Acts 09_36-43 Resurrection in Joppa

Read Acts 9:36-43 – The Bible often uses physical events to teach spiritual truth. So, it’s hard to come to an account of a resurrection and not apply it to the gift of new life in Christ all believers have. But we did that last week with the account of Aeneas’ healing, so I want to look at this a little differently.

Peter is in Lydda where Aeneas lived. Twelve miles to the NW is Joppa (modern Jaffa), a harbor where Solomon shipped timber in from Lebanon to build the temple and from which Jonah sailed to escape God. In Joppa was a Jewish Xn named Tabitha (Aramaic) or Dorcas (Gr), both meaning gazelle – a fitting description for a woman of exemplary grace. Tabitha got ill and died. She was washed and laid in an upper room in preparation for burial. But the disciples there, knowing Peter was close by, sent for him. A gracious miracle resulted. God’s power on full display. But people then, as now, die every day. So why raise this woman? Why Tabitha? Why Joppa? Who benefited?

Clearly, God benefited. His glory and power are on display as powerfully as possible in this life – someone raised from the dead. But who else benefited in this backwater town? God’s making the point He’s as interested in Joppa as He is in Jerusalem. But who specifically benefited from this amazing display of His power? Several did – one, surprisingly – did not. So, let’s look.

I. Tabitha’s Resurrection Benefited the Widows

How’d you like this description? “She was full of good works and acts of charity”? Lovely! Tabitha modeled all a Xn woman should be. She’s a living example of Eph 2:10: “For we are his workmanship (masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Tabitha knew we are not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works, and she didn’t want to miss a single loving act God had created for her before time began. She wanted them all. A glorious example!

And the main beneficiaries are clear. When Peter got to her room, 39b) “All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.” Tabitha had the spiritual gift of sewing – or more precisely – the gift of helps that she used by sewing. While the carnal Corinthians were focused on the showy gift of tongues for self-edification, Tabitha was quietly exercising her gift of sewing “for the common good” (I Cor 12:7), the intent of all spiritual gifts. They are not for self and not for show, but for the common good. Tabitha was at the head of that line.

So who benefited by her resurrection? Clearly, the widows. They had no social safety net. If huz and kids were gone, she was without resource. Tabitha knew that. She may have been a widow or unmarried herself. She modeled Jas 1:27: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction.” Tabitha was all over that, a prime example that little people and little things are big in God’s eyes when they faithfully serve. Didn’t Jesus say in Mt 20:16: “So the last will be first, and the first last”? Then you can be sure Tabitha has a front row seat in Glory.

This urges all of us to find a need and fill it to the glory of God. Arturo Toscanini was once asked his father’s greatest achievement. He said, “For him there is no such thing. Whatever he’s doing at any moment is the biggest undertaking of his life, whether conducting a symphony or peeling an orange.” That was Tabitha to a tee. Someone else said, “Everybody wants to save the earth; nobody wants to help with the dishes.” Tabitha did. She was great in little things and sent treasure to heaven by helping her widows.

II. Tabitha’s Resurrection Benefited the Disciples

So, Tabitha has died. But normal preparations were not followed. Instead of burying her immediately, as was customary, they laid her in an upper room. She was washed, but not anointed for burial as normal, like Jesus was.

Then, 38 “Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him.” Did they want Peter to conduct a funeral? It’s likely something bigger was in their minds. 38) “Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, ‘Please come to us without delay.’” They specifically wanted Peter; they wanted him quickly, and that they had not finished burial preparations. They had something else in mind. That’s a lot of faith, but it’s not blind faith!

Word of Aeneas resurrection spread like wildfire. Perhaps they also knew Jesus had given that power to the 12 apostles! Mt 12:7 He had told them as He sent them out: “And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead.” We’re never told of the apostles raising dead people prior to this, but surely they had. This didn’t happen often – we only know of twice – but it was part of the “mighty works” – the “signs of a true apostle” (II Cor 12:12) that authenticated these men and their mission. With Peter close by, I think these unnamed disciples from Joppa thought resurrection was not out of the question. At least they were going to ask. What faith! And they got one of the great demonstrations in history of the unmatched power of God. What a powerful incentive to godly living.

What’s next is beautiful. 41 “And [Peter] gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.” Peter didn’t take her hand to resurrect her. She was already alive. I love how R.C. Sproul describes this: “Peter’s giving her his hand was like a gesture of chivalry, as if to say, ‘Madam, worker of many good deeds, who has made garments for all your friends who are outside weeping, take my hand and let me escort you to them.’ So he did. He led her from the room, called the saints and the widows, and presented her alive. This was only a foretaste of heaven, for Tabitha would die again. But it was a downpayment of the truth that everyone in Christ will be presented to the Bridegroom to live forever with no more tears and no more sin and no more death.” Imagine the impact on the faith in that community. They didn’t get a resurrection at every funeral any more than we do – but they got it once; and we got the record of it, to remind us of our legacy in Christ: I Cor 15:20: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Thus, the song: “God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus / He came to love, heal and forgive. / He bled and died to buy my pardon. / An empty grave is there to prove / My Savior lives. // Because He lives I can face tomorrow. / Because He lives all fear is gone. / Because I know He hold the future. / And life is worth the living / Just because He lives.” That’s our legacy in Christ – the benefit we all get if we belong to Him.

