What are the Best Gifts of God?
Shared on August 4, 2024
There is not just one gift that God gives. There are many different gifts from the Lord with none being more important than the other. Join Pastor McCrary this week as he takes a look at the beautiful testimony of Tabitha and her good works.
Introduction
Our lesson this week is the last lesson within this first unit of lessons we’ve had this summer quarter. All of the lessons within this first unit have been focused on women of faith that have been used by the Lord. This last woman that we are going to be taking a look at is one who I refer to most out of the bunch.
The Ministry of Tabitha
Our lesson this week takes place in a city named Joppa. There was a community of believers who lived in Joppa with one of them named Tabitha or Dorcas. We are told in Acts 9:36 that Tabitha was a disciple, which meant that she was a follower of the way of Christ. We should not confuse this with her being one of the 12 disciples or apostles.
Tabitha represents us, the believers of today in that she heard the gospel and believed. In her faith, we are told that she was a woman that was full of good works and charitable deeds. This description of her, you should understand, speaks of her service (or ministry). Now, I will touch more on this in just a moment but let’s continue to set this scene.
Acts 9:37 tells us that Tabitha had grown sick and died. Rather than burying her, she was put in an upper room by her brothers and sisters of the faith. They did this because they heard that Peter was in a nearby city and they sought to get him to come (Acts 9:38). These disciples did not want to lose someone who they loved dearly.
So, Peter came from the nearby city immediately and when he was making his way to the upper room, Tabitha’s works began to speak. How could her works speak for her when she was lying dead in the upper room? Well, We are told that all the widows stood nearby weeping and showing Peter Tabitha’s works (Acts 9:39).
You see, Tabitha wasn’t one that went around and preached the word, like Peter and Paul, for example. Preaching wasn’t a gift given to Tabitha by God. However, Tabitha was given another gift to use for ministering Christ to others. Tabitha ministered Christ through her charitable deeds of making tunics and garments for the widows!
The Many Different Gifts of God
I absolutely love those widows being there to show Peter Tabitha’s works. The reason why I love this so much is because it shows that God can use us in more ways than one.
There are many believers that think they haven’t received a gift from God to minister. The reason why is because some believers think that teaching or preaching is the only way to minister. Let’s understand that teaching or preaching is not the only way to minister the gospel. I often use Tabitha as an example of the even more important gifts that God gives because she was full of good works even though she didn’t preach.
In both Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, Paul wrote about spiritual gifts so that believers wouldn’t be ignorant of God’s gifts. In both places, Paul wrote that there are diversities of gifts given by God (Rom. 12:4; 1 Cor. 12:4). He would go on to write about how some have been given the gift of prophecy, teaching, exhorting, healing, and discerning spirits. He asked, “are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers (1 Cor. 12:29)?”
In both places, while Paul wrote about gifts, I want you to understand that he wrote about a limited number of gifts. Paul limited the gifts, essentially, in the same manner many do today to those gifts that are vocal. However, what Paul does point out is that God’s way is higher than our way which is why he did say that there are various gifts. Paul couldn’t name all of the gifts God gives if he wanted to!
The beauty of different gifts
The most beautiful thing about there being an innumerable amount of gifts from God are all the doors it opens and to whom they are opened.
What I mean by this statement is that often only a few roles of service are thought of when it comes to ministering. For example, when you think of the church, the most “prominent” roles are that of the preacher and the deacon. What’s even worse about this thought is who is often seen serving these roles. Men have always thought to be the only ones that can be deacons, teachers, and preachers- ministers of the Lord.
Some will point to Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 14:34 where he stated that women should “remain silent in the churches”. This is a statement that has been taken out of context and has nothing to do with teaching or preaching. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul wrote about the conduct within worship service. His primary focus in the chapter was about speaking in tongues and distracting others in worship (1 Cor. 14:23).
Paul’s notion was that there needed to be order in church, rather than a show, so that people could learn and understand (1 Cor. 14:24). Paul’s concern was not about whether women should or shouldn’t preach. As we had seen his say in the earlier chapter, there are various gifts given to all for all to be used. The beauty of the many gifts of God is that they are open for all to use whether man, woman, boy, or girl!
Tabitha is a great example of one who ministered through giving. I don’t know if Tabitha received any money for her works, in fact, the suggestion is that she gave to the widows freely. It’s likely she didn’t receive anything because the widows wouldn’t have had anything to give. So, Tabitha had a gift and she used her gift out of the genuineness of her heart.
Whether or not you, like Tabitha, are good with making garments, that can certainly be used as a gift to share with others. Not every gift from God has to be a vocal gift and we shouldn’t ever think that way! Some of us are good cooks, while others are good at playing instruments. Some of us are good at being patient, standing by, and listening while some of us may have to be on the go.
I am a big believer that can use you to minister His grace in any manner that He wishes. Whatever you do, just make sure you’re doing to give in service to the Lord. Your works will speak for you both in this world and when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ. In fact, as we see with Tabitha, your works can even outlive you and that is one of the most beautiful things about the fruit we bear.
Tabitha’s Life Restored
Our lesson comes to a close with Peter putting the widows out the room so that he could go to work (Acts 9:40). Scripture doesn’t show this but I do believe Peter marveled at what he was seeing. I have to imagine that his heart was made a bit glad to see the testimony of Tabitha’s works. I do believe that her death happened for this reason so that her testimony could be known for all of us today.
So, we’ll see that Peter knelt down, prayed, and then called for Tabitha to arise. We have certainly seen this happen a couple of times throughout scripture. In fact, you have to imagine that Peter definitely remembered how Christ restored the life of the daughter of Jairus from death. Tabitha’s eyes opened and it became known throughout the land her wonderful story (Acts 9:41-43).
As I said, this small story is one of my favorite stories in scripture. Again, the reason why that is because the Lord shows us that anybody can serve Him. You don’t have to be a preacher, deacon, or a singer in the choir to serve the Lord. There are a number of ways that you can serve the Lord! There are a number of ways that God will use you to minister to others.
What’s most important is that you be opened to the idea of God using you in any way. There are many people who get upset that their calling wasn’t to teach or to preach. Never think any less of whatever the gift is that the Lord has blessed you with. I truly do believe that God’s most important gifts are those that often go unspoken, unseen, and unheard.