Get Up and Make Your Bed: Living in God's Peace

May 31, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Growing in the Spirit’s Timing, Not Our Own

The church spread concentrically over nine years, not through human hustle but by the Spirit’s patient guidance. Growth often feels slow, like a seed breaking open underground before sprouting. When we mistake our energy for divine momentum, we risk building on sand. True ministry flows from partnering with where God is already moving, not dragging Him into our plans. Peace comes when we release our timelines and let the Spirit set the pace. [31:09]

“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” (Acts 9:31, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been striving to force growth in your life or ministry? How might surrendering to the Spirit’s timing deepen your trust today?

Day 2: Peace Paid For, Not Earned

Peace isn’t a reward for perfect performance but a gift bought by Christ’s resurrection. Like a debt canceled, it’s already yours—no installments required. This peace declares death defeated, sins forgiven, and futures secured. Yet we often trade this unshakable assurance for temporary joys that fade with seasons. To enjoy God’s peace is to rest in what He’s already done, not what we scramble to achieve. [37:35]

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27, ESV)

Reflection: What weight are you carrying that Jesus’ purchased peace could lift? Name one area to release control and receive His rest.

Day 3: Jesus Christ Heals You: Rise and Steward Your Healing

Aeneas’ bedridden body symbolized eight years of dependency—until Peter spoke resurrection truth. Healing isn’t passive; it’s an invitation to reclaim purpose. Making his bed became an act of stewardship, proving God’s power in the mundane. Every small task done in gratitude—brushing teeth, changing tires—becomes worship when we see provision as privilege. [47:44]

“And Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.’ And immediately he rose.” (Acts 9:34, ESV)

Reflection: What “bed” has Jesus empowered you to make today? How does stewarding small tasks fuel your trust in greater healing?

Day 4: The Privilege of Stewarding Daily Provisions

A made bed, a stocked pantry, a functioning car—these aren’t burdens but altars. When we grumble about chores, we miss the miracle of having something to care for. Gratitude turns routine into reverence. Even toast and toothpaste testify to God’s faithfulness. Start here: thank Him for the bed you slept in, then let joy spill into every corner of your day. [53:31]

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV)

Reflection: What ordinary provision have you overlooked as a gift? How might thanking God for it shift your perspective today?

Day 5: Crossing Boundaries to Grow in Grace

Peter staying with Simon the tanner—a smelly, “unclean” outcast—prepared him to reach Gentiles. Growth often happens in uncomfortable spaces we’d rather avoid. God’s call to cross cultural lines isn’t about convenience but expanding our capacity to reflect His heart. Who have you labeled “too messy” or “too different” to love? Their proximity might be your next lesson in grace. [01:01:12]

“And he said to them, ‘You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.’” (Acts 10:28, ESV)

Reflection: What uncomfortable relationship or environment is God using to stretch your faith? How will you lean into His comfort there this week?

Sermon Summary

Luke sets the scene nine years after Pentecost, when the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoys peace, is being built up, continues in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and keeps increasing. The timeline itself says the Spirit is not on a human clock. The move of God is real, but there is also a holy holding pattern where discernment, reverence, and comfort form people who move with the Spirit rather than sprinting ahead under their own energy.

Peter now moves out of what Jesus taught him, and yet the text shows he still has more to learn. Sanctification stays open-ended. The church’s posture is not casual; it reveres the Lord who has paid for peace. Peace can’t be priced because it has been purchased. That peace flows from resurrection victory, the assurance that sins are forgiven, death is defeated, and a future is secured. From that assurance, joy can endure even when lesser joys fade.

In Lydda, Peter meets Aeneas, paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Peter does not offer technique or therapy. He says what the text keeps ringing: “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.” The name does the work. Then comes a particular assignment: “Get up and make your own bed.” The command restores dignity, ownership, and purpose. Healing is not abstract; it reclaims territory and turns provision into stewardship. Even small acts become privileges, not burdens, when seen as gifts to be tended.

In Joppa, Peter meets the grief that surrounds Tabitha, a woman habitually rich in kindness and charity. He prays, turns to the body, and says, “Tabitha, arise,” echoing the cadence he once heard from Jesus over Jairus’s daughter. The imitation is intentional. Peter has learned Jesus’s pattern: clear the room, pray in dependence, speak life, take the hand, and raise the fallen. The same Jesus who told a paralytic to pick up his mat now raises a beloved servant to leaping life again.

