The Story of Dorcas
Have you ever met anyone that reminded you of Jesus? Come meet Dorcas.
Before You ListenLet's Get Started
Theme: Serving Others- The Holy Spirit Builds the Early Church
- Acts 9:36 says that Dorcas “was always doing good and helping the poor.” What good things do you think she did to help the poor?
- Many widows came to Dorcas’ house and showed the disciples the clothes that Dorcas had made for them. As you listen to this story, think about the different ways that people give back kindness when they receive it.
After you listen
Memory Verse
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.
Quiz
A: They showed all the clothes that Dorcas had made.
Reflect
In the book of Acts, the church had lots of work to do. Many new people started to believe in Jesus. Some of these new Christians were widows who needed help with food and clothing. Dorcas had a gift of hospitality; she took care of the needs of the widows in her community.
In today’s story, it’s clear that Dorcas was greatly loved. When Dorcas became sick and died, the widows and the disciples gathered to take care of her body. Peter came when he heard the news. The Holy Spirit moved Peter to pray for Dorcas, and a special miracle happened, Dorcas got up. Dorcas was alive again to continue her service work. Many people heard her story, and so the church grew.
Throughout her life, Dorcas made better the lives of the people around her. She saw that someone had to help and that things needed to be done, so she stepped up and served others. Look around. Who needs help? Find small ways and big ways to help others.
Want to dig deeper and learn more about serving others? Check out Romans 12:1, 1 Samuel 12:24, and 1 Peter 4:10.
Challenge
Here’s a list of things you can do to serve others and make a difference. Choose one and do it this week for a friend, family member, or someone else you know who might need help:
- Give a parent a hug and a kiss before school.
- Put away the groceries.
- Sing a song after supper.
- Read the Bible during family devotions.
- Bless a family member with a treat.
- Fold the clean laundry.
- Brush the dog or cat.
- Read a story out loud to a younger sibling.
- Help clean a sibling’s room.
- Find a way to serve at church.
- Choose a way to bless your town or neighborhood and serve.
If it’s around Christmas time, check out the Christmas Coupon Book for more ideas.
