The sermon titled 'True Feminine Beauty' by Peter Allison explores the biblical concept of feminine beauty through the story of Tabitha, also known as Dorcas, from Acts 9. The speaker contrasts the ever-changing societal standards of beauty with the unchanging biblical definition, which emphasizes inner qualities such as good works, a gentle and quiet spirit, and devotion to God. Tabitha is highlighted as a model of true beauty due to her discipleship, charitable deeds, and dedication to serving others. The sermon references biblical teachings from Paul and Peter, emphasizing that beauty is not merely external but is defined by one's character and actions. Tabitha's name, meaning 'gazelle' in both Hebrew and Greek, symbolizes grace and beauty, further illustrating her character. The sermon concludes with a reflection on the lasting impact of a life devoted to Christ and the incorruptible nature of inner beauty.

Acts chapter 9, beginning at verse 36. Hear God's word. 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. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. And when he had come, they brought him to the upper room, and all the widows stood by him, weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise.

And she opened her eyes. And when she saw Peter, she sat up. And then she gave her his hand and lifted her up. And When he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

And so it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, A tanner. Blessed are those who hear this Word of God and keep it. Heavenly Father, help us to understand Your Word and to keep it. And I ask that you would sanctify my sinful lips, that they may proclaim the riches of your grace this morning, and that you would keep me from error. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Well, in the course of preparing this message, I wondered at one point what our culture had to say about beauty. I had a pretty good idea, or I thought I did, particularly, especially, feminine beauty. But I did what most of us do these days and typed, what is feminine beauty? Into a search engine. And on the first page was a Wikipedia article entitled, The Feminine Beauty Ideal.

And according to this authority, quote, feminine beauty ideal, the feminine beauty ideal is a specific set of beauty standards regarding traits that are ingrained in women throughout their lives and from a young age to increase their perceived physical attractiveness. It is experienced by many women in the world, though the traits change over time and vary in country and culture." It goes on to say, "...the feminine beauty ideal traits include, but are not limited to, female body shape, facial features, skin tones, height, clothing style, hairstyle, and body weight." And as I glanced through all the other numerous results, which included academic papers by people with PhDs, self-help and life coach gurus, to beauty columnists, Two points were universal, or nearly so. One was that beauty was a social contract, A social construct. And second was that the standard of beauty was continually changing. In other words, beauty is defined by what society values.

And that different cultures and societies can and do have various standards of beauty, different standards of beauty, and that these standards of beauty are continually changing. So how is anyone supposed to know what they are? Well every woman does This article this Wikipedia article went on to describe many horrific practices of the past or even of the present that were done either by women or done to women in the pursuit of the prevailing standard of beauty. Whatever was prevailing. And you're probably well familiar with some of the horrific things that women have done to themselves or have been done to them as little girls in the pursuit of the cultural ideal, the ever-changing cultural ideal of beauty.

But this understanding of beauty as this social construct that's continually changing. It's not unique to our culture. Both the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter address this topic of feminine beauty. And from what they write, it's very clear that their culture in which they lived 2, 000 years ago is no different than our culture. Paul told Timothy in 1st Timothy 2, verse 8, He said, I desire therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.

And then he says, in a like manner. Similarly. Also that the women adorn themselves with modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, which is proper for women professing godliness with good works." He says, I want feminine beauty is for women to be adorned with good works. Peter wrote something very similar in 1 Peter 3. He instructed women, do not let your adornment be merely outward.

You know that word Adornment is the word for world, cosmos. It's interesting that we have a magazine that's known for its promiscuity and its beauty. The beauty magazine is known by Cosmopolitan. It's the same word. That word in 1 Peter, it's the only time, I believe, in the New Testament that the word cosmos is used in this way.

But that's what it is. Do not let your adornment be merely outward, arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel. Rather, Peter says, let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and a quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." Now initially, that appears to contradict what Paul said in 1 Timothy. Paul said in 1 Timothy, don't let your adornment be these external things. And Peter said, don't let your endowment merely be these things.

That's according to New King James. So I started wondering, Which is it? What's going on here? And notice that word merely is in italics in the New King James. And so when I looked into Greek, it's not there.

And There's nothing to suggest that merely should be in there. There's nothing to suggest that that's necessary to correctly translate the Greek. So then I started checking all the other translations on this text. And merely I discovered it's not in the ESV, it's not in the authorized version, it's not in the revised version, it's not in the NIV, it's not in the net Bible, it's not in the Geneva Bible, it's not in the Bishop's Bible, it's not in the King James Bible, it's not in most any other Bible except, I was surprised to find, it's in the New American Standard and in the New King James. So I would submit that this passage in 1 Peter should be, do not let your beauty be external, not just merely external, but don't let it be external, such as braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing up in fine clothes.

