SERIES
Acts: Empowered to Extend
2018-01-21T11:00:00-06:00
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,
“They divided my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”
So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org
Dorcas is dead. That's the reality the disciples are facing. She was full of good works and acts of charity. She made beautiful garments with her hands, and she made the Lord look beautiful with her life. But now she's dead. Her body has been washed and laid in an upper room. For Dorcas, it's over. It's hopeless. And who would disagree? Apparently, the disciples. They send an urgent call for Peter to come. What do they think Peter will do? He has never raised a dead person to life. Perhaps they're hopeful in his close friendship with the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. When Peter arrives, he immediately feels the impact of Dorcas' life and the sting of her death. The clothes are a tangible reminder of the power of her life. The tears are a heartbreaking reminder of the power of death.
If you were Dorcas' friend, what would you have done? If you were Peter-summoned to come-what would you have done? The question is not as hypothetical as it may seem. We're surrounded by apparently hopeless situations. Situations where a sound thinker would say, "It's over." Situations where we're all tempted to say, "Dorcas is dead. There's nothing we can do. Let's just move on." On Sunday we talked about the sanctity of life and the horror of abortion. But the specter of hopelessness haunts us when we consider the hatred and division we see across our nation. The siren call of despair rings out wherever we find ourselves enslaved and see no way of escape. It's not an academic question: What do we do when Dorcas is dead?
Like Dorcas' friends, do we come together and make a plan? Do we grieve the apparent victories of death that terrorize us personally and corporately? Do we summon the courage to do something bold? Like Peter, do we agree to go, even when we don't have experience raising the dead? Do we go with a joyful confidence, not in ourselves, but in the risen Lord Jesus Christ? Do we silence the chaos and create a space to kneel and pray that the Lord will do what seems impossible to us? Surely, the Lord is the Hero of the story, but He delights to involve His people in His life-giving work. What if Dorcas' friends lose hope? What if Peter doesn't come? In a hopeless world, where is the Lord calling us to bear witness to the power of the resurrection? Death was not the last word for Dorcas; neither shall it be for God's people.