Kingdom Talent

🎬 Introduction & Opening Story

Have you ever noticed how some of the most talented people in the world seem the farthest from God?

Musicians who can move a stadium to tears…

Entrepreneurs who can build an empire from nothing…

Athletes who seem almost superhuman.

It’s hard not to wonder — how can someone be so gifted and yet so godless?

But before we get too judgmental, let’s bring that question closer to home.

Because if we’re honest — many of us sitting in church every Sunday are just as guilty.

We’ve taken what God gave us at birth — our ability to lead, create, speak, build, teach, sing, organize — and we’ve used it mainly to build our world instead of His Kingdom.

🎯 Here’s the tension:

Most Christians never realize that their natural talent and their spiritual gift were both given by the same God — and both are meant for the same purpose: to glorify Him.

But too often, we separate them.

We dedicate our “spiritual gifts” on Sunday… and we use our “talents” for everything else Monday through Saturday.

And that division kills Kingdom impact.

But here’s the question every one of us must answer:

“Will I give my God-given abilities and gifting back to the Lord or use them for my own ambitions?”

That’s what this message — Kingdom Talent — is all about.

Today, we’re going to look at a man named Bezalel and Oholiab in Exodus 31,

a man God filled with skill, intelligence, and the Spirit of God to build His dwelling place.

Through Bezalel’s story, we’ll see three truths that will help us release our own potential for God’s glory:

God Designs Our Natural Talent.

God Defines Our Spiritual Gift.

The Phrase for today:

You were born with talent, but you were born again for purpose.

🧭 SERMON OUTLINE

God Designs Our Natural Talent

God created you with natural talent as part of His master plan. Your abilities are not random — they are divine blueprints wired into your DNA.

📖 Exodus 31:1–6; Psalm 139:13–14; James 1:17

Exodus 31:1–6 ESV

1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. 6 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 you:

Talent and Abilities are God’s Common Grace.

Bezalel’s “skill, ability, and intelligence” were God-given before the task began.

Psalm 139:13–14 ESV

13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Natural talent is a gift from the Father

James 1:17 ESV

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Do you view yourself as gifted and wonderfully made? Do you focus more on what talents you have or don’t have? (I wish I was like….)

Envy of others keeps you from discovering your God-given purpose.

Talent is Purpose-Loaded.

You weren’t given talent for self-promotion, but for divine construction.

Your work, creativity, leadership, music, administration, or craft is sacred when surrendered.

Illustration: George Washington Carver — “The Hand of God in the Peanut”

George Washington Carver grew up a slave boy who loved plants. He’d walk the fields of Missouri talking to the flowers and trees as if they were his students.

Years later, that same God-given curiosity led him to become one of the greatest scientists in American history. But what made Carver different wasn’t just his intelligence — it was his surrender. Every morning he rose before dawn to ask God, “Show me the secrets of Your creation.”

One day he prayed, and felt the Lord reply, “That’s too big for you, little man. But I’ll show you the secrets of the peanut.”

From that prayer and that talent, God gave him over 300 uses for the peanut — from plastics to paints — and a vision that saved Southern farmers from ruin.

His story is proof that your natural ability was not meant for personal success — it was designed for divine service.

Transition:

Bezalel’s hands built the Tabernacle. Carver’s hands reshaped agriculture. And your hands — whatever skill they hold — were made by God for His purpose.

Application:

Everything you can naturally do — your skills, training, experience — is meant to serve the supernatural work of the Kingdom.

💡 Application Statement: “What you were born with must be brought under the Lordship of Christ.”

God Defines Our Spiritual Gift

When you are born again, the Holy Spirit empowers you with supernatural gifts to accomplish what talent alone cannot do.

📖 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Romans 12:6–8; 1 Peter 4:10–11

1 Corinthians 12:4–11 ESV

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Spiritual Gifts are supernatural, Not by birth or new birth.

Not everyone gets a spiritual gift when they are born again.

Everyone gets the indwelling of the Spirit as the seal of your salvation.

New birth in the Spirit gives you the potential for all spiritual gifts.

Spiritual Gifts are given in the context of ministry.

It is a manifestation of the Spirit in the life of the believer. Others see the power of God through you.

Spiritual gifts test are only effective if you have been active in ministry and experienced the power of God in your life and ministry. If you have not been active in ministry than it is just a form of a personality test.

The question would be, “How have you and others witnessed the Holy Spirit use you in the past?”

We identify a spiritual gift through ministry exposure and the Spirit’s impact on others.

Spiritual Gifts are given for the common good of the Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Spiritual Gifts Elevate Talent into Ministry.

When your natural skill meets supernatural power, Kingdom impact multiplies.

Illustration: Stephany Almond and Never Alone Ministry

One of the best examples of this in our own church is Stephany Almond.

Stephany has always had a strong entrepreneurial talent — she knows how to organize, plan, and bring people together to accomplish a vision.

But when the Holy Spirit got ahold of her heart, that natural ability was anointed for Kingdom purpose.

What started as a simple dream — to help people find mental and emotional wellness through Christ-centered coaching — became the ministry we now know as Never Alone.

God took Stephany’s business-minded skill and infused it with a spiritual gift of mercy and discernment.

Today, Never Alone isn’t just serving our church — it’s expanding into other churches across our community, helping people find healing and hope in Jesus’ name.

That’s what happens when a natural talent is defined by the Spirit and deployed for the Kingdom.

Theological Summary: Talent vs. Spiritual Gift (Slide)

The Holy Spirit doesn’t erase your natural skill; He elevates it.

“He takes what you can do, and adds what only He can do.”

Exodus 36:1–2 ESV

1 “Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.” 2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work.

Application:

Don’t confuse natural ability with spiritual authority. Talent may impress people, but only anointing transforms them.

💡 Application Statement: “You were born with talent — but you were born again with power.”

🧩 Conclusion

From the craftsman’s table in Exodus to the carpenter’s cross at Calvary, God shows that His glory is revealed when human hands yield to divine power.

Bezalel’s tools built a temporary dwelling for God’s presence; your talents and gifts build a living temple for His Spirit today.

🔁 Hook Phrase: “You were born with talent, but born again for purpose.”

✅ Next Steps (C = D × V × F)

Dissatisfaction: Where have you been using your talent for your own gain instead of Kingdom growth?

Vision: What could happen if every believer in our church united their natural skills and spiritual gifts for God’s glory?

First Step: Identify one natural talent and one spiritual gift you will actively use this week to serve others.

🙏 Altar Call / Gospel Invitation

For those who don’t yet know Christ — your talent came from your Creator, but it won’t reach its purpose until you know your Redeemer.

God gave you life, but Jesus offers you new life.

For believers — maybe you’ve been burying your talent or neglecting your gift. The Master is calling you to steward both.

Fan into flame the gift within you, and surrender your ability to His authority.

“You were born with talent, but born again for purpose.”