1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: All right, well, good to see everybody again this morning. 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: And this morning we're going to be continuing our series 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: on this idea of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. 4 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: And today we're going to talk about this idea of 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: serving God with the gifts that He has given, serving 6 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 1: God with the gifts that He has given, and we're 7 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: going to be in Firs Peter, Chapter four. I'm going 8 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: to start at verse eleven. I'll read down or yeah, 9 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: verse seven, and then I'll read down to verse eleven, 10 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: and we'll be looking at this but just this idea 11 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: of what does it mean to serve with the gifts 12 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: that God has given us? Serving with the gifts that 13 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: God has given us? Verse Peter four, starting with verse seven, 14 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: this is what it states. Some very interesting things in 15 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 1: this passage. Peter says this, the end of all things 16 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: is at hand. Therefore, be self controlled and sober minded 17 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving 18 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: one another earnestly. Since love covers a multitude of sins, 19 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has 20 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 1: received a gift, use it to serve one another as 21 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 1: good stewards of God's varied grace, whoever speaks as one 22 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves as one who 23 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: serves by the strength that God supplies, in order that 24 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him, 25 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:34,119 Speaker 1: to Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen, 26 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 1: Let's pray, Lord, thank you so much for your word, 27 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: and thank you for the privilege that you've given us 28 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: today to be able to spend some time together looking 29 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 1: at it. 30 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 2: Lord. 31 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: We're grateful for the access you've given us to your 32 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: words so that we could understand your mind, so that 33 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: we could understand your heart. We're grateful for the fact 34 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: that when we read your word, we're not just reading 35 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: just instruction on a piece of paine. We're actually learning 36 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: more about the mind and the heart and the will 37 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: of our creator. Lord, you tell us that your word 38 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: is living and active. Your word accomplishes miraculous things in 39 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: our minds and in our hearts. There's so many of 40 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: us that have testimonies of moments where we've been reading 41 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: your word and it's like just a light flashed in 42 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: our mind where we understood something that we had been 43 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: wrestling with or found the answer to a prayer and 44 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:30,679 Speaker 1: something that you communicated to humanity, sometimes just many thousands 45 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: of years ago. And so Lord, we're grateful for these blessings. 46 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 1: And now today Father, we pray that as we look 47 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: at your word, that you'd help us to understand it. 48 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 1: We pray as we read this brief portion from First Peter, 49 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: chapter four, that these would be truths that permeate our 50 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: minds and permeate our hearts and help us ultimately to 51 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: bring you glory. We thank you for all of these 52 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: things in Jesus' name. 53 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 2: Amen. 54 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: So, over the course of the summer months here, we've 55 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: been talking about this idea of what it means to 56 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 1: glorify God. And one of the big things that I've 57 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: brought up multiple times is this idea of what is 58 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: the purpose of our lives. I think all of us 59 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 1: have asked that question at one point or another, and 60 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 1: so we've had a little bit of a quiz as 61 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: we've started each time, taking this from the Westminster Shorter Catechism, 62 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: which opens up asking us this question. Now ready, we're 63 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: going to do this in unison when we answer it, 64 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: all right, so have your answer mentally prepared. I didn't 65 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: give you great time to prepare other weeks. So today 66 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: I'm doing I'm going to try and do better. But 67 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: the book starts off, the Catechism starts off with what 68 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: is the chief end of man? 69 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 2: And what's the answer to that? You got it? You 70 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 2: got it. 71 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: It wasn't a one hundred percent and saying, but it was 72 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: close enough. Because we grate on a curve. The idea 73 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: is our chief end, the reason we've been created. Your purpose, 74 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: in my purpose, is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. 75 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: And when that's something that gets stuck in your mind 76 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: and stiff in my mind, that actually helps us to 77 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: enjoy our lives, our life just in general, much more completely. 78 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: Because there are many people in this world who have 79 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,119 Speaker 1: no idea why they've been created. They think it's something 80 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: about their achievements, or their status, or their titles, or 81 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: their experiences or whatever it may be. And yet when 82 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: you look at what scripture reveals to us, it reveals 83 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: to us that the main reason that you and I 84 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: were created is to glorify God and write in line 85 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: with that, to enjoy Him forever as we glorify Him, 86 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 1: If we don't spend our lives seeking to glorify ourselves 87 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: but seek to glorify Him. There's a lot of joy 88 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 1: in that experience. And we've been walking our way through 89 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: some of these concepts as we've been looking at God's word. 90 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: Now today we're in Firs Peter chapter four, and before 91 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: we break down some of these details, I'll say a 92 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: few things just to kind of set this up in 93 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:51,359 Speaker 1: a certain way. Many people, or most people, do like 94 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:56,799 Speaker 1: the idea that their lives have purpose. Most people want 95 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: to understand that. Most people like that concept. We want 96 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: to believe that our abilities and our experiences, and our 97 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: opportunities and our relationships actually contributes to something larger than ourselves. 98 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 2: And do you think about that from time to time? 99 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: Just this idea of your life and the things that 100 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 1: the Lord's entrusted to you, that that actually contributes to 101 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 1: something that's larger than you. That's something that we desire, 102 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 1: and Scripture affirms that desire. That's not a bad desire, 103 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 1: but it also redirects that desire, meaning the gifts that 104 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: God's given you. And we see this in the chapter 105 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: that we're looking at today. The gifts that God has 106 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: given us, they weren't given to us so that we 107 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 1: could primarily. 