Genuine Disciple
Acts 9:36-43
Have you ever had a nickname? When I was growing up I had several nicknames: Child – Troy-Boy, Junior High – Wally; High School - Wal-man. On our mission trip last week Sarah Smith called me Roberto Budweiser, but that's another story. I’m sure at some point in my life somebody called me “Dorcas.” But usually when someone calls someone else “Dorcas” it’s not meant as a compliment.
As we continue through our expositional series in the book of Acts today, we're going to meet someone who was called Dorcas. But hopefully after the message you can see that the name Dorcas is actually a great compliment. If you’re anything like the Dorcas of the Bible, then you’re something like I want to be. In fact, we even have a ladies small group that meets on Sunday mornings called the Dorcas class. Now the name “Dorcas” actually means gazelle.
Now before we talk about Dorcas this morning, I want us to consider several of the early church heroes that Luke has introduced us to so far. And really each and every one of them were unlikely heroes, they were improbable church leaders - probably not those we would choose to lead.
Five Unlikely Heroes of the Early Church
1. PETER
Several things about Peter: Powerful preacher. It was the day of Pentecost, that huge Jewish festival where so many Jews make the annual spiritual pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost. It was there that God enabled Peter to preach that message where 3,000 souls were saved. But he was also an amazing miracle worker. You remember the account of the crippled man begging for money by the temple gate who was miraculously healed? The guy was so excited that he was jumping around, leaping, praising God. But not everybody was happy. In fact Peter and John were in jail for a while because of that. But then they’re given an opportunity to speak, and I love what their accusers said about them. Look at this:
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 They were fisherman. They hadn’t gone to the university of Jerusalem, they went to the university of Jesus.
2. JOHN
John was Peter’s ministry partner. And talk about nicknames, he and his brother had great nickname. They were known as “sons of thunder” because they had all kinds of great zeal for the cause of Christ.
One day they were turned down, kicked out of a Samaritan town and they wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy this town. We’re the sons of Thunder! Jesus pulled them aside and said, boys, we don’t do things like that. They were incredibly zealous.
Well, John went on to partner in ministry with Peter and to write five of the NT books. And in the book of Revelation he wrote when he was in his 80’s, or even 90’s. One thing I love about John is that he was still in ministry, going strong even as an old man up into his 90’s. I hope by God's grace I can do that. Here's another unlikely hero Luke has introduced to us...
3. PAUL
His name was Saul first. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes wish that I had a more exciting story about how I came to Christ. Sometimes you hear people’s testimonies and the amazing way God saved them from some decadent lifestyle. Paul had a great conversion story. He's ravaging the church, pursuing their total annihilation and Jesus unilaterally sweeps in and turns his life around. He goes from being the single greatest opponent of Jesus to the single greatest proponent. What a testimony. He was a the most aggressive missionary of the first century. He was a prolific writer of Scripture writing 1/3 of the NT, and that doesn’t include Hebrews which many people (including myself) think he wrote.
So we've got Peter, John, Paul next is...
4. RINGO - STEPHEN
Stephen was the first Christian martyr. He was chosen for a very simple task in the church. He was called to distribute food to Hellenistic widows. You might think, “well, how qualified do you have to be to pass out food?”
Here’s some of the qualifications he possessed. Acts 6. And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Acts 6:8 All these things to hand out food? As time went on, Stephen’s giftedness became very obvious. Preaching, performing miracles. He was getting a little too popular for some of the religious and political leaders of that day. They brought up false charges against him and when he was brought before the Sanhedrin he preached a gospel that rocked their world, they were cut right to the heart. He exposed them for what they were, exposed their hypocrisy and their rebellion. In their anger and jealousy they picked up stones. And they put him to death. Stephen, who looked after widows was a great hero in the early church. A Man of great wisdom; stood up to the Sanhedrin; Christianity’s first martyr.
5. PHILIP
Philip was another one of the seven men who were picked to deliver food to widows. But God had gifted him in incredible ways as well. After the scattering and dispersion of Christians from Jerusalem at the beginning of Acts 8, Philip went into the region of Samaria, and he went preaching the gospel in power and authority. As a result of his ministry revival broke out in Samaria and many were giving their lives to Christ. But Philip wasn't just used to reach the masses, we saw his great humility and obedience to Christ when he answered the call to leave the thriving ministry in Samaria to go down to the desert road to reach one individual - the Ethiopian Eunuch. Philip had the rare quality to be adept at both one-on-one conversations and being in front of large crowds.
