Monday: Dorcas’s Ministry and Witness
As the church began to spread—as Jesus predicted—“in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV), new believers took up the faith and ministry of Jesus. Among these was Dorcas—also known as Tabitha—in the city of Joppa. She obviously took seriously Jesus’ particular instruction that when clothing the naked, she was doing it for Jesus Himself (see Matt. 25:38, Matt. 25:40).
Read the description of Dorcas and her ministry in Acts 9:36. How might your life and ministry be described in a similar format to this verse? How would you like to be described?
Dorcas
It seems that Dorcas’s ministry was such that the description of her as a “disciple” (see Acts 9:36) and her faithfulness, energy, and focus on others were recognized even beyond her hometown.
Peter was visiting the nearby town of Lydda, and the people of Joppa asked him to come in response to Dorcas’s untimely death (see Acts 9:37-41). On his arrival in Joppa, Peter was met by many of the people Dorcas had helped through her work for the poor. They showed him the clothes that she had made and undoubtedly told him many stories of how she had helped them and others.
That Peter then prayed for Dorcas and God returned her to life is, of course, no guarantee that life will always work out well for those who devote their lives to serving others. After all, Dorcas had already suffered illness and death, and Stephen, one of those first deacons appointed to minister to the widows in the church, had also become the first martyr (see Acts 7:54-60). A life of service is not a smooth path; at times it could even be the rougher road.
However, in this story God used the recognition of His love and power in both Dorcas’s life and death to make a strong impact on the people of Joppa: “This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord” (Acts 9:42, NIV).
| If you were to pass away, would your contribution be mourned and missed like the ministry of Dorcas was remembered and mourned? How can we leave a better legacy of service? What practical skills do you have—like Dorcas’s skills with making garments—that you might use in service to others? |
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In the grand scheme of the Gospel story, which do you think is the most important: that Tabitha was raised from the dead, or that she was full of good works for the poor and needy? I suggest that if it wasn't for the good works, the later would not make any sense.
When I was growing up each Seventh-day Adventist Church had a Dorcas Society complete with leader and secretary and in our church the ladies would meet several times a year and makes lists of people in need and roster themselves to help this people. Somewhere along the line, the Dorcas Society was absorbed into ADRA and we lost that little link back to a remarkable lady who was so highly respected that she was raised from the dead.
Her names, Tabitha (Aramaic) and Dorcas (Greek) both mean gazelle, a small graceful antelope, and suggests that if the names were descriptive she was a very active women. Today there are still Tabithas in our Church who are active in good works following the example given us in the New Testament.
Let me tell you a story about my wife. She is small and very active. Seeing we live in Australia, and don't have gazelles, I liken her to an Agile Wallaby, a small active kangaroo-like animal. When she gets on to a project she pursues it through to completion. About 15 years ago she came up with the idea that her primary school class should do something ueseful at Christmas time. She read that the local Salvation Army chapter was having difficulty keeping up their food bank stock over Christmas so she suggested to her class that they all bring some non-perishable food to donate to them. The idea caught on and other teachers saw what was happening and soon the whole school of some 600 students and their teachers were involved. At the final assembly for the school year they invited the Salvation Army to come so that they could donate the food to them. The Salvation Army officer arrived in a small van and walked into the assembly and was totally amazed at the mountain of food in front of him. He quickly got on to the phone and rang his office and said, "Send me the truck!"
And that started a tradition of a Seventh-day Adventist School making a donation of food to the Salvation Army at Christmas time to help them feed the needy that has continued to this day. Carmel retired some years ago but they still carry on the work she started every year.
Ultimately, I assume Tabitha died, but her example lives on in people like Carmel who can hear the prayers of the needy and respond in love.
Acts 9:36
At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.
What qualified Tabitha (Dorcas) to be a disciple?
First of all, Tabitha exemplified all that was most praiseworthy in a follower of Jesus. She was truly unselfish and spent her time meeting the needs of others.
Luke tells us that she continually did deeds of kindness and charity.
Tabitha took God’s command to care for the poor seriously. “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor” (Zechariah 7:10).
Tabitha expressed her genuine love for the poor by making garments for them with her own hands. We can easily envision her pouring her love into every stitch and praying for each recipient. Many people began to depend on her and it is no wonder that they must have been devastated when she became ill and died.
Christianity must create inter dependency of each other. Illustrated by the body in scripture because we all have a role in the Christian faith.
How would someone in your family react when you die?
How would someone in your work react when you die?
How would someone in the community react when you die?
What can you do to live a life that would create an impact for our Lord Jesus Christ?
We all have talents that can be used for the benefit of others besides ourselves. Talents just make sense when applied to as many people as possible. At the same time, while developing talents we may even get more out of them. A talent is most valued by the width of its social scope.
EMERGENCY!
A very dangerous disease known as selfishness is killing many in the world today. Its virus is highly contagious and everybody must be immunized against it immediately.
Those who are seriously affected are full of good works and charitable deeds, but only full of them in their minds.
The talkers but not the doers are admitted in major hospitals in the world.
Those who think others are doing more and so they don't need to do much or they get depressed because they can't keep up with them are in ICU.
The only cure for this kind of diseases is a medicine known as Serving others.
The medicine makes you full of Christ on the inside so that you will be full of good works on the outside.
The medicine is free and available everywhere in the world.
Please, don't take the remedy in order to be saved, but take it because you are saved.
I am blessed and my heart is activated spiritually as i go through the comments... Thanks for you all guys from abroad.. May give us courage to live by what we comment and encourage each other here...
Dear Bro Maurice
The Dorcas Welfare Society should have continued in every SDA church as the Community Services Department. In Jamaica the department is very active and the projects vary from church to church. These activities include weekly feeding of the needy, providing food and clothing, visiting their homes to assist with household chores, having annual dinners and taking them on trips. Some churches even have a "Needy Poor Fund" in which some shut-ins receive a small stipend monthly to assist them to provide for the daily needs.
A life of service. Congrats Cyrus, you like others have nailed the point.
The Working of the Holy Spirit in One life. It starts on the inside and is shown on the outside.
Darcus society- many Christians think it is/was only for the poor in the church. Growing up poor I have benefited from same, I enjoyed and looked forward to receive those clothing, some new, some not so new but all were wearable to church on Sabbath. Looking back I thank Jesus for my poor beginning.
Moving forward, as a teenager the Lord has given me the same talent
as Darcus. I also have several other talents which I used for the glory of God.
I now live in a popular, end time society where people can get everything by a swipe of a credit/debit card. If a button is missing, the zip goes bad, the pants ripped, all go to the trash. People seldom want to wear home made clothing, they go for brand names.
I sew for myself as well as my family. Now I mostly do alteration. It can become like an addiction, you do it all day and late in the night. Many told me I can open my own clothes line, or sell online. (Still praying about it).
But strangely, like Darcus, I offered my service to the church members free, but people not interesting, they preferred to buy or throw away.
Different people live in different society. Their are still Darcus in our churches but in different culture.
With my talent, I saved my self so much money. Able to give more.
I used my other talents to bring glory to God, if I died don’t know if I will be miss or if people will miss my contribution in and out of the church.
I always asked Jesus to help me be a blessing to all everyday. I have a voice so I sing to brighten up others. (Not a singer).
Let us all use our talents for the glory of God.
The LORD is detecting all our motives towards the poor and our unfulfilled desire(s) to help them... We are now affected by a syndrome vain comfort of "God Bless You", to avoid action of good works on the downtrodden....i think we must open our hearts for the love of our Maker to fill us so that we can be partakers of good works from within#The Tabitha legacy is for our good... God help us!