The Power of the Name of Christ

Peter traveled to various young churches and conducted church visitation. Thus he also came to the saints at Lydda, a town about ten miles from the Mediterranean coast. There he found a poor, paralyzed man named Aeneas. There were no healing medicines for this man. It was a hopeless case for earthly physicians. However, Peter could come with a Name: “Jesus Christ maketh thee whole.” In that Name is power to raise poor impotent creatures and make them walk. That is the hope also for our days.

God's servants have the commission to proclaim that glorious Name, for in that Name is power to heal the sick and even to raise the dead.

This we see in Joppa. In this seaport was a small Christian church of young believers. One of them was Tabitha, a certain disciple, whose Greek name was Dorcas, which means “gazelle.” By grace she had an important place among the believers there. Her name signified beauty. Indeed, she displayed the beauty of what we read in 1 Corinthians 13. She had charity, or love. There can be much talk, there can be a sound lip confession, we can be very strict and orthodox, but, Paul says, if we have no charity, we are as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. We may even understand all mysteries, may have faith to remove mountains, bestow our goods to feed the poor, yea, become a martyr for our religion, but if we have not charity, it will profit nothing, Paul says.

Dorcas showed the practice of godliness in her love to the poor and needy, to the widows, for whom she made coats and garments. Dorcas’ life spoke, not just her words. What the Bridegroom says of His bride in the Song of Solomon, “Thou art fair, My love,” was true of her. It was the beauty of God's own work, of His grace glorified in sinners’ hearts. Dorcas could also say, “I am black, but comely.” She belonged to a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the peculiar people of whom Peter spoke in his epistle.

The Bible says, “She was full of good works.” That is, she abounded in them. In her good works she showed her faith, and it was her upright desire with these works to glorify God. She showed her love in charitable deeds of kindness and love. We read in James 2:18, “I will show thee my faith by my works.” She had a religion of heart and hand.

However, also for Tabitha it was true that it is appointed unto man once to die. She became sick, and she died and was laid in an upper chamber. What a grief in that young church! What an empty place in the midst of them! When the righteous are taken away and God's people are taken home, then there are empty places in the church, also in our days. We may well mourn about these losses when God's children are removed from us—people whose lives were clear letters of the life of grace, humble but sincere Christians, whose life was with Jesus. For He is the great sympathizing High Priest, who went about the country, healing the sick, raising the dead, and proclaiming the gospel to the poor. By nature, we are not such lovely creatures, but a life near to Him will reveal its fruits. Therefore, it was understandable that the believers wept, especially the widows for whom she had done so much good.

A message was sent to Peter, who was in the neighboring town of Lydda, with the request to come to them without delay. Peter complied with this request and went with them. When he was brought into the upper chamber, he saw the weeping widows, who showed him the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. It was as if they said, “Look, Peter, how worthy she was, how important to us, and what a good Christian she was.”

Then we read that Peter put them all forth, just as his Master had done in the house of Jairus, whose daughter had died, and where He showed His almighty power. Peter stood there as the servant of this Master. Of silver and gold he had none, but he had a Name, the Name of his mighty Redeemer. To Him he could flee in prayer, and upon Him he trusted. For Peter knew that Jesus was his unchangeable King, who is the same yesterday, but also today and forever. He is the same as when He was with them. No, the coats and garments were no reason that the Lord could be merciful and gracious in answering his request. They were no pleading ground. The Lord says, “I do it not for your sake, O house of Israel. I do it only for My Name's sake.”

What necessary lessons there are to learn in our life, that we might come with empty hands to the throne of grace; that all our righteousnesses might become filthy rags to us, and that we might learn that neither our tears, our prayers, or our experiences can incline the heart of the Lord. They are not necessary for this either, for there is another work, most perfect, the work of redeeming love performed by an all-sufficient Savior. In Him alone, in His work, there is hope for those who have not a penny to pay. But what painful lessons are necessary in order to learn that all our money and merchandise are of no value before the Lord. How indispensable are the discovering lessons at the school of grace. What a wonder of God's almighty power if we may bow as a totally lost and undone sinner before a holy and righteous God.

Then Peter turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, arise!” He spoke with the authority the Lord had given His servants. Christ had promised in John 5:25, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” The resurrecting power of Christ will be evident in the quickening of dead sinners, but also in the restoration of wandering sheep. We read in Psalm 42:2, “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”

Peter did not say, “Tabitha, I hope you may arise.” We are often so weak in our speaking, so feeble in our testimonies. That is because we have so little of that faith. But no, Peter said, “Tabitha, arise.” It was a command, spoken with authority, by faith. “And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.” A wonder had been performed, a wonder in the Name of Jesus Christ. Peter was used to perform this wonder. He gave her his hand and lifted her up, and then he presented her alive to the church. What gladness must have filled the hearts of the weeping widows. Peter would have them all rejoice in the victory of the Prince of life, who conquered death, restored life, and poured balm in the wounds, also in that young church.

The fruits of this miracle were encouraging. “Many believed in the Lord.”

It is now after Pentecost. We have heard of the wonderful works of God in the young church, how the Lord fulfilled His promise and poured out His Spirit upon all flesh. Then the apostles spoke with boldness, with power, with sincerity, and with love.

These fruits of the Spirit were evident in the life of Dorcas and in the ministry of Peter. They were also evident in the close bond of fellowship among the young Christians. How we miss that today! We miss so much a people whose life speaks more than their words. We miss so much that close fellowship among those who are of the same household of faith.

However, there is still that Name which the Lord has given under heaven among men. In that Name is still power, is all sufficiency, is a fountain of grace. May we learn to flee to that Fountain and cry to Him for a new outpouring of His Spirit upon all flesh, that the blind may see, the lame walk, the dead arise, the mouths be opened, the praises of the Lord be heard, and thus His worthy Name be glorified.

In Him alone, in His work, there is hope for those who have no penny to pay.

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