Quite a list of heroes that we've seen. Peter, John, Paul, Stephen, and Philip. Now today we're going to add to that list someone named Dorcas.
DORCAS??? Who is Dorcas and why did Luke feel compelled by the Spirit to include her in this chronicle of the early church? Here's a little historical perspective. I mentioned that after the stoning of Stephen things got pretty tense for the followers of Christ in Jerusalem. This caused many Christians to get out of Dodge. But they took the gospel of Christ with them.
Philip who we just considered, preached the gospel, he healed people, baptized people and he started churches. One of the churches he started was in a little coastal town called Joppa. And within that church, among that small band of new believers was this woman named Dorcas.
Now something else was going on at this time. While all this was happening, Peter was on the move as well. He was going out to various places, visiting believers, preaching the gospel. And at the same time he was in a neighboring town called Lydda. Very close to Joppa, 10 miles away. The Lord was really doing a work through Peter. In this town was a man who was sick and in bed for 8 years. Peter prayed, he was healed, the whole town turned to Christ – the whole town.
Well let's learn about Peter's encounter with Dorcas this morning...
36Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. STOP right there...
One of the first things we notice about Dorcas is that she was a disciple. The Greek word used there which is translated “disciple” is the word mathetria. It’s the feminine form of the word mathetes (261X) which simply means learner, pupil or student. It's translated as disciple in our Bible.
But this is the only time the feminine form of the word is used in the entire NT. Dorcas is the only woman in the Bible who is described as a disciple. Not that there weren’t other female disciples in the NT, but she’s the only one who is identified as such. I think that’s significant and that one detail tells us much about Dorcas and her life, her testimony for Christ. She was a learner, a pupil, a disciple of Jesus. She was doing the work of the Lord. She was helping the poor. The Bible says she was “full of good works and acts of charity.”
She was concerned for the needs of the poor. She ministered primarily to widows. Widows in that day were very vulnerable. There were no umbrellas of government assistance available to help those who were without families or resources. They were left alone with no resources at all. And the language here in the passage seems to indicate that Dorcas was a widow as well. But she must have had some elevated financial resources to assist others in need. But the account goes on in verse 37. 37In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
Now normally she would have been buried right away, but I think these people were holding out for a miracle. A number of widows had gathered in the room and were mourning her loss, but some others had something else in mind. They had heard that Peter was close by. Look at 38: 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.”
Well Peter didn’t even hesitate. He knew God was up to something. And when he arrived on the scene I’m sure he was very moved by what he saw. 39: ” 39So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.
It’s kind of a funeral fashion show going on here. They were honoring her, look what she did for us? Well, Peter is moved. Not only by what he sees, but by what he remembers. You see, Peter was there when Jesus brought back a little girl, Jairus’ daughter. And following the example of Christ he approaches this situation in the same way. Verse 40: 40But Peter put them all outside, 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.
This is exactly the process Jesus followed with Jairus’ daughter. He sent people out of the room and he said, “Little girl, get up.” It’s interesting in Aramaic, Peter’s words only differ from Jesus' by one letter.
Look at Mark 5: But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Mark 5:40-41 Talitha cumi; Tabitha cumi. What an interesting parallel between Jesus resurrecting someone from the dead and Peter following his example.
I kind of wonder what Dorcas thought when she got up. She saw Peter there in her room with her. Who is this guy? What is he doing here? What am I doing here? She got to her feet and went out to see her friends: verse 41-42 41And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
Can you imagine the radical mood swing in that crowd that day? She was dead and now she’s alive. It was an amazing event that changed that little coastal town forever. So what do we learn from this account this morning? Do you know who the real hero of this story is? I don't think it's Dorcas, or even Peter. I think the real hero of this story is God. What I want us to consider this morning through this account is how God's character and nature are on full display in the lives of Dorcas & Peter. Three things her story tells us about the nature and character and activity of God. First…
I. The PURPOSE Of God - MISSIONS
The purpose of God is a missionary purpose. His purpose is reaching out, in love, to bring people to himself. Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of that missionary purpose by coming to this earth. In missions conversations we sometimes talk about incarnational ministry. By that we mean when you go into a culture you take on certain aspects or customs in that culture in order that you might gain an audience through which you can communicate the gospel.
