As we think about being good stewards of our talents, I want us to first consider what the Bible says about the priority of ministry. In other words, why should you be interested in finding a place of service within the life of the church? Let me share ten reasons why you should be interested in discovering your place of service within the church.
You’ve been created for ministry!
"For we are God s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
2. You’ve been saved for ministry!
"It is He who saved us and chose us for His holy work,
not because we deserved it but because that was His plan long before the world began." - 2 Timothy 1.9 (LB)
3. You’ve been called to ministry!
"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received" - Ephesians 4:1 (NIV)
You have been chosen by God Himself-you are priests of the King... you are God’s very own - all this is so that you may show to others how God called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were less than nothing; now you are God’s own!"- 1 Peter 2:9-10 (LB)
4. You’ve been gifted for ministry!
"But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that." - 1 Corinthians 7:7 (NIV)
5. You’ve been authorized for ministry!
"(Jesus said) All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples . . .” - Matthew 28:l8-19a (NIV)
"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors." - 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)
6. You’ve commanded to minister!
“Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” - Colossians 4:17 (NKJV)
7. You’re to be prepared for ministry!
"Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church . . ." - Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT)
8. The body of Christ needs your ministry!
"(Jesus said) The harvest is great but the workers are few." - Matthew 9:37 (NLT)
9. You’re accountable for your ministry!
"So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God." - Romans 14:12 (NIV)
10. You will be rewarded for your ministry!
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward."- Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
JOY IN MINISTRY
Some people have a job in church. Others get involved in a ministry. What’s the difference?
• If you’re doing it because no one else will, it’s a job. If you’re doing it to serve the Lord, it’s a ministry.
• If you’re doing it just well enough to get by, it’s a job. If you’re doing it to the best of your ability, it’s a ministry.
• If you’re doing it so long as it doesn’t interfere with other activities, it’s a job.
• If you’re committed to staying with it even when it means letting go of other things, it’s a ministry.
• If you quit because no one praised you or thanked you, it’s a job. If you stay with it even though no one seems to notice, it’s a ministry.
• If your concern is "success," it’s a job.
If your concern is faithfulness, it’s a ministry.
• It’s hard to get excited about a job.
• It’s almost impossible not to be excited about a ministry!
• If God calls you to a ministry, don’t treat it like a job. If you have a job in church, give it up and find a ministry.
God doesn’t want us feeling stuck with a job, but excited and faithful to Him in a ministry.
With these things in mind, let’s see what we can learn from 1 Peter 4:10 about being good stewards of our talents. (Read text) Peter says that if I am going to be a good steward of my talents, I must:
1. Understand what I have to minister with - v. l0a
If kids never opened the gifts they have received from their parents, needless to say, the parents would be most unhappy. In much the same way, it grieves the heart of our heavenly Father when His children do not use the gifts he has given us!
"And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live." - Ephesians 4:30 (NLT)
The fact is that we are all gifted for ministry by God! What we have to use in serving the Lord has been given to us by His grace! God has uniquely "shaped" me for ministry.
"Your hands shaped me and made me. " - Job 10:8a (NIV)
God has been shaping you for ministry since you were born. In fact, God started uniquely shaping you even before you were born!
"Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous ... You were there while I was being formed. .. You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe." - Psalm 139:14-16 (NLT)
You were shaped for a purpose! You are unique!
Our God-given resources for ministry fall into two broad categories:
A. Those that ours naturally - Our natural abilities, our personality, and our experiences.
B. Those that are ours supernaturally - Spiritual gifts and spiritual promptings.
With this in mind, allow me to share with you an acronym for guiding us in discovering what God has given to us to enable us to minister in the unique ways He has planned - S.H.A.P.E.
Spiritual Gifts - What am I gifted to do? Three categories:
1) Ministry - Develop the people of God - Ephesians 4:7-8; 11-12
2) Manifestation - Demonstrate the presence of God -1 Cor. 12:7-11
3) Motivation - Determine my purpose for God - Rom. 12:3-8
Heart - What do I love to do?
"For it is God who works in you, inspiring both the will and the deed, for His own chosen purpose!" - Philippians 2:13 (NEB)
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm37:4 (NIV)
Abilities - What natural abilities and talents do I have?
“Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” - 2 Corinthians 3:5b (NIV)
Personality type - Where does my personality best suit me to serve?
