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Two week ago I preached “the heart of stewardship.” The heart of stewardship is based on the belief that all things we have is given to us by God. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Haggai 2:8 adds, “The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the LORD Almighty.” God has the rights and I have the responsibility. God is my Master and I am His and His servant that is the heart of the stewardship.
Last week I preached about the stewardship of our time. We have 68,400 seconds in a day. God wants us to use every second. In this very busy society God wants us to guard our time with God for our relationship with God. To give time means to have priority. God is our priority. We know who we are by keeping our priority.
Today I’d like to talk about the stewardship of our spiritual gifts. To understand what Spiritual Gifts are, where they come from, and what they are for, we must examine the scriptures which answer all of these questions. Our Old Testament Psalms 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it: Unless the Lord keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.” Here in the Hebrew text, the word Banah (baw-naw) is used for build, which literally means to ‘Establish.’ The word “Establish” means “To make firm or to ordain.”
We cannot do anything apart from God! God must build us as a Church, and as individuals. Our building up is by His hand ONLY! God in us, working through us, through Spiritual Gifts that He alone has given us, builds or edifies the Body of Christ, which is who we are!
The word “gift” in Greek is “Charismata,” which is supernaturally bestowed on the early Christian. The definition of a spiritual gift is “a distinctive ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every Christ, according to God’s grace and design, for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. Let me say it one more time. The words, “distinctive ability” is meant to communicate the unique way in which God has designed each person for a specific role in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament, the Spirit of the Lord was given to selected leaders rather than to all God’s people. For example, Solomon was given the gift of wisdom. Otheniel was equipped to be a judge (Judge 3:9-10). Gideon was given military skills (Judges 6:34). Samson was given physical strength (Judge 14:6) Saul was given political skills (1 Samuel 10:6) and Micah was given prophetic gifts (Micah 3:8) All these people of the Old Testament are the foreshadows of Christian understanding of spiritual gifts.
Christians’ view of spiritual gifts begins with that of Jesus because he was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He was baptized there was a voice from heaven, “Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.” (Mark 1:10) The Spirit directed and empowered Jesus for God’s ministry on earth. The same Jesus promised His disciples that they would receive the Holy Spirit one day and that the Spirit would guide them (MK 13:11) These promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47). The Spirit was given all Christians, whoever believes in Jesus Christ, not just certain selected leaders of God’s people in the Old Testament. Peter made it clear that the Spirit would continue to be given to all who accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ saying, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven and you will received the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) Like Peter, Paul believed that every Christian had a spiritual gift in 1 Cor 12:4-7. Neither Paul nor any other New Testament writers suggested that some Christians might be without gifts. In other words, all Christians are given spiritual gifts because God has graced us with new life in Christ Jesus.
Let me tell you some incredible news: You have infinite worth in God’s eyes. God loves you with an everlasting love that is not dependent on whether you are a starting player in the eyes of the world. Phillip H. Porter, Jr., board of directors of Promise Keepers, tells a heart breaking story: Several years ago, his second son, Steve, tried out for the high school football team. One day he walked into his office and proclaimed with great excitement, "Dad, I made the team!" he turned and said, "Yeah, but are you starting?" Steve walked away crushed. At the time, Steve was a junior in high school, and he just assumed that Steve would make the team. He was so preoccupied that he didn’t take the time to understand what was important to his son, Steve. Maybe you are not a starting prayer. But in God’s view you are a starting player always. You are! In God’s view you are special, very special person.
Your value in God’s eyes does not vary in proportion to your position in the church. Most of the churches in American have the pyramid of power with certain officers and the pastor at the top of the pyramid in the truly important positions with everyone else down the ladder. Importance in that kind of church is dependent on how much money your committee controls or in whether you are able to call the shots or in how much time you spent with the pastor. And speaking of us pastor types, in that hierarchical model the office of ordained pastor is the most important position in the whole church. We ask those soul-destroying questions like “Are you starting?:: “Hey, that’s great that you are teaching Sunday school, but are you chairing the committee?” It does not matter what kind of position you have at Cornerstone UMC, it matters to know you have infinite values in God’s view.
Our value is not even dependent on how good we are or upon how bad we have been. We are all, sinner and saint alike, of infinite value in God’s eyes. We are of such value that God gave his only Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior. His love for us comes before we do anything good or worthwhile at all and lasts far past our ability to make a contribution to our community or to the church. God has graced us with new life in Jesus Christ. Let me say that again: God has graced us with new life in Jesus Christ, and that means that our value in God’s Kingdom is set from the very beginning. Our value does not depend on our position or upon our power, but upon the person of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, see yourself in a new way! Paul urges us to “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2) As God’s messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you” (12:2-3). We need to see ourselves as God sees us and to measure our value the way God measures our value. We are all equal in God’s eyes. Our value has nothing to do with the role we play in the church. Our value is set for us by Jesus. Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think about yourself. God has graced us with new life in Jesus Christ, and that means that our value in God’s Kingdom is set from the very beginning.
Why does God give us spiritual gifts? Because God wants us to be grafted into Christ’s Body.
One of the extraordinary truths is this: Not only has God graced us with new life in Jesus, but also we are grafted into Christ’s body, the Church. The Church is Christ’s living body and when we accept new life in Jesus; we are grafted into his body. That means we are a part of a living organism, not just a part of a lifeless organization. Most fruit trees today are grown from grafts. For example, apple tree are grafted onto the rootstock of a particularly hardy variety of apple tree. They are grafted together, and the branches become a living part of an amazingly hardy tree that produces a higher yield of fruit. When we accept Christ as our savior, God grafts us into his living body, the church, and we become part of a thriving, hardy, living organism that is designed to produce. We are all one body in Christ, said Paul.
