May 5, 2022 2 min read Easter

Fourth Sunday of Easter

"Easter People, Raise Your Voices"

What difference does Easter make?

This week we continue an Easter Season series from the Book of Acts. We are exploring various “Easter People” – people such as Paul, Tabitha, Peter and Lydia – and in our contemporary world.

Tabitha: Acts 9:36-43

³⁶Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. ³⁷At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. ³⁸Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” ³⁹So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. ⁴²This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.

My grandmother had a notecard ministry. She sent dozens of cards through the mail to folks every week. Birthdays, anniversaries, sympathy cards, get-well cards, graduation cards. She wrote to people she knew well and to complete strangers she read about in the paper. She wrote so many cards – this was back before email – her adult daughters were concerned at one point about all the money she spent on cards and postage stamps!

She was devoted to good works and acts of charity.

Tabitha in Acts 9 was a little like my grandmother. Tabitha, whose name means gazelle, was involved in ministering to people. She was likely marginalized as a woman in ancient society, but she also appears to have had some resources. And she shared those resources with her community.