Stewardship Of Talent Series

Stewardship of Talent

Romans 12:3-8

Essential driving question of life

"When I grow up I want to be " ".

Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? –more specifically, "What is the meaning of my life?

"I was made for " ".

EVERYBODY HAS A PURPOSE

-Given by God

Psalm 37:23 The steps of a man are from the Lord.

James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and get gain"; whereas you do not know about tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and we will do this or that."

Isaiah 43:1 But now says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."

I. You Must Find Your Purpose

"More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent." -Billy Sunday

A. Prayer

Psalm 37:23 The steps of a man are from the Lord.

Exodus 31:1-6 The Lord said to Moses, "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded.

God created each of us for a specific purpose.

B. Design

1. Desire What would I really like to do?

2. Skills What am I good at or able to do?

3. Experience What have I done successfully in the past?

4. Spiritual Gifts How is God using me/ How has God used me to minister His grace?

*Simplified: "How has God loved people through me?"

If everybody has a purpose, you must realize that

II. You Are Equipped For That Purpose

Exodus 31:6 "I have given to all able men ability"

I Corinthians 12:7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (RSV)

The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. (CEV)

Romans 12:6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them

The Rust Factor

A. Use it, or Lose it!

Using our gifts, for their intended purpose, to the fullest, provides meaning to our lives. Otherwise we wander aimlessly living empty lives.

Romans 12:6b-8

B. Honing Helps

Proverb 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

*Cutlery experience (Cutco)

-Useful people get used most often

Romans 12:4-6 We have many parts in the one body, and all these parts have different functions. In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body. So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. (TEV)

C. Be Yourself

I Corinthians 12: 14-20

No two people are alike- each are given gifts according to our purpose in life and ministry.

III. Your Purpose Is A Shared Purpose

Romans 12:5 So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

A. Interdependence

I Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

*Independence-do it on my own.

*Dependence-incapable of doing it alone.

*Interdependent-helping you helps me do it better.

B. Humility

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given to me I bid every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him.

Psalm 12:3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts.

Proverb 16:5 The Lord doesn’t like anyone who is conceited–you can be sure they will be punished. (CEV)

cf. Luke 14:11; 18:14