Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Introduction
I’ve Got a Series of Slides with 2 Pictures on Each Slide
With Each Slide, You Have to Tell Me Which Picture is “Greater”
Flattened Fast-Food Cheeseburger - Or - Nice Juicy Steak
Empty Wallet - Or - Big Fat Wallet
British 3-Wheeled Car - Or - 2017 Hyundai Sante Fe
Cruddy Old Mansion - Or - My House
Okay, Last One
Master - Or - Servant
That’s a Tricky One There
The World Says the Master is Greater Than the Servant
And Jesus Implies the Same
After Washing His Disciples Feet, He Tells Them:
John 13:16 (NASB95)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.
But When it Comes to His Kingdom…
Jesus Tells Us Something Different
Jesus’ Apostles Often Wanted to Know Who Would Be the Greatest…
When Jesus Took His Throne and Began His Rule Over Heaven and Earth
They Wanted to Know Which One of Them Would Get to Sit at His Right Hand
Which One Would Be the Vice to His President?
Which One Would Be Given the Higher/Greater Position?
Listen to Jesus’ Answer:
Mark 10:42–45 (NASB95)
Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them.
The Greatest in the World are Those Who…
Rule Over and are Served By Others
“But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.
The Greatest in the Kingdom Aren’t the Rulers…
The Greatest are the Servants
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Jesus Didn’t Just Tell Us this…
He Lived it Himself
Our King, the Greatest Among Us…
Was a Servant
The Theme of this VBS is “Women of the Bible”
And I Get the Privilege to Talk About One of the Greatest of the Kingdom of God:
Dorcas
She is Found at the End of Acts Chapter 9
In the Immediate Context, Luke is Catching Us Up On the Apostle Peter
In Verses 32-35, Peter Travels to a Town Called Lydda (Lod in OT)
While There, He Heals a Paralyzed Man and Leads Lots People to Faith in Jesus
And Then, Starting in Verse 36, We Meet Dorcas
We’re Going to Go at Studying this Text the Way I Typically Do with the Church at Livingston
We’ll Read the Entire Passage in a Translation that is Easier to Digest and Understand Upon One Reading
And Then We’ll Study it Verse By Verse in a More Technical, Word for Word Translation
Let’s Read the Text Using the NLT
Acts 9:36–42 (NLT)
There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas).
She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.
About this time she became ill and died.
Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room.
But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!”
So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room.
The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them.
But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed.
Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.”
And she opened her eyes!
When she saw Peter, she sat up!
He gave her his hand and helped her up.
Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.
The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord.
Now Let’s Study the Passage in the NASB
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 (Modern Day Joppa - 2 Pictures)
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
My Wife and I Have 2 Daughters
Dorcas was Never On Our Baby-Name List
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
It’s Almost as if Luke was Saying:
“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
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
This Indicates that She was Likely Financially Blessed
But Instead of Greedily Hoarding Her Wealth…
She Shared it with Her Christian Family
If You Start in Acts 1 and Read Up to Acts 9…
You Will Have Run Across Numerous Passages that Show How Important Generosity was to the Early Church
They Shared Everything with Each Other
They Considered Each Other Family in the Truest Sense
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