Beginner's Guide - Week 5

INTRO VIDEO

INTRODUCTION

8 MINUTES

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working through a series called The Beginner’s Guide to Connecting with God. And in it, we’ve been talking a lot about all the different ways we can connect with God. Why? Because often so many of us want to connect with God; we just aren’t exactly sure how to do it.

Before we jump in this week, I have a quick confession to make: I have a problem with really good singers, like Zack. It’s true! They make me insecure. Anyone who rocks karaoke or people who go viral with a random spur-of-the-moment YouTube video because their voice is incredible? Well, I seriously wish that was my talent.

Right here in our ministry, we have some incredible singers. And guess what? If I’m being honest, they make me a tiny bit jealous. What’s cool about our ministry is that we have quite a few people with other amazing talents, too. So, for just a few minutes, let’s talk talents. What talents do you all have?

I don’t know about you, but I had no idea our ministry was full of people with so many types of gifts and talents! We may not all be amazing singers (like I wish I was!), but we all have some kind of talent to offer the world! Yet sometimes it doesn’t always feel like we do.

TENSION

3 MINUTES

Now let me ask you this: Have you ever felt that way about connecting with God?

Let me explain! Maybe you show up every week at church and see a bunch of amazing singers on stage connecting with God through music. And while you think the music is good, it’s just not really your thing. It’s not your talent or even a way you feel close to God. But because it’s a pretty big part of the way people connect with God, it makes you feel like maybe you’re missing something.

Or maybe you come here every week and see people up on stage sharing the message. They seem like really good speakers and confident communicators—kind of like me!. But you? Well, you get nervous just giving a five-minute presentation in class! Public speaking isn’t your gift!

Maybe you have an amazing Small Group Leader who does an incredible job of talking to and connecting with every student in your group. And while you think that’s super cool, you know it’s not something you could do. After all, you’re kind of shy and can’t imagine talking to a bunch of people every single week.

Or maybe on Sunday mornings you hear people on the church staff pray or share Bible verses they’ve memorized. And you think, “I could never do something like that! Memorizing the Bible sounds kind of boring. And praying in public? I wouldn’t know what to say. No thank you!”

My point is that sometimes I think we look at how other Christians connect with God using certain gifts and talents and immediately get frustrated or discouraged.

Why?

Well, for starters, it’s a bunch of stuff we don’t think we’re good at. How are we supposed to grow and connect with God if doing that means using a bunch of talents we don’t have?

Or it could be because, if we’re being honest, that stuff sounds boring to us. Does growing in your faith really have to mean doing a bunch of stuff you don’t like to do? It seems like all good Christians know all the Bible verses, take mission trips to faraway places, know all the lyrics to the same songs, and use church sounding words you just don’t get. And while that’s fine for Sundays, the thought of doing all that stuff every single day sounds... well, kind of boring.

Maybe your gifts and talents look different. Maybe what you’re good at and love to do aren’t things that seem to relate to your faith at all. You love sports, or technology, or makeup, or science, or dance. And while you want God to give you a chance to use your talents to connect with Him like other Christians seem to do, you just don’t see how that could work for your specific gifts and talents.

Whether we realize it or not, I think a lot of us believe that only certain types of people have the kind of talents that God can use. Only certain gifts make sense for this whole Jesus thing. I know I’ve felt that way before! But can I let you in on a little secret? That’s just not the case! The reality is that no matter what our gifts or talents might be, we can use them to connect with God in really cool ways.

TRUTH

3 MINUTES

To show you what I mean, I want to read you part of a letter. It was written by Peter, a guy who hung out with Jesus while He was here on Earth. Peter is actually a pretty big deal. Not only was he one of Jesus’ first followers, he was also a leader who helped spread the message of Christianity and start what we today call the church.

So when he was writing the letter that we’re going to read, Peter was actually writing to encourage early believers in their faith. These were ordinary people who were trying to live out their faith during a time when it was difficult to be a Christian. A lot of believers back then were being mistreated simply because they believed in and followed Jesus. Not fun, right?

Rather than telling them to give up on this whole faith thing, Peter wrote to encourage them. He wanted them to know that they could show God’s love to other people simply by the way they lived—with their everyday, ordinary lives. They didn’t have to make some big statement or preach some loud sermon to stand strong in their faith. They could connect with God simply by being themselves!

Here’s what Peter wrote:

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen (1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT).

Peter painted a picture of the unique ways God gifts believers. And what’s cool is that while this passage talks about two gifts—speaking and serving—God doesn’t limit His gifts to just those two! He gives each of us all kinds of unique skills and talents. And because of that, we can use what we’ve been uniquely given to serve and connect with God.

Remember when you all shared your talents a few minutes ago? There were so many different types of talents, skills, and gifts shown off, weren’t there? Well, what’s so amazing is that whatever our gifts happen to be, they’ve been given to us by God. And that means they’re not mistakes. They’re not accidents. They’re not less than or better than anyone else’s talents. They’re the way God made us. And because of that, we can use them to connect with the God who created them in us.

You see, using your talents and gifts is a way to connect with God. Maybe for you, that talent is singing. Or maybe it’s drawing in that sketchbook you just can’t put down. Maybe you have a passion for caring for animals. Or maybe you taught yourself to play piano or guitar by watching YouTube videos. Maybe it’s that three-point shot in basketball you can make with your eyes closed. Or maybe it’s creating amazing content for social media.

Whatever your gifting is, I want you to remember that God gave it to you. God created you with that specific talent. You don’t have to be a pastor, or a teacher, or a singer, or a scholar to follow God and use your talents for Him. (Though those might be talents you have!) You can literally be good at anything and use that thing for God! You can use whatever gifts and skills you’ve been given to connect with Him.

Because using your talents and gifts is a way to connect with God.

APPLICATION

1 MINUTE

Sounds pretty good, right? Well, the problem is that we don’t always realize what we’re good at. Or we think what we’re good at isn’t special. Maybe it’s something you think everybody else can do, too, so you count yourself out! But remember what Peter said: God gifted you! He did it on purpose with a purpose. And that not only makes it significant, but it makes it unique to you!

Using your talents and gifts is a way to connect with God. And to help you start this week, I want you to do two things:

First, ask yourself: What am I good at? If you can’t name it, ask a trusted friend, parent, or Small Group Leader to help you identify what that thing is for you. Your gift might be the way God wired your brain—the way good ideas come naturally to you. Maybe your heart is really big, and you just love everybody really easily. That’s a gift. The way you ask questions no one ever thinks to ask? That’s a gift. The way you remember people’s names. Your handwriting that looks so fancy. Your ability to make people laugh. You might have never realized all the gifts and talents you already have!

Then, find one way to serve others using that gift this week. Maybe it’s baking a cake. Writing a letter to someone needing some encouragement. Babysitting for a single parent. Decorating a chalkboard with an inspiring scripture. Playing basketball with your little brother. Volunteering at an animal shelter. There are so many ways you can use your gifts and talents to connect with God!

LANDING

1 MINUTE

As we close, here’s the question I want you to think about: What’s one thing I am good at or love to do?

Let’s pray.