This Gospel message is brought to you by the Reformed Witness Hour, a ministry of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America, a Reformed denomination that strives to be faithful to the Word of God and the historic confessions of the Reformed faith, also known as Calvinism. In love for our great God, we proclaim the Christian faith and life that is founded on God's sovereign, particular grace. as God's Word is expounded. We pray that these messages are a blessing to you. The account we consider in today's broadcast involves the Apostle Peter. Peter's life had been threatened in Jerusalem a couple of times and for that reason he had moved away from Jerusalem to stay for a short time in a small village near the Mediterranean coast. It was during his stay there that the account we read in Acts 9 verses 36 through 42 took place. We read those verses. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did. 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. And for as much 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. And 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 showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. 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. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. And when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. As we mentioned, Peter was now residing with a few saints for a short time in a village named Lydda. A man named Nias lived there who had been sick of the palsy eight years. Peter healed him, and many who lived in Lydda and the neighboring city of Sharon saw this miracle and turned to the Lord. So Christ was confirming the preaching of Peter by means of miracles. In this way the gospel was spread among the Jews. The saints in Joppa heard of this miracle too, and this is why they quickly called Peter to come there. A woman named Tabitha had died and they wanted Peter to come and perform some miracle if possible. This miracle we study today. Tabitha was not a woman of great renown. She was a woman of simple means living in a small Jewish city and a member of the small Christian community or church that had been established there. It is evident from the circumstances surrounding her death that she was single. because of the many widows that attended her death, it may be possible that she was herself a widow, being childless. Of this we cannot be certain, however. Tabitha was her Jewish name, but for the sake of the Gentile believers, Luke includes her Greek name, Dorcas. The names both mean the same, a female gazelle Jewish mothers often named their daughters Tabitha since it refers to the grace and the beauty of this animal. Tabitha was known for her alms deeds, that is, her deeds of mercy toward those in need, in the main, the poor widows of the church and the city. This paints a beautiful picture of this woman. She was a single member of the church who was thoughtless, giving herself over to the needs of others. She had her place, she found her niche, so to speak, in the congregation there in Joppa. She was a woman of kindness and gentleness who did not sit back wondering what the church there could do for her. She was proactive in the church by keeping herself busy making coats and garments she donated to widows in need. As a result, she was well loved by the saints in the church of Joppa. Neither were these deeds merely done out of a near natural sense of kindness and concern for others. In verse 36 we learn that she was full of good works. In other words, these acts of mercy toward others were good works in the sight of God. We must understand what good works are according to Scripture and in the eyes of God. Good works are not done out of a sense of self-satisfaction, that is, because by doing them we are able to feel good about ourselves. We have this sense of pride in what we have done. Neither are good works performed because by them we feel we have merited something in God's sight. I have done my Christian duty and therefore God is pleased with me on account of my good works. Positively, Good works flow, first of all, out of a true and living faith. Tabitha was characterized by faith. There it is once again, the one chief characteristic of every God-fearing woman we have considered, faith. By God's grace, Tabitha had been delivered out of the darkness of sin and unbelief. Being a Jew, she had been delivered from the work righteousness that was so much a part of the Jewish faith The alms deeds she performed were not performed by her because she believed that these alms deeds would save her. She had been drawn to Jesus Christ. She had found that her sins were forgiven her only for the sake of His death. The gospel had worked in her in such a way that she had joined herself to the church in Joppa. She had cast her all upon Christ alone and the salvation that He had earned for her and God's saints on the cross. She had come to know Christ. such as the knowledge of faith. Likewise, she had come to trust in Him in life and death. For that reason, too, she had cast her lot in with the saints in Joppa. She belonged to the body of Christ, and in joy she worshipped God in the church there. Out of that faith flowed forth her good works. She did them not to her own glory, but to the glory of God. And that in the second place constitutes another characteristic of a good work. A good work is one that is done to the glory of God. A good work is that which is pleasing in His sight and flows out of our faith. We ought not fail to see the relationship of faith in good works. Good works are not an aspect or part of faith. We cannot describe faith, for example, as a working faith. Faith is nothing more than a bond that unites us to Jesus Christ both in reality and in our consciousness too. One characterized by faith never looks itself but always looks to Jesus Christ. Good works are only the fruit of that faith. That is, they flow out of