Then Luke tucks in a quiet preparation. Peter stays with Simon the tanner, a man whose trade renders him ceremonially unclean. That address reshapes Peter for what comes next with Cornelius. The Spirit tutors him in the smell and stigma of the margins so that grace can run beyond inherited boundaries. The church that reveres the Lord and rests in the Counselor’s comfort is the church that rises, shines, crosses lines, and learns to call outsiders in. And as that reverent, comforted church moves at the Spirit’s pace, it keeps increasing.

Key Takeaways

1. Move at the Spirit’s pace The work of God is powerful and patient. The text’s nine-year arc after Pentecost warns against mistaking fresh anointing for immediate assignment. Wisdom waits until the Spirit’s wind fills the sails, then moves in step rather than in haste. [31:29]
2. Peace Jesus paid for endures Peace is not earned by hustle; it is received from the crucified and risen Lord. That peace names defeat over death and forgiveness of sins, creating ballast that outlasts seasonal highs and lows. Walking from victory produces a steadiness the world cannot imitate. [39:02]
3. “Jesus Christ heals you” stands Healing rests in a Person, not a method. Whether on this side of eternity or the next, his promise holds, and identity is restored under his name. From that wholeness flows assignment, purpose, and the courage to rise. [50:24]
4. Start by making your bed Grace restores agency. Stewardship begins with small, concrete acts that turn provision into praise. Reclaimed responsibility pushes back learned helplessness and bears witness that healing has landed in real life. [51:29]
5. Step into uncomfortable mission Formation happens at the edges. Sharing space with the “unclean” trains the heart to recognize whom God is already welcoming. Crossing cultural lines becomes the classroom where grace enlarges vision and opens doors for the gospel. [62:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[28:26] - Opening prayer for strength
[30:08] - Acts 9 setup and timeline
[31:29] - Don’t outrun the Spirit
[33:35] - Learning from Jesus’s example
[37:21] - Church enjoys priceless peace
[41:59] - Fear of the Lord and the Comforter
[47:25] - Peter meets Aeneas in Lydda
[49:54] - “Jesus Christ heals you”
[51:29] - Get up and make your bed
[57:45] - Tabitha’s life of mercy
[58:22] - “Tabitha, arise” echoes Jesus
[60:52] - Staying with Simon the tanner
[62:52] - Called into uncomfortable places
[65:11] - Benediction: Rise and shine

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 9:31-43 (ESV)
Isaiah 60:1 (ESV)
Mark 5:41 (ESV)

Observation Questions

In Acts 9:34, Peter tells Aeneas, “Jesus Christ heals you.” What specific instruction does Peter give him immediately after declaring this healing? What might the act of “making your bed” symbolize? [51:29]
When raising Tabitha, Peter uses the phrase “Tabitha, arise” (Acts 9:40). How does this mirror Jesus’ actions in Mark 5:41, and why might Luke highlight this parallel?
The sermon mentions Peter staying with Simon the tanner, a ceremonially unclean person (Acts 9:43). Why is this detail significant for understanding Peter’s growth? [01:02:52]

Interpretation Questions

The church in Acts 9:31 is described as enjoying peace, being built up, and increasing. How does “fear of the Lord” and “comfort of the Holy Spirit” work together to create this environment?
Why might Jesus’ command to “make your bed” (or “pick up your mat” in Mark 2:9) be as important as the healing itself? What does this teach about stewardship and dignity? [52:18]
Simon the tanner’s occupation made him culturally marginalized. How does Peter’s choice to stay with him prepare him for future ministry to Gentiles like Cornelius (Acts 10)?

Application Questions

“Move at the Spirit’s pace” means resisting the urge to sprint ahead. What practical step could you take this week to discern whether a desire to act is driven by your own energy or the Spirit’s prompting? [31:29]
The sermon emphasizes that peace is “received, not earned.” Where in your life are you striving to create peace through hustle instead of resting in Christ’s victory? How might you shift that mindset? [39:02]
“Start by making your bed” ties healing to small acts of stewardship. What is one tangible, daily task (e.g., cooking, cleaning, budgeting) you could reframe as a privilege rather than a burden? [51:29]
Peter’s stay with Simon the tanner required crossing cultural discomfort. Is there a person, group, or environment you’ve avoided due to stigma or unfamiliarity? How could you take a step toward engaging there this month? [01:02:52]
The phrase “Jesus Christ heals you” applies to both physical and spiritual restoration. What area of brokenness (relational, emotional, habitual) do you need to entrust to Jesus’ healing power today?

