February 18 – Faithful Disciples

Sunday School Lesson

February 18

Faithful Disciples

 

Devotional Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9; 4:7-11

 

Background Scripture: Acts 9:36-43

 

Acts 9:36-43

 

36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

 

37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

 

38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

 

39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

 

40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

 

41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

 

42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

 

43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

 

Key Verse

 

Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.—Acts 9:40

 

Lesson Aims

 

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

 

1. Identify the legacy of Dorcas.

 

2. Explain the interplay between sorrow and faith on the part of the friends of Dorcas.

 

3. Express appropriate ways for Christians to react to the death of a beloved fellow Christian.

 

 

Introduction

 

1. Call the Expert

 

Many court cases rely on the testimony of expert witnesses. Because of their education, training, skill, and/or experience, these individuals provide specialized knowledge in a particular subject area. For example, a forensic psychologist may be called to discuss a murder suspect’s mental state, a handwriting expert may testify in a forgery case, or a medical expert may offer testimony in a malpractice case.

 

Such experts are sometimes referred to as “hired guns” or “go-to guys.” These monikers are descriptive of their roles: they are the people to whom one turns in times of legal trouble. Peter was a go-to guy of a different sort in the first-century church—an expert who could address an issue of life and death.

 

1. Lesson Background

 

Today’s lesson takes place in the first decade of the church, sometime in the AD 30s. The death of Stephen (Acts 7) caused a scattering of Jerusalem church members (8:1). One of them, Philip, traveled to Samaria where he had success in preaching the gospel (8:5-8, 12). The 12 apostles were still in Jerusalem, and of those Peter and John made the trip to Samaria to assist Philip and confirm his work (8:14). There Peter had a dramatic encounter with a sorcerer named Simon, a man who attempted to buy the power of the Holy Spirit (8:18, 19). After rebuking Simon, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching in villages along the way (8:25).

 

Sometime after this, Peter went to Lydda, a village about 25 miles northwest of Jerusalem, to visit believers (Acts 9:32). There he healed a paralytic named Aeneas, causing many in the village and others nearby to turn to the Lord (9:33-35).

 

In today’s lesson, Peter ended up in the seaside city of Joppa (modern Jaffa), 12 miles to the northwest of Lydda. Joppa was a walled seaport city built on a small ridge that jutted into the Mediterranean Sea. Its tiny harbor was the closest natural anchorage to Jerusalem, causing the city to become a bustling port by the time of Solomon (see 2 Chronicles 2:16). Allotted to the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:40, 46), Joppa was the seaport to which Jonah fled to hire passage to a distant place in his attempt to escape God’s call to preach to Nineveh (Jonah 1:3). Joppa was a Jewish city, and it had an established church of Christians of Jewish background. This thriving seaport is the setting for today’s lesson.

 

1. Asking the Impossible

 

                                                                   (Acts 9:36-38)

 

1. Terrible Loss (vv. 36, 37)

 

36a. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas.

 

The term disciple is common in the New Testament as a designation for a follower of Jesus, occurring dozens of times (examples: Acts 9:10; 16:1; 21:16). But here is the only time the word is used with a feminine form, much like we distinguish “actor” from “actress.”

 

The names by which this certain disciple is known are noted at the outset of the account. Tabitha is the Hebrew or Aramaic version of her name; in Greek it is Dorcas. Both refer to the small, graceful antelope known as the gazelle.

 

The two names are used interchangeably in the account (see Acts 9:39, 40), indicating she is known to answer to both (this lesson will use the name Dorcas). Whether either indicates her given name or is the moniker accorded to her because of her graceful life, we are not told.

 

36b. This woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

 

Dorcas has standing within the Joppa church because of her acts of compassion. Her reputation may even be established among unbelievers. She both does good deeds and provides relief for the poor in various ways (almsdeeds). This may indicate she is a woman of some means, although we are not told the source of her income.

 

Her active life gives the impression of someone who is younger rather than older. Since she has a special concern for the widows of her community (Acts 9:39, below), some think that she is a widow herself. That idea tends to work against the theory above that she is a woman of some means, since widows are generally poor. Both ideas are speculative in any case. What is not in doubt is that she is a fixture in Joppa, an example for the entire community. Both Christians and Jews admire such a person.

 

What Do You Think?

 

What one thing can you do this week to add to a godly reputation?