"No one can really know what anyone else is thinking or what he is really like, except that person himself." - 1 Corinthians 2:11 (LB)
Four basic personality types:
1) Choleric (Dominance, Powerful) - Outgoing & project-oriented.
2) Sanguine (Influencing, Popular) - Outgoing & people-oriented.
3) Phlegmatic (Steady, Peaceful) - Reserved & people-oriented.
4) Melancholy (Cautious, Perfect) - Reserved & project-oriented.
Experiences - What kind of experiences have I had?
Your ministry will be most effective and fulfilling when you are using your Spiritual Gifts and Abilities in the area of your Heart’s Desire in a way that best expresses your Personality Type and Experience!
Jobs were scarce and John was ready to give up and join the unemployment line. He noticed a zoo on the way home and walked in unannounced. The manager said that no jobs were available. John turned to walk away.
The zoo manager stopped him and asked if he would be willing to wear a gorilla costume and substitute for the gorilla who had recently died. John agreed and enjoyed convincing the onlookers that he was a gorilla. He grunted and swung through the trees with reckless abandon.
On the second day, he swung from a rope and accidentally fell into the lion’s pit. The lion licked his chops and walked toward John.
John froze in fear. His thoughts were, ’Do I yell and give away my identity or do I do nothing and risk my life?"
He yelled. The lion shot back, "Shut up, or both of us will lose our jobs!"
Do you need purpose? Jesus gives purpose to life. God will give you a ministry to perform that doesn’t require being something you are not, but allows you to be who He has uniquely made you to be.
2. Understand who I am to minister to - v. I0b
Peter says that we have received what we have from God to use in ministry, not to promote ourselves, but to serve others! What Is Ministry? Definition: (Greek - "diakonos" = "to serve")
"Ministry is . . . using whatever God has given me
to serve Him and the needs of others."
WE MINSTER IN THREE DIRECTIONS:
A. To the Lord - I exalt Him through my service.
"As they ministered to the Lord. . ." - Acts 13:2 (NKJV)
B. To other believers – I encourage them through my service.
"You have ministered to the saints and do minister. "
- Hebrews 6:10 (NKJV)
C. To unbelievers – I evangelize them through my service.
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
“Give God all the glory you can by doing all the good you can, for all the people you can, for as long as you can!”
3. Understand why I have a ministry to perform - v. l0c
As each of us does his part within the church, then our church can truly be the body of Christ - Christ at work in the world today - to make known to a lost world the wonderful transforming grace of God!
Each of us is needed in helping our church be "Christ" to a lost world!
"All of you together are the one body of Christ and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. " - Romans 12:5
We were not meant to "go it alone" when it comes to representing Christ to a lost world! We must each do our part, working together.
There is the story of a bricklayer who tried to move 500 pounds of bricks from the top of a five story building to the street below by himself. Here’s the story in his own words, taken from his insurance claim:
"It would have taken too long to carry the bricks down by hand so I decided to put them in a barrel and lower them by a pulley which I fastened to the top of the building. After tying the rope securely at the ground level, I then went up to the top of building, I fastened the rope around the barrel, loaded it with bricks, and swung it over the sidewalk for the descent. Then I went down to the sidewalk and I untied the rope. Holding it securely to guide the barrel down slowly. But I did not realize that since I weigh only 140 pounds, the 500 pound load jerked me from the ground so fast that I didn’t have time to think of letting go of the rope.
As I passed between the second and third floors, I met the barrel coming down. This accounts for the bruises and the lacerations on my upper body. I held tightly to the rope until I reached the top where my hand became jammed in the pulley. This accounts for my broken thumb. At the same time, however, the barrel hit the sidewalk with a "bang" and the bottom fell out. With the weight of the bricks gone, the barrel only weighed 40 pounds, thus my 140 pound body began a swift descent and I met the empty barrel corning up.
This accounts for my broken ankle. I continued the descent and landed on the pile of bricks. This accounts from my sprained back and my broken collar bone. At this point I lost my presence of mind completely, and let go of the rope. The empty barrel came crashing down on me. This accounts for my head injury. As for the last question on your insurance form, ’What would you do if the same situation rose again?’ Please be advised that I have finished trying to do the job all by myself."
We need to come to the same conclusion. Each of us is needed and we all need each other! So let’s all commit ourselves to getting involved in service today!