One of my missionary heroes is Hudson Taylor. Hudson Taylor was a British missionary to China in the late 1800’s. He founded the China inland mission. He spent 51 years in China. In addition to being known as a bold evangelist, he was also well known because of his unique, incarnational approach to missions. He determined that when he was in China he would dress like the Chinese. In fact, he required all missionaries to China in his organization to do the same. Why? He did this in order that he might gain a hearing among the people to whom he was going.
Although Hudson Taylor was a great incarnational missionary, the greatest incarnational missionary was Jesus. 5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8
Jesus incarnated – he took on human flesh – in the ultimate missions trip to provide salvation through his obedient death on the cross to take the punishment for your sin and for mine.
Dorcas also demonstrated this incarnational missions heart and in so doing she demonstrated the very purpose of God. Look again at how the end of verse 36 describes her life: She was full of good works and acts of charity.
I want you to circle that word “full” on your outline. That word means abounding, overflowing, filled to the brim – Dorcas was overflowing with good works and acts of charity. Dorcas was all about loving her neighbors.
This is nothing less than the fulfillment of the title she was given by Luke – a disciple. Remember what I told you the word mathetria means? It’s a learner, a pupil. Well, Dorcas was obviously a learner and pupil of Jesus because she is doing exactly what Jesus did. He was full of good works and acts of charity. He associated with outcasts. He was incarnational. He’s the one who said, love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus took care of widows. Even in his final moments on the cross He took care of his mother when he passed on that responsibility to John.
So this got me to thinking and I asked myself this question: How? How did Dorcas become someone who lived out the Christ-life so purposefully? Here’s the answer I came up with. She was…
A. DEVOTED to the WORDS of Jesus
Dorcas wanted to be like Christ. She understood the heart of Christ, she got it. She was with the program. Again, as a disciple she was a learner, a pupil, a student of Christ. And her attention and devotion to the words of Jesus transformed her into becoming more like Jesus. In fact Jesus promised that a devotion to his words would produce this kind of result. Look at what Jesus said in John 6:63: It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63
But some 2000 years later, we can really get sidetracked, can’t we? It’s easy to get off base. It's easy to replace the best things with good things.
How do we get back to that divine center, that purposeful focus that God has called us to? It will only happen when we have a devotion to the Word. That’s why we take studying and digging into the Bible so seriously here. We’re a Baptist church, but we’re also a Bible church. And just like Dorcas we need to be sure that as a church we remain true to the words of Jesus. And it's because Dorcas was devoted to the Words of Jesus, she…
B. DEMONSTRATED the WORK of Jesus
That’s what disciples do. That’s what Dorcas did. She full of good works and acts of charity. That’s what the very first disciples did in the early church. We see this in Acts 2:45 - And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. Acts 2:45
Look at Acts 4: 32Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. Acts 4:32, 34
Just like them and just like Dorcas, we were made disciples for a reason. And that is to live the life of love and sacrifice. Paul put it this way in Ephesians 2: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
That is what we were created to do, that’s what we were re-created to do – good works, demonstrating the life of love and sacrifice. That’s the PURPOSE OF GOD – MISSIONS. The second characteristic of God we see demonstrated in this account of Dorcas is…
II. The POWER Of God - MIRACLES
40: But Peter put them all outside, 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. Now that’s power, from death to life. You know had Peter not followed the voice of the Spirit and walked that 10 miles to Joppa he would have missed out on the miraculous Power of God demonstrated that day.
It’s interesting that this town of Joppa where Peter walks to is the same town where Jonah, some 800 years earlier went down to catch a boat. But when Jonah went to Joppa he was running from the Lord. Peter went to Joppa to follow after the Lord. We need to be more like Peter. How? How can we experience the power of God in our lives? First…
A. WALK in submission to the Spirit
When God tells us to do something, the Nike slogan applies: just do it. Peter could have said, “well, she’s dead and there’s really nothing I can do. Besides, it’s pretty late and I’ve got to wake up early in the morning for my daily Bible reading, so I’m sorry, I can’t go.” No, he would have missed out on so much. A prerequisite to experiencing the power of God work in and through your life is being sensitive to the Holy Spirit & walking in submission to the Holy Spirit. Paul put it this way in Romans 8: 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Rom 8:5-6
If you want to see the miracle of God’s power in your life producing life and peace in yourself and in others, walk in submission to the Spirit. And when you do, you’ll experience this next thing like Peter – you’ll
B. WATCH God work through you
There’s nothing better than watching God work in and through your life. Do you think Peter regretted making that 10 mile walk to Joppa? Is that a dumb question or what? To see Dorcas come back to life, to see the look on the faces of the widows, to see the town come to know Jesus all because these faithful believers were willing to put their trust in God. Notice how Philippians 2 puts it: For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13
This was not the first time Peter had experienced the power of God work in and through his life because of his faithful obedience to the call of the Spirit. Peter watched God work through him
• at Pentecost through powerful preaching;
• he watched God work at the gate called beautiful when a lame beggar was healed and went jumping around praising God;
• he watched God work when he was thrown in prison for proclaiming Jesus as resurrected and then miraculously was delivered from that prison.
