I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      Today’s lesson draws our attention to an episode that began when Peter was in the town of Lydda.

                                                             1.      After Peter went to Samaria to impart the Holy Spirit to the disciples there (Acts 8:14-17), he travelled throughout the region and came to the town of Lydda (Acts 9:32).

                                                             2.      While he was at Lydda, Peter healed a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed for eight years (Acts 9:34-35).  As a result, “all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.”

B.      While Peter was at Lydda, he was summoned to the nearby town of Joppa because of the death of a certain disciple named Tabitha (Acts 9:36-38).

                                                             1.      Joppa was the main seaport of Judea on the Mediterranean Sea.  Lydda was about twelve miles away from Joppa on the road that led from Joppa to Jerusalem.

                                                             2.      Tabitha, whose name in Greek was Dorcas, became sick and died before Peter heard of it.

a.       If Tabitha had been in Jerusalem, then her body would have been buried on the day of her death according to the Jewish law.

b.       However, those who died outside of Jerusalem were allowed up to three days for burial, so Tabitha’s body was washed and placed in an upper room according to Jewish custom.  This permitted time for the disciples to call Peter to Joppa.

II.      THE CHARACTER OF TABITHA

A.      Tabitha’s faith and love were evident by her abundant good works.

                                                             1.      The Scripture says that “this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity, which she continually did” (Acts 9:36).  This description indicates that Tabitha’s good works were her habit and way of life rather than just an occasional whim.

                                                             2.      The widows who mourned for Tabitha in the upper room presented the evidence of her good works in the tunics and garments she had made for them (Acts 9:39).

                                                             3.      Consider Tabitha’s work in light of James 2:14-17 and 1John 3:17-18.

a.       According to the words of James, Tabitha’s faith was alive because she took action when she saw her sisters in need.  She was a faithful disciple indeed.

b.       When we evaluate Tabitha by John’s words, we see that she had shown the true love of God in deed and truth by opening her heart to her sisters who were in need.

B.      Tabitha’s care for widows revealed her pure and undefiled religion.

                                                             1.      Notice how Tabitha fulfilled the words of James 1:27 – “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

                                                             2.      Tabitha embodied pure and undefiled religion because the things she did reflected the light of her God whom she served.

a.       She did what the Lord commanded when He said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

b.       God has always desired for special care to be given unto widows (see Ex. 22:22-24; Deut. 24:17-22; Isa. 1:17; Acts 6:1-3; 1Tim. 5:3), and Tabitha showed God’s concern in her treatment of the widows.

III.   PETER RAISED TABITHA

A.      Peter raised Tabitha by the power of God.

                                                             1.      When Peter had sent everyone out of the upper room, he knelt down, prayed, and said, “Tabitha, arise” (Acts 9:40).  Immediately, she opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.

                                                             2.      This was typical of all the miracles of God performed through His disciples – spontaneous, instantaneous, and undeniable.

a.       Unlike the deceivers who claim miraculous powers today, Peter did not work in a carefully staged setting, there was no delay in the results of the miracle, and there was no doubt in the subject of his miracle.

b.       The only explanation for the resurrection of Tabitha was that it happened by the power of God.  No one could deny this.

B.      Let us compare the resurrection of Tabitha with certain miracles of the Lord Jesus.

                                                             1.      Jesus brought Jairus’ daughter back to life in a similar manner (Matt. 9:18-19, 23-26; Mark 5:21-24, 35-43; Luke 8:41-42, 49-56).

a.       Jesus raised this twelve year old girl from death by taking her hand and saying, “Child, arise.”

b.       Notice that Peter was one of the few persons allowed to observe this miracle.

                                                             2.      Jesus also raised a widow’s dead son in a similar way (Luke 7:11-16).

a.       Jesus raised up the man by simply saying, “Young man, I say to you, arise!”

b.       Peter also witnessed this event.

                                                             3.      Most notably, Jesus raised up Lazarus in the same manner (John 11:1-44).

a.       Lazarus was had been dead for four days when the Lord came to the tomb in Bethany, but it took only His words – “Lazarus, come forth” – to raise Lazarus from the grave.

b.       Again, Peter was present when Jesus performed this miracle.

                                                             4.      When Peter raised Tabitha, he followed in the footsteps of the Lord and worked by the same method and the same power with the same results.

C.      The effect of this miracle was typical of all miracles – belief.

                                                             1.      When the Lord performed His great miracles, they provoked belief in those honest souls who saw them or heard about them.

                                                             2.      When Peter raised Tabitha, there were similar results.  Notice Acts 9:42 – “It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.”

IV.    CONCLUSION

A.      Consider the lessons of Tabitha’s story.

                                                             1.      Tabitha’s life demonstrates the true religion of Christ.

a.       By her deeds of kindness and charity, Tabitha bore the image of Christ.  While we live, do we practice pure and undefiled religion in the image of Tabitha and the image of Christ?

b.       When she died, Tabitha left the tangible evidence of her faith and love for God.  When we die, will we live a legacy of deeds of kindness and charity as Tabitha did?

                                                             2.      Tabitha’s resurrection demonstrates the great power of God.

a.       While we should not expect God to raise us up the way He raised Tabitha, there will be a day when He will raise us (John 5:28-29).  Are we ready for that day?

b.       The same power that raised Christ from the dead also raised Tabitha from the dead.  That power is also at work in all who believe in Christ (Eph. 1:18-21).  Are you aware of that power working for you?

B.      Perhaps the most practical lesson Tabitha shows us is that every deed of kindness done for God’s children matters because every one of God’s children matters to Him.

                                                             1.      As Jesus said, “And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward” (Matt. 10:42).

                                                             2.      The Lord receives such deeds of kindness personally, for He said, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me” (Matt. 25:40).

                                                             3.      Tabitha knew that any service done to her fellow Christians was service done to the Lord, and she lived by this knowledge.  We should live by this same understanding.