His Talents Message #2 of the series “HIS” 1.
We belong to God and our talents are His. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” -Psalms 24:1 (NLT) a. God has work for us to do. “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” -Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) b. God has uniquely shaped each of us with talents and abilities to carry out the work He has planned for us. “O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.” -Isaiah 64:8 (NLT) “You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” -Psalm 139:13-14 (NASB)
2. God expects us to discover how He has shaped us so we can develop our talents to serve others. Note: Using my God-given talents to serve others is called “ministry”. Note: Centerpoint pastors equip God’s people to carry out their ministries. “Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” -Ephesians 4:12 (NLT) S - God has given each of us spiritual gifts. “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” -1 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV) “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.” -1 Peter 4:10-11 (NLT) H - God has given each of us a heart for ministry. Note: These are our passions, dreams and frustrations. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” -Romans 12:11 (NIV) “My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.” -Romans 15:20 (NLT) A - God has given each of us abilities and talents to carry out His work. “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel... I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft! … Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make.” -Exodus 31:2-6 (NLT)
P - God has given each of us a personality. “As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home.” -Genesis 25:27 (NLT) E - God has given each of us life-changing experiences. “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” -2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT) “The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.” -Proverbs 20:29 (NLT) 3. God expects us to use our talents together as the body of Christ. “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” -Romans 12:4-8 (NLT) 4. God expects us to have good attitudes when using our talents for His glory. “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” -Mark 10:42-45 (NLT) “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” -Romans 12:16 (NLT) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” -Galatians 6:9 (NIV) 5. God expects us to make the most of the talents we have been given. “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” -Luke 12:48 (NLT) “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that.” -Galatians 6:4 (MSG)
John Schmidt 11-17-13
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Connect Group Questions To prepare for this week’s meeting, take some time to focus on the following questions and write out a few brief answers. Be prepared to share them with your group. My Story 1. Looking back at your notes from this week’s message on being good stewards of the talents God has given us was there anything that particularly caught your attention, challenged or confused you? 2. Have you ever served in a church or ministry? When? Where? What did you do? How did this experience affect you? Going Deeper 1. What do the following passages teach us about Spiritual Gifts?
2.
Romans 12:4-8
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Ephesians 4:11-13
1 Peter 4:10-11
What do the following passages teach us about serving others with the right attitude?
Matthew 20:25-28
Romans 12:9-17
Galatians 6:9
Philippians 2:3-4
Life Application 1. In his message this week John referenced the acronym “S.H.A.P.E.” Discuss the shape of each of the members of your group using the following questions:
Spiritual gifts
Please read through the list of spiritual gifts and their descriptions available at www.centeringlives.com/gifts
What is your spiritual gift? How do you know? What spiritual gifts can you identify in the other members of your connect group?
How can you use your gifts to serve others at Centerpoint?
Heart
What issues/needs cause you to cry, make you angry, or keep you awake at night?
What people groups touch your heart or concern you most? (i.e. teens, orphans, Hindus, the hungry, AIDS victims, people who have never heard of Christ, etc.)
If you knew you could not fail, what ministry endeavor would you be willing to try? Why?
Abilities
What skills or abilities do you possess? In which of these do you excel?
What are your hobbies? Why?
What is your current job/profession? Why did you choose it?
What is your dream job? What would make you qualified to hold this position?
Personality
Where do you focus your attention? Would you consider yourself an extrovert (you tend to be sociable, expressive and outward focused) or an introvert (you prefer privacy, tend to be reflective and are inward focused)?
How do you take in information and find out about things? Are you a detail person (you prefer to focus on details, facts, the “here and now”) or are you a big picture person (you prefer to focus on possibilities, creative ideas and the future)?
How do you make decisions? Do you prefer thinking (you like logical problem solving and strive for impersonal, objective truth) or do you prefer feeling (you always assess an idea’s impact on others and are guided by personal values)?
How do you orient yourself to the outer world? Are you scheduled (you prefer planning, organization, closure, and avoiding last minute stress) or are you spontaneous (you prefer flexibility, adaptability, “shooting from the hip” and you feel energized by last minute pressure)?
Experiences
When/where/how has God revealed himself to you in the past (i.e. retreats, campus ministry, quiet times, mission trips, etc.) ? How were you changed by these experiences?
What problems, hurts and trials have given you wisdom? Why?
What life lessons did you learn from the example of your parents/grandparents/siblings?
What experiences in your life can God use to help others?
2. Spend time as a group discussing the 2014 Ministry Opportunities brochure. Where will you serve at Centerpoint in 2014? Why? How do you see God using your SHAPE for His glory in our church?
Resources Treasures of the Transformed Life: Satisfying Your Soul’s Thirst for More, by John Ed Mathison, ©2006, Abingdon Press What on Earth am I here for?, by Rick Warren, ©2012, Zondervan