The Bible is saying don't make your beauty consist in the externals. Because that's not where beauty consists. The clothes and the jewelry and the hair. The hair is given to women for a glory. But the Bible says don't let it be the standard of beauty.

Let your adornment, let your beauty be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a meek and a quiet spirit. See, a beautiful woman is one who by the grace of God is adorned by good works. That's how the Bible defines feminine beauty. A woman who by the grace of God is adorned with good works. The Bible says feminine Beauty, it's not a social construct.

It's not what society thinks. It's defined by the Word of God. And of course, this Word of God is unchangeable. And so the standard of feminine beauty is not continually changing. It's not a social construct, and it's not continually changing.

The grass withers and the flower fades, as we heard. But the word of God endures forever." And Peter continues in this manner. In 1 Peter 3, he says, "'For in this manner, in former times, holy women who trusted God also adorned themselves this way.'" And then he goes on to talk about Sarah as an example. He refers back 2, 000 years to Sarah as an example of feminine beauty. And so we can say the standard of beauty has not changed in 4, 000 years or in the history of the world, 6, 000 years.

It hasn't changed since the beginning of time. The Bible defines feminine beauty as a woman who is adorned with good works. And so when Luke introduces us to Tabitha by saying that she was a woman full of good works, the Scripture is saying that This is a beautiful woman. This woman has true beauty. This woman, Tabitha, has lasting beauty.

And what does our text say about Tabitha? This beautiful woman. It says that at Joppa in a city by the coast, there was a certain disciple named Tabitha. Tabitha was first of all a disciple of Jesus Christ. That's how it introduces her.

Outside of the Apostles, there are only a very few people that are called disciples in the Scriptures by name. Ananias was called a disciple. Timothy was a disciple. Nason of Cyprus was someone who provided lodging to the Apostle Paul was a disciple. And Tabitha.

Tabitha is the only time that the disciple is used in the feminine. It's the only time it's a feminine. So what is a disciple? Because that's what she is. Well, the Bible defines a disciple in a number of ways.

The first way is the disciples are those who believe in Christ. Disciples are those who put their trust in Christ. John 2 says in 11 says, The beginning of signs Jesus did in Canaan of Galilee and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. And in John 6, 67, Jesus asked to the disciples, do you also want to go away? Because many of his disciples were departing from him because he had said no one can come to the Father except the Father draw them.

And he turned to his disciples and said, do you want to go away also? And Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And also, we have come to believe and to know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. A disciple is someone who believes and trusts in Christ, first of all.

Secondly, disciples are those who believe what Christ says. We can't believe in Christ without believing what He says. John 2, 22, Therefore when he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to him, and they believed the Scriptures and the Word, which Jesus had said. A disciple is someone who believes Jesus' words. John 8.31, Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him, He said, if you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed.

So a disciple is someone who believes God's Word. The word disciple means a learner. It means a follower. So a disciple is someone who learns and receives instruction from someone else. So to call Tabitha a disciple is to say that Tabitha learned the Word of God.

That she was proficient in the Scriptures and in the doctrine of God's Word. But a disciple is also someone who obeys Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 7, 21, Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but He who does the will of my Father in Heaven." A disciple is someone who does the will of God. And Tabitha was obedient to her calling as a woman. A disciple is also someone who imitates Christ.

Matthew 10, 24, Jesus said, A disciple is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like His teacher. A disciple is someone who is like the one they are learning from, who imitates them. They want to imitate their Master in how they think, in how they live, in what they believe, in the work that they do, in every way about us. We want to imitate Christ if we're His disciple.

Christ said, If I, your Lord and Master, wash your feet, you ought also to wash one another's feet. Tabitha imitated Christ. She washed the feet of those around her. We'll see that. But also, fifthly, a disciple is someone who is devoted to Christ.

A disciple is someone who has one Master, not many. We can't be devoted to many different things. That's a contradiction. To be devoted means we have a single focus. We're dedicated to something.

We're devoted to it. Jesus said you can't be devoted to Him and to mammon. You can't serve God and man. To be devoted is to be wholeheartedly focused on one thing. Jesus said in Luke 14, 33, So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has, cannot be My disciple.

We can't be devoted to other things and be Christ's disciple. To be His disciple means that we forsake all else to follow Him. We dedicate our lives to following Him. In Matthew 16, 24, Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." He's describing the devotion of his disciples.

Willing to sacrifice their lives. To lose their lives for His sake. He says those are the people that have a life. A good disciple also glorifies God. Disciple can bring shame and disrepute to the one that is followed, or a disciple can bring honor to the one that is followed.