faith. They are the result of faith. The alms deeds performed by Tabitha, therefore, were an expression of her faith in Jesus Christ. By her fruits, those about her were able to know that she was a believer. Because of the nature of a true faith, works always follow. As James says, faith without works is dead. Those who knew Dorcas knew she was a believer. But Dorcas had become ill. This happened, we are told, in those days, that is, in the days that Peter lived near to Joppa. I cannot help but understand this in light of God's providence. God caused Tabitha to become very sick and to die at the very particular time Peter had been led by him to be near to that city of Joppa. We are not told what her illness was, but it must have been sudden and took her life very quickly after having become sick. We learn that they, no doubt the women of the church, had washed her body and laid her in an upper chamber or room of a house. We must remember that in those days there was no embalming of the body to keep it from decaying for a number of days or perhaps a week. That day the body was washed, viewed quickly on the same day or the next, and then brought immediately to the grave. In the case of Tabitha, they removed her body and placed it in an upstairs room instead of the main parlor of the house where people would come to pay their respects. This was probably done in Tabitha's case because of the hope of the church that Peter might be able yet to perform a miracle. Since Lydda was near Joppa the church sent two men immediately to Lydda seeking Peter. They asked him to come to Joppa without any delay. In other words, do not tarry until tomorrow but come now. Peter receded to this request and immediately departed with them to Joppa. He either arrived that same day or the morning of the day after. When he came to the house we learn in verse 39 When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber, and all the widows stood by him, weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. There Peter now viewed Tabitha's dead body, with all the mourners around her, mainly the widows, who owed to this dear woman so much. It was then that Peter performed a rare miracle, one not many men in the past performed, and one that only Apostle Paul in the future would perform. we read in verse 40 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 Peter put everyone out of the room the word in the Greek that is interpreted put them all forth is literally he thrust them out he forced everyone to leave question is Why would he even have to do this? Well, first of all, because the saints were curious as to what he was going to do. They probably all wanted to stay in the room while Peter did his work. In the second place, Peter was not of a mind to put any miracle he could perform on display. In contrast to the many faith healers of today who wish to show off their so-called gift to others, Peter was not interested in such tactics. If he were to perform a miracle, it was not in order to enhance his own name and popularity. He was not interested in becoming known to everyone as this great healer or evangelist who was of such great faith. Peter did not even know what God's will was yet regarding Tabitha. He needed to ask that of God in prayer. So after thrusting everyone from the room, Peter knelt down beside the bed and he prayed. Peter knew it was not in him as a person to perform any miracle. The ability to raise a person from the dead did not rest in his great power of faith. The ability to raise a person from the dead rested alone in God, who holds life and death in his hands. From this we know what the content of Peter's prayer must also have been. He desired of God to reveal to him what must be done regarding Tabitha. Peter did not want people standing around murmuring at what was taking place while he needed to concentrate on that prayer. Evidently, God revealed to Peter what Peter was to do now with this dead saint. He turned to the body of Tabitha and said to her, Tabitha, arise. She opened her eyes and when she saw Peter sat up in her bed, it was as if she had just woke up from a deep sleep. was not as if her body leaped or suddenly gasped air into her lungs. It was as if Peter was merely waking her up, just like mothers will do with their children in the morning to get them up. Wake up. Get up. We open our eyes from sleep and sit up in bed. Tabitha, arise. She peacefully opened her eyes. When she saw the one waking her up, she sat up. Peter then took her by the hand and lifted her from the bed, then called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive. It is not as if the entire city had appeared to see what had happened. We are told that Peter presented her to the saints and widows. The word saints here means believers. Peter presented her to the members of the church, and in particular to the believing widows. Tabitha was no longer ill. She did not come crippling out of the room, weak and feverish. She was whole, looking fresh from a good sleep. Now, we may not simply tell the story of this miracle without understanding the significance of it. You see, nothing is explicitly mentioned in our text that has to do with Jesus Christ. Peter did not say, Tabitha, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise. It may seem, therefore, it was Peter who was able to raise her from the dead. But as we said, no man is able to give life where there is death. We know that life is only God's to give. Peter could not himself, therefore, bring Tabitha to life again. But then to what can we ascribe this miracle? Ah, Peter prayed, remember. The words of his prayer were spoken in himself to God. in that prayer, Peter, no doubt, must have called on the name of Jesus Christ to raise this believing woman from the grave. There is no other way Peter could have done this. And we make this claim on this basis. