Do You Believe That Our Deeds Matter Even After Death?

Do You Believe That Our Deeds Matter Even After Death?

Good Morning Friends,

Today’s scripture is about believing in the authenticity of the Christian faith…how demonstrating the kindness of God and the love of God heals us and ties us to a sense of history. For example, on today’s date in 1527 the Sack of Rome occurred and in 1937 on this very date the Hindenburg disaster took place and in 1954 Roger Bannister ran a mile in under 4 minutes. These historical benchmarks are relevant for us but less so than our own personal histories and especially the history of the Spirit of God manifested in our lives. And so today is about understanding at least a bit of the mystery of eating the Word made flesh through the light of the Spirit and manifesting this in our lives and connecting it to something eternal. And what we find is that this sense of spiritual history all hinges on perspective. Interestingly today’s lectionary scripture prompts us to see through the eyes of Peter in the reality we too must move forward with Christ because we have nowhere else to go. But also asks us to see through the eyes of Dorcas and the community in which she lived. So, Do You Believe That Our Deeds Matter Even After Death?

Scripture: Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. Now as Peter went here and there among all the believers, he came down also to the saints living in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!” And immediately he got up. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Acts 9:31-42 (NRSV)

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

John 6:60-69 (NRSV)

Message: Most people believe that they can serve, but few believe they can evangelize. Thankfully in reality quiet acts of kindness, even small acts of kindness, tend to do both and can be done by just about everyone. We see this played out in the life of Tabitha also known as Dorcas and AKA Gazelle. She is the only woman called a disciple in the Bible. The setting is in the seaport town of Joppa, the same port in the story of Jonah. She is a single woman or widow, a seamstress, and did her deeds of service in secret. And then she died and people really began to appreciate what she had done. People teamed together to bring her back to life and with the help of Peter, in the Spirit of Christ and the light of the Spirit did exactly that. You see, the true measure of our effectiveness as a body of believers is not defined by what happens in the pews but what happens in the community in which we live into holy history. Somehow people knew that she was full of good works and it was this that made her beautiful. She had a heart of compassion like Jesus and that made her deeds matter even after she died. Friends, her actions, like Jesus’ Words, exemplified in Peter’s belief, impart Life beyond the physical. It is the Spirit and Scripture obeyed that breaths into us this animating, life-giving and life-sustaining principle of all life. In this new birth, this resurrection, it is the Spirit of God who grants life as a gift from above. You see, in Jesus’ Words…are Spirit and are Life. So, friends, take and eat. Take and internalize. Take and share. Take and be made new. Take and live on in a love of service eternal.

Pray we be followers of Christ. Pray we be doers of deeds in the name of Jesus. Pray we help those who are hurting. Pray we realize that simple acts of kindness done with great love can change the world. Pray God empower us and challenge us and help us to live out our purpose to live into a life eternal. Pray we not ignore the power of Christ. Pray we live and have our being in the Spirit. Pray we have enough of the love of Jesus in us to choose to stay with His Spirit in the community of faith through God’s History and not just our own.

Blessings,

John Lawson