Sermon: The Power of the Resurrection (in Life and Death)

Julius: The first reading will serve as the sermon text this morning from Acts chapter 9 beginning at verse 36. In Joppa, there was a disciple named Tabitha, which in Greek is dorkus. She was always doing good deeds and acts of charity. At that time, she became sick and died. After they had washed her, they laid her in an upstairs room. Since Lydda is near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him who urged him, come to us without delay. Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothing that Dorcas made while she was still with them. After Peter sent them all outside, he got down on his knees and prayed. Then he turned toward the body and said, Tabitha, get up. She opened her eyes and when she saw Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. After he called the saints and the widows, he presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa and many believed in the Lord. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let us pray. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen. In his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, self-help guru Stephen Covey tells you how to live a life that matters, a life that has meaning and purpose. And one of the ways he says to do this is to look ahead to your funeral and imagine what you wish people would say there. So you imagine coworkers and family and friends saying things like, well, he was a good coworker, he was a good spouse. They were a good friend. And you picture that and then you work your way back from there. How do you need to live your life now so that people say that about you then? So that you have had a meaningful life, a legacy that's been left behind. Do you think Tabitha read that book? When she dies here in Acts chapter 9, there are all the widows, it says. Everybody is there talking about what a wonderful life she lived, what a legacy she left behind. So had she read this book and looked ahead and thought, okay, that's what I'm going to do now, so that's what they do then. I don't think so. And not just because the book hadn't been written yet. But I don't think Tabitha was thinking about her funeral at all. It seems from the way people react that she was a young woman. This death was very unexpected. A sudden sickness, a sudden death at that time, and all of a sudden she's gone and it's like they can't believe it, that it would happen. And you can tell by the way they react, they don't do what was normal in those days, wash her immediately and bury her. They don't have funeral homes and chemicals and things like that. No, instead they wash her and put her in an upper room as if to say, doesn't seem right. And so I don't think it was that she was looking ahead to her funeral. that made her live a life that had such an impact on the people around her. So what was it? And what can it be for you? That you have in mind, that you have in your heart, that changes your life so that people talk about you like this when you die, so that your life had meaning and purpose. Well, we don't have to go very far in Acts chapter 9 to see what fueled Tabitha, what made her the way she was. We read in verse 36, ⁓ which in Greek is dorkus, she was always doing good deeds and acts of charity. Joppa. First of all, that's an interesting setting. In Joppa, do you remember where else you hear about that city in the Bible? It's a prophet whose name starts with the same letter. Joppa is where Jonah was when he tried to run away from God's command to show his love to the Ninevites. Well, here in Joppa, on the Mediterranean coast of the Promised Land, is Tabitha. And 800 years after Jonah, and about three years after Jesus' death, and resurrection and about 40 miles from Jerusalem this woman named Tabitha has become a disciple. And what is she doing there? Well she's doing the opposite of what Jonah was doing. Jonah was running away from showing love to the weak and undeserving and Tabitha it seems that was all she was doing. About three years after Jesus' death and resurrection, right after the apostle Paul had stopped persecuting Jesus and started preaching Jesus, And Peter was on his own mission trip just 10 miles away. We find Tabitha doing this. It says, was always doing good deeds and acts of charity. Always doing good deeds and acts of charity. Another way you could put this or translate it, her life was full. full of good deeds. Have you heard about people living a full life? This is a full life. Her life was full of good deeds and acts of charity, which she was always doing. It's like that's all she did. Good deeds and acts of charity. Let's review real quick. What are good deeds according to the Bible? Good works in God's eyes? They're done by a believer, done according to God's command, and done out of gratitude to God. Out of gratitude to God. And so she's doing good works, done by a believer, according to God's commandments, and out of gratitude to God. And what's an example of these good deeds that she is doing? It says acts of charity. Acts of mercy. These are good works to people who don't deserve it. People in a pitiful state, people who need help and who can never pay you back and there's nothing in it for you but sacrifice. And that's what Tabitha was doing. It says she was doing good to the widows. Now don't think of widows like today where we think you should probably take care of widows or poor people, things like that. That's only because our society is steeped in Christianity. Back then it was poor people fend for yourself. Widows, we don't have to care for you. Take care of yourself. And yet she, in that context, she was showing love to people that nobody else would care about. The kind of people who wouldn't be able to set up a scholarship in her name or set up a memorial. or give her a glorious legacy after she died, she's surrounded by these people at her funeral, which means she's not surrounded by the big, important, famous people of her day. And yet, before Walmart and cheap clothing, there was Tabitha. Before Goodwill, where you could get clothes donated by other people, there was Tabitha, with Goodwill, to do anything for anybody who was a nobody and had nothing. That was Tabitha's