1st Reading: Acts 9:36-43
The story of Dorcas (or
“Tabitha”—an Aramaic name; both meaning “gazelle”) is our next reading from the
Acts of the Apostles this Eastertide.
That Peter raises her from the dead shows that Jesus’ power has been
handed on to his disciples. Dorcas
appears to have been part of a guild of widows known for their works of
charity. Joppa was a Palestinian harbor town near present-day Tel Aviv.
9:36
Now 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. 37 At that time she became ill and died. When they had
washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. 38
Since 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.” 39 So 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. 40 Peter
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. 41 He gave her his hand
and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be
alive. 42 This became known
throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43
Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a
tanner.
Psalm 23
The most familiar of psalms is ascribed to King David. It is a song of ultimate trust in God. “The valley of the shadow of death” is
literally, “the darkest valley,” so can apply to any situation of danger or
encounter with evil. God can be trusted
to be with us actively in all circumstances.
1 The Lord
is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, *
and leads me beside still
waters.
3 He revives my soul, *
and guides me along right
pathways for his Name’s sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death,
I will fear
no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me in the presence of
those
who
trouble me; *
you have anointed my head
with oil,
and my cup is running
over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me
all
the days of my life;
and
I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.
2nd Reading:
Revelation 7:9-17
The scroll which in last week’s reading had been given to the
Lamb to open, has had six of its seven seals opened. There is great anticipation and fear about
the opening of the last seal. Chapter
six ends, “For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to
stand?” In chapter seven, before the
opening of the last seal (8:1), that question is answered: God’s people will be rescued. Revelation 7:9-17 is a vision of that rescue,
and it is true even for those who have been martyred. The end of the scene borrows from visions of
the prophet Isaiah (see especially Isaiah 25:8). Note as well the paradox of the Lamb who is
also the Shepherd.
7:9
After this
I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every
nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne
and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their
faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 singing,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and
might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then
one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and
where have they come from?” 14 I
said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are
they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 For
this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night
within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no
more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17 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.”
Gospel Reading: John
10:22-30
The Fourth Sunday of
Easter is often called “Good Shepherd Sunday” because we always read from the
tenth chapter of John in which Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. Our passage this morning tells us we are at
the Feast of the Dedication (modern-day Hanukkah). Jesus, like many of his fellow Jews, was in
Jerusalem and in the Temple. The
authorities try to goad Jesus. “Why do
you keep us in suspense” is literally, “why do you keep annoying us.” Jesus speaks around the question as usual,
although ends in a bald-faced statement—“the Father and I are one.” This was blasphemy without question.
10:22
At that
time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the
portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews
gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If
you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus
answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my
Father’s name testify to me; 26 but
you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and
they follow me. 28 I give them
eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my
hand. 29 What my Father has given
me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand.
30 The Father and I are one.”
The Scripture quotations (except for
the psalm) are from the New Revised
Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian
Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are
used by permission. The Psalm translation is from The Book of Common Prayer. Commentaries
are copyright © 2016 Epiphany ESources, 67 E. Main St., Hornell, NY 14843. www.EpiphanyEsources.com. All rights
reserved. Permission is given to copy for
group study. Bulletin inserts are
available. For more information visit our website.
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