Every Member a Minister, 1 Peter 4:10-11

Introduction: How many of you have ever been given someone or something to manage? e.g., who has ever managed an office? a property? employees? finances? a household?

Using biblical language, that means you were a steward. Stewardship is the management of something that is owned by someone else. You’ve experienced this- Managing well buys you extreme trust from the one who gave it to you. Mismanagement limits what is entrusted to you.

E.g., the best biblical example of stewardship is Joseph- God gave him a dream, & he managed it right into slavery in Egypt, but he served so well, that his owner (Potiphar) made him overseer over his whole house, second only to him- “he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread that he ate” (Gen 39:6).

Potiphar’s wife had the “hots” for Joseph. She falsely accused Joseph of a sexual attack & he was thrown into prison. He managed himself right into the 2nd position of the prison. “And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing” (Gen 39:22).

God was with Joseph, and through His intervention, Joseph was given the opportunity & ability to interpret a dream for Pharaoh. He was made 2nd in all of Egypt. Genesis 41:40, You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you. Joseph went from Potiphar’s house to the big house to Pharaoh’s house, & he was faithful everywhere God put him. Managing well buys you extreme trust from the one who gave it to you.

Mismanagement limits what is entrusted to you. In Luke 16, Jesus told a parable about an unfaithful (unjust) steward. He was a manager for a rich man who accused him of wasting his goods. The rich man demanded an accounting of his stewardship(what he managed) & said “you can no longer be steward” (manager). When the steward realized he was losing his job, he thought about his options- I cannot dig, I’m too ashamed to beg, so I will go to my boss’s debtors & slash their debt, that way when I am released, at least I will have somewhere to stay. When the master saw what he had done, he commended his proactive choice.

Jesus finished the parable with this reminder for us: Luke 16:10-12, He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? Mismanagement limits what is entrusted to you.

Can I tell you; God has entrusted each of us with 4 BIG things that we are to steward for Him: Time, TALENTS, Treasure, & Testimony. How we use those gifts of God by His power and for His glory will determine how much more God gives to us to use for Him. We are going to talk about one of them- your TALENTS.

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus taught the parable of the talents. In Jesus’ day, a talent was a unit of weight, approximately 75 pounds, used to measure coins. A parable, literally meaning “a placing beside”, is a story that places one thing beside another for comparison’s sake. In this parable, the Master is Christ, the servants are His Church (i.e. believers, members), and the talents are the gifts that God gives us. Charles Ryrie said, “the contrast here is between those who make use of God’s gifts and those who do not.” For our purposes, the talents stand for the natural abilities and spiritual gifts which God has freely given to us.

1 Peter 4:10–11, As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1. Every believer has received the GRACEof God.

The scripture is clear, we are saved by grace. Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Many miss the purpose in the next verse, Eph 2:10, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

God made you unique- with a personality, natural talents, and abilities that are all your own.Few people are prodigies, so most of us discover our natural aptitudes through personal interest (passions) and experience (skills). There is no one else that has the same mix of personality, abilities, passions, and skills as you.

When we get saved, the Holy Spirit starts shaping our unique identity into the image of Christ.He adds spiritual gifts into the mix. Spiritual gifts are different from natural ones because they are not aptitudes given at our birth, they are gifts we receive when we are born again.

Spiritual gifts are gifts of grace (Gr. charis). Gifts of grace are called charisma or charismata. Ephesians 4:7-8 explains that all spiritual gifts are given by the Lord Jesus. “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

So, if you are saved- you get a gift, & you get a gift, & you get a gift… In fact, you probably have several spiritual gifts.

2. Every believer has received GIFTSfrom God.

There are two broad groups of spiritual gifts- SPEAKING & SERVING.

SPEAKING gifts are to be done on behalf of God (oracles), delivering a message from Him, i.e., His mouthpiece. SERVING gifts (if anyone ministers) are to be done in the power of God (the ability that He supplies).

There are 3 main lists of spiritual gifts: Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 28; Ephesians 4:11-12. Those three lists can be divided into 3 basic categories: Miraculous (charismatic), Enabling (things all believers can develop), & the Teamgifts.

Team gifts are service or task-oriented, or are activities performed such as teaching. The Team Gifts are functional and involve speaking or ministering. You may have several gifts that vary in degree & intensity. They may complement your employment & your life experience.

Short List of Team Gifts: Speaking = teaching, evangelism, exhortation, encouragement, prophesy (only 1 on all 3 lists)

Serving = service (ministry), giving, leading (administration), mercy

Simple recipe: open your gift, stir in whatever moves your heart (passions), & blend it with the natural abilities God has given you (skills).

Find your place: use the GPS (gifts, passions, skills), God’s Positioning System.

3. Every believer is to use their gifts for the GLORY of God and the GOOD of others.

3 volunteers will share about a ministry they are involved with.

Karen Isaacs - how you can fulfill your purpose for Worship Haley Klinge - how you can fulfill your calling to Discipleship Bill Roberts - how you can live out your Mission to serve others

If you are a believer, you have been given God’s grace to receive spiritual gifts to use for the glory of God and the good of others.

One of the best ways to discover your spiritual gifts is to pray and serve. Use your GPS! What are you interested in? What are you passionate about? What skills have you picked up? These will help you find your place of service in the church and world.

In the bulletin is a ministry sheet that tells you about the ministry opportunities available in our church.We’re asking you to do 2 things: PRAY & CONSIDER. Fill out the sheet, turn it in, & a ministry leader will get in touch with you. Reps from our music ministry, children’s ministry, & safety team will be at the back with me. You can let them know you are interested & they will follow up with you.

Close: You may be here and thinking- You know, I don’t know what my gifts are, I’m not even sure I’ve received God’s grace, I’m surely not living my life for God’s glory or for the good of others. Your salvation is more important than your service. If you’re not saved, service won’t matter.

If God is telling you to be saved, it’s as simple as A, B, C. Agree with God that you are a sinner. Believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. Confess Him as your Savior and Lord. Romans 10:9 , that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. If you do that today, we want to help you follow Jesus and grow in your faith.