• The book of Acts begins with the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the commencement of proclaiming salvation in
Jesus Christ.
• This Spirit-inspired evangelism
began in Jerusalem with a small group of disciples, the message traveled across
the globe, turning the world upside down.
• Empowered by the Holy Spirit,
these courageous passionate followers preached, taught and healed.
• Demonstrating love in synagogues, schools,
homes, marketplaces, and courtrooms; on streets, hills, ships, and desert roads
wherever God sent them, lives and history were changed.
• God has created that desire in
each one of our hearts.
• True happiness
and fulfillment is found in discovering that specific purpose then pursuing it
passionately.
Acts
9:36-42 NLT [36] "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. [37] About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for
burial and laid in an upstairs room. [38] 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!" [39] 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 Tabitha had made
for them. [40] 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! [41] 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. [42] The news spread through the whole town, and
many believed in the Lord."
This is an
amazing story. Tabitha was having a compelling impact on her world, living a
life of revolutionary significance.
• How do we live a life of
revolutionary significance?
1.
Start
following Jesus.
1.
Tabitha
was a disciple, a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ.
1.
Most
likely, she became a Christian as a result of other believers coming to her
town and sharing the good news about Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:1, 4
NLT 1b "A great wave of persecution began that day, [4] But the believers
who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went."
2.
We
live in a world that seeks significance through prestige, possessions or
pleasure.
1.
These
things, though not necessarily wrong in themselves, don’t have eternal value.
2.
What
matters most is "knowing God" and living to love and please Him.
3. Jesus Himself
said a number of times that many people who seem "first" in this life
will be ‘"last" in eternity while many people who seem
"last" in this life will be "first", or truly significant,
in eternity.
1.
We
must live our life from an eternal perspective.
4.
It’s also imperative to realize that
it is not doing "good works" that saves us.
1.
It
is making a decision to receive the forgiveness of our sins from Jesus our
Savior and make Him the Leader of our life.
2.
‘Good
works’ are
to be the result of our salvation.
1.
Are
you a follower, a disciple, a believer of Jesus Christ?
1.
If
not, why not start today.
1.
He’s calling out to you “Come,
follow me!”
2.
Recognize
and respond to His call.
2.
Engage
in "Good Works" wherever you are.
1.
Vs. 36
tells us that Tabitha "was always doing kind things for others and
helping the poor."
2.
Once
you start following Jesus, something happens on the inside of you.
1.
You
no longer live for yourself but you begin to have a heart of compassion to help
others.
2.
Forever
altered.
1.
Following
in the steps of Jesus who “went about doing good and healing all.”
Acts 10:38
"And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and
with power. Then Jesus "went around doing good and healing all" who
were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 "And we apostles are
witnesses of all He did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put Him to
death by hanging Him on a cross, 40a but God raised Him to life on the third
day.
42 And He
ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed
by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. 43 He is the one all the
prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in Him will have
their sins forgiven through His name."
3.
We
are not saved by our works but we are saved to do good works for the benefit of
others.
1.
God
has a unique contribution for each one of us to make and part of our
significance comes from the difference we make in the lives of others.
1.
The
Christian life is not just about "knowing" certain things, theology
or doctrine, or "being" a certain kind of person, character.
1.
It
is about actively going around and ‘doing’ good every day of our life.
Titus 2:7
NLT "And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of
every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your
teaching."
2.
The
world should be a better place because of us.
1.
God
is interested in our daily work.
2.
It
is a sacred part of our worship.
3.
Service
is a vital part of our witness because it reflects who God is.
4.
We
have no record of any of the words that Tabitha said, not one, though she
probably said many good things.
1.
It
was her deeds, her good works that she is remembered for.
2.
Having
never written a book or preached a sermon, like the disciples yet she had an
enormous impact on her community.
1.
It
was her life, her actions toward others, that were significant.
1.
She
simply devoted herself to always doing good, acts that benefited the needy and
the less fortunate.
3.
You
are the only Bible some people will ever read.
1.
Whose
life is better off because of yours?
2.
What
good thing, kind word or helpful deed have you done this week?
4.
Tabitha
made clothes for widows who lived in her city, some of the poorest people in
society.
1.
They
had no one to represent them or protect them.
2.
They
couldn’t
get much of a job to buy food let alone buy other things they needed.
1.
Tabitha
stepped in to become their advocate.
2.
Strategically
placed in the right location at the right time to minister to needs of others.
1.
You,
too, have been strategically placed here at this time in history to in very
practical ways carry the good news to needy people in both word and deed.
2.
Showing
compassion just as Tabitha did.
James 1:27
NLT "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring
for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt
you."
3.
Rise
above your limitations.
1.
We don’t know a lot about Tabitha.
2.