108 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 2: Just build our own reputation. 109 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: They were given to us so that we could serve 110 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: one another and bring glory to God in the process 111 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: of doing that. And that's the emphasis that you see 112 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: in these words that the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to 113 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: write down. See this here in one Peter four seven 114 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 1: through eleven to give you a little extra context. Peter 115 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 1: was writing to believers who at the time we're living 116 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:59,119 Speaker 1: under great pressure and they're facing opposition because of their faith. 117 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 2: It was very difficult to be a. 118 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: Christian in the midst of that culture, and many people 119 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: were being persecuted in a variety of ways. And so 120 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 1: he's writing this to them to instruct them and encourage 121 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,919 Speaker 1: them in a variety of ways. Their circumstances were not easy. 122 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: Their circumstances were such that I don't think you and 123 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,600 Speaker 1: I would envy what their day to day lives were 124 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: like as they dealt with persecution in the first century. 125 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: And yet Peter didn't tell them to just retreat, you know, 126 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: just go into kind of a state of self protection. 127 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: He called them, even in the midst of all the 128 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: difficulties that they were dealing with, to live faithfully, to 129 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: love earnestly. You see, all these things in the statements 130 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 1: that he made here in this passage, to serve willingly 131 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: and to use whatever God entrusted to them for the 132 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: benefit of others, to serve other people. And one of 133 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: the things that I love about this passage, because the 134 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: portion we're looking at today gives some very specific instructions 135 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: about the nature of glorifying God. But this passage also 136 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 1: reminds us that glorifying God isn't limited to worship services, 137 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: and it isn't limited to moments of obvious spiritual significance. 138 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: We glorify God when we take the gifts that He's 139 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: placed in our lives, and when we use them to 140 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 1: strengthen those around us. So have that idea in your 141 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: mind as we look at each of these verses here. 142 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: We glorify God when we take what He's placed in 143 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: our lives, whatever gifts or talents or abilities he's placed 144 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 1: in our lives, and then we use those things to 145 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: serve other people and strengthen them. That's what Peter's trying 146 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: to build up to as he says these things. But 147 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: notice how he starts in verse seven. He says this 148 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: the end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be 149 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: self controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers. 150 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be 151 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: self controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers. 152 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: Peter has an interesting story. When you look at his 153 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: life in the Gospels, and then you see the different 154 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: things that took place in the Book of Acts, and 155 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: then you see the things that he wrote to the 156 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: early Church, you could see him developing a deeper awareness 157 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: of what was really going on around him over the 158 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: course of his life, and he lived with an awareness 159 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: that history was moving toward a God appointed conclusion. The 160 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ had already initiated 161 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: the last days, and so that's why he says here 162 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: the end of all things is at hand. He didn't 163 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: know how much time there would be between Christ's first 164 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: coming and his second coming. He just knew we were 165 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: in the process of waiting for him to return again, 166 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: and believers were then to live eager for Christ to 167 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: return now again. That doesn't mean Peter was encouraging panic. 168 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: Doesn't mean Peter was encouraging speculation on the part of 169 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: the early Church. But what he is telling the Christians 170 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: to do is to be self controlled and sober minded. 171 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: He says, I want you to be self controlled. I 172 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: want you to be sober minded, basically saying, you know 173 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: a proper understanding of eternity, knowing that this is very 174 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,079 Speaker 1: much what the Lord has in store for us, it 175 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 1: should actually produce clarity, not confusion. If you have a 176 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: proper understanding of eternity, it should produce a level of clarity, 177 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: not confusion in your life. Well we know that Christ 178 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 1: will return, we begin to see our lives differently. When 179 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: you and I are living as if Christ could return 180 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: at any moment, you really do see your life and 181 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: you see your time differently. Our days on this earth 182 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: are not unlimited, and our opportunities to serve others will 183 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 1: not last forever. I've been thinking a lot about that, 184 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: you know. I turned fifty this summer, and I was 185 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: talking to one of my sons about that. 186 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 2: He's like, that's a that's a big number. 187 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: And I was like, I know, and I was like, 188 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: so like in your mind, I guess I'm just old now. 189 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: He's like, You've been there like my whole life, but 190 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: now the number is catching up to my assumption of you. 191 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 2: And in the midst of thinking about that. 192 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 1: I think, like, honestly, the past twenty years of my 193 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:44,599 Speaker 1: life feel like it's gone by like the snap of 194 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: a finger. And I know I'm not the only one 195 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: that thinks that way. So I think, all right, well, 196 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 1: the last twenty years went by like the snap of 197 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: my snap of a finger. So that means seventy is 198 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: like just one more snap of a finger. And if 199 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: the Lord allows ninety, you know, it's just like a 200 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: it's just a moment meaning your life. In my life, 201 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: we don't have a lot of time to do what 202 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: God has given us to do. And so I look 203 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 1: at that and I think, and this is one of 204 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: my most common prayers. 