get up and witness
Acts 9:32-43 (JDV)
Acts 9:32 As Peter was traveling from place to place, he also came down to the devotees who resided in Lydda.
Acts 9:33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.
Acts 9:34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed,” and immediately he got up.
Acts 9:35 So all who resided in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
Acts 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity.
Acts 9:37 About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs.
Acts 9:38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who urged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.”
Acts 9:39 Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Acts 9:40 Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.
Acts 9:41 He gave her his hand and helped her get up. He called the devotees and widows and presented her alive.
Acts 9:42 This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
Acts 9:43 Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with Simon, a leather tanner.
get up and witness
Peter’s ministry in this section of Acts highlights a different dimension of apostolic work. While Saul’s story emphasizes dramatic conversion and missionary movement, Peter’s work here centers on strengthening the congregations that were emerging across Judea and the coastal regions. These communities were young, vulnerable, and in need of encouragement. Peter traveled among them, not as a distant authority figure, but as a shepherd who brought stability, hope, and renewed confidence in the Lord’s power.
Luke includes two healing accounts to illustrate how Peter’s presence strengthened these congregations. Both Aeneas and Tabitha appear to have been believers. Their healings were not merely acts of compassion; they were signs meant to awaken the surrounding communities to the living power of the risen Christ. In each case, Peter’s command to “get up” carried more than physical meaning. It implied that those who had been restored were now responsible to stand, to live, and to bear witness to what God had done. Their renewed lives became visible testimonies that pointed others to the Lord.
The results were remarkable. After Aeneas was healed, Luke records that “all who resided in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.” The transformation of one man became the catalyst for an entire region’s response to the gospel. His healing was not an isolated blessing but a spark that ignited widespread belief.
The resurrection of Tabitha had a similar effect. She was known for her acts of kindness and generosity, and her death had deeply affected the community. When Peter prayed and she was restored to life, the news spread quickly. Luke notes that “this became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.” Her return to life became a public proclamation of God’s power, and the congregation grew as a result.
These accounts reveal a pattern: when believers rise from dormancy — whether physical, spiritual, or emotional — their renewed lives become instruments through which others encounter the Lord. The healings were not ends in themselves; they were invitations to witness. The restored were called to stand, to live, and to testify.
Lord, forgive past dormancy. Grant renewed strength to rise and bear witness to the work You have done, so that others may see and turn to You.
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