 

Points for Your Discussion

 

In building a legacy for meeting physical needs

 

In building a legacy for meeting spiritual needs

 

Considering Matthew 5:14-16 in relation to Matthew 6:1-4

 

37a. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died.

 

The tragic death of Dorcas begins with little detail or emotion. (The emotion comes later.) Her death from an illness seems to have been a quick process, not that of a lingering condition. There are no hospitals, so Dorcas would have been cared for by her friends. Her death most likely occurred in her own home.

 

37b. Whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

 

After Dorcas dies, her female friends do the normal things in preparation for burial. Probably still in her own home, her body is washed and laid out in an upstairs room. If this indicates a delay in burial, it may be because her sudden death has not allowed time to prepare a tomb. On the other hand, it may be that her friends hesitate to put the body in a grave if they anticipate she might live again. Do we see evidence of audacious faith?

 

The upper chamber image occurs elsewhere in Acts as locations for the church to meet (see Acts 1:13; 20:8; compare Luke 22:12). The readers may be intended to understand that this is the meeting place for the Joppa congregation and that Dorcas hosted this church in her home. If this bit of speculation is true, then her passing becomes even more devastating for these disciples, for their house of worship has become a place of death.

 

 

1. Desperate Request (v. 38)

 

38. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

 

The news of Peter’s presence in Lydda, 12 miles away, catches the attention of the congregation in Joppa (see the Lesson Background). With a 24-mile round trip ahead of them and time being of the essence, we assume that the two men dispatched to Lydda are those most physically able to get there and back in the quickest time possible.

 

Best speed is probably a walking rate of three miles per hour with rest stops minimized. That means four hours to Lydda and four hours back to Joppa. This can be done in one period of daylight.

 

But wait—why the hurry? Dorcas is already dead! One factor for the haste is likely that of decomposition. Because a decaying corpse soon begins to smell, interment of the body follows quickly in this time and place. Embalming is not practiced by the Jews of the first century (contrast Genesis 50:1-3, 26). Another factor for the haste, less likely but still possible, may be the ancient Jewish belief that the souls of the dead hover near their bodies for three days, after which time the souls depart.

 

Do the Christians in Joppa want Peter to come quickly to perform a resurrection before a certain amount of time passes? Do they want him to come quickly so he can console the grieving before a burial must take place? Neither is stated. The only thing that seems beyond doubt is that time is of the essence for whatever Peter is expected to do.

 

Destination Faith

 

A 62-year-old neurosurgeon walked more than six miles in a snowstorm to save a man who had suffered a traumatic brain injury. The massive storm had shut down roads, making even traveling on foot treacherous. But when a hospital contacted Dr. Zenko Hrynkiw, he went immediately.

 

He started out driving, but couldn’t get far because of snowdrifts. Wearing only a light jacket, scrubs, and slip-ons, he continued on foot in sub-freezing temperatures. He fell a few times, helped some stranded motorists, warmed up in an ambulance, and made it to the hospital in good health. The patient, barely alive, responded well to the surgery and began to recover.

 

Dorcas was dead. But that did not deter two men from dashing off to find Peter. No mention is made of the weather conditions, but a 24-mile walking trip in any weather is exhausting, especially with the pressure to hurry on one’s mind. The power of faith drove them on.

 

Faith brings a knowing, a knowing that is from God. When circumstances, conditions, and people say no, it is faith that says yes, there is hope; keep on going. How far are we willing to travel in faith to minister to someone physically or materially? Weather conditions are more endurable and miles feel shorter with faith as our fuel.

 

—S. K.

 

1. Witnessing the Incredible

 

                                                                (Acts 9:39-43)

 

1. Loss Mourned (v. 39)

 

39a. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber.

 

The men from Joppa are persuasive! The timing of all we see in this verse is unstated, but a reasonable conjecture is possible. If Dorcas died during the night, her friends would have prepared her body the next morning. Concurrently, the messengers would have gone to Lydda and returned with Peter the same day. Thus it is entirely possible that Peter is in the upper chamber within 24 hours of the death.

 

39b. And all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

 

In the upper chamber, Peter finds a vigil being kept by the widows of the church. The designation all the widows means there are at least three, since two would be designated by the word both (example: Luke 1:6). This is an emotionally charged scene. No spoken words are recorded from the widows. Perhaps their profound grief renders them unable to talk. They are weeping without embarrassment in front of this guest. If this has been going on for eight hours or more (see comments on Acts 9:38), they must be exhausted!

