Untitled Sermon

From Gifting to Glory

Introduction

Read 1 Peter 4:10-11

“Each has received a gift.” While we must keep in mind that the gifts the Apostle Peter is focusing on are gifts of ability, we also do well to acknowledge the many other gifts he has given us.

What are some gifts GOD has given us?

Each has received a gift.

The gift of life Genesis 2:7

The Gift of creation Psalm 8:3-4

The gift of Christ

The gift of an athlete

Transition: “We’ve got the gift of life here, and we’ve got the gift of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins here, and we have this gift of athleticism here, so now what are we supposed to do with these gifts?

“Use it to serve one another as stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies-

Use your Gifts to reflect God and serve one another

Use them! Use them to serve one another. In other words to do good to one another.

What are some jobs you all have done these last few summers or throughout the school year?

Audience: I’ve done this, I did this, and I did this!

Nice!

So how do we use those as stewards of God’s varied grace?

We do them to the best of our ability, for the good of the other person!

But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, made us alive together in Christ, for by GRACE you have been saved(Ephesians 2:4-6)

The Lord, The Lord, a GOD merciful and GRACIOUS (Exodus 34:6-7)

When we graciously steward our gifts to serve one another, we reflect a greater reality, and a greater being, and he is our graceful GOD.

These two things go hand in hand!

When we steward our gifts gracefully and serve others, we reflect the image of God.

And when we reflect the image of God in the things we do, we increasingly steward our gifts and serve others.

How do these things go hand in hand

The greatest good we can do for others is to point them to Christ.

To do good for others for any other reason apart from reflecting the greatness, the goodness, and the graciousness of God is to settle for something less.

So when we recognize that God has given us many gifts, and when we use those abilities and gifts to serve one another and reflect the Image of God, the result is

Glorifying God in everything!

“In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ”

This section of the passage starts off with the Greek word ἵνα, meaning “in order that”. This is an adverb pointing to the result of an action being done. What is the action in mind here?

The action is USE IT. Use it, the gifts God has given you to serve others, to reflect the image of God, In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ”`

Everything. This means that in all we do, glorifying God is to be on the forefront of our mind.

(Colossians 3:17)

(1 Corinthians 10:31)

Unfortunately, more often than not when we run fast, or make a great jump, or achieve a goal, we hoard the glory for ourselves, and we inflate our egos, and we elevate ourselves.

There is nothing to say about this than that it is evil, so turn from it and glorify God instead.

I am not denying that we when we do something glorious we should act as if it is not worthy of praise or of commendation. When someone succeeds we should praise that effort and rejoice.

You guys should have seen some of the guys cheering on the DMR boys getting fourth.

I am not saying we shouldn’t deny the glorious deed, but rather that we should those moments of opportunity to draw attention to God! The one who gave you the gift to do what you did, the one who provided the opportunity. When we do that, we give the glory to God and enjoy that glory with others, and that is our call in life.

The Westminster Catechism starts off with this one question; What is the chief end of man? To glorify GOD and enjoy him forever.

So let’s do good to others and walk in our intended purpose from the beginning to bring God glory.

But sometimes we don’t achieve our goals, or win the game, or run the qualifying time. I know that though this weekend was full of school records, personal bests, and all american finishes, we still fell short of what we wanted to do.

How can we glorify GOD in times like these?

For starters, maybe we should just start with

1. Believing that God can still be glorified in moments of defeat.

Romans 8:28 says that GOD works all things for good for those who love him and are called according to their purpose.

If this is the case, then in exercising faith in his promises displays him to be true, that he is who he says he is and he will do what he says he will do.

2. A second way we can glorify God in defeat is seeking humility and giving credit to the winning team.

Walking in virtues of humility and admiration for the win of the other competitors helps us reflect the character of our savior Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 says that the will of God is our sanctification, our being made into the greater image of God, and if defeat can cultivate these attitudes in us, then praise God! Let’s seek humility and grateful admiration.

3. A third way we can glorify God in defeat is recognizing the greater battle we face in this world is far greater.

Ephesians 6:10-12 says that the battle is not against flesh and blood..

But what’s the real fight? It’s against the spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:10–12). It’s against high-minded arguments and thoughts raised up against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:3–5). It’s against my sin and laziness (1 Corinthians 15:10). It’s against the constant temptation toward unbelief and coasting. It’s against losing people to their condemnation and missing out on salvation (1 Corinthians 9:23–27). It’s against selfish comforts that hinder us from investing and entrusting to faithful men what has been entrusted to me (2 Timothy 2:1–5).

These are some of the ways we can glorify God in defeat. While this may challenging, believers have the blessed joy of knowing that God can get glory, and we can enjoy him no matter the outcome. With GOD, and the determination to glorify God in all that we do, every part of our lives becomes meaningful. Win or lose

But some of you might be here today, and you haven’t trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And if that’s you, then I can offer you no hope or joy except the glory that you receive yourself from your gifting. I can offer you no joy in defeat except for the meaning you make for yourself. I can not offer you freedom from the spiritual warfare that seeks to rule your soul, no freedom from the constant need to seek attention and personal glory, and no freedom from the sin in your life that takes captive your heart and your mind captive. Outside of Christ, there is no right standing with God, and no hope of eternal life for when this life passes away.

But if you look to Christ, and you see him and believe for who he truly is, if you acknowledge your sin before him and trust in Jesus and his death for you forgiveness, he will forgive, he will grant you eternal life, and he will work within you to free you from your pursuit of self glory and he’ll teach you how to run, how to speak, and how to live for the glory of God.

Trust in him! Believe him, he will not fail you.

Colossians 3:17 and 1 Corinthians 10:31

“In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ”

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/glory-in-defeat