A Miracle for Aeneas
By Senior Pastor Dr. Bill Rains | May 4, 2025
Open your Bibles to Acts 9:32-35. And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. Let’s pray: Father, thank You for Your blessings, for souls saved, for Stephanie’s salvation, and for those baptized today. Touch hearts, help many trust Christ, and work miracles in lives here and online. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Acts 9 opens with Saul, a zealous Pharisee, persecuting Christians, until a heavenly light blinds him, and he meets Jesus, transforming into the Apostle Paul. The spotlight then shifts to Peter, ministering in Lydda, where he finds Aeneas, bedridden with palsy for eight years. Peter declares, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole, and Aeneas rises immediately, leading many in Lydda and Saron to turn to the Lord. This miracle, part of our “Miracles of Acts” series, reveals three truths: the itinerary of God’s apostle, the illness of sin, and the immediacy of Christian service.
The Itinerary of God’s Apostle
Peter passed throughout all quarters (Acts 9:32), sowing the seed of God’s Word everywhere. In Matthew 13, Jesus’ parable of the sower teaches that the field is the world—no place is off-limits for sharing the gospel. Whether on the wayside, stony ground, or fertile soil, we must sow. Pastor Rains shares stories of carrying gospel tracts, like at a post office or with a kind stranger, to seize every opportunity. Good people, like Nicodemus, need the seed, as do bad people, like Saul before his conversion. Ephesians 2:8-9 clarifies, By grace are ye saved through faith…not of works. Children especially need it, as young hearts are more open before sin hardens them. Carry the seed—there’s no one who doesn’t need God’s Word.
The Illness of Sin
Aeneas’ palsy, which paralyzed him for eight years, mirrors the spiritual paralysis of sin. Palsy caused uncontrollable movements and immobility, just as sin binds us, preventing obedience to God. Romans 3:23 states, All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Sin takes you further, keeps you longer, and costs more than you intend. Like Aeneas, we’re helpless without Jesus. Biblical healings, like this one, illustrate our need for a miracle to cure the soul’s palsy. Only Jesus can free us, as Peter declared, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole (Acts 9:34). No human effort can save; only an encounter with Jesus heals the sin-sick soul.
The Immediacy of Christian Service
Peter said, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately (Acts 9:34-35). Aeneas didn’t hesitate—he rose, served God, and his miracle led others to Christ. When God heals, immediate service follows. Pastor Rains recounts baptisms that day, like Jenny’s, who overcame her fear of water to obey God, inspiring others. Public confessions and obedience, like baptism, touch hearts, prompting others to consider their own souls. 2 Corinthians 5:17 promises, If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. When you obey, others see and turn to God, as Lydda and Saron did. Each one can reach one.
