God’s love brings good works and gives life.

 

Sermon for Easter 6, May 5, 2024

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.  Amen.

Acts 9:36-42  ³⁶In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas.  She was always doing good deeds and acts of charity.  ³⁷At that time she became sick and died.  After they had washed her, they laid her in an upstairs room.  ³⁸Since Lydda is near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, who urged him, “Come to us without delay!”  ³⁹Peter got up and went with them.  When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs.  All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothing that Dorcas made while she was still with them.  ⁴⁰After Peter sent them all outside, he got down on his knees and prayed.  Then he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!”  She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.  ⁴¹He gave her his hand and helped her stand up.  After he called the saints and the widows, he presented her to them alive.  ⁴²This became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. (EHV)

God’s love brings good works and gives life.

Dear beloved in the Lord,

            There are times when our main reaction to an account like this is to ask, “Why doesn’t the Lord give us this same power to heal?”  At times when we are grieving the loss of someone special to us, it can be hard to feel unselfish.  We want those we love to be with us.  We want those who offer special help or service to us to continue to do so.  Thus, at times like that, it is easy for our selfishness to take control.  We want what we want, and we want God to do our bidding.  Sadly, our selfishness doesn’t solve the problem, nor does it cause God to be generous.

The truth is, though, God is always generous in His mercy to us.  Furthermore, it is God’s mercy in bringing us to faith in His Son as our Savior that motivates good works in those who believe in Him.  Therefore, we must say, and remember always, that God’s love brings good works and gives life.

Now, wanting our loved ones and good neighbors to live doesn’t necessarily indicate selfishness, for Jesus also wants us, and all people, to live and never die.  That’s why He came into this world to live for us and to die in our place to set us free from the curse of sin. 

At the time of the events of our text, those new Christians in Joppa had recently heard of the miraculous healings that apparently had been accomplished through Peter.  Therefore, knowing he was nearby, it is not surprising that they would send for his help at the time of their beloved and dutiful friend’s death.  They appreciated the love she had demonstrated for her neighbors.  They appreciated how she had served unselfishly those in need.  Furthermore, the motivation for her service wasn’t rooted in saving herself, or in trying to seek selfish glory.  Rather, as her neighbors knew, Tabitha was serving those around her as a testimony to her faith in Jesus, who gave Himself to save sinners.

Tabitha’s commitment to doing good works for those in need is explained by St. John in our epistle lesson for the day.  He wrote, “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)  To understand true love means to recognize that love is unselfish service.  Love doesn’t ask, “What’s in it for me?” but asks “What kindness am I able to do to help this person near me?”  We don’t often think of that when we talk about love, but so-called love, if it lacks that unselfish service, is merely affection or lust, at best.

We can honestly say that Tabitha was doing her works, not to seek some kind of reward, but because she loved her Savior, and she was thankful for what He had done for her with His life and death.  She is called a female disciple, not just a believer, but one who was committed to following Jesus and His unselfish ways.  In that, she is a role model for all Christians.  Even more so, she exemplifies how Christians are motivated by God’s love to show love with service to others in need. 

Since we all need to hear the Good News of what Jesus has done to save sinners, it is especially important that we imitate Tabitha’s selfless love for her neighbors as we share the Good News about Jesus with those we know still need to hear it.  It is through our willing service that God does much good even among those who don’t yet believe in Him.  Christians are often referred to as the hands of God for the good works we do for the community, country, and the world.  We are assured, also, that God listens to our prayers in whatever help is needed.  Therefore, your prayers for others in need are also a valuable service, whether your neighbors realize it or not.

Certainly, it is true that God’s love brings good works.  It is also true, and demonstrated in this miracle, that God’s love gives life.  I don’t believe we can say that Tabitha’s service was rewarded when she was returned to life at Peter’s prayer.  Without a doubt, Tabitha’s true reward is found in heaven.  However, God gave life back to her, more so, because her friends and neighbors still needed her, and so that they would be confirmed in their trust in Jesus as their Savior.  Peter never pretended that he had brought her back to life.  He preached Christ Jesus, and Him crucified, as the source of real life, life that doesn’t end.

Perhaps, that is what we best focus on today, that faith in Jesus gives life.  God, in His love for us, gave His Son into death so that we may live and never die.  God brought us into Christian faith so that we may serve our families, friends, neighbors, and even strangers in ways that help them bodily, but especially that call them to hear God’s loving Word and learn of the life that continues long after the body is laid in the grave.

In the early church, after Jesus was crucified but raised to life again, it was important that people experience these miracles to know that Jesus came to give life.  You and I have been given ample eyewitnesses to this truth.  Today, though, we no longer need personal miracles to be saved through faith.  In fact, Jesus assured us of this when He told the doubting Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

Our Gospel lesson this morning also shows us the way of love.  Jesus told His disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so also I have loved you.” (John 15:9)  Though we did nothing to deserve God’s mercy and grace, Jesus came into this world for the very purpose of saving the people who had rebelled against the God who created us and this entire universe.  Jesus lived and died to save those who had been murderers and thieves, cheaters and liars, lazy and selfish.  He gave up His throne in heaven in order to save the rebellious and lost.  Jesus laid down His life to rescue the traitors who turned against God’s love.  You see, Jesus lived and died and rose again, because every one of us needed His selfless love in order that we might enjoy life everlasting.  In other words, “God shows his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Here is a truth that is hard for every self-righteous sinner to grasp; we don’t deserve God’s love.  Because we all have sinned against God, the most anybody could reasonably hope for on his own is to have a big crowd of mourners at his funeral.  On our own, we might make enough friends who would care whether we lived or died, and almost every person who has ever lived had someone who cared about him or her.  Yet, no amount of weeping mourners could give life to the dead body.  Only through faith in Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, who entered our world on a mission to save, is any sinner promised, “Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19)

Because Jesus, God’s Son, has already pleased His Father in heaven, in our place, by living a perfectly holy, obedient life to fulfil every law and will of His heavenly Father, the whole world has been forgiven of sin.  Furthermore, because Jesus rose from the dead exactly at the time He foretold He would, you and I have been assured that Jesus is the Son of God and all His promises are true. 

Those who believe in Jesus soon come to desire to live for Him out of thanks for all He did for us.  Now, that doesn’t mean we never sin again, not does it mean we never stumble.  However, Jesus has made us righteous before God, and Jesus promises, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies.  And whoever lives and believes in me will never perish.” (John 11:25-26)  Because Jesus rose from the dead, we are assured that our sins are forgiven and that our bodies will also be raised to live forever on this world’s last day.  And because Jesus loved us so well, His Holy Spirit was sent to bring us the Good News of what He has done for us, and it is through that Good News that we were brought to believe in Jesus.  Then, with the Holy Spirit working in us, we too want to live for Jesus.  We want to help our neighbors.  Of course, we don’t always get it right, but Jesus’ love keeps us trying, and it keeps us being counted holy because of what He has done for us. 

Dear friends, even as this world seems to grow increasing selfish and concerned only about earthly things and bodily feelings, and even as the people of this world grow ever more hostile to the God who gave His life in our place, this promise remains ever true, God’s love brings good works and gives life.  God grant that His love always remains active in you.  Amen.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and in his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.  Amen.