Embracing Our Gifts: A Journey of Service
Devotional
Sermon Summary
Bible Study Guide
Sermon Clips
"Today, we are going to be talking about gifts. And everybody, everybody has gifts. But not everybody uses their gifts. And when they don't use their gifts, they go to waste. They go to waste. Now, you guys have gifts. So some of you are really, really good readers. And some of you are super good at sports. And some of you make fantastic artwork. And some of you can sing very, very well. And some of you are really, really kind." [00:16:30] (32 seconds)
"The truth is, believers, that every one of us created in the image of God is gifted and talented. The challenge, though, is that too many of us don't believe it, and because we don't believe it, we don't act on it. We don't think that we have anything to offer the world." [00:30:38] (28 seconds)
"It tells us that they were people of discernible talent who had been gifted with the ability to know that something truly heavenly was happening and that having been given such a gift and a talent to discern this, they didn't just sit there on their back deck hoping that somebody else would go and figure it out. They got up and they went. They pursued their gift." [00:32:29] (28 seconds)
"let's also remember that the wise men who came to see Jesus were not the only ones who came to see them so did the shepherds they they would not have necessarily been two groups of people that would have hung out together their fields of expertise vastly different and yet like so much of the world they had been eagerly expecting a Savior and they all wanted to come and see this Jesus and they were all warmly welcomed and received but they probably shouldn't have switched places the shepherds probably should not have gone back as wise men the wise men probably should not have gone back as shepherds because they were gifted differently one of the hardest things about being gifted and talented and this is true for artists musicians academics characters caregivers and wise men is that there are people in this world who are more than willing to exploit your gifts and talents so you need to be discerning about what you do with them for the wise men it was King Herod he wanted their information not so that he could take joy in the birth of a Savior but so that he could maintain his power and influence. And ultimately, the wise men discerning in their gifts did not go back to Herod." [00:34:04] (91 seconds)
"The scripture says that when the star stopped, the wise men were overwhelmed with joy. They didn't know exactly what they were walking into. They didn't have the full comprehension of Jesus, but they knew, too, they knew that their gifting had brought them to a place of being part of something much larger than themselves, and they were overcome with joy." [00:36:46] (24 seconds)
"That is the story of so many Christians who stumble their way to Jesus, and they brought these rare and expensive gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. That's how we assume that there were three of them, because there were three gifts. They chose to visit a king that they did not owe, no, or owe their allegiance to, and it's a journey that took them many months." [00:37:23] (27 seconds)
"As the Magi discovered giving of their time and their possessions, using their talents, it caused great joy to spring from their hearts they were overwhelmed with joy and that joy was only enhanced by their generosity they did something with their gifts and talents that was a visible and tangible recognition that they were invited invited not coerced not forced but welcomed to be a part of something that was so much bigger than they could even fathom have you ever watched our children's choir sing when they get to come in the word that we use to describe it when they're here is is joy because when you watch their faces and you watch their smiles and you watch them when they wave to mom and dad that they recognize you are seeing a pride and them getting to share their talent their gifts their work they feel good about what they what they are doing and what what they have done, and how they can contribute in their own small and precious way to worshiping Jesus." [00:37:59] (69 seconds)
"It recognizes that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, was manifested to the Gentiles, those who were not Jews, represented by the Magi. And that reminds us that God's love is for the whole world, not just for the chosen few. This is a day to recognize that as ones who are created in the image of God, we each have been gifted in ways that we can use our talents to honor and glorify him." [00:39:19] (36 seconds)
"So list out all of the characters, even the angel, and then beside each of them, list what you think were the gifts that they had. And think about how they used their specific gifts. I think part of the disconnect for me with the label gifted and talented is that being smart isn't the only way to be gifted and talented." [00:40:45] (28 seconds)
"Now, last year, we sent everyone away from the service with the gift of a word. A word that God would use to speak life into your life last year. This year, we are going to send you home with something else. A challenge. It is a year -long challenge. We have two members of our congregation who firmly believe that every one of us is gifted and talented. We don't all have the same gifts. We don't all have the same talents." [00:44:27] (36 seconds)