 

What Do You Think?

 

In what ways can you help your church improve its grief support ministry?

 

Points for Your Discussion

 

In a visibly available capacity

 

In a behind-the-scenes capacity

 

With no explanatory words recorded, the grief-stricken women show Peter the clothes made for them by Dorcas. Have they brought these in a preplanned manner specifically to show to Peter? Or are they merely wearing them as part of their necessary attire? Either way, the items of clothing are visual evidence of Dorcas’s “good works and almsdeeds” (Acts 9:36b, above). Most widows of the time are in a precarious financial position as evidenced by their numerous mentions in the Bible in contexts of vulnerability and need (examples: Acts 6:1; James 1:27).

 

Some students dig into the Greek underneath the translations coats and garments to figure out exactly what kinds of clothing Dorcas made for the widows. This is probably a dead-end street due to the general nature of the words. Wherever we see these two words together, however, they seem to speak to the entirety of one’s clothing, or nearly so (compare Matthew 5:40; Luke 6:29; and John 19:23). Dorcas seems to have been a versatile seamstress! But the widows do not weep for loss of a clothing supplier. They are moved by the death of one who loved them in word and deed.

 

1. Loss Reversed (vv. 40, 41)

 

40a. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed.

 

Peter seems to spend little if any time comforting the widows. Instead, he seems to use Jesus’ procedure in the raising of Jairus’s daughter in Mark 5:35-43 as something of a model. Jesus established an atmosphere of semiprivacy and relative quiet (5:37, 40); Peter establishes complete privacy (put them all forth), and the concurrent reduction in noise level will help him focus. He knows he must pray as hard as he has ever prayed, for he has no personal power or healing skills that will help Dorcas (compare Acts 3:12).

 

After the room is cleared, Peter assumes a posture suitable for fervent prayer: on his knees (the other passages that mention kneeling with praying in the same verse are 1 Kings 8:54; Daniel 6:10; Luke 22:41; Acts 20:36; 21:5).

 

What Do You Think?

 

How do you navigate the tension between expecting God to intervene and realizing that He might not?

 

Points for Your Discussion

 

Regarding doubt (James 1:6)

 

Regarding personal risk (Esther 4:16)

 

Regarding the possibility that God wants to intervene through you (Ezekiel 22:30)

 

Other

 

40b. And turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise.

 

After praying to God, it is time to talk directly to Dorcas, also known as Tabitha (Acts 9:36, above). Peter’s imperative Tabitha, arise may be compared with Jesus’ “Talitha cumi” and the accompanying interpretation “Damsel, I say unto thee, arise” regarding Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:41). Is it just a coincidence that there is only one letter difference between the words Tabitha and Talitha in either English or the underlying Greek transliterations? Is it just a coincidence that the second words spoken by Jesus and Peter mean the same thing? Peter is not uttering a magic incantation. But he may indeed be following Jesus’ pattern.

 

Time Sensitivity

 

First responders such as firefighters and paramedics show up at the incident scene and go right to work. Everyone stays out of their way. The clock is ticking. Their work is time sensitive.

 

Such was the case with Peter’s emergency run from Lydda to Joppa. But Dorcas was already dead! So, why the hurry? The commentary on Acts 9:38 provides plausible reasons, but the text itself is silent on the issue.

 

Whatever the reason, those involved realized that time was of the essence. Everything up to one particular point screamed hurry! hurry! hurry! The particular point where Peter slowed down was when he knelt and prayed. Peter did not rush right in and say “Tabitha, arise.” Peter’s faith allowed him to wait on God for the right moment to raise Dorcas back to life.

 

The phrase time is of the essence is familiar. When we hear it, we usually think that something needs to get moving or keep moving before too much time passes. Life-and-death situations usually call for haste, and exceptions are rare (compare John 11:6). But could we use that same phrase to remind us that some things require a certain amount of time and cannot be rushed? Prayer often fits in that category. It too can fall in the category of being time sensitive. But not in the way culture usually uses that term.

 

—S. K.

