https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Tabitha.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: Acts 9:32-43<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. In our text we find two stories.<\/p>\n A. The great miracle that God performed through Peter to raise a woman who had\ndied.\n
1. This event brought many to the Lord – Acts 9:42<\/p>\n 2. We don’t have access to miracles today; yet, we can learn how to lead\npeople to God.\n B. We also have the story of how a simple seamstress made a huge impact in the\nlives of widows.\n
1. Tabitha is the reason these events occurred.<\/p>\n
2. When this good woman died, the disciples sent for Peter.<\/p>\n 3. When Peter came, they showed him the things Tabitha had made and the\nimpact she had. They mourned her passing.\n
II. A light for all to see<\/p>\n A. Matthew 5:14-16 – People see our good works and because of the works, they\nglorify God\n B. We don’t do good deeds to other will praise us. We don’t do nice things to show\noff – Matthew 6:2-4\n
C. However, expects us to do good – Titus 3:8<\/p>\n D. Tabitha’s faith wasn’t just a statement. It was life lived in deeds that glorified her\nGod – I John 3:18\n
E. It was faith working in love – Galatians 5:6<\/p>\n
III. A way of life<\/p>\n
A. Tabitha was abounding in good deeds. This was just the way she lived her life -Galatians 6:9-10<\/p>\n
B. She certainly was just good on Sundays.<\/p>\n C. Every congregation needs people who have the knack for doing the helpful thing–\na cup of cold water, a kind smile, or a soothing word.\n
D. People were devoted to her because she was devoted to them – Proverbs 31:20<\/p>\n E. It is interesting to note that nothing is said about her family or relatives. It was the\npeople, God’s people, whom she helped who loved her.\n
F. Death comes eventually to each of us, but our deeds follow us<\/p>\n
1. God remembers what we’ve done – Hebrews 6:10<\/p>\n
2. Even small, simple deeds – Matthew 10:42<\/p>\n 3. The garments Tabitha made and the people she impacted were witnesses\nto the life she lived.\n
IV. Individuals matter<\/p>\n A. When she died, people sent for Peter. Peter was a busy man. He was an apostle.\nHe was working in another town. Yet, he didn’t delay going to Joppa when they\nasked for help.\n
B. God cares about each person, no one is insignificant.<\/p>\n
1. Jesus showed care for a leper – Mark 1:40-42<\/p>\n
2. He showed concern for a tax collector – Luke 19:5-10<\/p>\n
3. He even granted mercy to an adulteress – John 8:10-11<\/p>\n C. Tabitha’s work was significant. She focused on help those who were less\nfortunate. \n D. Peter probably didn’t know Tabitha personally, but he knew that she was\nimportant\n
V. Prayer works<\/p>\n A. Peter didn’t stage a show when he arrived. He didn’t call for a healing service.\nInstead, he sent everyone away and prayed.\n
B. There is power in prayer. You might be limited in other ways, but you can pray. <\/p>\n
C. Can’t sleep at night? Use that time to pray for others<\/p>\n
VI. People believed<\/p>\n A. People knew Tabitha. They knew her lifestyle and her good deeds. They knew she\nwas a Christian\n B. They heard about Peter and what God did through him. They listened to the good\nnews as a result\n
C. What does it take to bring people to Christ? <\/p>\n 1. It isn’t a new ministry program or analysis of the latest demographics in\nyour community\n
2. It is based on real people living real faith in front of the community<\/p>\n 3. It is servants of God seeing the value of every person and treating them\nwith dignity and respect.\n
VII. We will live<\/p>\n A. If Tabitha remained dead, the story would still have been a happy ending. She\nwould have been with the Lord in Paradise.\n 1. Though absent from the body, she would have been at home with the Lord\n– Philippians 1:21-23\n 2. Her death would not have been a bad thing. She would have escaped this\nsin-filled world\n
3. There was a crown awaiting her – II Timothy 4:8<\/p>\n B. But God chose to raise her to remind us that He is able to raise the dead – John\n5:28-29\n 1. Those who are asleep in Christ will rise to live with Him – I Thessalonians\n5:9-11\n
2. We will rise with an immortal body – I Corinthians 15:50-55<\/p>\n
C. Are you ready for that day? Are you storing up true treasure? – Matthew 6:19-21<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 9:32-43 I. In our text we find two stories. A. The great miracle that God performed through Peter to raise a woman who had died. 1. This event brought many to the Lord – Acts 9:42 2. We don’t have access to miracles today; yet, we can learn how to lead people…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[1673,1543,721,1672],"class_list":["post-66329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-dorcas","tag-good-works","tag-kindness","tag-tabitha"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17737,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-it-works\/","url_meta":{"origin":66329,"position":0},"title":"How It Works","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 3, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 36, Sept. 5, 2008. Churches today are looking for ways to reach out to the communities in which they serve. Some look to the latest book, or the most recent demographics, the best mail lists and so on. I think sometimes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/dorcas.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":88978,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-legacy-of-dorcas\/","url_meta":{"origin":66329,"position":1},"title":"The Legacy of Dorcas","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by David Gibson We don't know much about her-she is mentioned in only one brief passage in the New Testament (Acts 9:36-42). But everything we know about Dorcas is good. She was a disciple. The word disciple means learner. She had learned to live the life of a Christian. She\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33928,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/ruth-a-woman-of-virtue\/","url_meta":{"origin":66329,"position":2},"title":"Ruth – A Woman of Virtue","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ross Ward Text: Ruth 3:11 Defining Virtuous Brown Driver & Briggs - strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army Strong's - probably a force; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength Army 56x Man of valor 37x Host 29x Forces 14x Valiant 13x Strength 12x Riches 11x Wealth 10x Power 9x Substance\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":48054,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/thinking-of-beauty\/","url_meta":{"origin":66329,"position":3},"title":"Thinking of Beauty","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 3, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer \"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.\" There is some truth to this as is evidenced by the different tastes people have in art, music, decor, fashion, etc. However, \"beauty\" as a deeper concept must have a foundation that is more objective and not merely subjective\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Oussel-Park-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":90438,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/united-in-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":66329,"position":4},"title":"United in Christ","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Acts 10:34-43 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Our Lord and Savior prayed before his death - John 17:13-26 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It was his desire that we would share the same oneness that he and the Father shared. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is a oneness based in love \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If we are committed to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33919,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/barnabas-the-encourager\/","url_meta":{"origin":66329,"position":5},"title":"Barnabas – The Encourager","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 5, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ross Ward Text: Acts 4:31-37 Barnabas' work in Acts Acts 4:31-37 - gave of himself Acts 9:26-30 - advocated for Saul in Jerusalem Acts 11:19-24 - qualities as a servant Acts 11:25-26 - advocates for Saul Acts 15:35-41 - advocates for John Mark Being a Barnabas Barnabas sacrificed himself\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66329"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66329\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}