life. So how? It's really just in one word in the first verse. It says, ⁓ Is that what you expected it to say? Notice what it doesn't say. says, it doesn't say, in Joppa there was a Christian who was better than everybody else. A good Christian, a real Christian who actually lived out her faith. It doesn't say, in Joppa there was a saint, one saint, that was Tabitha, none of the other believers, no later all of them are called saints. No, it just says, in Joppa there was a disciple. And if you heard those words, you would know what's coming next. Oh, it's a disciple. It's a believer. Here's someone who's going to do good. Here's someone whose life is going to be full of good works because that's what happens when you're a disciple. Sometime in the last three years, Tabitha had become a disciple. Think about that. She was a young woman but she had spent all of her time until she heard about Jesus living as an unbeliever. And what does that mean? She may have looked pretty similar in her life. She may have been someone who did do good works, outwardly speaking, to lots of people around her. But it wouldn't have been with a believer's heart. And so it would have been tainted by sin and selfishness. the kind of things you and I still struggle against because of our sinful nature. She would have been doing things thinking, I'm doing a good thing. Doing things because of her conscience, telling her this is right and wrong, you better do what's right or God is going to punish you. You better do good things, maybe God likes that you're earning something from him. Now before she was a believer, she would be doing these things for the recognition. Checking to see if people were looking. and saying, job. Wow, amazing, we'll talk about this at your funeral. But once she became a disciple, everything changed. Because what's the message of the gospel? The gospel is nothing you do can be good enough for God, you cannot do enough good things to impress Him ever in your life. And yet, He looks on you with grace because of the good that Jesus has done. because he lived the life full enough of good works for everybody's life and that counts for you because Jesus died to take away your sins and take away the eternal death that everybody deserves from their lack of good works and their selfishness and they're looking to see if anybody noticed the good things they did and Jesus rose again from the dead to promise that this life isn't what it's all about. It's not about this life and the legacy you live. It's about the eternal life that we will all have when Jesus brings us back from the dead on the last day. And that resurrection, the power that it took to bring Jesus' dead body back from the dead, that resurrection power was at work in Tabitha's life. What does Luther say? Faith is a living, active, mighty thing. Do you see that? She was a believer. And because she was a believer, her faith was living and active and mighty, full of good deeds for those who could never pay her back. She just did it. It was done by a believer according to God's command out of gratitude to God. But there's one more characteristic of good works of believers is that on the last day, the Lord will point them out as evidence of our faith. And He will say, well done, good and faithful servant. That's what you want to hear in the end. She was a disciple. So you think, how can I live this type of meaningful, amazing life full of good works, everybody sad when you die and talking about the good things you've done? Be a disciple. Be who you are. Be a believer. You know, I've been to plenty of funerals, and I've been to funerals that don't really pass as Christian funerals, and at those funerals, they do talk all about the person. And sometimes it's awkward because the person wasn't really a very good person. They were kind of a jerk. And so people are trying to think of good things to say, ⁓ OK, well, they were very nice. But you know what? It's not any better when you're talking about someone who outwardly has done so many good things but wasn't a believer. Because people are saying, well, look at this, and look at this, and they did this, and they loved this. Because either way, whether you're scrounging for things to say or there's lots of things to say about the person, If it was only about this life, then it has now come to an end. And that's it. ⁓ this person gave so much to that society and that society is now defunct and nobody's gonna remember it. ⁓ that person did so much for their community and everybody's gonna be dead or moved out in 20 years and no one will remember. If that's all it's about, it ends at death or for the unbeliever, eternal death. What a legacy. That's not what Christian lives or funerals are about. When I'm in charge of a funeral, I tell the family this funeral will be about Jesus. And the last thing we talk about will be about Him. Why? Because that's what will bring you comfort. There's an old cathedral in Sweden, and next to it this big tomb. And written on this grave are the words, who we were and what we did doesn't matter. We lived, we died. We were Christians. lived, we died, we were Christians. What a testimony. And that tomb has been saying that for a thousand years. That's the Christian attitude. But you know what's amazing is that when that's your attitude, when that's your faith, we lived, we died, we're a Christian, it doesn't really matter what we did, then what you did matters. And your life matters. We kind of show that sometimes at funerals. We don't have one, but some churches have a baptismal pall. Like you'll put a flag over the casket to show the person's a veteran. Well, Christians can put a baptismal cloth, a big white cloth over the casket or the urn. to show this person was a Christian. And you know what that does? It says everything this person did in life was covered by Jesus' righteousness. And so you can look back at their life and say, wow, what a beautiful, wonderful, perfect life they lived in God's eyes. We can talk about that. All of the good things Jesus did in their lives through the power of his resurrection. But that's not all it says. It says this person lived and died and was a Christian. and will rise again. Their life on earth was part of