Stewards of God's Grace

Transcript

Rob McFarlane: 0:58

The title of my sermon today is Stewards of God's Grace. Let's look at 1 Peter 4, verse 10 to 11 from the English Standard Version of the Bible. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good 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. In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. We see four things in these verses. Number one We are entrusted with spiritual gifts. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. Everyone has received a gift, or more accurately, gifts. God has given each of us a unique blend of gifts, talents, and abilities. And like this verse says, we are stewards of those gifts. And a steward is one who has been entrusted with that which belongs to another and is required to use it or invest it for the benefit of the person who has entrusted those gifts to them. We have been entrusted by God with gifts, by his grace as stewards, and we need to use those gifts for Him by serving others. Now these gifts are not just for our benefit, but are for serving others and fulfilling God's purpose for our lives. Recognizing these gifts and embracing them is the first step in becoming a faithful steward of God's grace. I would encourage you to ask God what your spiritual gifts and talents are. What has He entrusted you with? And how can you use these gifts to serve others in your community or your church? There are many gifts. What gifts has He given to you? Number two, we must use our gifts to serve others. A simple definition of ministry is using the gifts, talents, and abilities that God has entrusted to you for Him by serving others. Our gifts are meant to be used for serving others. This is how we in practice are stewards. When we serve, we are not only helping those around us, but we also fulfilling God's command to love, encourage, and care for one another. Pause for a moment and consider in what ways can you actively serve others using the gifts that God has given to you? What steps can you take to begin serving others in your church family or in the community more effectively? Number three. Whoever speaks as one who speaks, oracles of God. Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies. We see in this verse that there are two kinds of gifts. There are speaking gifts and serving gifts. Or in other words, they are speaking or public upfront gifts, and they are serving, which are more private and behind the scenes type of gifts. There are various types of gifts, but broadly they are categorized into these two categories: public and private. Let me give you some examples. Public gifts in a local church would be leading worship, preaching or teaching, where private gifts may be intercessory prayer, administration, operations or ministry of helps, and maintenance. Each of these gifts are hugely important for the effectiveness, fruitfulness, for the operations of the church to operate to its maximum potential. We need both. It's interesting how it says those who speak or those who have a public gift need to serve as oracles of God, which talks about speaking on behalf of God, being a vessel that God can use. And it's important for us if we're leading worship to make sure that we're leading to an audience of one. When we're leading worship, we are actually worshiping God ourselves, and we are turning the hearts and minds of people towards Him. We want them to encounter Jesus. We don't want them to just be impressed by our musical skills or abilities. If you're preaching, we don't have the right to share our own opinions or our own thoughts. We need to speak as oracles of God. We need to speak God's word. People need the word of God because that's what produces faith and hope. That's what will set people free. Our opinions and our thoughts are not quite the same. They may be funny, they may be entertaining, they may be educational, they may be informative, but it's God's word that sets people free. Those who speak speak as oracles of God. It also says, those who serve, do so with the strength that God supplies. If you have a behind-the-scenes gift, don't just do it in your own strength. Don't just crack on with the administration or the maintenance in your own strength, but ask God to use you. Put out your hands and say, Lord, use my hands today. Use my mind today. Help me, inspire me, lead me, anoint me for this task. And certainly when we pray, we need to pray in partnership with the Holy Spirit behind the scenes, knowing that He will lead us and guide us so that we are praying according to the will of God, asking Him for His kingdom to come and His will to be done. Whether our gifts place us in the spotlight or behind the scenes, each role is vital in the kingdom of God. It's important to remember that every gift, no matter how seemingly small, is valuable and is necessary in the local church. Do you identify more with speaking or serving gifts? How do you think you could embrace and utilize your specific type of gift to its fullest potential? Perhaps if you have a public gift, ask God to inspire you and make sure that you're representing Him as His ambassador. If you have a more private gift, then ask God to strengthen you and give you the energy and give you the ability to do it with His strength. Number four, we bring glory to God by serving. Let's read 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 11 again. It says, in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. We should be motivated to serve for God's glory. The result of us all serving in a local church is that God is glorified. Our ultimate goal in using our gifts should be to glorify God. And when we serve others with the heart focused on God's glory, our actions become a powerful testimony of His love and grace. Serving is not just a duty, but a form of worship that honors God. May God be glorified in our local churches, in our church families, in our home groups, as we all get engaged in serving, whether that's behind the scenes or in the spotlight. How can you ensure that your service is motivated by the desire to glorify God? What changes might you need to make in your attitude or your approach to service? Don't lean on your own strength. Do it with the strength that God provides. Don't share your own thoughts or opinions, but be led by the Holy Spirit and share God's word with others. So, in summary, we've looked at four aspects of God's grace. Number one, we've seen that we have been entrusted with gifts. Second, we saw that we must use these gifts to serve others. We observed that there are two kinds of gifts, speaking or public gifts, and serving or private gifts. And finally, we saw that we bring glory to God when we serve one another. Let's pray. And as we do, ask the Holy Spirit to show you what he wants you to do as a result of what you've heard in today's sermon. Let's pray. Father God, thank you that you have entrusted each of us with gifts. Help us to use those gifts to serve one another. Thank you that some gifts are public and others are private, some are up front and others are behind the scenes. Whatever gift we have, we know that it's important that we rely on you, that we speak as an oracle of God, or we serve with the strength that you supply. And in everything we do, we ask that you would be glorified, that you would be the one that we point to and draw people to. Holy Spirit, help us. Show us what our gifts are. Speak to us today and show us what you want us to do as a result of what we've heard in today's sermon. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.