Psalm 23, Acts 9:36-43
Remember the phrase from Psalm 23: ‘You fill my cup until it overflows.’ David, who probably wrote this psalm, was reflecting on how God invites us to a grand feast where we are treated with sumptuous food and drink. That is how God wants to treat us. He fills our cup (and imagine we are like a cup or glass) with so much of his love and joy that it overflows. He keeps topping us up, not just a little bit, not even a generous amount, but so freely that the glass overflows. He does this by his Spirit. He wants to renew our lives all day, every day.
People who have been brought back from death to life are extreme examples of God renewing lives. People who have been healed of illness and injury – and who hasn’t? – are also examples of God renewing our lives. A refreshing night’s sleep is God’s provision for our renewing. God’s leading in our decision-making, strength which comes when we are exhausted, our seeing beauty and goodness in creation, are all part of renewing our lives.
This story of Peter bringing Dorcas (or Tabitha) back to life is an example of God renewing lives. It is told by Luke who was a medical doctor. Everyone was upset when Dorcas died. Peter prayed and God answered his prayer. God gave Dorcas renewed life. The sadness of her family and friends was turned to joy. They praised God and many came to put their trust in him. Their lives were filled to overflowing.
What do we know of Tabitha? Very little. Bonnie Thurston, author of “Women in the New Testament: Questions and Commentary”, wonders whether the work of the Holy Spirit can be seen not just in enabling Peter to raise Tabitha from death, but in the story of Tabitha herself.
Thurston points out several interesting things to consider. First, in verse 36, she notes that Tabitha is identified as a “disciple.” The Greek word mathetes in its masculine form is consistently used to describe the followers of Jesus, including the twelve. It means a disciple, follower, or pupil. According to Thurston, this is the only place in the entire New Testament where this word is used in its feminine form, mathetria, and it is in reference to Tabitha. When we considered the life of Mary Magdelene recently, we saw that the initial group of Jesus’ disciples, followers, and pupils included some women. Perhaps Tabitha was among those who knew Jesus personally.
What is the evidence for this interpretation? Peter, when summoned, went immediately to see Tabitha without asking any questions (verses 38-39). Maybe he went simply because he knew her reputation for “good works and charity” (verse 36). Maybe he knew her because she was among the “other women” who travelled with Jesus and the twelve and ministered to them (Thurston, 121). There may have been residents in Joppa who had heard about Jesus and had become his disciples; maybe Tabitha was one of them, or even a leader among them. Tabitha’s ministry sounds very similar to the work of the women described in Luke 8:1-3. Perhaps Tabitha was a widow who operated a house-church, or perhaps she was among the group of women who ministered to the widows. It is hard to know exactly who she was or what her position was in the early church. What we do know, however, is that what happened to her was so significant that it inspired many in Joppa to believe and become followers of Jesus. Indeed, her story continues to inspire today!
And she is by no means the only person ever to come back from the dead. A similar incident happened in mainland China a few years ago where a 70-year-old woman was the leader of a secret house church, the only one who knew where the Bibles were hidden or who could be trusted. When she suddenly died of a heart attack, her family was shocked and they prayed to God that she would come back to life. After being dead two days, she came back to life. She scolded her family for calling her back. They reasoned with her. They at least needed to know the location of the Bibles! They said they would pray that in two days she could return to the Lord. It would take that much time to set matters straight. Sure enough, after two days of caring for family administrative affairs, she told her family she was seeing angels coming for her and she went once again to be with the Lord. The result? The entire Chinese village turned to the Lord. -Peter Wagner in his commentary on Acts.
Remember what happened on the first Easter Day? Jesus had been killed, but God brought him back to life, a new life which he promised would be available to all who trusted in him. Hence, some people coming back from death to an extension of life on earth must not totally freak us out, or even surprise us greatly, but will always be a source of great wonder and joy, as well as a reminder that God renews our lives in many ways, major and minor.
In the book of Acts, new missionary advances are always heralded by signs and wonders. The miracles of chapter 9 prepare the way for the advance of Christian faith into Gentile cultures, which occurs in the context of the conversion of Cornelius’s household in chapters 10 and 11. This particular story of Peter raising Tabitha from the dead also signals a completely new development in the work of the Spirit through the followers of Jesus in that it is the first example of an apostle of Jesus performing a miracle of this magnitude. The point of the story is to demonstrate for one and all that the power of God that was seen in Jesus Christ continues to be available through the power of his Spirit in his followers. Through the Spirit, the power of God that was and is in Christ lives on in the body of his church.
And what does this say about reviving St. Margaret’s Church? What are the signs and wonders that we need? I had hoped that by now we might be talking about the first signs of renewal but we’re not there yet. Good things take time, I suppose. Please continue to pray for the revival of Belmont Presbyterian Church.
God’s power to bring about change and newness never ends. God’s supply of love and joy never runs dry. God’s love is not limited in any way.
Close your eyes and imagine yourself as a glass which is being filled with God’s love and power and filled again and again.
[Allow a few moments for quiet reflection before saying this prayer:]
Loving Lord, you lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life. You fill my cup until it overflows. Help me to drink deeply of your kindness and love each day of my life, to know that I will live for ever in your house. Amen.