 

40c, 41. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

 

The resurrections of Jairus’s daughter and Dorcas both involve taking the person by the hand and immediate physical movement on the part of the resurrected (compare Mark 5:41, 42; Luke 8:54, 55). Peter assists Dorcas in standing up. For a moment, it is just the two of them in the room. We easily imagine them both speechless at what has just happened. Peter recovers quickly and presents her alive to those waiting. Dorcas lives! The tears of the widows probably continue, but now they are tears of joy.

 

1. New Births Result (vv. 42, 43)

 

42. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

 

There is a great bonus here for the church: many new believers in the Lord. God uses signs and wonders in the book of Acts to bring people to faith—the faith that leads to eternal life (see Acts 2:43; 8:6; 14:3; 15:12). Without this intended result, there wouldn’t be any lasting point in performing resurrections.

 

There is also a great contrast here between the character of Peter and someone like Simon the sorcerer from Samaria. Simon’s desire to have the power to bestow the Holy Spirit came from selfish motives (Acts 8:18, 19). Peter claims no honor for himself. He is Christ’s servant, willing to go where he is called and giving all the glory to God. On an earlier occasion he specifically disavowed having healing power of his own (3:12-16); Paul and Barnabas will do likewise later (14:11-18). Bad things happen when people seek glory that is not theirs to have (12:21-23; 13:11).

 

What Do You Think?

 

What can your church do to capture the attention of the community for God’s glory?

 

Points for Your Discussion

 

Considering your church’s strengths

 

Considering your own spiritual giftedness

 

Considering community demographics

 

43. And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

 

We easily imagine Peter receiving many offers for lodging, given what has just happened! He chooses to stay with someone who has a Jewish name but not a Jewish occupation. Tanners are frowned upon by Jews who are scrupulous in obeying the Law of Moses. The reason is that tanners deal in dead animal parts (skins) that are ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 11).

 

For Peter to accept an offer to stay at the house of one of the grateful widows would create a morally dubious appearance in addition to being financially burdensome to the one hosting him. Simon is likely a prosperous person given that he is able to accommodate Peter many days in Joppa. Peter’s lengthy association with an “unclean” Jew undoubtedly raises eyebrows, but no outright criticism is recorded (contrast Acts 11:1-3).

 

What Do You Think?

 

What are some steps to take to neutralize unjust criticism of our actions?

 

Points for Your Discussion

 

To forestall criticism before it occurs

 

To respond to criticism after it occurs

 

Considering Ezra 8:24-34; Acts 11:1-18; 2 Corinthians 8:20, 21; 1 Peter 2:12; etc.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

1. Living Legacies

 

Here’s a one-question test: What legacy of Dorcas remained after she died? If you answered “clothing she made for widows,” we invite you to try again! Dorcas’s legacy was more than clothing. When she died, her legacy was grateful people who had been objects of her kindness and for whom she had modeled the love of Christ.

 

Each widow was a living legacy. She had taught them by her life how to care for others less fortunate than themselves. She had given them an example to cherish. Peter brought Dorcas back from death, but eventually she died again. When that happened, her legacy was no doubt similar if not enhanced.

 

What sort of legacy will you leave? Perhaps you are thinking mainly in terms of money you have designated in your will for a Christian cause or organization. Before trying to build your entire legacy that way, consider two points: (1) that’s not what Dorcas did, and (2) “The man who leaves money to charity in his will is only giving away what no longer belongs to him.” The quote is from Voltaire; although he was certainly no friend of Christianity, there is some wisdom in his observation.

 

Our primary legacies will be the people we are influencing now for Christ, people who will remain to do the work of God’s kingdom after we are dead and gone. How will people remember you? Are you a workaholic who never has time for others, or are you someone who can always be counted on to stop and help? Will your memory be of one who loved money the most or who loved people the most? Are you a self-giving parent, or do you model “me first” to your children? Most importantly, will you leave behind a legacy of faith?

 

1. Legacy of Evil

 

Domitian became Emperor of Rome in AD 81. His tendency was to grab more and more power for himself. His pretentious ways were seen clearly when he required visitors to his royal court to address him as “My Lord and God Domitian.” Eventually, the Roman Senate could stand no more, and Domitian was assassinated. In a remarkable move, the Senate then voted a damnatio memoriae (condemnation of memory) against Domitian. His legacy became that of a hated tyrant.

 

May we leave legacies like Dorcas rather than Domitian!

