"Talent Giving!"
" The 3 T’s - Time, Treasure, and Talent" series
part 3 of 3
Text: 1Peter 4:7-11; Mt. 25:14-30 & Selected
Cross Creek Community Church
Pastor Dave Martin - Feb. 25, 2001
www.crosscreekcc.org
God’s Word is Powerful, Relevant, and Life Changing!
1 Peter 4:7-11 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
We will WORSHIP and SERVE our Lord for all eternity in Heaven! Today, while you have life itself, be faithful using your 3T’s - your Time, your Treasures, & your Talents. Today we are going to look at using your talents, spiritual gifts, your abilities the Lord has given to you. Each one of us are divinely crafted and intricately interwoven together. God made you to be you, just the way you are. God has never made junk, He hand crafted your life together and made you for a purpose. There is no chance with God, he doesn’t make mistakes. He crafted you with certain abilities we call talent, and as Christians he has given us certain Spiritual Gifts to be used serving Him.
Understanding Our Spiritual Gifts or Talents...
"Spiritual gifts" - Abilities, talents, responsibilities God gives believers to serve Him and others.
1. Spiritual gifts are GIVEN by God.
V10 "...use whatever gift he has received..."
* Each believer receives at least one spiritual gift. Each person is given a different portion.
* There is a crossover when we look at Spiritual gifts and our natural abilities. Both are given to us.
* Spiritual gifts are given according to our abilities (Mt. 25:15), what we are able to handle.
Matthew 25:15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
* The reason they are given is to fulfill God’s purpose on earth. God uses people - ordinary people.
* Jesus didn’t call college graduates or, God called and gifted fishermen, tax collectors, etc
1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
2. Use to SERVE one another.
V10 "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.."
* "Serve" - "dia-ko-neo", to minister, to be an attendant, to wait upon, deacon.
* The purpose is to build up the believers, the body, the church of Jesus Christ.
* The responsibility of this ministry is given to us, it is placed within our hands to serve.
* Gifts are not to be used for our own exclusive enjoyment, prestige or power, but for one another.
* There are over 50 passages of scripture, which speaks of the ministry of serving one another.
* Such as: Love one another, pray for one another, help one another, greet, talk with, be in harmony with, accept, teach, admonish, submit to, encourage, show humility to, have hospitality toward, but the ministry of loving one another is the overhanging arch. Our text in verse 8 - "love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins".
* "Deeply" - passionately, fervently, without ceasing. "Covering" - smoothing the rough edges, forgiving and forgetting one another offenses against you.
* This service to Christ is all encompassing. It’s the ministry to one another, it’s also the ministry to the body of Christ, the local church here at Cross Creek.
* Using your spiritual gifts and abilities, the Lord has given to you. To serve, minister, engage in...
* Such as: Carpentry work, painting, cleaning, organizing, finances, teaching, helping, singing, planning, giving financially, serving on the Deacon board, helping in Junior Church or the Nursery, setting up for our fellowship dinner, how about someone willing to clean up afterwards.
* You find deep-seated peace and fulfillment when you’re involved in talent giving. Sowing, sowing.
3. Serving requires FAITHFULNESS.
V10 "...faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms."
* Each opportunity that is lost, amounts to being unfaithful. God requires faithfulness in service.
* The Lord doesn’t save us to sit on the pew. He called us into the battle, to be involved.
* KJV - "Good stewards" "administrator" one who served as a house manager; he had no wealth of his own, but distributed his master’s wealth according to his master’s will and direction.
* We may become easily burnt out, or quit, or let things fall apart. Why? Because we are not being Spirit controlled, In the flesh, we can be busy in the "Lord’s Service" with no redeeming value.
## Faithfulness is produced by the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
## Faithfulness in prayer.
Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
1 Peter 4:7-8 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
* We need to be clear minded, self-controlled, praying, loving, hospitable, with a good attitude.
* Danger is when we are serving, while not being faithful. This quietly creeps into the church. The antidote is accountability with love, being connected with each other - like hot coals.
* Talent giving requires us to be team players, not proud, not doing our own thing - but serving one another, serving the body collectively.
## Faithfulness in Leadership positions within the church - deacons, teachers, worship team, treasurer, any key position. God says the person needs to be tested and proven.
1 Cor. 4:2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
* This is why we have scriptural requirements for membership, this is very important.
* The enemy is on the prowl, he’s out to destroy you and me and the testimony of the Church.
