Acts 9: 36-43

Dan Hurley was a famous performance writer, renowned for his 60-second scripts. He became famous in America for his ability to listen to the detailed life stories of people from all walks of life from destitute people in Harlem to movie stars in Hollywood and compress their biographies into scripts that could be read to an audience in 60 seconds. Dan Hurley wrote about 20,000 60-second biographical scripts; today, I would like to introduce two of them to you.

Regarding Clement, a 40-year old man who lives in a dumpster located in a back alley in Brooklyn, New York, Hurley recorded the following script:

I’m Really Satisfied with the Way I’m Living Now.

Not Truly Happy.

Just Content.

Clement stated, "My dwelling it’s a shelter and it’s not too bad. It has four walls, a ceiling and a floor. The only things it’s missing is a kitchen and a bathroom." Clement, after divorcing his wife, settled in the dumpster and admitted that while he was not a drug addict or an alcoholic, adding that "the only vices that I have are cigarettes and a little marijuana." He scrounged cans, bottles, and scrap metals to make a living; the surprising fact was that he was able to generate, through his "gathering," an income of $800 to $900 per month. He was even able to save some money into his checking account. Clement was immensely proud of the fact that he was able to make his own living, without the help of government social or welfare programs or handouts from other people.

Hurley wrote another 60-second biographical script that is worthy of our attention. A script titled "Honest Abe" succinctly delineates a life of a man as such: "Honest Abe. He’s a man of his word. As a CPA, he had to be honest. People depended on him. He was honest, too, when he promised to Margery 58 years ago that he would always love her and stand by her. They’ve been married that long, and they now have two children and three grandchildren. But he was never more honest than in one day six years ago, when his oldest daughter’s husband, Fred, was in the hospital and Abe went to see him. ‘You need a haircut,’ said Fred, joking. But Abe replied in utter seriousness: ‘I won’t get a haircut until you walk out of here.’ Fred never did walk out of there. He was carried out. He had died. And so Abe felt that he owed it to Fred to keep his word. That’s why he never cut his hair, why he has a long white ponytail this conservative CPA."

If Hurley were to write a 60-second biography about your life to concisely illustrate your story to rest of the world, what would it be about? This morning, we witnessed a 60-second biography about a woman in the Book of Acts, chapter 9. Although short in length, today’s scripture lays out, in an impressionable manner, a story regarding one woman’s beautiful and precious life. Today, we will think about this woman, Dorcas.

First, this was a woman who lived according to the meaning of her name. In verse 36, it is stated "At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas." This woman’s name was Tabitha in Aramas the language of the Jews at the time and Dorcas in Greek. In both languages, her name meant ‘beautiful gazelle.’ Either her parents or some relative probably gave her this name; throughout her life, she lived according to her name, earning great respect and adoration from those around her. Our names often delineate our character and uniqueness to others. We became ‘Christians’ after we started believing in Jesus Christ.

As the people who belong to Christ, we must live guilt and embarrassment-free lives. In 1917, during the height of World War I, one of the most cruel and vicious massacres in history of war took place. Islamic Turks, upon invading Armenia, killed and butchered over 750,000 people believed to be Christians. The Turks lined up people who they believed to be Christians regardless of gender and age;in front of burial trenches and asked questions to these people, one at a time, with a rifle pointed at them at point-blank range. "Mohammed or Christ?" Although replying "Mohammed" may have spared them of their lives, countless people answered "Christ, only Christ!" on their way to valiant deaths. They were martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the name Jesus Christ;a truly holy name indeed.

Second, how did Dorcas live that made her the object of affection for the multitudes of people? The latter half of verse 36 of today’s scripture states, Dorcas "was full of good works and charitable deeds, which she did." She performed many acts of benevolence and altruism throughout her life. She especially helped those who were poor or in dire straits. In reading the second half of verse 39, we can see that Dorcas became famous for her sewing in Joppa. When Peter arrived in Joppa after hearing about the news of Dorcas’ death, the widows who had gathered around the body of Dorcas showed him the tunics and the garments that she had sewed while she was alive. The tunics and garments that Dorcas made displayed her diligence and virtuous character. Dorcas was famous in Joppa for her sewing, and her good and charitable deeds made others adore her.

A woman named Bea Salazar, upon undergoing surgery for her back in 1990, had difficulties with mobility ever since. In a great depression, she painfully lived each day. Taking out her trash one day, Salazar happened to look upon a young boy who was scavenging for food in the trash bins. Feeling a great pity for the starving young child, Salazar took the boy into her home and made him a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich. Finishing off the sandwich in no time, the boy left her house and returned about 15 minutes later with six of his friends, asking "is it true that you’re giving away peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches?" Salazar learned that many parent of the neighborhood, worn down from hard labor, neglected to take care of their children and many of these children wandered the street like beggars. After learning this fact, Salazar contacted many churches in her community and started gathering volunteers and relief supplies.

One person, greatly moved by Salazar’s efforts, donated an apartment. At this apartment, over 100 children started gathering daily. After 10 years, despite great financial hardship, 5 of the 100 children went on to study at community colleges. Salazar would confess later, "I never thought that making one peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich would grow into something that would affect so many lives;especially mine. There was a point when I stopped thinking about my own pain and started concentrating on somebody else’s. It’s true that when you help others, you help yourself." To have our neighbors fondly remember our lives, let’s do good and generous deeds.

Third, how did people respond when Dorcas, who led such a wonderful life, died? In verse 37, Dorcas dies from disease and her body was rested in the upper room. In verse 38, people sent two messengers to Peter, who was working in Lydda, and asked him to come, without delay, to Joppa. Lydda was a city that encompassed the region occupied today by Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel, and city of Lod; Joppa is known today as Jaffa, located to the south of Tel Aviv.

The people of Joppa loved Dorcas so much;and their desire to resurrect her so great that they hurriedly sent for Peter, the leader of the early Christian church. When we die, and if people around us grieve and say "a precious person died…only if he could have lived a little longer….only if he could wake up this minute…" our lives could be considered successful. However, when we die, and our death elicits cynical and disdainful response from people, such as "well, he deserved it…after all the bad things that he did…" our lives would be those of disgrace and shame. The fact is, Peter went to Joppa from Lydda and resurrected Dorcas.

 The manner in which Peter resurrects Dorcas is very similar to the manner in which Jesus resurrects the twelve-year old daughter of a synagogue ruler Jairus (Luke 8: 40-42, 49-56). Just as Jesus took Peter, John, James, and the parents of the dead girl into the room, held the child’s hand, and resurrected the girl by commanding "arise," Peter sends everyone else out of the room, kneels, prays, and resurrects Dorcas by saying "Tabitha, arise!" This was an event that showed the pervasive effect of Jesus’ work on Peter. The Disciple, after watching his Mentor, repeated the very same deed. Truly blessed are those who have a mentor whom they can emulate. We must become such disciples of Christ, able to follow and emulate the very acts of Christ.

The dire prayers of the people of Joppa had been answered their Dorcas was resurrected, able to sew as before and carry on with her work of charity and good deeds. As a result, in verse 42, "And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord." The fact that Dorcas was resurrected increased the number of people who started to believe in Christ.

If our lives were to be explained in 60 seconds, how would it be summarized? The life of Dorcas was concise yet moving. The grief over her death was so great that it resulted in her resurrection. We all must try our best to live the blessed life that will leave everlasting impression, grief, and positive influence on others.