205 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 2: I pray this to the Lord frequently. Lord, I don't 206 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 2: know how much time I have, but I pray. 207 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: That I would use it doing what you want me 208 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: to do with it. I don't know how much time 209 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 1: I have, but I want to use it the way 210 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: you want me to use it. The gifts that God 211 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 1: has given us are meant to be used faithfully now, 212 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: not when you're older, not when you're wiser, not when 213 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:34,319 Speaker 1: you're better at all the different things you want to 214 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: be better at. 215 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 2: Start using them now. Why am I saying that, well. 216 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 1: You know, when you look at what scripture reveals to us, 217 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:47,719 Speaker 1: like eternity's promised to us, but tomorrow on this planet is. 218 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 2: Not, So use them. 219 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: Now, there's somebody that the Lord is placed in your 220 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: life that's going to be strengthened and blessed as you 221 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: use the gifts that He's placed in your life. 222 00:10:58,200 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 2: And so when you look at your life. 223 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: Don't just look at it this way and say like, 224 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 1: all right, what do I want to accomplish? Have a 225 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: different question, ask how can I use what God has 226 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: given me for his purposes? So it's not just a 227 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: list of what do I want to accomplish, it's Lord, 228 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: how can I use what You've given me for your purposes? Meaning, 229 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: instead of measuring life mainly through personal achievement, begin thinking 230 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: in terms of eternal significance. Lord, you've given me a 231 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:29,199 Speaker 1: brief snippet of time on this planet, but the things 232 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 1: that you've equipped me to do actually reverberate into eternity. 233 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,440 Speaker 1: So His calling on our life is that we would 234 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: think with eternity in mind. And you look at what 235 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: Peter says here, and you have Peter also connecting spiritual 236 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: alertness an awareness of these things. 237 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,479 Speaker 2: With prayer, he tells. 238 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: Believers to be sober minded, and he says he gives 239 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: us the reason why. He says, for the sake of 240 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 1: your prayers. Well, what prayer does is this, It keeps 241 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: us dependent on God. And it reminds us that our 242 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: gifts are not enough in and of them selves, because 243 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: ability without dependence can easily turn into pride, and that 244 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: is not something that God wants in your life or 245 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: in my life. And service without prayer can become exhausting. 246 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: You ever try and do that, Serve and serve, and 247 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: serve without relying on the Lord in the midst of it. 248 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: I also think, you know, it's useful to say it 249 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: this way. Ministry without communion with God can quickly turn 250 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: into heartless activity. 251 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:26,839 Speaker 2: And that's not what God desires for us. 252 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,680 Speaker 1: He wants us to be dependent on Him in the 253 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: midst of everything that we experience, so that He receives 254 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: the glory. 255 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:34,559 Speaker 2: And Peter goes on to say this. 256 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: He says, above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since 257 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: love covers a multitude of sins. I will tell you 258 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: this is one of my favorite concepts in all of Scripture. 259 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: It's not an easy thing to practice, but it's a 260 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: beautiful thing. Again, Peter says, above all, keep loving one 261 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,719 Speaker 1: another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Think 262 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 1: about the implications of what he's saying there, the phrase 263 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: above all, above alls. 264 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:01,680 Speaker 2: He's using that phrase. 265 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: What he's trying to show us is how central love 266 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: is to the Christian life. Spiritual gifts are important, but 267 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: love determines how those gifts are going to be used, 268 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: because a gifted person without love can accidentally hurt people. 269 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 1: Now what do I mean by that, Well, I think 270 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: a knowledgeable person without love can become arrogant. I've seen 271 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: that happen plenty of times. I think a strong leader 272 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: without love can become controlling. Someone was telling me a 273 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: story just yesterday. I officiated a wedding in New Jersey 274 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:33,959 Speaker 1: yesterday and at the reception, I was talking to a 275 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: variety of people I don't know, lots of conversations with 276 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 1: people I'd never met, and someone just felt the need 277 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: to tell me a story about an instance in ministry 278 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: that he was aware of where someone just became very 279 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: very controlling, A good leader became very very controlling. And 280 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: I looked at that and I thought, yeah, it's just 281 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: like what we're talking about today, this idea of above all, 282 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 1: keep loving one another. If you don't love other people, 283 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: you're going to ultimately start demanding things for you. I 284 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:05,319 Speaker 1: think a generous person without love can start to become resentful. 285 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: I think a talented teacher without love can end up 286 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 1: communicating without the heart of compassion that's supposed to be 287 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: behind it. And so Peter here is saying, look, above all, 288 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:17,599 Speaker 1: keep loving one another, and he says, do it earnestly. 289 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: Since love covers a multitude of sins. I love that 290 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: God isn't just interested. 291 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 2: In what we do. 292 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: He cares about the heart from which our service is flowing. 293 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 1: And so Peter tells believers to love one another earnestly. 294 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: This kind of love requires intentionality. It also requires endurance. 295 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: Isn't something that's meant to be sentimental. It's not something 296 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: that's meant to be shallow either. Christian love continues even 297 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 1: when relationships become difficult. And maybe I could even say 298 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: not just even when they become difficult. It's knowing ahead 299 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: of time that there will be seasons when they do 300 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: become difficult. And so because of that Peter adds that 301 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: statement love covers a multitude of sins. Love covers a 302 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: multitude of sins. Now, he isn't suggesting that love ignores 303 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: serious wrongdoings. He's also not suggesting that sin doesn't get 304 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: confronted when it needs to be confronted. But what he's 305 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: saying here is that love refuses to magnify every irritation 306 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 1: and to replay every minor offense or demand repayment for 307 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: every failure. Healthy Christian community requires grace because Christian communities 308 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: are filled with imperfect people, and unwillingness to forgive somebody 309 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: else shows where you're not preaching the. 310 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 2: Gospel to your own heart. 