Sermon Clips

66s

#PeaceThatDefeatsDeath

“The peace that says death is defeated. The peace that says, your sins are forgiven. The peace that says, you have a hope and a future. The peace that says, I'm still working. The peace that says, I got your back. The peace says that the peace that says, I understand you. The the peace that says, I wanna raise you up. This is the peace that he gives, and and it says that throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, they enjoyed peace.”

31s

#EnduringPeaceInChrist

“And when the Orioles lose, I'm sad again. I'm not harping on the last win. But in Christ, I can enjoy peace that is enduring, that is conquering forever, that is sustaining, that is forbearing. I can enjoy that kind of peace. Why? Because my God never loses. My God has never lost. And he is with me and he's sustaining me and walking with me. And as long as I'm with Jesus, man, I'm gonna be enjoying what? Peace.”

31s

#PeacePaidByChrist

“You you just you can't the peace of God is priceless. And the peace of God has been given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. That means that peace was paid for. Sometimes we feel like we gotta work to earn peace, but peace has already been granted to you through the resurrection and victory that we have in Christ. And how many of us know that that when we walk from a place of victory out of the victory we have in Christ, what comes with that is peace.”

49s

#LearnThroughServingTheUnclean

“The stench of dead animal flesh, the work of this first century tanning under the Middle Eastern sun, I mean, this was not a cute job. And Peter, a Jew, stayed with Simon the tanner, knowing what it would then feel like to be rendered unclean and not acceptable for worship. Then he's gonna go to a Gentile who they would say doesn't belong within the kingdom and begin to minister to him. Though Peter walked in the example of Christ being taught along the way, he still had something in store for Peter where he could grow in his knowledge of what it meant to be rendered unclean and outside the kingdom of God, and learn and grow in what it meant for that one to be received into the kingdom in his ministry.”

50s

#EquippedToReachGentiles

“I just wanna say to you, for Peter to come into a space where he's staying with a tanner meant that he was going to begin to be equipped to reach the Gentiles. Why do I say that? In the very next chapter, he's gonna meet with Cornelius, the Gentile centurion, and he's gonna let him know that he belongs in the kingdom. This ministry that he has awakened to in reaching the outermost, the Gentiles for the sake of the kingdom is gonna come by way of his learning on how to stay and meet with unclean people. Simon the Tanner was someone who had to stay 70, feet outside of the city so that he would not render anyone unclean. Why do we say that? Because a tanner worked with dead animals, and it was a disgusting trade.”

36s

#WonderInTheSpirit

“It keeps our eyes and hearts attuned to the work of the holy spirit in our lives that we can have a sense of wonder in our walk. Like, god, what are you doing today? Jesus, what are you gonna teach me today? Lord, how are we gonna see you move today? What sort of miracles do you have in store for us today? How are you gonna provide for me today? How are you gonna sustain me today? Where are you gonna bring healing today? Because, God, I still wanna learn. I still wanna grow. I still wanna be taught. I'm still your disciple. And I'm still walking with you, my teacher.”

58s

#PeterReintroduced

“It's so interesting because at this time in Acts chapter nine, we're about nine years removed Pentecost Sunday. It's interesting how we're going to be reintroduced to Peter and his ministry as the church is growing throughout Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and even into places such as Damascus, a place that we will know find out is is called Lydda, and a place called Joppa. Concentrically outward, the church is growing and spreading. But sometimes, we can mistake the holy spirit moving in someone and in a body. We can mistake that for an immediate expeditious work of ministry that just explodes.”

36s

#LifelongSanctification

“And that's a that's a time where we will function out of that sense of pride and then the Lord will will knock us sideways or upside the head a little bit and say, hey, you don't know everything yet. There's still more to know. There's still more to learn. There's still more ways to grow. It's called sanctification. It's a process, a lifelong journey of growing into Christ likeness. Here's a promise. If you think you've arrived, you haven't. I'm not up here saying that I've got it all figured out myself. I'm still learning, still growing. That keeps the word exciting.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Harvest Christian Ministries This sermon · AI assistant

How should Christians discern the Spirit's timing?

What produces sustained peace in a believer's life?

How does spiritual growth require uncomfortable cross cultural engagement?

Get Up and Make Your Bed: Living in God's Peace

Devotional

Day 1: Growing in the Spirit’s Timing, Not Our Own

Day 2: Peace Paid For, Not Earned

Day 3: Jesus Christ Heals You: Rise and Steward Your Healing

Day 4: The Privilege of Stewarding Daily Provisions

Day 5: Crossing Boundaries to Grow in Grace

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Get Up and Make Your Bed: Living in God's Peace

Share