 

1. Prayer

 

Father, forgive us for not attending to the work of Your kingdom as You desire. Remind us that the legacy we leave will be that of people we have served in the name of Christ. Indeed, it is in His name we pray and no other. Amen.

 

1. Thought to Remember

 

Let us build our living legacies as we answer the calls of those in crisis.

 

How to Say It

 

AeneasEe-nee-us.

 

DomitianDuh-mish-un.

 

JairusJye-rus or Jay-ih-rus.

 

JoppaJop-uh.

 

LyddaLid-uh.

 

NinevehNin-uh-vuh.

 

SamariaSuh-mare-ee-uh.

 

TabithaTab-ih-thuh.

 

Talitha cumi (Aramaic)Tuh-lee-thuh koo-me

 

 

Kid’ Corner

Miracles Make Believers

February 18, 2018

Acts 9: 31-43

 

Acts 9:31-43

(Acts 9:31) So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

One of the ways God brings peace to people is by leading their enemies to a true faith in Jesus Christ, which will include their repentance for their sins and a change in their behavior. The conversion of Saul illustrates this truth. The Church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace because no other religious leaders replaced Saul as a primary persecutor of Christians. The Bible teaches: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10 and Psalms 111:10). The fear of God sometimes motivates unbelievers as well as Christians to strive to obey God. The Holy Spirit will work upon unbelievers and help them come to believe in Jesus Christ and obey God. The Holy Spirit will work within Christians and enable them to obey God. The true fear of God includes true respect for the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus will lead true believers to obey God the Father as their Almighty King, to fighting against their temptations to sin, to standing against the devil’s schemes, to keep believing when persecuted, to a deeper understanding of the Scriptures, to teaching others about faith in Jesus Christ and the consequences of judgment to come if people reject Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit encouraged the believers in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria to witness boldly as they preached about Jesus Christ; therefore, many new believers were led to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation and the New Testament Church continued to grow.

(Acts 9:32) Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

Peter began ministering outside of Jerusalem because the preaching of Philip and the sharing of the gospel by many of those who were scattered (because of their persecution in Jerusalem for their faith) had led to many believing in Jesus: “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria” (Acts 8:14). Perhaps after reporting their findings in Jerusalem, Peter resumed his travels outside of Samaria and visited new churches throughout Judea. We do not know who founded the church in Lydda, presumably those scattered by persecution or those who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and returned to Lydda with the good news about Jesus the Messiah. Lydda was on the road from Jerusalem to Caesarea Philippi, about 10 or 12 miles southeast from Joppa.

(Acts 9:33) There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed.

Miraculous healings were not commonplace. Luke does not tell us whether Aeneas was a member of the church in Lydda or how Peter met him. Peter might have met him by the side of the road or he might have been one of “the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda.” The man was paralyzed by an accident or a disease; Luke does not say. But we can say with Jesus, “this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3).

(Acts 9:34) Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up.

Guided by the loving power of Jesus, Peter told the man: “Jesus Christ heals you.” As another proof of the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah, Peter told the man that Jesus (who was alive and with Peter, while also reigning from heaven) was healing him at that very moment. Peter also proved Jesus was alive and continuing to do His works when he healed the lame man at the temple in Jerusalem and told the crowd: “By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see” (Acts 3:16). Peter also demonstrated the truth of Jesus’ promise: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). Peter did exactly what Jesus did when Jesus healed a paralyzed man and said to him, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home” (see Luke 5:18-26). Aeneas demonstrated his faith in the name of Jesus and the truthful words of Peter when he immediately obeyed and got up. Peter did not even need to take his hand or help him, as he had helped up the man Jesus healed at the temple in Jerusalem (see Acts 3:7).

(Acts 9:35) And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Sharon may have been a town close to Lydda, both located in the fertile farmland called “the plains of Sharon,” which extended to Caesarea and included Joppa. The loving power that Jesus demonstrated through Peter led many to place their faith in Jesus, and the church in Lydda continued to grow spiritually and numerically. Peter’s miracle, his witnessing about Jesus, and the testimony of those in the church in Lydda convinced all who heard to repent and turn to faith in Jesus the Messiah.