311 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 1: If you or I hold on to bitterness and will 312 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: not forgive even severe offenses, that right there shows what 313 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: you're missing about the Gospel. Because Christ has forgiven the 314 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: most heinous things for you and me, and he invites 315 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 1: us to do the very same thing, because each of 316 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: us were imperfect. If not for grace being shown to 317 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: us by God, and likewise the grace that we hope 318 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: would be shown to us by our brothers and sisters 319 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: in Christ, where would we be Would we even be 320 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 1: functioning as a local church? You know churches contain a 321 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: lot of imperfect people. Have you ever figured that out? 322 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: You notice that churches contain imperfect pastors? 323 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 2: Ask me how I know? How do I know? 324 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: It was technically a rhetorical question, but I think I 325 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 1: make that very obvious as I stand up here each week. 326 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: Families contain imperfect parents and imperfect spouses and imperfect children. 327 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: Small groups contain imperfect friends. Ministries contain imperfect volunteers. 328 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 2: Right, we could go on and on and on with 329 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 2: the list. 330 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: And if every mistake has to become a major conflict, 331 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: every mistake becomes a major conflict, then relationships quickly become unbearable. 332 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 2: But what we're seeing. 333 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: Here is the Holy Spirit inspires Peter to be very. 334 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 2: Direct in how he's saying this. 335 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 1: He's basically revealing that love gives room for patience, Love 336 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 1: gives room for forgiveness, and love also gives room for restoration. 337 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: If you love Jesus Christ, understand that you have a 338 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: ministry in this world. Scripture calls you a minister of reconciliation. 339 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:24,439 Speaker 1: Minister of reconciliation, What do you think the Christian community 340 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: would be like? 341 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 2: What do you think this world would be like? 342 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: If believers understood that and said, you know what, it's 343 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 1: actually my job in this world. It is my mission 344 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 1: in this world to reconcile. Now, ultimately, the reconciliation that's 345 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: being talked about is people that are distant from God 346 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: becoming close to God. But oftentimes even before that happens, 347 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: the Lord will use reconciliation just on a day to 348 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 1: day relational level to give people a picture of his 349 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: heart through you. And He's called you and me to 350 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: be ministers. We're all ministers. Scripture specifically says we are 351 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 1: ministers of reconciliation, which is the heart of the gospel, 352 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 1: taking those who were far away from our creator and 353 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 1: bringing them near and love gives room for a lot 354 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: of patience and a lot of forgiveness and a lot 355 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: of restoration. 356 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 2: You can't get close to. 357 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 1: People without people at times being abrasive or hurting you. 358 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 1: That doesn't happen right. If you're close to people, you're 359 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: going to see some of the bumpy moments. You're going 360 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 1: to see some of the difficult moments. But if we 361 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: genuinely love, what ends up happening is love covers a 362 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: multitude of sins. 363 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:28,640 Speaker 2: Can't you see people in. 364 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 1: Your life, Like even when you think about some of 365 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 1: the people from your past, you know that your parents 366 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,879 Speaker 1: weren't perfect. You know that your grandparents weren't perfect. But 367 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: I bet you if you think back to your grandparents 368 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: or a favorite aunt or an uncle, I think a 369 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 1: lot of times you probably look at them and you're like, 370 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:44,439 Speaker 1: I don't know. They may not have been perfect, but 371 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 1: they were perfect for me, And you don't think like 372 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: when I think back to my grandparents, like, I know, 373 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: they're just human, but they were. Like, so, I was 374 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 1: blessed with some of the greatest grandparents on this planet, 375 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: and I think back to them frequently and I'm like, 376 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,199 Speaker 1: I don't know, Like they could have told me a 377 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: lot of faults, but I in my mind, I don't 378 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: even see it. I don't even see it. Why because 379 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: love covers over all of that. When you genuinely love somebody, 380 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,199 Speaker 1: you're not seeing them for their low moments, You're not 381 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: seeing them for their faults. That's exactly what Christ has 382 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: shown us. Jesus didn't love me because I was easy 383 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: to love, and he didn't love you because you were. 384 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 2: Easy to love. 385 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: Scripture says he loved us while we were sinners and 386 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: that also means like it's not just a sentimental feeling. 387 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:37,960 Speaker 1: He showed love by enduring rejection and even sometimes just misunderstanding. 388 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 1: He also endured betrayal, He also endured hostility, and yet 389 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: he continued toward the cross. And why does the scripture 390 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 1: tell us that he continued toward the cross? Why did 391 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:50,479 Speaker 1: he endure that because of the joy set before him, 392 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,400 Speaker 1: the joy of you and I being reconciled to him forever. 393 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: And I think our love for others grows as we 394 00:19:55,840 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 1: remember how fully loved we've been by Jesus Christ. I 395 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: know the more I learned to appreciate what He's done 396 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: for me, the easier it's become to love other people. 397 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 1: Because I find myself not playing that comparison game where 398 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: you try to think in your oh, I would never 399 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 1: do that. 400 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:13,199 Speaker 2: Do you ever do that? 401 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 1: Do you ever say that we've all done it, I've 402 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:16,719 Speaker 1: done that, where you're like, oh, I would never talk 403 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:18,439 Speaker 1: to somebody that way, or I'd never do that thing, 404 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: or I would never make that mistake. And we minimize 405 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:24,880 Speaker 1: our things, we minimize our mess, and we magnify other 406 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,640 Speaker 1: people's mess. And then you look at what scripture actually 407 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: says it says, love covers a multitude of sins, meaning 408 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: every category. 409 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 2: Pick the category. 