“The Power of Easter”

Scripture: Acts 9:36-43

We have read that Jesus appeared to his followers a number of times before he returned to his heavenly home. He amazed them every time with his presence, and he blessed them with the things he continued to teach. But the full power of the Spirit had yet to come to the believers.

In those precious few moments before he ascended, the Lord gave the faithful two more promises for their lives. In Acts 1:4-5, he told them that they were to wait in Jerusalem, for the Spirit was about to come onto them. And in Acts 1:7-8, he promised that when the Holy Spirit came upon them, that they would “receive power” which would enable them to be the Lord’s witnesses throughout the earth.

The Spirit could not come until Jesus left them. But when he came, the world would experience a power unlike anything they had ever known before. (John 16:7-11) And that power would rest upon the faithful. John 16 tells us that the Spirit would prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement – sin, because the world didn’t believe Jesus; righteousness, because Jesus has returned to the Father; and judgment, because the ruler of the world has now been condemned.

And the Spirit of God would be working though all who can truly claim faith in the name of Jesus Christ. The Spirit would first manifest itself at Pentecost, but that would only be the beginning – that holy power was about to start flowing in incredible ways, and to unexpected places.

Read Acts 9:36-39

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter has become a new man. The old, impetuous, speaking-before-thinking, foot-in-mouth Peter discovered his new calling at Pentecost when he delivered the most powerful sermon of his life. (Acts 2:14-41) He would soon begin to heal the lame, confront the liars, would discover that even the Gentiles were welcome in the Kingdom, and he continued to preach the Good News to whoever would listen. And others would begin to see the strength and power that came to those who believed in Jesus.

The company of faithful was already beginning to spread throughout the area – even into Samarian towns like Lydda and Joppa. We aren’t sure who brought the Message of Jesus to these outcasts, but it could have begun with the woman who met Jesus at Jacob’s well, and who then went and began to tell everyone – especially those who had ostracized her – about this wonderful man. (John 4:1-42) And this woman, Dorcus, was one who had heard. She had become a believer in Christ, and she took her faith seriously. She cared for the poor and widows, just as Jesus told us to (Matthew 25:34-46), and others were blessed by her Christ-like love. And when she died, her Christian friends cared for her by sending for Peter. Her body had been prepared for burial, but that didn’t deter the Apostle. He came just the same.

This was no longer a Peter who sought honor for himself, or who stumbled in faith, or who, when the situation turned ugly, looked the other way. This was a Peter who was walking in the Power of the Spirit. He now knew where he was to be, he knew who he was to see, he knew what he was to say and do, and this was a new Peter who no longer questioned and doubted. Peter had accepted the power and call of the Holy Spirit.

Read Acts 9:40-43

By the power of the Spirit, Peter tells Dorcus to get up, which she does. He helps her out of bed and takes her to the mourners so that they might know for certain that she lives once again. Before this, it is fairly apparent that the widows are not believers. They mourn death and don’t celebrate the impending new life - they don’t seem have faith that Peter can do anything to change the situation. And even now we don’t read that they, in particular, believe, but they certainly did spread the news that Peter had raised Dorcus from the dead!

And he decided to stay in Joppa for a while longer. It is interesting to note the person who he would be staying with – a tanner. A tanner dealt with dead animals, stripping the hide from their carcass, cleaning the flesh and blood off it, and applying chemicals to keep the hide from deteriorating. An orthodox Jew would be required to avoid the death that was inherent in the body, flesh and blood of a dead body. They wouldn’t associate with any person who did, and they definitely wouldn’t enter the home of such a person. But the “new” Peter did. He had begun to change dramatically!

While Peter followed Jesus, he seemed to live in a constant struggle with what this new relationship meant for him. He was certainly bold and outspoken, but his actions didn’t always convey a sense of faithful service. He could, upon occasion, express faithful words, but his actions were generally anything but Christ-like. Such was Peter’s problem when he began to walk toward Jesus on the water. (Matthew 14:22-33) He spoke faithful and obedient words, but after a step or two, He began to sink. Was it due to the distraction of the natural storm, or the doubts of a spiritual storm that had surged up in his heart, or was it the storm of desire for personal glory and honor? Regardless, his actions couldn’t live up to his words.

Do you see the change that has come over him? It is no longer the words that Peter expresses that control his life – now it is his heart for Jesus that leads him. It is no longer the worldly Peter who we see walking in faith – it is the faithful Peter who now walks in the Spirit throughout the world. It is no longer the man who is strong in body and confident in his own abilities – he has become a humble man who now knows the power that comes from Easter’s Resurrection.

Without Easter, Good Friday would have triumphed - not only over Jesus, but over Peter and all who had placed their hope in Christ. But with Easter, with the resurrection, the death that had appeared to win was now destroyed, and a new life had begun to thrive and grow in all who believed. First Mary, then John, then Peter, then Thomas and the others – life began to fill them all, and when the Holy Spirit came into the world, that new life took on an authority and purpose and call and ability unlike anything the world could ever hope to offer.

And there is no expiration date assigned to that resurrection power - it is available to all who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, regardless of the day and age! The Power of the Spirit rests on those who readily follow wherever the Spirit leads, and who don’t hesitate to accept that responsibility. As Peter began this new journey in his new life, it wouldn’t be an easy time for him. He would know persecution and rejection and death, but he had a renewed confidence in the faith he had expressed at Caesarea Philippi with those marvelous words “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:13-20) I think that he had uttered those words of faith through his knowledge, but now he held those words powerfully within his heart. Peter had to grow in those words, and so do we.

Where are you in your walk with the Lord? Are you straddling the fence of faith – knowing what Jesus taught, but hoping that your worldly life will suffice? Are you standing at the entrance of the empty tomb, wanting to believe, but unsure as to what it all means for you? Have you taken that risky step in faith, only to find yourself slipping and falling and nearly drowning in the sea of doubt?

Peter had to surrender himself to the Living Spirit of God, and that is the solution for each of us. God is power and majesty, but unlike the worldly equivalents, he never demands that we accept his authority for our lives. It is simply offered, and we get to either accept it, or reject it.
Remember Jesus’ parable of the Talents? (Matthew 25:14-30) The two servants who were faithful to the Master’s call were rewarded and glorified. But the third servant, who had professed faith and trust in his Master, but who had failed to do as he was told, lost everything and was cast out of the Master’s presence.

We, too, can choose to walk with the Spirit and follow Jesus’ commands, or we can choose to simply offer lip service. But lip service gains us nothing. In James 2:17, we read “… faith by itself, if it has no action, is dead.” When Peter was led to deliver that sermon on Pentecost, he did so, certainly in faith, but also in trust that he would be given all that he needed. And he was. When we step out in faith, whether we understand the Spirit’s call on us or not, the Lord will never allow us to fail.

The resurrection power of Easter comes to us through the Holy Spirit whenever our faith is expressed in faithful action. May it be so with each and every one of us.