“Using What You’ve Got” (1 Peter
4:10-11) Sermon: 2nd week for
Stewardship Emphasis ‘11
1. May the grace, mercy, and peace of
God be multiplied to each one of you through the hearing of His Word. Amen. The text is from 1 Peter 4:10-11: “Each one should use whatever gift he has
received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various
forms. If 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 forever and
ever. Amen.” The message is entitled, “Using What You’ve Got,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
2. This sermon is the second in a
series on Bearing Fruit for Jesus. Last
week we talked about the use of our time. Today we will talk about the
use of our talents. We all know
someone who is more talented or who has more skills and abilities than we
do. Helen Traubel was a concert
soprano, and she also wrote two mystery novels.
Thomas Jefferson was a lawyer, scientific farmer, politician, and
statesman. Martin Luther was a
theologian, linguist, and hymn writer. Sarah
Palin was a governor and is an author and speaker. It seems as if some people have dozens of
talents, and we have only a few.
3. Every single person has been given
talents, abilities, and gifts. God gives us the ones we can use the best and
with which we can accomplish the most.
He doesn’t overload us, nor does He overlook us. The talents that we receive are unique in
each one of us because of our personality and our character. To one person He gives many, to another a
few. I myself have learned what I am
good at and what I’m not good at. My
wife Roxanne can tell you that I’m not a great handyman. That’s why I thank the Lord that she often
knows more about repairing things than I do. And that we have so many talented
people here in our congregation who have the knowhow to work with their hands
in making and repairing things. I saw
that first hand yesterday at our trustee workday! I learned that I’m not so gifted in using a
jackhammer. My hands are still vibrating;
I think I’d better hold onto the pulpit a little harder this morning. And thank the Lord for the many women of our
congregation who are gifted in cooking.
The food was wonderful yesterday. Whatever we are and whatever we have, these
are all gifts from God. St. Paul says
in 1 Corinthians 4:7, “What do you
have that you did not receive?”
4. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus
commended those who used their talents for Him. He says of
them, “Well done, good and faithful
servant!” (Matthew 25:23). To the person who failed to use his
talents, the Lord said, “You wicked,
lazy servant.” The talents God gives
are of many different kinds: leadership, creativity, mechanical ability,
housekeeping, encouragement, caring, etc.
Maybe you can’t sing solos, but you can sing to the glory of God in
worship. Maybe you can’t teach, but
you can write encouraging letters or notes or send a card or make a telephone
call to someone who needs to be lifted up.
5. When we look at our own God-given
gifts we often approach the use of them in the same way Moses did. He had lots
of excuses for not using the gifts that had been given to him. “Who am
I? I am a nobody. You want me to lead the Israelites out of
Egypt? I can’t lead. I could never do that. I can’t talk in front of a group. I don’t have any experience. The people won’t believe me. I’m too young. Ask somebody else who’s more capable and more
qualified.” Do any of these sound
familiar? In spite of all of his
excuses, God had plans for Moses. He
turned Moses “NO” into a “YES”. God used
him mightily to accomplish His purpose.
6. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ God
blesses us and gives us talents for a reason: to equip us to serve Him and
His people. God has given us eyes
and ears, hands and feet so that our bodies function effectively. In the same way God has given us talents and
skills and abilities as members of the body of Christ, for the good of our
church and our community. Peter makes
it very clear that every single individual should use his gifts to serve God
and others.
7. In Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25,
each person received at least one talent from God. It belonged
to God, and it was to be managed and taken care of for Him. Each person was responsible for what was
given to him and was expected to give an account of what he did with his gift. The one who refused to use the talents he had
had them taken away and was thrown into the darkness where there would be
weeping and gnashing of teeth. Scripture
is full of examples where God used ordinary people like us to accomplish great
things for the Lord and the Church.
He chose a stuttering, stammering, tongue-tied Moses to lead the
Israelites out of slavery. Peter was
very impulsive; yet God used his great faith to help to build the Church.
8. From the very beginning, God has
poured His life out for each one of us. He created us in His image to be like Him in every way. He had a plan
to redeem us from sin and to secure our eternal life. His love for us was so great that He gave up
His one and only Son Jesus on the cross for us.
He has done everything He could so that we would know His love for us
in this life and for our eternal life.
He invested Himself in us and He expects a return on His
investment. He gave us talents, skills,
gifts, and abilities, and He expects us to use them to serve Him and others.
9. God uses imperfect people to do
great things for Him and to extend His kingdom. St. Thomas
often doubted Jesus, but he learned to follow with commitment and dedication. St. Paul, who resented Christians and was
determined to destroy them, became one of the greatest missionaries of the
Christian Church. They used their
talents and abilities to proclaim that God is Lord of all and that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God and Savior of the world.
When you think that you’re unimportant and that you’re really
insignificant, then it’s time for you to hear the Gospel again – the Good News
of just how much God thinks about you and how much He cares for you. He considered you so important that He
sent His Son Jesus to lay down His very life for you. He redeemed you from the power of sin with
His own precious blood. He will love you
forever. One day He will come back to
take you home with Him forever.
10. All of our talents and abilities are
to be used so that God is praised and so that His purpose is accomplished. With the
Lord there’s no such thing as unemployment or retirement. There is no time to be bored and lazy. Each of you has received at least one gift to
be part of God’s purpose in touching lives with His Gospel. If you have the gift of mercy, then use it
to help the hurting and comfort the grieving. If you have the gift of leadership, use it to
carry out plans and accomplish great things for God and the Church. If you have the gift of giving, then use it
to support the Church and other special needs and causes.
11. What interests, skills, and
abilities has God given you to use or develop in your role as member of the
body of Christ here in this congregation? Do you have the gift of
hospitality? Are you good at
visiting new people or shut-ins? Perhaps
you are good at plumbing, electrical work, painting, ushering, praying, and
helping. Maybe you are good at
listening, organizing, teaching, singing, and writing. Perhaps you have good office skills and enjoy
doing computer work or administration.
Some of you may feel tired and burned out. Peter reminds us that God will provide the
strength for us to serve.
12. Jesus came to serve you through His
life, death, and resurrection from the dead. He came not to be served,
but to serve and to give His life for a ransom for all of our sins (Matthew
20:28). He gave His life for His
enemies and for His friends. He gave
Himself for the sins of every man, woman, and child of the past, present, and
future. He gave of Himself for you so
that you may have eternal life with Him.
As we hear the Word of God in worship, Bible class, and in our
devotions, we are encouraged and strengthened for the work of service in the
Lord’s church by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We are like trees planted next to streams of water (Psalm 1:3). We produce fruit. Whatever we do prospers because we do it to
the glory of God, and He uses and blesses all of our efforts. Use all of the talents that you’ve got,
whether two or half a dozen or more. You
will be a blessing to God, to the Church, to the community, and to your family. God loves you with all that He has. Serve Him and one another with your talents
and with all that you have. Prayer:
O Lord, help me discover my talents and give me the willingness to use
them for You and for others. Amen.
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