410 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: If you genuinely love somebody, love is going to cover 411 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:41,879 Speaker 1: whatever category. And then Peter says something that's really really challenging. 412 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: He says, and if you do love people, here's a 413 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 1: way to test it. You're ready for the test. Some 414 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: of you, you know, some of you are starting a 415 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: new semester in college. You're like, oh, come on, there's 416 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:54,119 Speaker 1: still a week before classes begin. No more tests, no tests, 417 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: an early test. Here's the test. Show hospitality to one 418 00:20:58,320 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 1: another without grumbling. 419 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 2: There's Peter four nine. 420 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:03,639 Speaker 1: We're in that part of the year where there's a 421 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,479 Speaker 1: whole bunch of holidays. You know, you're going to be 422 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: hanging out with family, friends, all sorts of people. Can 423 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: you show hospitality to one another without grumbling? That's one 424 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 1: of the tests of love. Hospitality, by the way, was 425 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:18,639 Speaker 1: particularly important in the century in which Peter was writing 426 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: these things down. Keep in mind, they didn't have hotels 427 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: like we're used to, right. You know, when you go 428 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: to a place, you just assume there's gonna be a 429 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:28,479 Speaker 1: hotel that's easy to find a room. I mean, there 430 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 1: were inns, there were stuff like that, But it wasn't 431 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 1: like there were chains where you could just easily guarantee 432 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: there was going to be something like that, and even 433 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 1: if there was, you didn't have the money for it. 434 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: Most often, so, traveling believers and teachers would often depend 435 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 1: on other Christians to show them hospitality, so that as 436 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 1: they were coming to a town and preaching the gospel 437 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 1: and teaching people the word, they had a place to 438 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: stay and a place to eat. So if someone stayed 439 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,440 Speaker 1: with you, you also took care of their meals. Typically, 440 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: and churches back then they didn't have church buildings like 441 00:21:57,119 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: we enjoy in this day and age. They met in homes, 442 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 1: so that also meant as your church grew, somebody had 443 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,159 Speaker 1: to host everybody. You know, do you ever see the 444 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,640 Speaker 1: patterns that the Amish follow in present day? They all 445 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,240 Speaker 1: take turns having everybody over to their home, and people 446 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:17,360 Speaker 1: bring over benches, and they take all your furniture out 447 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 1: of your house, and they fill your house with a 448 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: whole bunch of benches, and then everybody comes in and 449 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: invades your house. Do you suppose that feels a little 450 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: invasive even for the Amish? Probably everybody thinks they probably 451 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:31,160 Speaker 1: don't complain. I bet you sometimes they're tempted to complain. 452 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: I bet you sometimes they are. And yet Peter says, 453 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 1: what show hospitality. 454 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:37,520 Speaker 2: To one another without grumbling? 455 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 1: Well, the early church, they'd meet in each other's homes, 456 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: So showing hospitality was a very important ministry in that. 457 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 2: Era, but it is now as well. 458 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:48,920 Speaker 1: I can't tell you how many times true ministry has 459 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 1: taken place around my dining room table. That dining room 460 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: table is truly you know, in many respects, you could 461 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: say an alter dedicated under the Lord. But also notice 462 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: how people advises showing this hospitality here. He says, do 463 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: it without grumbling, Do it without grumbling. And he's saying 464 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 1: that because it's possible to serve outwardly while complaining inwardly. 465 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 1: You know, we could do the right thing with the 466 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: wrong spirit. We could end up providing help but then 467 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 1: also resenting the inconvenience or volunteer, but also privately resent 468 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: the fact that nobody else stepped forward or give generously, 469 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,199 Speaker 1: but then also wish that maybe someone would notice how 470 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: generous we're truly being. And he's like, no, if you're 471 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: going to show hospitality, do it without grumbling even in 472 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 1: your mind. Don't grumble, not out loud, not in your mind, 473 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 1: don't complain about it. He's reminding Christians that service should 474 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: flow from grace, not resentment. And then he goes on 475 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:52,639 Speaker 1: to say this. When you get to verse ten, he says, 476 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 1: and as each and this is kind of where he's 477 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: getting to the crux of how this all works out. 478 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,199 Speaker 1: He says, as each has received a gift, use it 479 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. 480 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 1: Each has received a gift, Use it to serve one 481 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: another as good stewards of God's varied grace. And I 482 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: think there's a tremendous amount of truth packed into that 483 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 1: verse because he's saying is each has received a gift, 484 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: meaning every believer has something to contribute. 485 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 2: Now, as I look. 486 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 1: Around, I see some of you who have known Jesus 487 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: as your Lord for months, and some of you have 488 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 1: known him for years, and some of you have known 489 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: him for decades. And one of the interesting things about 490 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 1: how the Lord has orchestrated things to operate within the church, 491 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,639 Speaker 1: he doesn't wait till you've known him for decades before 492 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: he equips you to serve the moment you came to 493 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 1: faith in Jesus Christ. Scripture reveals that you were gifted 494 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,399 Speaker 1: in some supernatural way, and the purpose of that gift 495 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: is that you would serve other people so that their 496 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: faith in Jesus Christ would be strengthened. And here Peter 497 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 1: is making that very clear. He says, as each has 498 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:02,920 Speaker 1: received a gift, as each has received a gift, Now 499 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 1: you don't have to look around, just look into your 500 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 1: own heart here for a second. Do you feel particularly 501 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,040 Speaker 1: gifted or do you look around at other people at 502 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: times and say, you know, I see their gifts, and 503 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: I see their gifts, and I see their gifts, and 504 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:16,360 Speaker 1: I wish I could do. 505 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 2: That thing, and I wish I could do that thing. 506 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:20,919 Speaker 1: And then because you're looking so much in other directions, 507 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 1: you sometimes fail to recognize what Peter's actually saying. 