• And here he watched God work when Dorcas was raised from the dead.
We hear that and we can tend to think that only those sensational types of miracles are God’s power at work. Dorcas also experienced God’s power work in and through her life because of her obedience to the Spirit. God works powerfully through the simple compassionate acts in Jesus’ name that are done in obedience to the Spirit – Just like in Dorcas’ life. And guess what, just like in this next person’s life I’d like you to meet.
I’m going to ask Angela Smith to come up here on the platform. When I was thinking about Dorcas’ life and her compassionate care for others as she was prompted by the Spirit I was talking with Amy about that this week.
I asked Amy, “who would you say is someone who demonstrates the example of Dorcas in our church?” She said, without hesitation, “Angela Smith.” I said, “You’re exactly right.” My favorite candy bar is a Zero bar. White fudge with nougat and peanuts. What is nougat anyway? I don’t know, but I love it. Anyway, there have been times when I walk into my office and there’s a large zero bar on my desk and a note of encouragement from Angela. Angela is one who is sensitive to God’s Spirit to do small acts of kindness and compassion that make huge impacts in people’s lives.
So I want you to hear from her about the process in her heart and mind as she responds to the Spirit to do simple acts love and compassion:
1. How long have you been coming to LVBC? What led you to come?
2. Describe what happens inside of you when you see someone in need or who’s going through something difficult.
3. Can you give us an example of how God has prompted you to help someone who’s hurting?
Listen, you don’t have to raise someone from the dead to watch God work through you – just simple acts of compassion like Dorcas and like Angela are used by God in powerful ways. And that really leads to my last point this morning…
III. The PROMISE Of God - MAJESTY
I’ve told you for the last 8 years, God is all about his…glory. The overarching reason why God does anything he does is for his glory, for his fame and renown; that his majesty might be exalted and expanded. That’s exactly what happens here. Look again at verse 42: 42And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
You notice the town of Joppa came to Christ. They did not come to Dorcas. They did not come to Peter. Rather, “many believed in the Lord.”
And when we see God at work in our lives we need to stop and take it in. Like that little church in Joppa, they saw God at work in Dorcas, they celebrated what God had done. Celebrate what God has done. When we worship together in this place we are basking in God’s amazing glory and grace. It’s such an important part of our lives as Christians to celebrate the raising up from the dead. We need to give credit where credit is due.
Well that leads us to our most important question for the day...
So What?
So what does this account of Dorcas and Peter mean for me where I live today? How do I apply these truths to my life? I want to close by coming around this idea that we see demonstrated in both Peter and Dorcas’ lives.
The greatest way to KNOW the glory of God is to SHOW the glory of God.
At some point Dorcas, when she heard about Christ, and she had a salvation experience - though we don’t know what it is. She could have said, “That’s nice, I’m glad I know the Lord, I just want to be comfortable in my life. I’ve got a good thing going; I’ve got enough to make my way in life.” She could have kept it to herself, but she didn’t. Because of the love of Christ in her life she felt compelled to do the same thing for those around. The love of Christ compelled her to do what she did. That’s exactly what Paul was communicating in 2 Corinthians 5: 14For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 18
Let me tell you the easiest way to live a dead in life - live for yourself. You will live purposeless, directionless, and glory-less. Paul said Jesus died for us that we might no longer live for ourselves but for the one who died for us.
When we’ve been captured by the love of Jesus, we are controlled by the love of Jesus. He then gives us the privilege of being his ministers of reconciliation as he reconciles sinners like us to himself. And when we show the glory of God, that's when we'll really know the glory of God.
Last Thought: As we SUBMIT to God we can watch Him CHANGE the world around us.