4. Being faithful to Serve (use our gift) is a CHOICE.
V10 "Each one should use"
* I have often said, and will continue to say, your present life is made up choices you have made.
* God says, "Each one should use..." You and I are not mind-dumb robots serving God.
* We have a free will. We may choose to accept Christ or Reject Christ in salvation or service.
Man’s Power Of Choice
God has no policeman to pass around and grab us by the neck and say you must read your Bible, or you must go to Church, or you must give to Missions. When God created man, He made man superior to all other creatures. He gave man the power and privilege of CHOICE. Up to now the Lord respects that privilege. He will not force us. With that privilege of Choice, goes the terrible responsibility of abiding by the results or consequences of our choices.
Matthew 25:14-30 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ "The man with the two talents also came. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ "Then the man who had received the one talent came. ’Master,’ he said, ’I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ "His master replied, ’You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest." ’Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
It’s our Choice to either...
1. SERVE and REIGN. (2Tim. 2:12)
* When we are faithfully serving, God will grow us spiritually and multiply our efforts.
Matthew 25:16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.
* They were faithful and diligent. They used their abilities and energy immediately, from day one.
* With little or much they were faithful to use what was given them - they were successful!
* Each grew "fruit" in proportion to their talents. Working at their full potential.
Matthew 25:23 "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness"
* Ministry to one another, the church grew, hearts become burdened for the lost, souls are saved.
* Jesus said, "I will build my Church". Invest your time, treasure and talents for Christ.
* So much talent sitting here being wasted, not being used. I encourage you to get involved.
* Payday will be "out of this world!" God is keeping record.
Matthew 25:19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
Matthew 6:20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
2. HIDE and SLIDE. (Heb. 2:1)
Matthew 25:18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
Matthew 25: 26 "His master replied, ’You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?"
* "Wicked" - poneros -evil, lacking essential character, unwilling to do what is right.
* "Lazy" - okneros - tardy, slothfulness, complacent, uncaring, lethargic, self-satisfied.
* We cannot hide from God, remember Jonah? What did David say?
* We hear many excuses - v 24 "I knew you were a hard man"; "I was afraid"; "I didn’t use it"
* They are unwilling to follow such a hard, narrow way. So they bury, they hide their God-given gifts and travel along the easy, broad way - to their own folly, under great deception.
* Others think that what they have is their own, and they can use it and live as they please. Sins of omission are as serious as sins of commission.
* v30 The worthless servant is thrown into outer darkness with weeping & gnashing of teeth.
* Who is the wicked servant? Possibly a church member, a servant, but unsaved. (Mt. 7:21-23.)
##* A professor but not a processor *##
...Saying, I’m a Christian yet bearing no fruit. I’m a Christian yet never prays, I’m a Christian yet never reads God’s Word, I’m a Christian only when it’s convenient. God says be careful, examine yourself to see if you are in the faith. Not being a counterfeit, a tare among the wheat, yet involved in doing good works, trying to work our way into heaven, which is impossible. Never experiencing a genuine Spiritual encounter with a Holy God, never receiving the forgiveness of sin through the Son of God, the Lord Jesus.
Greeted at Judgment day with either a ...
’Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord!
OR
’Depart from me, you wicked, lazy servant, into outer darkness!
Let’s pray...
We will often go throughout our lifetime trying to avoid God, then on our death bed say, I wished I walked closer to God, I wished I gave more money to the Lord, I wished I served Him more faithfully, I wish I spent my time more wisely. We lived a life of "I wish". I encourage you this morning as a Christian, "strive to hear, well done you good and faithful servant". Standing in the righteousness of Christ, not your own. Serving Christ, giving of our talents, making an impact in the world around you - for all eternity. Christian, God’s waiting, for you to get involved in serving Him, using the gifts He has blessed you with!
You may be here and sense a deeper need, a need to find peace with a Holy God. You may have tried religions, did everything they told you to do, and yet still feel empty inside. Only God alone can fill that God size hole in your soul. God desires a relationship with us. Our current relationship with Him is severed because of our sin. Praise God he sent His only Son Jesus, the Son of God to become the sacrifice for sin. Jesus died for my sin, He was buried, and then He arose from the dead in victory over sin and death. Jesus says in... John 1:12-13 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
A supernatural rebirth into the family of God! Being born of God.
Won’t you invite Jesus into your life today?