508 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 2: Here is true of you. 509 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: That you are indeed, if you know Jesus Christ as 510 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 1: your savior, you are indeed supernaturally gifted in some way. 511 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 1: And He's gonna give us two major categories in a second. 512 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: But in some way you've been gifted to build somebody 513 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: else up. There is somebody who will only grow stronger 514 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,400 Speaker 1: if someone with your gift starts implementing it in their 515 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:49,639 Speaker 1: life and utilizing it in their life. The longer I've 516 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:51,640 Speaker 1: walked with the Lord, the more I've started to realize 517 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 1: areas where I am gifted and areas I'm definitely not. 518 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:57,199 Speaker 1: And at one point I used to try and think, like, 519 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 1: you know, try and be good at all these things. 520 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:01,200 Speaker 1: And then the old you get, the more you realize 521 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 1: like you stink at that, you are just pretending at 522 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 1: that thing. You absolutely are terrible at that. And I've 523 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 1: decided this is how I'm going to make up for that. 524 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: I'm gonna surround myself with people who have gifts that 525 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 1: are different from my own, and I'm gonna appreciate those gifts. 526 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:16,919 Speaker 1: I'll try to use the gifts the Lord's given me 527 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: to help strengthen other people, but then I need to 528 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: rely on other people to help strengthen me. I will 529 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: not grow to the level of spiritual maturity, maturity that 530 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: the Lord desires for me if other people don't make 531 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: the investment in me that I need as they use 532 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 1: the gifts that he gave them and didn't. 533 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:34,920 Speaker 2: Give me, and vice versa. 534 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,200 Speaker 1: I'm supposed to use my gifts, you're supposed to use 535 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 1: your gifts. And as we keep using these things toward 536 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:43,480 Speaker 1: each other, serving one another, the church gets built up, 537 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: the church gets strong. We don't have to compare. We 538 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,399 Speaker 1: could just be grateful for how the Lord's gifted us, 539 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:54,119 Speaker 1: and then use those gifts to honor him and to 540 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 1: bless other people. Now I know sometimes those who teach 541 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: may wish they could sing, and those who sing may 542 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: wish they could lead, and those who lead may envy 543 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: the person who seems just so naturally relational, and someone 544 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: who works behind the scenes wonder if their contribution has 545 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 1: ever noticed, if it really counts. I just love the 546 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,720 Speaker 1: perspective that Peter gives us here. He says, Basically, you've 547 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: received a gift, and your responsibility isn't to wish for 548 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 1: somebody else's role. Your responsibility is to faithfully use what 549 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: God's entrusted to you. Because the church was never meant 550 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:33,119 Speaker 1: to function through an unusually gifted group of like small 551 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 1: group of people supposed to be every believer using their gifts, 552 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:39,880 Speaker 1: every believer using their gifts. I won't mention which church 553 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 1: this is because I'm being recorded right now, but maybe 554 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: i'll tell you privately. But I know of a church 555 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: not too terribly far away, less than two hours away, 556 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 1: that at one point was very, very healthy. And I 557 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: watched over time as that church went from being very healthy, 558 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: and by the way, one of the greater signs of 559 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:00,840 Speaker 1: health was the fact that many people were involved. People 560 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 1: had a roll, people had a way, they were using 561 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 1: their gifts. And then they they brought on some leadership 562 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 1: that basically said, you know what, I'll do that, I'll 563 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 1: do that, I'll do that, and started taking roll after roll, 564 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 1: one at a time, undo himself and eventually it was 565 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: just him and a couple other people doing all the things. 566 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 1: And I remember thinking at the time, so what do 567 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 1: you just expect everybody to do? Just observe the Lord's 568 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: given people gifts they want to use their gifts. And 569 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: then I watched over time as the church basically just 570 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:31,560 Speaker 1: dwindled down to next to nothing, And it didn't surprise me. 571 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 1: The church was not meant to function through a small 572 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: group of unusually gifted people who just do all the 573 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: things while everybody else watches. In fact, look at what 574 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 1: we're told in one Corinthians twelve and one Corinthians twelve fourteen. 575 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 1: It says, for the body does not consist of one member, 576 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: but of many, and it's talking about that like the 577 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: apostle Paul in that context is talking about the human body. 578 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: How it's got ahead, how it's got feet, how it's 579 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: got hands, how it's got fingers, how it's got eyes, 580 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: how it's got a mouth, how it's got But he's 581 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 1: using it as an analogy to describe the church, and 582 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 1: he's saying the church isn't just one body part. The 583 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: church's multiple body parts. And a body needs different parts 584 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: because different parts serve different purposes. And that's how a 585 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,440 Speaker 1: healthy church is supposed to operate. Some of us are eyes, 586 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: some of us are ears, some of us are a mouth, 587 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 1: some of us are hands, some of us are feet, 588 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: and the parts don't need to compete. If they work together, 589 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:30,239 Speaker 1: things go well. That's where healthy churches get developed, as 590 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 1: Christ is glorified and people are served. And God does 591 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: this on purpose. I don't know if you've ever thought 592 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: about why God does this, Why he gives different people 593 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:41,960 Speaker 1: differently and doesn't just give us each all the gifts. 594 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: He does it on purpose so that we will need 595 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 1: one another. 596 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:49,240 Speaker 2: Meaning. 597 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: Scripture is also very clear in saying this that you 598 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 1: and I can never look at one another and say 599 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 1: I don't need you. 600 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 2: We can ever, I mean, we could say it, it 601 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 2: would just be a lie. Though. 602 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: You can't look at another believer and say I don't 603 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 1: need you, and they can't look at you and say 604 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: I don't need you. 605 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 2: That's not how this works. 606 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 1: Dependence that God has created within within the church body 607 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: is actually intended to glorify Him because it's a reminder to. 608 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 2: Us that we are not God. 609 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,080 Speaker 1: He's the one with all these attributes, and he gives us, 610 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 1: you know, like an element of that in the gift 611 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 1: that he gives to us. 612 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 2: He is the perfection of faith. 