ve seen all of this before and there isn’t really anything new to report.
Since we have easily converted something holy to something common, let’s see if we can glean some value from this uninteresting event.
My question: If Tabitha was such a devout believer, why bring her back to life?
Wouldn’t it make better sense to let her stay dead? I’m not meaning to sound insensitive because I’m sure everyone that was there would have wanted their friend to come back and dwell with them. She was known for her righteousness and good deeds, and we all know the world needs more people like that. So I get it that bringing her back would add light to the world.
But if people instantly dwell with Yeshua the moment they die, wouldn't it be cruel to haul them back into this world? Especially a Roman world. A world full of pain. A world full of evil. No sir, I’d rather not, thank you very much.
Leaving that theological point alone for now, let’s see if we can figure out why Peter would bring her back to life.
Here is Tabitha, a solid believer that seemingly punched her ticket into the Kingdom. It appears to me that the only thing that could happen is for it all to go to pot. What if she burned out and decided to walk away from the faith? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate travesty?
I think this is the key, though.
There was no fear of this happening because of the life she had established prior to falling ill. She had a heart for people, serving them by making clothes, doing charitable works and performing good deeds. This was when she was alive the first time.
After she died, the widows were there showing off the clothes she made for them. Tabitha’s heart for the widows had touched them at an incredibly deep level and they mourned this wonderful woman that was no longer with them. Through the sadness, there was a testimony of life that came forward in that room.
Bringing her back to life? Yep, that brought life too:
This became known all over Yafo, and many people put their trust in the Lord.
Her life was a testimony, her death was a testimony, and her life was a testimony. Life came forth at every turn in Tabitha’s life (and death). There was no fear whatsoever that she would lose faith because she lived it. As a disciple, she had committed her life to serving others and it was clearly genuine.
If you died, would it be worth coming back into this life?