III. Tabitha’s Resurrection Benefited Peter

Now one might say, “Hey, Peter didn’t benefit here. Peter brought the benefit.” But even Peter knew better than that. He didn’t bring anything. God brought everything. Peter was just God’s instrument. What told him to trust God for this great miracle? It can only have been the prompting of the HS, but Peter was sensitive to God’s leading and God brought the fire.

So Peter knelt and prayed. But then, I love what he did. Did you catch it? He did exactly what he’d seen Jesus do. A ruler of the synagogue, Jairus, came to Jesus one day and said, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live” (Mark 5:23). Jesus started out, but got interrupted and by the time He arrived, the little girl was dead. He said, 39b) “’The child is not dead but sleeping.’ 40 And they laughed at him.” Professional mourners. They knew death when they saw it. But Jesus put them outside – all but Peter, James and John and went into the death room. Then 41 “Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Isn’t that an amazing parallel? Just the change of one letter in the name. Jesus said, “Talitha, arise”; Peter said, “Tabitha, arise.” This is no accident. Peter’s modeling the behavior of Jesus. What joy he must have gotten from this affirmation of his own ministry.

But isn’t that the calling we all have? Peter was gifted, so are we. And we haven’t been given gifts to sit on the sideline. Rom 12:6 “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” Others will benefit when we exercise our giftedness. But who will benefit most? We will. To see the HS working thru our meager efforts – no greater joy on earth than that. We have to willing to take some risk – to put ourselves out there. But so much is waiting for us if we will do that.

Not long ago, I sent a note of thanks to someone who had facilitated a class at our church. I got a note back that said, “You are welcome. It was really my pleasure! I got as much out of it or more than the class.” That will always be the case, Beloved. The Lord’s work can be hard, tedious and challenging. But it will never be without benefit. The reward both here and later will be far beyond any effort we expend. There’s nothing better than serving the Lord.

IV. Tabitha’s Resurrection Benefited the People

42 “And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.” This is a wonderful result of Tabitha’s resurrection. Many friends and neighbors “believed in the Lord” as a result. That community was gripped by the marvelous power of God. They got to see something few get to see – a physical resurrection. And for many, that was the turning point of their life.

But, as wonderful as that miracle was, it was nothing compared to someone being resurrected to new life in Christ – becoming a new creation in Him. That’s a miracle we get to see often – and it has the same power to influence others to believe in Jesus as well. Most come to faith in Christ by having seen His resurrection power in the life of a friend. That’s why it’s critical our lives be true and not hypocritical – that we live like who we are, not who we were.

Recall Jesus meeting that immoral woman at the well in John 4? First person He ever told straight out He was the Messiah. Jesus loves down and outers. She tried to direct the conversation away from herself, but He kept coming back to her sin and her need for the living water that He offered until she got it and came to faith. But recall her first reaction? Jn 4:39 “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word.” Many in Joppa benefited from Tabitha’s new life. And many in Samaria benefited from the new spiritual life of that woman.

V. Tabitha’s Resurrection Did Not Benefit Tabitha

But one person did not benefit from Tabitha’s resurrection? Who? Tabitha. It is our short-sighted, temporal perspective that allows us to think otherwise. Tabitha is called a disciple in v. 36. That means, having died, she was in heaven with Jesus. Would she want to return to the daily grind to survive in this broken world of sin and strife? Imagine the upheaval that would cause.

Paul had a similar experience. II Cor 12:2 “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.” Paul had been to heaven, and then was sent back.

How did he bear it? This way, Phil 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” His point? “I want to go and be with Jesus. But if He asks, I’ll gladly stay for your sake.” 25 “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.” “I’ll gladly stay for awhile for you.” Don’t you imagine that was Tabitha’s attitude? “If I can be of benefit to others, I’ll gladly stay on awhile longer.” She had a servant’s heart, and one can only imagine the reward that awaited her when her time finally came for good. But until then, faithfulness was the watchword that guided her life.

Conc – Stuart Briscoe pastored Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisc, in a 30-year ministry taking it from 300 members to more than 7,000. Today he and his wife, Jill, are excellent conference speakers. One time, Jill fell into bed after an exhausting week of travel. She says, “Feeling a little sorry for myself, I looked at Stuart for a bit of sympathy. He merely grinned at me and asked cheerfully, ‘Are you feeling “weary in well doing”?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied rather pathetically. ‘It’s a great feeling, isn’t it?’ he commented, happily returning to his book. After thinking about that for a bit, I had to admit, he was right.”

Isn’t that a great way to live, Beloved? Heaven awaits. Not very far out there. But meantime, even if our Lord asked us to return from there to here, wouldn’t we want to give our best – not weary in well doing, but well doing despite weariness. That’s Tabitha. Let’s let it be us as well. Let’s pray.

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