What
we do know is that she rose above any limitations she had; to make a difference
in the lives of others.
3.
She
was a woman, it was a man’s world back in the first century, yet Jesus valued women
and released them into ministry.
1.
Tabitha
didn’t
jump on the excuse train, “Well, I’m just a woman, what can I do?”
4.
She
might have even been single, we have no mention of a husband or even a family.
1.
Maybe
a widow herself.
2.
People
like Jesus and Paul demonstrated that you don’t need marriage to be complete or
to be significant.
3.
Tabitha
didn’t
say, “Well, I need a husband before I can do anything with my life.”
5.
She
might have been overwhelmed by all the needs around her.
1.
Sometimes
there are so many needs, that we can become paralyzed and not know what to do
or where to start.
1.
Tempted
to feel that our efforts really wouldn’t make a difference anyway.
6.
There
may have been lots of things that Tabitha couldn’t do.
1.
But
she didn’t
focus on what she couldn’t do.
2.
She
looked at what was in her hand.
3.
Remember,
when God called Moses to help him rescue Israel out of Egypt.
1.
Moses
was full of excuses and he had a whole list of reasons why he wasn’t qualified and why he shouldn’t go.
2.
In
the end, God said to Moses, “What is in your hand?”
1.
Moses
said, “A rod."
3.
As
a shepherd, he had a rod or staff that he carried around.
1.
God
used what was in his hand.
4.
Maybe
God asked Tabitha what's in your hand.
1.
She
would have said, “A needle!”
1.
I
can sew.
2.
I
can make clothes.
3.
That’s what I love to do and that’s what I’m good at.
7.
Tabitha
didn’t
belittle the little she had.
1.
She
took what was in her hand and she used it to meet the needs of those around and
about her.
1.
What’s in your hand?
1.
Rise
above your own limitations.
2.
Move
beyond the excuses.
4.
Value faithfulness.
1.
Tabitha
did not just help one person, one time, or engage in one mission trip.
1.
She
made it a lifestyle.
1.
She
was "always" doing good and helping the poor.
1.
Living
out revolutionary significance!
2.
Scripture
makes it clear that Tabitha was full of good works and charitable deeds, which
she did.
1.
Some
people are full of good works and charitable deeds, but they are only full of
them in their minds and hearts.
1.
I
refuse to die with all my good intentions and dreams unfulfilled.
1.
This
is why scripture records, which she did.
3.
When
she died, the room was filled with mourners, people she had helped.
1.
There,
around the body of Tabitha were found more than the family; poor widows and
needy ones were standing, weeping.
1.
They
had lost a friend, and who could replace her?
2.
Every
one of them had a testimony to the loving heart and ready hand which had
labored day and night, to help them.
1.
Coats,
and garments, soothed and strengthened hearts, were witnesses to the usefulness
of her life.
2.
Do
you have this kind of impact on your community, friends, family,
or enemies?
1.
When
you live life like this no one wants you gone!
1.
Serving
is something we do for the long haul, faithfully living a life of service for
others.
5.
Endeavor
to leave a legacy.
1.
When
Tabitha died, she had left a legacy, lives she had touched with God’s love.
2.
Tabitha
was truly a revolutionary significant woman.
1.
A
woman so great in her community that they could not bear to lose her to death.
1.
Acts 9:39
When she became sick and died, her good works ceased.
1.
CWC
Joppa was devastated.
1.
Should
we assume that God no longer works in such dynamic ways?
2.
It
is wrong to make that assumption.
1.
Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
2.
I
do not believe that we should fault God for the lack of power in the church.
3.
I
think that we should fault ourselves.
2.
This
power is still available today.
1.
I
still believe in the power of God to change and transform lives, to turn people
around 180 degrees.
2.
I
believe in the power of God to raise people out of beds of infirmity, to
deliver people from the bondage of things that are destroying them, and set
people free.
3.
I
believe in the power of God to raise the dead.
1.
God
is more than able.
1.
I
will forever impart that.
2.
"Nothing
shall be impossible to them that believe."
3.
They
were willing to go to any length to get her back, she was too wonderful to
lose!
1.
What
a legacy, what will you be remembered for?
2.
What
are some of the limitations that cause people to hold back today?
1.
Time,
talent, and treasure.
1.
Imagine
your own funeral.
2.
Four
people are going to give a tribute about you, a family member, a friend, a
church member and a work (or school) associate.
1.
What
would you want them to say?
1.
He
served Christ's cause with all his heart, soul, mind and strength and he loved
his neighbor as himself.
How do you
live a life of revolutionary significance?
1.
Follow
Jesus!
2.
Engage
in good works wherever you are!
3.
Rise
above your limitations!
4.
Value faithfulness!
5.
Endeavor
to leave a legacy!
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