Dorcas

We’re Continuing with Our Series Titled: Imitators

In This Series, We are Looking at Imitators of Jesus in the Book of Acts

Our Goal is to Learn How to Be Imitators of Jesus as Well

Last Week We Looked at Stephen

We’ve Been Going in Chapter Order Up to this Point

But We’ve Going to Skip a Chapter this Week and Talk About Dorcas

My Lesson for the Walnut Grove VBS Tomorrow Night is On Dorcas…

So I’m Going to Give You the 25 Minute Version of that Lesson Tonight

In Chapter 8, We are Told that Saul Began Persecuting the Church

Then We See the Mission of Another One of the 7, Whom We’ll Probably Talk About Next Week

Then in Chapter 9 We See Saul’s Conversion to Christianity

And Then We Catch Back Up with Peter and His Ministry

He Traveled to a Town Called Lydda and Healed a Paralyzed Man

This Resulted in Many People Placing Their Faith in Jesus

What Happens in Our Text is Then Going to Lead Peter to a Seaside Town Called Joppa

Acts 9:36 (NASB95)

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.

Joppa was the Main Port City of Judea

It was About 11-12 Miles From Lydda (Where Peter was)

Acts 9:36 (NASB95)

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.

In Aramaic Her Name was Tabitha

And in Greek Her Name was Dorcas

Both Names Mean “Gazelle”

Acts 9:36 (NASB95)

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.

Here’s an Interesting Fact About Dorcas

She’s the Only Woman in the Entire NT Who is Referred to By the Feminine Version of the Greek Word for “Disciple”

I Think that Speaks Something Very Significant About this Woman

Luke Considered Her to Be a True Learner/Follower of Jesus

And We Immediately See Why

Acts 9:36 (NASB95)

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.

Let’s Dive Deeper into this for a Minute

What Does it Mean to Be “Abounding with Deeds of Kindness”?

The Word “Abounding” = Something that is Completely Full to the Extent that it Can’t Hold Anything Else

Here’s What Luke is Saying About Dorcas:

“This Woman Couldn’t Have Done More Deeds of Kindness if She Tried!”

What Exactly Does “Deeds of Kindness” Refer to?

It Simply Means “Good Works”

According to the Context, it Seems Like These Good Works Were Directed at Her Siblings in Christ

She Did So Much Good for Her Family in Christ…

There’s Nothing More She Could’ve Done

One Specific Aspect of Her Good Works was Her “Charity”

“Charity” Refers to Giving Money, Food, or Possessions to Someone in Need Out of a Heart of Compassion

She was Likely Blessed Financially

But She Didn’t Keep that Blessing to Herself

She Shared Her Blessings with Those Less Fortunate than Herself

As You Read Through the Book of Acts, You Soon Realize How Important Generosity was to Early Christians

They Shared Everything with Each Other

They Considered Each Other Family in the Truest Sense

And Dorcas was a Prime Example of Such Discipleship

“Which She Continually Did”

This is Just Over the Top at this Point

Luke First Tells Us that She is Completely Full of Good Works and Charitable Giving…

She Couldn’t Do More Good or Be More Generous if She Tried!

Then He Adds On top of That:

She Did This All the Time!

She was All the Time Doing as Much Good for Others as She Could!

She was All the Time Being as Compassionate and Generous with Others as She Could!

Dorcas was a Disciple of Jesus!

The Church in Joppa Were Extremely Blessed to Have a Disciple Like Her Around

But Unfortunately, the Next Verse Says:

Acts 9:37 (NASB95)

And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room.