A true disciple is one who glorifies God. Jesus said in John 15, By this My Father is glorified that you bear much fruit, so you will be My disciples. Disciples are those who glorify God and they do that by bearing fruit, by these good works that Tabitha was known for. See, Tabitha brought glory to God as a disciple of Christ. She believed His Word.

She was proficient in the doctrine of Scripture. And she was devoted to Christ. She imitated Christ. She obeyed Christ. She glorified Christ.

And in so doing, she was a woman of great beauty. Tabitha was probably a Jew because of her Hebrew name Tabitha. In Hebrew, it means gazelle. Now usually names are transliterated, not translated. The name Stephen means crown.

The name Peter means rock. The name Abraham in Hebrew, those are Greek words, Hebrew name would be Abraham, which would be the father of many nations. We don't call Abraham the father of many nations, we just transliterate his Hebrew name Abraham. But when names are translated instead of transliterated, it's usually because there is some significance to the meaning of the name. Remember, Jesus gave a Simon the name Peter, which means rock.

And when He did that, He said, you are Peter and on this rock I will build My church. He's translating Peter's name Rock. Well, Luke provides the Greek translation of the Hebrew word tabitha telling us that her name in the Greek is Dorcas. And that's The Greek word for gazelle, just like the Hebrew word tabitha is gazelle. So there's probably some significance to the meaning of her name.

Gazelles are known for their grace and their beauty. And I think that may be why Tabitha's name was translated for us out of the Hebrew. And not just transliterated. Tabitha was probably a widow or a single woman. There's no mention of her family even in her death.

You know when Jairus' daughter or the ruler of the synagogue, when these children died, there's mention of the family, the parents, and so on. There's no mention of her family even in death. It just says they washed her body. So it's possible, and probably likely, I think, that she was a widow like Anna, or maybe a single woman who never married, and who didn't have, may not have had any family, any close family. We can't know for sure, but I think that's a good likelihood.

And as a woman of Christ, a disciple of Christ, Tabitha was a woman of beauty in that she imitated Christ and was devoted to him. It says that she was one full of good works. A widow who qualified to be supported was one of the requirements was that they had been well known for their good works. 1 Timothy 5, 9 says, do not let a widow under 60 years old be taken into the number. Don't pay her.

Don't provide monetary support for her. Nonetheless, she has been the wife of one man well reported for good works. If she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work." So Tabitha met this qualification. She was, Luke says, full of good works. And she was known by her labors in making tunics and garments.

Which I think is rather interesting observation or an interesting occupation for her. Because Proverbs 31, which provides an extended discourse on what it means to be a homemaker, what it means to be the ideal that Titus, too, speaks of. It says specifically that this is one of the characteristics of this kind of godly woman. Proverbs 31, 19. She stretches out her hand to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle.

She extends her hand to the pore, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household. For all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Making clothes for one's household and for those in need, for the poor, is one of the characteristics of feminine beauty, true feminine beauty. Now we don't have spinning wheels and distaffs in our homes today, but William Arnow, who lived from 1808 to 1875, in his commentary on proverbs called Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth regarding this section in Proverbs 31 on spinning. He says, quote, the form of industry is primitive. The spindle and the distaff are its instruments, wool and flax its raw material. In the rural districts of our own land, " and he's from Scotland, so he's speaking the last century in Scotland, he said, "'This species of skilt continued still very lately to be considered an essential feminine accomplishment.

Said in my younger years, so early 1800s, when the goods of a richly-dowered bride were conveyed on the evening before the marriage to her future home, it was still the custom to set a spinning wheel, fully rigged with its rock of flax and its thread begun. It was fully the custom to set a spinning wheel aloft on the top of the hindmost cart in this glad procession. I have seen this significant symbol, and it is quite possible I may have joined in the joyous hurrah that greeted the emblem of industry as it passed. My mother, whom I never saw, spun with both hands every afternoon. And as her eyes were not fully occupied with the work, she kept the Bible lying open on the stock of the wheel, that by a glance, now and then, she might feed her soul while she was employed in clothing her household." You see, the tools have changed of our day after being relatively unchanged for several thousand years apparently.

The tools have changed, but the principle is not. The true feminine beauty is characterized by good works. The good works that are unique to womanhood. See, Habatha presents an example, a good example of somebody finding her life because she was willing to lose it for Christ's sake. She didn't lose it by dying.

She lost it by sacrificing herself and her own pleasures and what she might have wanted to pursue by sacrificing herself to serve others in what might be today considered a mundane or unfulfilling calling. But we see in this passage that her work, that her sacrifice was mightily used by God. This wasn't something that she did occasionally when she felt like it. She was dedicated to this calling. That's evident that there were a lot of clothes.

