2004-05-02 Easter 4C I Shall Not Want Script.lwp - Page 2 of 2
Tabitha’s ministry has given life to these widows of Joppa. But when she dies, her life-giving
work dies with her. There is a crisis in the community, and the disciples send for Peter - who comes
without even asking questions. Another miracle?
But now these widows have no hope. Their comfort was in the coats and garments Tabitha had
made because she cared for them. They cannot take comfort in hearing that someday there will be a
better world. Tabitha is gone. How will they survive? Now all they can do was stand beside Peter and
weep as they showed him the evidence of Tabitha’s love, poured out for them.
But death is never the end.
Peter did what other prophets had done and what Jesus had done. He put the widows outside
and knelt down and prayed and turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, rise.” She opened her eyes and
sat up. He gave her his hand and lifted her up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive.
It was another miracle.
But, listen: more than being a miracle story about one disciple being brought to life one time,
long ago, This story has the same message for us as right now as it did in the early church: there is a
power, God’s power, God’s power at work in the world, God’s power at work within people, within
us, God’s power that is at work on behalf of the poor, God’s power that, in the name of Christ, belongs
to widows and all the powerless of the world who have no hope and no power - except in that name.
It wasn’t supposed to be that way. Tabitha was supposed to mind her own business and hope
that the men of the church would come up with something. Peter was supposed to go back to being a
fisherman and leave the preaching to those who had the right training.
But Tabitha and Peter took God’s story seriously. They followed Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
I’m sure there were times when they wondered about where he was taking them if he was so good
because sometimes they walked into pain - their own pain, the world’s pain. And it would have been a
lonely journey - except for the comfort of knowing that the Good Shepherd has already been there
because he is also the Lamb that was slain.
Our call to worship was from one of the readings today, from Revelation chapter 7. It pictures
all of the saints gathered around the throne of this Lamb and offers this comfort: “. . .the one who is
seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; . . .for the Lamb at
the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
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