There are three implications to this truth:
First, said the Apostle Paul, being grafted into Christ’s body means that, “We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do” (Romans 12:5).
The foot’s job is different than the hands', and the hand’s role is different than the ear, and the ear’s role is different than the eye, yet all are part of one body. Each of us is a part of the body of Christ and each of us has a different work to do. Some are leaders, some are teachers, some do administrative work, and some are good at serving. The only way a church can be healthy, thriving, and spiritually growing is when each of us accept that we all have a different work to do for Christ. But let me make sure we all understand; these different roles do not imply any sort of ranking or importance. There is no hierarchy. The foot is not ranked higher than the ear, and the ear is not ranked as more important than the leg. Each part is of equal importance. In the same way, the pastor is no more important than choir member, and the choir member is not more important than the Sunday school teacher, and the Sunday school teacher is not more important than the set up teams. Thomas Ehrich says that “we would all find more serenity in life if we could ... be done with comparisons and envy. God made us diverse, and, in God’s eyes at least, our diversity lacks hierarchy. As in a symphony, each instrument matters, but only if it’s played according to its calling and isn’t fighting another part for control. We in the church make better music when we treasure our diversity, rather than stifle it.
Second, “And since we are all one body in Christ,” said Paul, “we belong to each other”. In Jesus Christ we are intimately connected, intimately related. Our bond is not based on convenience, but on Christ Jesus.
When I was a member of Kings Grant golf course, I was a part of that organization because I paid dues. If I quit paying my dues, I was out. I belonged to a club, but I did not belong to any other person. But when we accept Christ, we become a grafted into his living body. We belong to one another the way the apple belongs to the branch, and the branch belongs to the trunk and the trunk belongs to the root. We belong to one another the way brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers belong to one another. We belong to one another the way the hand belongs to the foot, and the foot belongs to the brain, and the brain belongs to the stomach. We belong to each other.
Third, being grafted into Christ’s body means we are indispensable. Paul said that since we are all one body in Christ and belong to each other, “each of us needs all the others”. In 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds us of an obvious truth, “17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” (1 Corinthians 12:17-21) you are needed. I need you and you need me. We need each other. We are each indispensable parts of the body of Christ, which leads me to the third point of my sermon that is God has gifted each of us for ministry.
How do we normally think about ministry? Who are the ministers? If you were talking about church to a neighbor, and that neighbor asked you who the minister is, what would you say? Most likely you would tell your neighbor that your minister is Pastor Kong. If you answered in that way, you would be partly right, but mostly wrong. I am a minister of Jesus Christ, but so are you! I went to seminary, but that is not what made me a minister. I am a minister because by God’s grace I have been saved by Jesus Christ and have now been grafted into his body. As a part of his body, I have a work or ministry to perform. That is what makes me a minister and it makes you a minister too. In Ephesians 4:12, Paul says that the role of leadership in the church is to “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. …” All of us together are the saints, and we all have the work of ministry.
A. Paul teaches that “God has given each of us an ability to do certain things well” (6). The ability that God gives us to do certain things well is called a spiritual gift. Look, each of us is born with certain talents that have to be developed. But talents are not the same as spiritual gifts. Look at what Paul says: Each of us has a God given ability. God has entrusted you with a special ability, a spiritual gift, so that you can help make this church and the entire body of Christ more effective in our ministry. The church is here for a distinctive purpose: we are here to make disciples of all people, and God has given you a spiritual gift that will help the church to do just that. I cannot stress enough the importance of you discovering your spiritual gift so that you can help make the church as strong and healthy and productive as possible. Pastor John McArtur says that “no congregation will be what it could be, what Jesus prayed that it should be, what the Holy Spirit gifted it and empowered it to be, until it understands [and employs] spiritual gifts.”
B. God calls us to use our gift and live up to our potential in Christ! All morning I’ve been saying that we each have a role to play, and that one role is no more important than another. Listen carefully: what we do in the church should be determined by the gift for ministry God has given us, not by how important we think that job is. And no matter what the gift we have been given, we need to use it to its fullest. “So, says Paul, “If God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. 7 If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it 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.
While we’re focusing on the discovering, developing, and deploying of your spiritual gifts, the parable of the gospel lesson has the reference to how we use our God-given talents and spiritual gifts. I want you to notice that each servant received talents “according to his ability.” Your responsibility is tied to your ability. You have what you have because God gave it to you. And He expects you to manage His gifts within the boundaries of ability that He has wired into you. The Holy Spirit distributes these responsibilities “to each one, just as He determines.” God entrusts different spiritual gifts to different people according to His sovereign purposes. Our job is to be faithful with whatever talents and gifts we have to work with? Do we trust that God knows more about us than we even know about ourselves? Our potential is God’s gift to us. What we do with it is our gift to Him. You are the only person on earth who can use your ability and spiritual gifts at Cornerstone UMC to build up the body of Christ. Are you investing and using what you’ve been given, regardless of what it is? Or, have you buried your blessing and kept it hidden from others? As the pastor of the church, I pray that you hear the voice of the Master, “Well done, good and trustworthy servant.” Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen
127:1 A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat —
for he grants sleep to those he loves. NIV
Romans 12:3-8
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself
more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in
accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has
one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the
others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's
gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is
serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is
encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others,
let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it
is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
NIV
Matthew 25:13-28
13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and
entrusted his property to them. 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. 16 The man who had received the five talents went
at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with
the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent
went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts
with them. 20 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.'
21 "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!'
22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me
with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
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!'
24 "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. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your
talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
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? 27 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.
28 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.
NIV
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