Promises of Faith in Christ - Wellington Terrace (brief sermon)

I speak to you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

We have in these two stories - the key message of the power of Faith

Peter’s action here is in continuity with the Old Testament and with Jesus’ acts of healing, especially of Jairus’ daughter. As did Jesus, Peter gets peace and quiet (here, by sending the mourners outside) With the help of the Holy Spirit, Peter commands Tabitha to rise, be resurrected, be brought back to life. In Aramaic, his command to her sounds like Jesus’ words to Jairus’ daughter: talitha koum[i]. Peter shows members of the Christian community (“saints and widows”) that Tabitha is alive again; God’s action through him leads many to faith.

Jesus’ claim to oneness with God and pre-existence with him has aroused some listeners. Some think he is demented but others doubt it, for he heals.

They ask whether he is the “Messiah”, the one whom Jews expected to come to establish a godly kingdom. To understand the answers he has given requires faith – which they lack. His Godly actions (“works”,) show who he is. To those who do believe, who are his “sheep”, he gives “eternal life” and assurance that they will not be condemned to annihilation (“perish”) at the end-time. He will ensure that they remain his. “What his Father has given him… no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand”

We have these powerful messages of faith by first hand accounts - accounts that have lasted the tests of time and illustrate to us today God’s control over everything, including death. We who do not often see the “works” of God so visibly but we have these stories as our proof from which we build our faith on God’s foundations.

And we have our hope in the promises of faith in Christ - promises of eternal life and that “no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand”

Amen