(Acts 9:36) 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 the time of King David, Joppa was a major seaport of Israel by the Mediterranean Sea. The name Tabitha means “gazelle” or “antelope.” Tabitha was a Christian in the church in Joppa, whose founding may have been similar to the founding of the church in Lydda, which was about 12 miles away. Tabitha was active in the church and demonstrated her faith in Jesus by always doing good and helping the poor.

(Acts 9:37) 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.

Until Jesus Christ returns as He promised, Christians will get sick and die. When Tabitha became sick and died, she was not anointed for burial immediately; rather, her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Knowing how Jesus sometimes worked miracles through Peter and how Jesus had raised the dead, perhaps they hoped she could be healed or raised from the dead by Jesus if they sent for Peter. The Bible tells us the truth, but it does not tell us all we would like to know, or answer all our more detailed questions about events in the Bible. In his New Testament books, Luke wrote the essentials as the Holy Spirit directed him.

(Acts 9:38) 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.”

The good news about Peter ministering in Lydda and having healed a lame man there had spread to Joppa. Therefore, the church in Joppa sent two men and asked Peter to come with them at once to help Tabitha.

(Acts 9:39) 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.

James wrote, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). Tabitha had demonstrated her pure and faultless faith by her actions and good deeds in behalf of the widows in Joppa. The widows Tabitha had cared for grieved and prayed over her body until Peter arrived. They gave Peter good and sufficient reasons to do whatever he could in Tabitha’s and their behalf. They showed him the clothes they were wearing that she had made for them.

(Acts 9:40) 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.

Led by the Holy Spirit, Peter imitated Jesus who healed and raised Jairus’ daughter (see Luke 8:40-56). Jesus had told the crowd, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” Then, Jesus had sent everyone out of the room and took only Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother into the room with Him. In this situation, Luke was careful to say that Peter did not tell the widows that he would heal and raise Tabitha from the dead. Rather, after they left the room, Peter remembered how he had seen Jesus raise Jairus’ daughter; so, Peter humbly got down on his knees and prayed to Jesus. After learning from Jesus through prayer that it was the Lord’s will to raise her from the dead, Peter said to the dead woman, “Tabitha, get up,” and she opened her eyes and sat up. Jesus had said to Jairus’ daughter, “My child, get up.” In the Gospel of Mark, we learn this detail about Jesus’ healing of Jairus’ daughter: “Jesus took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’)” (Mark 5:41). Interestingly, there is only one letter difference between “Talitha” and “Tabitha.”

(Acts 9:41) And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

Peter then took Tabitha by the hand and helped her up, as he had helped the lame man at the temple in Jerusalem. Peter then called for the church, and especially the widows that Tabitha had helped, and presented her to them alive. We can only partially imagine the rejoicing of the church and the many praises to God offered by the widows over Tabitha’s return to them. Tabitha could return “to always doing good and helping the poor,” which was a good reason for Jesus to raise her from the dead and restore her to these needy widows.

(Acts 9:42) It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

In those days, the New Testament had not yet been written; so, the Holy Spirit used the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ as it spread by word of mouth and miracles of healing to demonstrate the loving power of the risen Jesus to save the lost from their sins and the enslaving power of devils (many of whom Jesus cast out during His ministry and through His disciples); therefore, many believed in the Lord.

(Acts 9:43) And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

The Holy Spirit led Peter to stay in Joppa where he could teach the church and the many new Christians more about the life and ministry of Jesus, the gift of eternal life, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (they had no Bible). He spoke to Jews who had become Christians, and by staying in Joppa, Peter would soon tell a Gentile, Cornelius, and his Gentile family and friends the good news about Jesus (see Acts 10). The gospel would soon spread around the world to Jews and others alike.

 

 

Miracles Make Believers

February 18, 2018

Acts 9: 31-43

 

“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36). The Bible records miraculous healings and raisings of the dead, but they seem to be rare events, which is one reason we call them miracles. Elijah raised a widow’s son from the dead, and she concluded: “You are a man of God and the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth” (1 Kings 17:24).