613 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: But some of you have been gifted with faith, and 614 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 1: the Lord says, all right, now show that aspect of 615 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: my nature and my character to the people around you. 616 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: But I'm also going to make sure that you develop 617 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: a friendship with the person who has the gift of discernment, 618 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 1: because you have the gift of faith, and so you 619 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 1: could see things ten steps down the road, but you 620 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 1: need the gift of discernment as well to partner with 621 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 1: you that person with that gift, so that you understand 622 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 1: steps two through nine, so that you don't make some 623 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: foolish decisions. So partner up with that person and makes 624 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: us dependent on one another so that he gets the 625 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 1: glory that dependence brings him. 626 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 2: Glory. 627 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 1: If one person could do everything, that person might receive 628 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 1: all the praise. Right that praise is supposed to go. 629 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 2: To the Lord. 630 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: When an entire congregation uses its varied gifts together, I 631 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 1: think the beauty of Christ's body becomes highly visible. And 632 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: Peter says, use your gifts to serve one another. Says, 633 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 1: do that to serve one another. Now, I thought this 634 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 1: was kind of interesting when I noticed this. The other day, 635 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:32,120 Speaker 1: Greg sent an email out to many of. 636 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 2: Our church leaders. So I was looking at the email. 637 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 1: It was basically, hey, you know, the fall season's about 638 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: to ramp up, a lot of ministries are about to 639 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 1: get underway. Here is some protocol on how we're going 640 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 1: to set the building up so that it's always ready 641 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 1: for the group that comes after us. And as I 642 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 1: was looking at that while preparing for today's message, I thought, wow, 643 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 1: what a great example of the very thing that's being 644 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: spoken of here. Because that email went out from our 645 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 1: executive pastor, Gregg, who's doing an administrative task that he's 646 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: gifted to do, and he sent it out to people 647 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: who have the gift of teaching some of them, some 648 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 1: of them have the gift of leading, some of them 649 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:13,080 Speaker 1: have the gift of serving in other capacities. And I 650 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: looked at that and I was like, Oh, you see 651 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of categories of the ways in which 652 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 1: people are using their gifts to be a blessing to 653 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: other people, just in that one email. And I thought, 654 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 1: that is exactly what the scripture is getting at, that 655 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 1: believers would honor one another and honor the Lord in 656 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 1: the process by serving one another with those gifts. And 657 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: I love the fact that Jesus modeled that for us perfectly. 658 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 1: When you look at Mark ten forty five, we're told 659 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: that for even the Son of Man came not to 660 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 1: be served, but to serve and to give his life 661 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 1: as a ransom for many. That's the heart that Jesus demonstrated, 662 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: a heart of service, and that's what he's called us 663 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:51,959 Speaker 1: to do. So if anyone deserved to be served, it 664 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 1: was Jesus. He's the eternal son of God. He created 665 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 1: the universe, angels worship him, all authority belongs to him. 666 00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:01,600 Speaker 1: And yet when he entered our world, he took the 667 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:06,280 Speaker 1: form of a servant, and he would touch people that 668 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 1: other people would avoid, and he would hang out with 669 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 1: people that others didn't trust, and he would welcome children 670 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: to be in his presence when people would get annoyed 671 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 1: with children. And he fed crowds, and he washed feet, 672 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: and he taught patiently, and he healed the sick, and 673 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:23,280 Speaker 1: he comforted the hurting, and ultimately. 674 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:24,520 Speaker 2: He gave his life. 675 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:26,400 Speaker 1: And he did this because he came to this earth 676 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 1: to serve. Even though he deserved to be served, he 677 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: came to serve, and in doing so, he's also setting 678 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 1: us an example of how we, as his followers, are 679 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 1: supposed to operate. And he didn't just perform acts of service. 680 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: His entire mission was marked by self giving love. And 681 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:48,719 Speaker 1: at the cross, what did Christ do? You have the 682 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: sinless one taking the place of sinners. You have the 683 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 1: one who deserved glory accepting shame. You have the one 684 00:33:55,760 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 1: who possessed life ultimately experiencing death, and he did it 685 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:06,200 Speaker 1: to rescue us. And I think Christian service begins with 686 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:09,840 Speaker 1: recognizing that Christ has already served us in the greatest 687 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:11,960 Speaker 1: way possible, and he's not asking you or me to 688 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 1: do something that he himself wasn't willing to do first 689 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:19,239 Speaker 1: and to a greater length than any of us could 690 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:22,279 Speaker 1: ever imagine. Now, as we come to the end of 691 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,360 Speaker 1: this section here, I want to point out very quickly 692 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 1: as we finish up what Peter says related to glorifying God, 693 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:32,919 Speaker 1: because when you get to verse eleven, the final verse 694 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 1: that we're looking at today, Peter says this whoever speaks 695 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 1: as one who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves as 696 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 1: one who serves by the strength that God supplies. You 697 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:47,359 Speaker 1: notice the two categories that are there. There's two categories, 698 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 1: so you have speaking and serving meaning your gift. However, 699 00:34:54,680 --> 00:34:58,080 Speaker 1: the Lord's gifted you is probably going to primarily fall 700 00:34:58,120 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: into one. 701 00:34:58,520 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 2: Of those two categories. 702 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:02,279 Speaker 1: So some of you are probably going to be people 703 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:05,280 Speaker 1: who primarily speak. It may be through a teaching ministry 704 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 1: of some kind, or preaching or coaching or counseling or 705 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:14,239 Speaker 1: admonition or discernment some of the speaking aspects in which 706 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: gifts can be used, and others. You'll look at the 707 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 1: categories and you'll say, all right, serves, you're gonna have 708 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:24,440 Speaker 1: a you have a gift that falls into that category. 