All the widows were showing tunics and garments that she had made while she was with them. Now it also says that Tabitha was also full of charitable deeds, which she did. Charitable deeds. The dictionary defines this word charitable deeds, it's one word in the Greek. It defines it as the exercise of benevolent goodwill, of alms, charitable giving, with a focus on the attitude and actions as such.

It's giving alms, benevolence, and so on, But it's a focus on action, and it's a focus on the attitude with which that action is carried out. You see, those are very important aspects of service. Nobody feels very served if they're given acts of service by people that don't want to be doing them. See, attitude is very important. And it's a significant part of this charitable deeds that she was known for.

She was full of good works and charitable deeds. You see, it shows compassion. This charitable deeds is to show compassion for those in need with action, not just Words or prayers. And Luke emphasizes what this word means when he says, by charitable deeds, which she did. It's kind of repetitive.

The word does focus on action. But Luke wants to make sure we understand that there's an action involved. These are things that she did. She was a woman who loved indeed, and not just word only. She loved those also who were truly in need and not able to repay her in kind.

She loved the widows. It was the widows that she was doing these things for. Tabitha was a woman who was much loved because of this. Beauty is that to which we are naturally attracted. That's what beauty in essence is.

And charitable deeds, those deeds in action, those deeds done with a wholesome attitude, are beautiful. They're beautiful to those in need, and they are beautiful to Christ, and they're beautiful to His people. You see, one of the ways that we show the beauty of Christ is through these kinds of charitable deeds, the quiet, selfless ministering to those who are in need. These widows were weeping when she departed, showing all the garments that she had made. You see, it was this quiet, mundane, some would say, labor that was so precious to so many people, to so many widows.

See, it was the compassion. It was the compassionate heart and attitude that she exercised and demonstrated to these people in need, as well as the gifts that she gave them that were so beautiful. Well, eventually Tabitha dies. She becomes sick and died, as all men born of Adam will. She wasn't a sinless person.

The fact that she got sick and died means that she was a sinner just like everyone else. Like you and I. But her death, she had an impact on people. They didn't just bury her and go on with life. In fact, they didn't even bury her immediately.

And the people that she apparently most impacted were not her immediate family. I find that significant, either because she didn't have any, or for whatever reason, they're not mentioned in the text. But she was a woman of influence who positively impacted many people. Her good works outlasted her life. And she is remembered with this great emotion, this great outpouring of emotion by widows after she dies.

And when she dies, she's washed and she's put in the upper room. They didn't bury her right away as probably would have been the custom. Instead, two men, when they hear that Peter is in Joppa, two men are dispatched to bring Peter. And There's a sense of urgency here. They sent two men to him imploring Peter, imploring him, not to delay in coming to them.

Now, the ambulances don't need to run the sirens and lights when they're transporting dead people, hearse's, because there's no hurry. So this fact that they are employing him to hurry, I think is meaning they're probably not calling him to come to do the burial service. I think they had something else in mind. I think they remembered that Peter has healed and dead people have been raised. And I think that there was something, that they had a faith that God could do this through Peter.

And we looked at healing and all its aspects last week, so I won't get into those things again. But Peter is called and comes. And kneeling down after he puts everybody out, he prays and she is raised to life, and he presents her to all the people alive. And I can Imagine, even though the text doesn't say it, that just as there was great sorrow and weeping by these widows in her death, that there was great joy and rejoicing in her life. You see, the clothes and the external adornments will pass away.

But this inward beauty is incorruptible. In fact, the longer you put it on, the more your beauty increases, unlike all the externals that everybody recognizes pass away rather quickly. This inward beauty is incorruptible. It doesn't diminish, it grows. And so Proverbs 31 ends with a very fitting summary.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing. But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Tabitha feared the Lord. And she was praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates.

She engaged in a mundane labor. She didn't seek fame as a teacher or as a great public persona. But she was praised. There's a poem by C.T. Studd that you've probably heard before that I thought was very appropriate in this context.

It's called, Only One Life, Till Soon Be Past. Two little lines I heard one day, traveling along life's busy way, Bringing conviction to my heart and from my mind would not depart. Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. Only one life, a brief few years, each with its burdens, hopes, and fears, each with its clays I must fulfill, living for self or in His will.

Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. Give me, Father, a purpose deep in joy or sorrow, Thy Word to keep. Faithful and true, whate'er the strife, pleasing Thee in my daily life. Only one life will soon be passed.

Only what's done for Christ will last. Only one life, yes only one, now let me say thy will be done. And when it lasts, I'll hear the call. I know I'll say, it was worth it all. Only one life will soon be passed.

Only what's done for Christ will last. Heavenly Father, we dedicate our lives to You, our fortunes, our relationships, our treasures, and our talents. And we ask that you might receive them. We ask, Lord, that you would enable us to lose our life for your sake. Through Jesus Christ.

Amen.