I Am Naturally Gifted Series

My Gifts for His Glory (Series)

I Am Naturally Gifted

Sunday January 6, 2006 am

Reading: Matthew 25:14-30

Introduction:

This morning, I want to begin a new series entitled, “My Gifts for His Glory”. In this series, I hope to accomplish the following:

* To demonstrate the unique giftedness of every Christian.

* To illustrate the importance of understanding and using our gifts.

* To examine the ways in which God gifts us as Christians.

* To expound upon the proper and improper uses of God’s gifts.

* To encourage and exhort each of us to discover, develop and use our gifts to the glory of God.

The title of today’s lesson is “I Am Gifted” and today my goal is to help each of to appreciate the fact that we all have some gift, which has been given to us by God for his glory.

Lesson:

I. Life itself is a gift.

A. One of the characteristics of God is that he is self-existent.

1. God always was and always shall be. As the song declares, “Who wast and art and evermore shall be.”

2. And while we were created in God’s image, the very fact that we were created indicates that we, as human creatures do not have the attribute of self-existence.

a. We have a beginning; at some moment in time, we were conceived and eventually born into this world.

b. But that is not the case with God. In that respect he is unique. He is the creator of all things.

3. The law of cause and effect tells us that all “effects” must have a cause.

a. But reason tells us that if something exists, there either must have been something that caused it to come into existence, or that at least one thing is self-existent.

b. Science has been unsuccessful at determining the identity of anything that is self-existent.

c. The Bible, on the other hand, declares that God is self-existent. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

d. The Bible also tells us about Jesus, that...

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven or on earth, visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:15-17)

B. That being the case, the fact that we even exist is a gift from God.

1. He was under no compulsion to create us.

2. Life is His gift to us. It is a very precious gift. A very fragile gift at times.

3. A gift from God.

C. That being the case, what are you doing with your life?

1. The life that God has given us (or gifted us with) is more than mere existence.

2. The life that God has gifted you has a purpose. “All things (that includes you) were created through Him and for Him”

a. Therein lies the problem that plagues most of humanity.

1) Many people believe that their existence is a mere freak accident; that their life has no purpose whatsoever.

2) Others believe that the purpose of their existence is to do whatever they please.

3) But, if we believe the Word of God, our purpose is “for Him”.

b. We were created for Him.

1) Some people are uncomfortable with this.

2) But think about it, if we were created for Him, then our lives have a purpose that transcends time and space; we have an eternal purpose and an eternal destiny. That’s good news!

D. As a citizen of planet earth, what is my purpose?

1. The writer of Ecclesiastes put it this way, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is the whole duty of Man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

2. Micah put it this way, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

3. If you’re saying to yourself, “That’s too hard, I can’t do that.” Let me tell you this: Any other way is harder still.

4. Is it a challenge? Of course it is. Anything that is worthwhile involves a challenge.

5. Is it impossible? Let me say this, God will give you all the grace you need.

E. Life is a gift, how will you use it.

II. You are unique.

A. There is no one else on earth exactly like you...

1. Scientists have now cloned a variety of animals...exact duplicates to the molecular level...identical DNA.

2. But there is one thing that cannot be cloned, and that is the human soul.