February 21, 2022 – “Dead as a Doornail” (Acts 9:36-43)

“Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which in translation means Dorcas). She was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity. At that time she became sick and died. When they had washed her body, they placed it in an upstairs room. Because Lydda was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them, and when he arrived they brought him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him, crying and showing him the tunics and other clothing Dorcas used to make while she was with them. But Peter sent them all outside, knelt down, and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her get up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her alive. This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. So Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a man named Simon, a tanner.” Acts 9:36-43

“Dead as a Doornail”

Dead as a doornail is a phrase which means that someone is really dead — they are not alive — they are deceased. The term goes back to the 1300s where the phrase is found in poems of the time. The term dead as a doornail was used in the 1500s by William Shakespeare, and in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in 1843. It is thought that the phrase dead as a doornail comes from the manner of securing doornails that were hammered into a door by “clenching” them. Clenching is the practice of bending over the protruding end of the nail and hammering it into the wood. When a nail has been clenched, it has been “dead nailed”, and is not easily resurrected to use again. An alternative wording of the phrase dead as a doornail is “deader than a doornail.”

Tabitha was loved by her friends and neighbors — and so when she died they were terribly distraught. But let us be certain of one thing — Tabitha was not just a little dead, she was “dead as a door nail”. When Peter came to see her, he must have had some understanding that the Lord has something great in mind. Peter doesn’t even speak except to tell the people to leave him alone with Tabitha. He prays to Jesus and then says “Tabitha, get up”. It is clear from this story that the power of the Holy Spirit continues through the disciples — the same Holy Spirit they received in Acts 2.

The Holy Spirit is a powerful force — and is waiting to empower us to do works of ministry and acts of love. Sometimes the Holy Spirit sneaks up on us — other times it hits us like a lightning bolt from a clear blue sky. There is no way to know when the spirit works, or how it works, or in what way it will hit us. We just need to know and to trust that the Spirit is looking for open hearts and willing faith to do its magic.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, open our hearts to your love, mercy and grace. When we feel dead, enliven us through your spirit. Amen.

Pastor Dave