THE
LEGACY OF A GODLY WOMAN
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A.
There is a program on television called, “Strange Inheritance,” which tells the
stories of people who have received unusual and sometimes valuable possessions. On
particular episode concerned a map of the state of Texas. It had been in the family
for years but no one realized that it was one of the original maps of the state dating
back to the 1840’s. The old map that had been tucked away for years was worth
thousands of dollars.
B. Have you considered what you will leave as an inheritance for your family?
1. Perhaps you are like bumper sticker that says, “I’m spending my children’s
inheritance.”
2. Each of us will leave an inheritance that is greater than our possession. We will
leave a legacy. The question is, “What type of legacy will you leave to your children
and grandchildren? What will they remember about you?
C. Many women have left legacies of great accomplishment and influence.
The U.S. Post office has issued a series of stamps honoring the legacy of women in
the fields of literature and science.
1. Margaret Mitchell, a native of Atlanta, spent ten years of her life writing a novel
for which she won the Pulitzer Prize. The novel was, Gone With The Wind.
2. Pearl Buck won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1938 for her novel, The Good
Earth.
3. Lillian Gilbreth was the mother of five children before going to college. She
earned her Ph.D. and served as a professor at Purdue University.
4. Sally Ride soared into space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983,
becoming the first American woman and youngest astronaut in space.
D. There are many women who have left lasting legacies in our world. Today I want to
notice the life of a woman mentioned just one time in the Bible. Although the
passage is brief the legacy it describes is formidable because it is the legacy of a
Godly woman.
I. THE SETTING OF THE STORY
A. Beginning in Acts 9:31 we read that Peter was traveling through Judea during a
time of peace in which the church continued to increase and be built up.
1. He came to a small village named Lydda where he met a man named Aeneas
who had been paralyzed for eight years.
a. Peter told Aeneas, “Jesus Christ heals you, get up and make your bed.”
b. Aeneas was healed. Everyone who saw this turned to the Lord.
2. Just twelve miles from Lydda and 38 miles northwest of Jerusalem was the
village of Joppa on the Mediterranean coast. 38 miles northwest of Jerusalem.
a. Joppa was the seaport where timber for the temple was brought from
Lebanon before being transported by land to Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 2:26).
b. Joppa was the village where the prophet Jonah boarded a ship to travel to
Tarshish in his quest to flee from God’s command to preach to Ninevah
(Jonah 1:3).
c. Joppa still exists. It’s modern name is Jaffa (Yaffa). It has a population of
about 60,000 and is one of the oldest functioning harbors in the world.
B. In this ancient town there was a congregation of Christians. The Bible does not tell
us how or when this congregation began. There is little doubt that it was the result
of the preaching of Phillip and other disciples who left Jerusalem when persecution
arose and were scattered throughout the regions of Samaria and Judea (Acts 8:4).
After the conversion of the Eunuch in Acts 8:34-40 Luke records that Phillip kept
preaching the Gospel in all of the cities on the way to Caesarea. It is likely that
Joppa was one of these cities.
II. THE SUBJECT OF THE STORYW
A. Within the church at Joppa there was a certain disciple named Dorcas.
1. Dorcas was her Greek name. It is the first female Greek name found in the New
Testament. .
2. Her name in Aramaic was “Tabitha” meaning, “Beautiful.” It was truly a name
which was descriptive of this woman’s character.
B. There are many things we do not know about this woman.
1. We do not know her genealogy. There is no mention of her parents.
2. We do not know anything about her family. There is no mention of a husband or
children.
3. We know nothing of her wealth. Was she rich or poor?
C. The brief description of this woman in verse 36 speaks volumes about her
character and conduct. She “was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity
which she continually did.”
1, With her needle, thread and material
she extended kindness that blessed many
people. 2. These things were done “continually” (verse 36).
D. Dorcas understood the important connection between faith and works.
1. She obviously understood the importance of faith in Christ for she was a
disciple of the Lord. She had confessed her faith, repented of her sins and been
buried with Christ in baptism.
2. Dorcas understood that being a Christian was more than following a prescribed
ritual. Being a disciple of Jesus meant more that attending an assembly once a
week
a. She understood that her faith had to be translated into actions.
b. James wrote, “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but
he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without
clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, ‘Go in
peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is
necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works,
is dead, being by itself.”
c. As a follower of Christ she knew that Jesus had taught, “For I was hungry,
and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something
to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed
Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37
Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and
feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we
see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did
we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and
say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these
brothers of Mine, even the least, you did it to Me’” (Matthew 25:35-40).
E. In the midst of her good works and deeds Dorcas died. She is the first Christian in
the book of Acts who died a natural death.
1. When she died two disciples were dispatched to Lydda to bring Peter to Joppa.
2. When Peter arrived he found the body of Dorcas had been washed and placed
in an upper room. According to verse 39, “All the widows stood beside him,
weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make
while she was with them.”
3. Peter sent everyone out of the room, knelt and prayed. Then, looking toward the
body he said, “Tabitha come.” Dorcas opened her eyes. Peter took her hand
and she stood. When the others saw that she had been raised they spread the
word to everyone. Many believed in the Lord.
III. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STORY
A. What is the significance of this story?
1. It is obviously a testimony to the power of Jesus.
2. It is also indicative of the authority Peter had.
3. We must not miss the significance of the legacy of a Godly woman.
a. When Dorca died the widows remembered her legacy. She had left much
more than the clothes she had sewn.
b. Her legacy was her faith and kindness.
4. We do not know that Dorcas ever taught a Bible class. We do not know of a
Bible study she conducted nor of a book she wrote. We do not know of anything
she did publicly. What we know is this. She used her needle and thread to leave
a legacy.
B. I think of so many women I know who are leaving a legacy of good kindness and
good deeds.
1. Ladies sew dresses to send to poor little girls in Ghana.
2. Those of you who meet on Monday night and weave mats out of plastic bags so
people in Haiti won’t have to sleep on dirt floors.
3. The women who prepare food for those who are sick, bereaved, or bringing
home new babies. .
4. There are many things about Dorcas we do not know. We can, however, be
certain of this. The citation of Dorcas in God’s hall of honor is because of her
legacy of good works.
CONCLUSION:
A. An anonymous author wrote:
Shamgar had an ox-goad,
David had a sling,
Samson had a jawbone,
Rahab had a string,
Mary had some ointment,
Aaron had a rod,
Dorcas had a needle,
All were used for God
B. The legacy of Dorcas is a legacy of ability and availability. Ladies and gentlemen,
what legacy are you leaving for your children and grandchildren? If the only thing you
are leaving is property and possession you are missing the mark. They most
important inheritance they can possibly receive is a legacy of faith.
C. May we assist you today in responding to Christ through obedient faith?
