Acts 9:20-43
20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a] but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Aeneas and Dorcas
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.
Serving from the Shadows
This passage is an exhilarating glimpse into the early ministry of Paul (before he had even changed his name!). The first two words of the passage are “at once.”
This was characteristic of Paul’s ministry. He was a man of Spirit-led action. The waters of his baptism had barely dried off before he began his work. Another man of action, Peter, was filled with power not only to heal, but to raise the dead! He was well known among believers and was sought out when a miracle was needed. He was indeed living in the calling he received from Jesus himself— to take care of the sheep (John 21:15-19).
Who among us wouldn’t want to have a ministry even a fraction as awe-inspiring as Paul or Peter? Many of us would love to have our names remembered by generations to come as people who advanced the cause of Christ. But what about the ministry of those who forego the spotlight and serve from backstage? What part do they play in this story, and in God’s work in the world today?
My family works with the least-reached in Senegal, West Africa. Among the Wolof people group, fewer than 0.01% are Christ followers1 and it is considered a frontier people group. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the work that needs to be done to plant churches among the Wolof. This can lead to grasping for control. As seasoned Christians from the West, we have a long history of taking centre stage and controlling the ministry, personnel, and funding when planting churches.
However, this approach to church planting has had disappointing results in the past. Churches are indeed planted, but many struggle or even close down when missionaries eventually leave, or attempt to transition the leadership of the church to others. History has shown that the best way to ensure lasting growth of these churches is for international workers to step out of the spotlight and serve from the shadows, empowering and discipling local believers to reach their own people using methods that make sense in their culture.
Paul and Peter stand out when we think of these stories from Acts 9. However, it’s remarkable just how many different people were involved in the Holy Spirit’s work in the early Church, some of whom are not even named.
Although the Canadian church context is different than international missions, I believe the need remains for many members of the body to willingly serve from the shadows for the good of the Church. God has gifted each of us in different ways, and we should not despise the gifts we’ve received, even if they aren’t as impressive as someone else’s.
How is God calling you, or someone you disciple to, to engage in ministry?
Can you encourage and lend credibility like Barnabas? Perhaps you are someone who has an established ministry and is able to platform next generation leaders who are under-supported or misunderstood. All too often we can be careless or haphazard with our words, which have the power to bring life or death (James 3:9) Is affirmation and edification something you approach with intentionality?
Can you give, and care for the poor like Tabitha? There is no minimum salary requirement for generosity. In fact, in the Bible, those with very little means often are praised for their generous hearts (Mark 12:41-44). For those who have more resources, money can sometimes be the easiest thing to give. But let me challenge you that caring for the poor involves more than financial contributions. Tabitha dedicated her time and talents to “always” blessing others, and this degree of dedication often goes unnoticed.
Can you extend hospitality like Simon the tanner? In Senegal there is a saying: “It is easy to be patient with a guest.” While it’s true that we have much to learn in the West from others around the world on this topic, I have also experienced the beauty of hospitality during our home assignment as we speak at churches in various cities. This type of lavish welcome is not be quickly forgotten! How has God gifted you to bless others in your home?
Can you demonstrate faithful perseverance in the face of chronic illness like Aeneas? I am not speaking from a place of experience on this topic, but my own faith journey has been deeply impacted by those who model what it looks like to remain steadfast in the face of long-term suffering or trial. This perseverance could be extended to areas like graciously navigating challenging relationships or raising children with disabilities. Consider what this quiet faithfulness might look like in your life.
Can you mourn with those who mourn like the widows? In Romans 12, Paul gives instructions to do this, closely followed by a reminder to not indulge our pride, but rather be willing to associate with those of lower positions than us (15-16). Joining with others in their emotional valleys is rarely a flashy act. If done well, even the person blessed by this ministry may not be aware of the verbal restraint and emotional labour it requires. Who has God placed in your life in this season to minister to in this way?
Can you bless others through physical and unseen acts of service like the friends who lowered the basket, and the message deliverers, whose names are not even recorded in this passage? When you spend yourself building up others for the good of the body, Christ is magnified to the watching world. Are you willing to remain nameless in the history books in order that the name of Jesus would get top billing—unobstructed and unrivaled? What would this look like in practice where God has you?
How does it feel to think about foregoing recognition? Even if God has gifted you with leading and teaching gifts, it could be that he has something unique to teach you through a season of serving from backstage. Perhaps he is calling you to build someone else up, and equip or release them for ministry. Perhaps he is directing you to use your time and talents to benefit those who couldn’t possibly return the favour. Or maybe he is asking you to break a sweat doing jobs that, when done right, are not even noticed.
The truth is, all earthly praise and recognition will fade away. However, there is Someone who sees all things. And every kind act done in his name, no matter how small, will never go unnoticed. Certainly, our Father delights in ministers like Peter and Paul. But he also delights in Tabitha, Barnabas, and the two men who travelled from Joppa to Lydda and back again to deliver a message.
The beautiful apex of this passage is verse 31. “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”
Wouldn’t you like to see the Church strengthened today? We need many diverse members of the body and their giftings in order to become a Church that is characterized by the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, many of whom we will glimpse only sparingly, serving faithfully from the shadows.
Reflection
Which character from this passage has inspired you in the past? Whose ministry resonates with you most in this season? Is God calling you to step into something different?
Think of someone who impacted you during a spiritually significant time in your life. What attributes did they display? How might God be calling you to do that for others?
Is lack of recognition a barrier for you? How can you lay that down at Jesus’ feet? Do you believe that God’s commendation alone is sufficient to fuel your life and work?
Author Bio:
Nikki Howell works in Senegal, West Africa with her husband, Mike, and their three young sons. They work among the Wolof people group in Church Development. Nikki’s background is in Speech-Language Pathology and she is passionate about literacy and communication disorders. To learn more about their ministry, visit Mike and Nikki Howell - The Alliance Canada (https://thealliancecanada.ca/gift/mike-and-nikki) or to follow along with their ministry send a message to nicole.howell@hostedsys.ca.
Luke and Acts taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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