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“Faith Justifies”
Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23; Revelation 7:9-17;
John 10:22-30
Rev. Sandy Nuernberg
Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, WI
Fourth Sunday of Easter - Rural
Life
April 29, 2007
Prayer: O Lord, allow us
to hear your voice and be your sheep as we allow your Holy Spirit to descend
upon us and make our feet dance; help us realize that you know us as your
own. Help us to follow you, that we will never perish but have eternal life.
AMEN.
She said, “I think I had, well, I
hope I had some kind of influence on the kids,” and then giggled sheepishly.
This from a rather affluent and generous woman named Laura, a friend of mine
whom I’ve known for some time who lives in a nursing facility in Madison, where
I volunteer. Laura told me some time ago when I visited with her that, “setting
an example was the best thing I could teach my students.” One insight she has on
how to live our lives is, “Give, give, give. Not only give money, but give
yourself.”
You see, Laura has had quite a
remarkable life in that she was a teacher of high school students for almost 50
years. She was born during Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency, attended college at an
early age of sixteen, learned languages, loved reading books of any kind, and,
yes, survived the Great Depression. One of her first jobs was as an English and
Latin teacher in Deerfield. She traveled lots, and over the years, taught
thousands of students foreign languages, including different cultures from her
travels around the world.
“Give to the neediest people is my
philosophy,” stated Laura, and she does just that in a grand manner; her list of
receiving organizations is like the ‘never-ending sky’ she told me and, “there
is always a personal reason for her gift giving,” whether for health or medical
programs, sport’s scholarships for men and women, the city library or the
American Red Cross. Once not long ago, three students from Winnequah Middle
School in Madison visited and interviewed Laura and wrote her biography, and
made it into a book, The Joy of Giving. In it they expressed their
inspiration at her telling them to be the best people they can be! Laura Linden
will be 100 years old next January 3rd (2008)!
In both of our texts we find the
giving nature of those through a living and loving God, in Peter’s actions of
the Holy Spirit, to those in need by Dorcas, and to those Jews who were
seemingly rejecting God’s only Son, Jesus, the living Christ. Jesus says, “The
Father and I are one .” What must we make of this for those early believing
Christians, as well as for us, as we give of ourselves this day in Eastertide?
Tabitha, a Christian woman
‘devoted to good works and acts of charity (v. 36)’ was a woman, like my friend
Laura, of kindness and giving. She was from Joppa, that port town of the
Mediterranean region. Her Greek name, Dorcas, means gazelle, as in the
swiftness of a graceful animal. Her deeds were for the needy, especially those
widows living in the area and who were so vulnerable in their lives. Many
families in Joppa, scholars tell us, depended upon the seaport beaches for a
living. But seeing the boats washed ashore with seamen unable to live from the
winds, currents, and rough ocean’s waters in their works, these weeping widows
walked the shores for left rags to clothe themselves. Some were given new cloaks
made by Dorcas’ fast fingers, as she watched from her balcony for those in need.
She was an example of goodness and
faith, of generosity to others; beautiful garments and tunics for her widow
friends, as they were standing by her now, weeping, wishing that their heroine
would wake up from illness and death. Edith Deen, a favorite biblical author of
mine writing descriptively on all women in the Bible says that Dorcas, “met
their daily needs and they loved her devotedly (Wisdom
from Women in the Bible, by Deen, Edith, HarperCollins Publications, New
York, NY, 2003, p. 173).”
But perhaps most importantly
here, is the resurrection of Dorcas by Peter, who is at his work through the
Holy Spirit in God’s Name. He came running in their need and Dorcas’ eyes are
opened, resulting in her friends believing in a loving Lord of what they
witnessed, and the continued following by believers of Jesus’ miraculous acts
as the Father. In her service and unselfish giving these widows had new
garments and a renewed spirit. Their faith was justified in sharing the
good news of Jesus Christ; their being lifted up. Ironically, there is no ‘rest
of the story’ after Dorcas was lifted up, as scripture doesn’t tell us what
happens in her life after death. But, clearly, we can realize that this same
loving God that lifted these widows up out of poverty by her charity, also
lifted Dorcas out of death and into more service to her friends. Out of her
accomplishments and deeds has come the Dorcas Sewing Societies known worldwide
(All of the Women of the Bible, Dee,
Edith, 1975, p. 219).
In our gospel text from John, the
‘good shepherd discourse as it is called, it’s autumn and there is some
questioning as to who this Messiah really is, isn’t there? There is also a focus
on the recognition, the signs, of the True Shepherd by the sheep. There were
those rejecting Jesus, ‘the Jews (v. 24),’who were opposing Jesus and wondering
why he wasn’t more direct with their concerns, and instead was keeping them in
suspense. They wanted to know how he could be the Son of God, and, heaven
forbid, profess to be equal with God. Yes, there were so many signs of Jesus’
caring, tenderness, and power; feeding the 5,000 with so little, healing on the
Sabbath, and a similar story of Peter resurrecting Dorcas as Jesus raised Mary’s
brother, Lazarus from the tomb after four days. No, the Jews really represented
anyone curious, questioning, and wanting answers to Jesus’ identity. But, also,
Jesus intended to have his followers realize that his being the good shepherd,
his divinity in nature made him One with the Father. His deeds were actions in
knowing and being the God of whom He was made and called. Jesus’ actions
justified His faith in His Father, their unity with one another.
The good news for us is that Jesus
came to live and die and be raised to offer us new life at Easter; in our life
anew we receive what Peter, Dorcas, Lazarus, and others received. We are
reminded of the many signs of Jesus’ greatest power; that of being a living and
loving God. Peter performed a miraculous act in the name of Christ Jesus. In our
lives of charity and giving to others in need, like Laura, like Dorcas, our
faith is justified ever so deeply and powerfully through the Holy Spirit by
Jesus’ words, “The Father and I are One.” In their unity Jesus said, ‘I am the
resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will
live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die
(11:25-26).’ In being called by name, set
free to make choices, do we recognize the voice, God’s voice that guides us?
Let it be so for us.
Thanks be to God. AMEN.
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