something bigger, a big eternal plan, and that's what gives your life eternal meaning. And it changes the little things. Yes, the little works, the little good works, just the little things. Nobody might notice good works done by a believer following God's commands out of gratitude to God, things that he notices and loves and he's pleased with. It changes how you look at those things. The story is told of a different cathedral being built. It's in the Middle Ages, and a traveler comes, and the cathedral has just begun, and it's going to take 800 years to build. And the traveler comes up to three workers and asks the first peasant, what are you doing? And the person says, ugh, I'm carrying rocks, as if it's the most boring, worthless job in the world. And the next person says, ugh. I'm building a wall as if it's something that doesn't matter. And the third person picks up a rock and puts it in the very same wall and looks up to heaven and says, I am building a cathedral. That little thing, a little stone in your hands, a little mundane task, and yet it's part of something bigger to the glory of God. When your life is fueled by Jesus' resurrection, by faith in Him, then you can say, I'm changing a diaper. And this is to the glory of God. He's gonna talk about this on the last day. I am obeying my parents. Wow, what a marvelous thing. I'm. doing my homework, I'm taking care of these little ones, I'm working with this coworker who frustrates me, I'm working hard on my studies, I'm doing well in retirement, I'm going to doctor's appointments and not doing so well. All of these things mean glorious things because in Jesus' resurrection, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, you can do it all to the glory of God and he is watching and it is covered by Jesus' righteousness. That's the power of the resurrection in life. But of course, I can't finish with talking about the power of resurrection in death, really the meat of this story. What happens to Tabitha? And what will happen to you? It's amazing. Tabitha dies. think the disciples know that this is kind of a special time in the history of the world. You know, you look at the Bible and sometimes you might get the impression, ⁓ yeah, resurrections are happening all over the place. They aren't. They're extremely rare. And God does them at particular times to emphasize His message. In the Old Testament, Elijah and Elisha both get one in an upper room. And people go, wow, God is still here. Listen to His prophets. Jesus rises from the dead. Wow! Once in an eternity thing. And now, Peter, who carries that message of the resurrection, gets this miracle to show that God's word is true, to strengthen our faith. And so what happens? Peter is 10 miles away in Lydda. This is one of the first marathons. They send messengers from Joppa 10 miles. 10 miles they run and they bring Peter 10 miles back. 20 miles for those messengers and they got to go fast. This is a dead body. They washed it. They put it in the upper room. It's going to start decay. It's going to start stinking. Peter, come quick! And when he comes there, they all are weeping and wailing and showing what she has done, showing their clothing. And what does Peter do just like his master Jesus? He sends them all out. God's miracles are not a spectacle. He sends them all out in that upper room. And unlike Jesus, who can walk up to little girls like Jairus' daughter and just say, get up. Peter has to consult with his boss first. And so he gets on his knees and he prays, Lord, is this one of those times? Yes. Peter gets up and don't miss what it says. says, said to the body, to the body, have you spoken to a body? They don't listen, they can't hear, their ears are dead. But Peter speaks the word of God to the body and he says, Tabitha, get up! Just like Jesus said to that little girl, Talitha, kum, little girl, get up! Tabitha, get up! And the power of God's word works in those dead ears that are now alive. works in those dead eyes that now see, and Tabitha, she wakes up as if from asleep. ⁓ she was only sleeping. And she opens her eyes. You know what it's like when you see someone unexpected when you wake up. It says she saw Peter. Huh? And she sits up by the power of her new resurrected body, and he takes her by the hand, and he lifts her up, and he brings her out to the saints, and he presents her to them alive. and their weeping is turned to rejoicing, and their wailing to dancing with the joy of the resurrection, this is what we are looking forward to. When we die, Lord willing, if Jesus doesn't come first, similar things will happen. People will be sad. People will mourn. And they'll talk about the wonderful things that Jesus accomplished in our lives. But not only that, they will hope. They will look to the Lord and say, we know that someday, if not today, this is going to change. And they will pray. And they'll say, Lord, keep this body until it's time. And they'll wait until that day. When we who are buried in the ground, reduced to dust, will hear a voice, those dead ears will hear, these dead eyes will open, and you with your own eyes will open and see the Lord Jesus who called your name and He will take you by the hand and He will pick you up. and He will present you to all the saints, all the believers who have gone before, and your wailing will turn into rejoicing, and your mourning into dancing in the joy of the resurrection. This is what we're looking forward to. That's the power of the resurrection in your death. which is what gives the resurrection such power in your life. If you want to look to the end in order to live a life that matters, look forward to that end. When Jesus will call your name and when He will point out all these little things that you did through faith in Him and when you will have joy forever, you want to live a life now, think about that. That's the power of the resurrection. And so, like Tabitha to live a special meaningful life in short be a disciple. Believe in Jesus, do good works out of gratitude to God and to His glory. Amen. Please stand. and the peace of God which goes beyond all understanding. Guard and keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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