Peter — A Busy Apostle

One of the funny remarks that people sometimes make about ministers is that they only work one day a week! Ministers can often be extremely busy people. The verses 32 - 43 in Acts chapter 9 show us a little glimpse into the life of the Apostle Peter — and it shows he was a very busy man. Let's remember that as well as the things we read about him doing, he had to walk everywhere - and that took time.

The first thing we read about in these verses is that Peter came to visit the saints (the Christians) at Lydda. Lydda was a mostly Jewish town in an area where there was a mixed population, so the saints at Lydda were most probably Jewish Christians, although two of the people we meet had Greek names.

Peter healed a paralysed man called Aeneas. But look what he said to Aeneas - "Jesus Christ heals you". Peter was acting as Jesus' agent, not claiming any power for himself. Then Peter was called to go to Joppa eleven miles away to restore to life a well-loved Christian lady called Dorcas or Tabitha who had been such a help to many. When he came to her home, Peter knelt down and prayed — no doubt asking for help from Jesus. Dorcas was restored to life and what joy that must have brought to the Christians!

Last of all, we read that Peter went to stay with a man called Simon who was a leather-worker. This made him 'unclean' in Jewish eyes, but to Peter he was a Christian brother.