"Our prayer is that you will take this challenge this year, that you will be transformed as you draw closer and closer to Jesus. But in order to do that, you are going to have to start. And starting begins with looking at what your gifts are and acting upon them. May you do so boldly to the glory of God and may God bless you and keep you. May he make his face to shine upon you now and forevermore. Amen." [01:11:19] (36 seconds)
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"The truth is, believers, that every one of us created in the image of God is gifted and talented. The challenge, though, is that too many of us don't believe it, and because we don't believe it, we don't act on it. We don't think that we have anything to offer the world." [00:30:38] (28 seconds)
"It tells us that they were people of discernible talent who had been gifted with the ability to know that something truly heavenly was happening and that having been given such a gift and a talent to discern this, they didn't just sit there on their back deck hoping that somebody else would go and figure it out. They got up and they went. They pursued their gift." [00:32:29] (28 seconds)
"let's also remember that the wise men who came to see Jesus were not the only ones who came to see them so did the shepherds they they would not have necessarily been two groups of people that would have hung out together their fields of expertise vastly different and yet like so much of the world they had been eagerly expecting a Savior and they all wanted to come and see this Jesus and they were all warmly welcomed and received but they probably shouldn't have switched places the shepherds probably should not have gone back as wise men the wise men probably should not have gone back as shepherds because they were gifted differently one of the hardest things about being gifted and talented and this is true for artists musicians academics characters caregivers and wise men is that there are people in this world who are more than willing to exploit your gifts and talents so you need to be discerning about what you do with them for the wise men it was King Herod he wanted their information not so that he could take joy in the birth of a Savior but so that he could maintain his power and influence. And ultimately, the wise men discerning in their gifts did not go back to Herod." [00:34:04] (91 seconds)
"The scripture says that when the star stopped, the wise men were overwhelmed with joy. They didn't know exactly what they were walking into. They didn't have the full comprehension of Jesus, but they knew, too, they knew that their gifting had brought them to a place of being part of something much larger than themselves, and they were overcome with joy." [00:36:46] (24 seconds)
"That is the story of so many Christians who stumble their way to Jesus, and they brought these rare and expensive gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. That's how we assume that there were three of them, because there were three gifts. They chose to visit a king that they did not owe, no, or owe their allegiance to, and it's a journey that took them many months." [00:37:23] (27 seconds)
"As the Magi discovered giving of their time and their possessions, using their talents, it caused great joy to spring from their hearts they were overwhelmed with joy and that joy was only enhanced by their generosity they did something with their gifts and talents that was a visible and tangible recognition that they were invited invited not coerced not forced but welcomed to be a part of something that was so much bigger than they could even fathom have you ever watched our children's choir sing when they get to come in the word that we use to describe it when they're here is is joy because when you watch their faces and you watch their smiles and you watch them when they wave to mom and dad that they recognize you are seeing a pride and them getting to share their talent their gifts their work they feel good about what they what they are doing and what what they have done, and how they can contribute in their own small and precious way to worshiping Jesus." [00:37:59] (69 seconds)
"It recognizes that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, was manifested to the Gentiles, those who were not Jews, represented by the Magi. And that reminds us that God's love is for the whole world, not just for the chosen few. This is a day to recognize that as ones who are created in the image of God, we each have been gifted in ways that we can use our talents to honor and glorify him." [00:39:19] (36 seconds)
"So list out all of the characters, even the angel, and then beside each of them, list what you think were the gifts that they had. And think about how they used their specific gifts. I think part of the disconnect for me with the label gifted and talented is that being smart isn't the only way to be gifted and talented." [00:40:45] (28 seconds)
"Now, last year, we sent everyone away from the service with the gift of a word. A word that God would use to speak life into your life last year. This year, we are going to send you home with something else. A challenge. It is a year -long challenge. We have two members of our congregation who firmly believe that every one of us is gifted and talented. We don't all have the same gifts. We don't all have the same talents." [00:44:27] (36 seconds)
"Our prayer is that you will take this challenge this year, that you will be transformed as you draw closer and closer to Jesus. But in order to do that, you are going to have to start. And starting begins with looking at what your gifts are and acting upon them. May you do so boldly to the glory of God and may God bless you and keep you. May he make his face to shine upon you now and forevermore. Amen." [01:11:19] (36 seconds)
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