After Her Death, They Washed Her Body in Preparation for Her Burial

But What They Do Next is Odd

Instead of Continuing the Funeral Rituals and Burying Her Body…

They Lay it in an Upper Room

Last Sunday Morning, I Did a Sermon Titled “I Hate Death”

And I Read the Story of a Godly Woman From Shunem (2 Kings 4)

God Promised Her a Son Through the Prophet Elisha

But One Day Her Little Boy Tragically Died in Her Arms

And What She Decided to Do Next was Really Odd

She Kept Her Son’s Death a Secret From Everyone, Even Her Husband

And She Hid His Body in the Upper Room

And Then She Proceeded to Tell Everyone that Everything was Okay

And She Went to Get Elisha, and He Brought the Boy Back to Life

This Shunammite Woman Refused to Accept the Death of Her Son

She Hid the Body and Told Everyone Everything was Fine…

Because She Didn’t Want the Funeral Rituals and Burial to Begin

She Believed God’s Prophet Could Bring Her Son Back to Her

And in Our Text, Dorcas’ Body is Laid in the Upper Room and the Funeral Rituals are Halted

But Why?

Acts 9:38 (NASB95)

Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.”

Just Like in the Story of the Shunammite Woman…

I Believe They Delayed the Funeral Rituals and Laid Dorcas’ Body in the Upper Room…

Because They Refused to Accept the Death of this Amazing Disciple of Jesus

And They Knew the Apostle Peter was Nearby

And if Anyone Can Bring Our Sister Back, It’s an Apostle of King Jesus

So They Send for Him and Beg Him to Come ASAP

Acts 9:39 (NASB95)

So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.

Peter Walks in to a Crowd of Mourning Widows

Widows Whom Dorcas Had Given Clothing that She Had Made By Hand

They Wanted Peter to Know the Kind of Woman Dorcas Was

She was “Abounding with Deeds of Kindness and Charity”

Acts 9:40–41 (NASB95)

But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

There are a Couple Things Peter Does Here that are Interesting

He Sends All the Mourning Widows Out of the Room

And He Says, “Tabitha Arise”

You’re Probably Thinking, “That Doesn’t Sound that Interesting to Me!”

You’re Right, Those Things Alone Aren’t Interesting

But They Do Resemble Another Story We Read in Mark’s Account

There was a Synagogue Official Named Jairus Who Wanted Jesus to Heal His Daughter

But Before Jesus Could Get to Her, She Died

Notice What Happens Next:

Mark 5:37–41 (NASB95)

And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.”

They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).

Peter Got the Special Privilege to Accompany Jesus in the House and Witness the Resurrection

And He Saw Jesus Tell the Mourners to Leave the Room

And Then He Said, “Talitha Kum”

He Spoke in Aramaic, Telling the Little Girl to Get Up

In Our Text…

Acts 9:40–41 (NASB95)

But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

Peter Made the Mourners Leave and Then Called Dorcas By Her Aramaic Name

And it Just So Happens, Tabitha is Only One Letter Away Form Talitha

Maybe We’re Looking at a Simple Coincidence…

Or Maybe Peter Brought Dorcas Back to Life By Following the Lead of His Friend and King

One Dissimilarity Between the 2 Resurrection Stories is:

Peter Knelt Down and Prayed Before-Hand

Peter Knew the Power to Resurrect the Dead Had Nothing to Do with Him

Only God Can Bring Back the Dead

After Dorcas’ Spirit Returned to Her Body…

Peter Helped Her Up and Presented Her to Her Christian Siblings and the Widows

Acts 9:42 (NASB95)

It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

This was a Wonderful Day for the Church in Joppa

Not Only Did They Get Their Sister Back From the Dead…

But They Also Gained Many More Brothers and Sisters

It’s Not Hard to Believe in a Resurrected Savior/King…

When His Followers are Actively Going Around Resurrecting People

Application

When We Look at Dorcas, We See an Imitator of Jesus

We Would All Be Better Off Seeking to Imitate Her Faith

Because the Faith She Practiced is the Faith We are All Called to Practice

A Faith that is Alive

James 2:15–17 (NLT)

Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

Dorcas was a Christian with a Faith that was Alive and Thriving

When She Saw a Need, She Did Whatever She Could to Help

We All Need to Strive to Imitate/Be More Like Dorcas