 

After her son died, a Shunammite mother showed great faith in God as she travelled to ask Elisha for help, because she said over and over when asked, “All is well,” before Elisha raised her son from the dead (2 Kings 4:18-37). Jesus raised the only son of a widow from the dead (see Luke 7:11-17). After Lazarus died, Jesus called him forth alive from the tomb (John 11:45). Though Jesus healed many with various diseases and demonstrated the power to raise the dead, we never see people bringing their deceased loved ones to Jesus to raise from the dead. After Jesus’ resurrection, many people believed in Jesus when He healed the sick and raised the dead through His apostles. Jesus raised Tabitha from the dead through Peter. Through Paul, Jesus raised a man who died after he fell. Note two truths from these miracles. They demonstrate true religion: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world;” which Elijah, Elisha, Jesus, Peter, Paul, and even Tabitha demonstrated (see James 1:27). They help many people believe God’s Word and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord (see Acts 9:42).

 

Thinking Further

Miracles Make Believers

February 18, 2018

Acts 9: 31-43

Name ___________________________

 

1. Why was Peter able to heal the lame and raise the dead?

 

 

 

2. How did Tabitha show she her pure and faultless faith in Jesus? (see also, James 1:27)

 

 

 

3. What had Tabitha done for the widows in the church?

 

 

 

4. What did Peter do before he raised Tabitha from the dead? Why do you think he did this?

 

 

 

5. Why do you think Jesus raised Tabitha from the dead?

 

 

Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further

 

1. Why was Peter able to heal the lame and raise the dead?

Jesus had risen from the dead; Jesus was with him as He had promised; and Jesus healed and raised the dead through Peter as He had during His earthly ministry.

 

2. How did Tabitha show she her pure and faultless faith in Jesus (see James 1:27)? She was a disciple who was always doing good and helping the poor.

 

3. What had Tabitha done for the widows in the church?

She had made robes and clothing for them.

4. What did Peter do before he raised Tabitha from the dead? Why do you think he did this? Peter sent the people out of the room, got down on his knees and prayed, turned to her and said, “Tabitha, get up.” He had seen Jesus do something similar when He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

 

5. Why do you think Jesus raised Tabitha from the dead?

Because Jesus loved Tabitha and the good deeds she did for the widows in the church; because Jesus knew these widows needed Tabitha to help them; to prove that the gospel Peter preached as an apostle was the truth so many would come to believe in Him and be saved from their sins and receive the gift of eternal life.

Word Search

Miracles Make Believers

February 18, 2018

Acts 9: 31-43

Name ______________________________

 

S A Z S J K L H B W T Q U I R

A H N P U N S Y O L J I O N L

M T S K V S U I D H C R U H C

A I O G H A E C M D I O Q W P

R B D F P Q Y J N O A S J H Z

I A V P A E N E A S N G L A B

A T O Z Y A E D U J R J V P J

F J F T E M S B K Y B E N Z E

L S D V E D O R C A S O T A V

T O N B L U I H X S R F D E I

S H R G I W Y R C A U T Z W P

I K B D L V X J H O Z S V C A

R L H P A T M S U J E Y E Y E

H N S Q G H P O P Q P G L J P

C T B L V Z W V F E H T Y H O

 

Church

Judea

Galilee

Samaria

Lydda

Joppa

Sharon

Peter

Aeneas

Lord

Jesus

Christ

Tabitha

Dorcas

Simon

 

True and False Test

Miracles Make Believers

February 18, 2018

Acts 9: 31-43

Name _______________________________

 

Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.

 

1. After Jesus healed some people through Peter, many people came to

believe in the Lord. True or False

 

2. Peter healed some people in ways that were similar to the ways Jesus did.

True or False

 

3. Peter hurried from Joppa to Lydda to heal Tabitha. True or False

 

4. In the Greek language, the name Tabitha is Dorcas. True or False

 

5. Tabitha was well known for helping many poor people and widows by bringing good meals to their homes. True or False

 

6. When Tabitha died, her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. True or False

 

7. After the two men told Peter about Tabitha, if Peter had hurried to see Tabitha instead of stopping to heal Aeneas along the way, she would not have died. True or False

 

8. The poor widows told Peter that it was too late for him to help Tabitha, because she had already died. True or False

 

9. The widows showed Peter the robes and clothes that Tabitha had made for them. True or False

 

10. Peter got down on his knees and prayed and turned toward Tabitha and

said, “Tabitha, get up.” True or False

 

 

True and False Test Answers Acts 9:31-43

 

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. True

10.True

 

 

Prayer

 

Father, forgive us for not attending to the work of Your kingdom as You desire. Remind us that the legacy we leave will be that of people we have served in the name of Christ. Indeed, it is in His name we pray and no other. Amen.