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. These are the very words Jesus has spoken to Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, before raising Lazarus from the dead. In Christ alone is the power to raise someone from the dead. In Christ is found life. He has merited life by means of His own death and resurrection. By means of Christ's resurrection He has conquered sin and the grave. bars of the prison of the grave have been broken away and death no longer has sway over the believer because Christ has overcome death. This is true because Christ conquered the cause of death, namely sin. At the cross, Christ in perfect obedience to God fulfilled all righteousness. He paid the price of sin and removed the guilt of every one of God's elect people. The penalty of death no longer lay upon them because they have been justified in his blood and for that reason death has been destroyed and in the place of it Christ imparts to his people his resurrection life. Christ lives in us by his Spirit and grace. That was the cause behind this miracle Peter performed. By means of Christ's exaltation he now lives and reigns at the right hand of God in heaven. When Peter prayed to God at the deathbed of Dorcas, he prayed to Him in the name of that powerful, resurrected Lord. When Peter spoke the words, Tabitha, arise, it was Christ from heaven who took her by the hand and raised her from the dead. The miracle Peter performed, therefore, was not by his own power, even by the greatness of his own faith. It was by means of the powerful work of Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life. neither ought we to overlook the significance of this miracle for us. No, we do not expect to be brought back to this life, as was Tabitha. But we who believe in this all-powerful Lord do expect to live eternally. Death for God's people is nothing more than a passageway into eternal life. Death is nothing we need to fear. In the snap of a finger, in the twinkling of an eye, we will pass from this life into the next. Death has no sting. The grave has no victory. Christ is the resurrection. Just as surely as he was able to raise Dorcas from her deathbed, so also will you and I be raised in the last day. The grave cannot contain the bodies of God's people. On the last day the trumpet will sound and Christ will call forth, My people arise and our bodies long laid to rest in the grave will then come forth to be led by our Savior into the portals of heaven. This miracle is a sign of that final resurrection of the dead. Such also is the significance of this miracle. But God used this miracle of Peter in one other way too. it revealed that the gospel, that is salvation from sin in Jesus Christ, was in fact true. Concerning the Apostles we learn in Hebrews 2 verse 4, God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will. The miracles performed by the Apostles were used by God as a witness or as a confirmation that the gospel they were preaching about Jesus Christ was true. The Jews needed that confirmation. They needed to learn how Christ indeed had come as fulfillment of the Old Testament laws and ceremonies. Yes, Peter was a powerful figure of God's might in the gospel, but such a miracle only lent power to the preaching of the gospel. and again the particular aspect of the gospel to which it lent power was the blessed truth that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. This miracle was used of God in two ways. First of all, the faith of God's saints in Joppa was confirmed. The saints and widows had witnessed the miracle of Peter. These were already believers, remember, So now their faith was confirmed, not faith in Peter, mind you, not faith in miracles, their faith in Jesus Christ and their salvation was confirmed and strengthened. Just as ours is today when we learn of this miracle, so also was it true then. This miracle was a sign and seal to God's saints of their own blessed resurrection. So, the miracle served in one way and that way, but there was one other way God used this miracle. Notice, this miracle was known, we are told, throughout all Joppa. What had taken place was noised abroad throughout the entire city of Joppa. Unbelievers had heard of it too. And although God did not use the miracle and the gospel that accompanied it to bring everyone in the city to faith and repentance, nevertheless, we are told, many believed. As many as were ordained to eternal life in that city of Joppa now believed. God used this miracle as a means to attract others to the gospel. And then God worked in their hearts by His Spirit and grace too. And what of Tabitha? In gratitude she continued no doubt in her alms deeds. She continued to be a blessing to the church in Joppa. We who also received the resurrection and the life now follow her example. What gifts do we offer to the church and our fellow saints? Let's pray. Father in heaven, Thou art a great and a glorious God. none like unto thee. Thou dost hold the power of life and death in thy hand, and thou hast given that power to Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life. When we view this miracle of Peter, then we see in that miracle the work of our Savior, not only in the life of this godly woman Tabitha, but in our lives too as believers. We are thankful that he has earned for us the forgiveness of sins and righteousness, that that has been imputed to us in the place of our guilt, so that now we are able to live with Thee forever. Grant unto us now Thy grace. May Thy word abide with us in this week to come, for Jesus' sake. Amen. The gospel message you have just heard was sponsored by the Protestant Reformed Churches through its radio program, the Reformed Witness Hour. We hope that you have been edified and encouraged by this message. If you would like more information about the Reformed faith or the Protestant Reformed churches, feel free to visit our website at reformedwitnesshour.org or email us at mail at reformedwitnesshour.org.