709 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 1: I hope my dad won't mind if I embarrass him 710 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:29,279 Speaker 1: very quickly, but I'm going to do it anyway. He's 711 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:32,080 Speaker 1: here visiting with us today. It's actually a good thing. 712 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,360 Speaker 1: I'm not really meaning to embarrass you, but it could. 713 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:37,440 Speaker 1: I'm running that risk. I remember when I was directing 714 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 1: the Poka Mountain Bible Conference and every year it would snow, 715 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 1: which is annoying. 716 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:46,200 Speaker 2: Not a fan of snow. But when I. 717 00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 1: Started directing it, my dad reached out to me. He said, hey, 718 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:51,839 Speaker 1: he had apartment buildings at the time, and he had 719 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 1: a truck with a plow. He said, I know the 720 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:57,840 Speaker 1: camp needs to keep their budget tight. I'm going to 721 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:01,040 Speaker 1: plow the camp when it snows. And I said, oh yeah, 722 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:02,720 Speaker 1: and he said, yeah, I'll come up there. He said, 723 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: just you know, you know, just make sure I have 724 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:06,960 Speaker 1: access to what I need to have access to. And 725 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:08,880 Speaker 1: I remember the one day and so Andrew would always 726 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 1: make us coffee and we'd hop in my dad's truck 727 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:14,920 Speaker 1: and we'd just ride around the camp and he'd plowed 728 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:16,719 Speaker 1: out and he and I would chat as he was 729 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:18,719 Speaker 1: plowing it out. And I said to him at one point, 730 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:21,319 Speaker 1: I said, Dad, have you ever just sat down to 731 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 1: think through how the Lord may have gifted you, and 732 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 1: he admitted to me. At that point, He's like, no, 733 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:29,160 Speaker 1: I don't necessarily think that I have. And we were 734 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:31,919 Speaker 1: just talking about the concept of spiritual gifts, and I said, 735 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:35,640 Speaker 1: I think your category probably falls into one of these 736 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:38,760 Speaker 1: things that scripture talks about, those two main categories speaking 737 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 1: or serving. I never have to ask you to do this. 738 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:43,520 Speaker 1: You just show up with a plow and I see 739 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:45,520 Speaker 1: you do this for a lot of other ministries and 740 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 1: a lot of other people as well. I think this 741 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:50,280 Speaker 1: is your thing. And we talked about that. I remember 742 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 1: that conversation, but I mentioned that. Hopefully I didn't embarrass you. 743 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:54,440 Speaker 2: Dad. 744 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:58,799 Speaker 1: I actually mean good things by saying that, But I'm 745 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:01,320 Speaker 1: also saying that because I don't know, maybe you have 746 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 1: never taken the time to just sit down and think, Lord, 747 00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:05,680 Speaker 1: how have you gifted me? 748 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:06,160 Speaker 2: Do you know? 749 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:08,560 Speaker 1: It's very easy to remember where scripture talks about the 750 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:12,760 Speaker 1: spiritual gifts. And if you want some outside church homework, 751 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:16,160 Speaker 1: look at these four places. You have two four's and 752 00:37:16,239 --> 00:37:20,040 Speaker 1: two twelves. All right, two fours and two twelves. You 753 00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:23,600 Speaker 1: go to Romans twelve and First Corinthians twelve, and there's 754 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:26,960 Speaker 1: lists there in both of those chapters Romans twelve, First 755 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 1: Corinthians twelve and then First Peter four where we're at today, 756 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 1: and Ephesians four. So Romans twelve, First Corinthians twelve, First 757 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 1: Peter four, Ephesians four. Four places in scripture where lists 758 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:43,120 Speaker 1: are given to us of how God may have gifted us. 759 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:45,359 Speaker 1: And you just read through that list, and I bet 760 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:47,719 Speaker 1: you shows you. I bet you there's something that'll stand 761 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:49,320 Speaker 1: out to you, and you'll look at it and you'll say, 762 00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:52,880 Speaker 1: that's probably how I'm gifted. And if you can't figure 763 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 1: it out, ask someone who knows you well, your spouse, 764 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:59,839 Speaker 1: your child, a good friend, one of your parents, as 765 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:01,920 Speaker 1: someone who knows you well. I bet you they could 766 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,920 Speaker 1: pinpoint it and it wouldn't surprise me. If some of 767 00:38:04,960 --> 00:38:06,920 Speaker 1: you are gifted in multiple ways. It doesn't just have 768 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,479 Speaker 1: to be one. But the scripture says there's at least one. 769 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:13,360 Speaker 1: There's at least one. You do have one. If you 770 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:16,640 Speaker 1: know Jesus Christ, you do have one. Romans twelve, Onet 771 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:19,919 Speaker 1: Corinthians twelve, one Peter four, and Ephesians four. 772 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:21,320 Speaker 2: That's where you'll find the list. 773 00:38:21,719 --> 00:38:23,880 Speaker 1: But one other thing I want to point out second 774 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:27,560 Speaker 1: part of verse eleven Peter says, the reason this is 775 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:31,440 Speaker 1: all to be done using whatever gifts you have, me 776 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:35,200 Speaker 1: using whatever gifts I have. The whole point of it 777 00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:37,920 Speaker 1: is that in order that in everything God may be 778 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:42,640 Speaker 1: glorified through Jesus Christ, to him belong glory and dominion 779 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:43,560 Speaker 1: forever and ever. 780 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:44,000 Speaker 2: Amen. 781 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:46,719 Speaker 1: So as you and I use those gifts that the 782 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:48,759 Speaker 1: Lord's given to us, and as we build up our 783 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 1: brothers and sisters in Christ, the idea here isn't that 784 00:38:52,239 --> 00:38:55,759 Speaker 1: we would then receive praise for using the gift. The 785 00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 1: idea is that we would direct the praise toward the 786 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,240 Speaker 1: gift giver, the one who who actually made you able 787 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:04,800 Speaker 1: to do those things, in order that in everything God 788 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:10,160 Speaker 1: may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Now that's a wonderful thing, 789 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:12,960 Speaker 1: and it's something that I hope our hearts latch onto. 790 00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:15,959 Speaker 1: Because when we talk about Lord, why am I here, 791 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:20,480 Speaker 1: we talk about our purpose on this earth. I think 792 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 1: one of the ways that we get to lean into 793 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:26,400 Speaker 1: that purpose is when we actually use our gifts to 794 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:30,280 Speaker 1: glorify God and serve other people. It is a very 795 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:34,959 Speaker 1: purposeful life. When you take the time to say, Lord, 796 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:38,959 Speaker 1: show me how you've gifted me and then you lean 797 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,520 Speaker 1: into those gifts without envying the gifts that other people 798 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:45,719 Speaker 1: have been given. You rely on their gifts. You use 799 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:49,040 Speaker 1: your gifts. The church gets built up and Christ gets glorified. 800 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:54,080 Speaker 1: And Peter says, that's a very very healthy thing. So 801 00:39:54,120 --> 00:39:55,759 Speaker 1: as you and I think about this idea of Lord, 802 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:58,279 Speaker 1: why am I created? Well, we're created to glorify God 803 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:01,359 Speaker 1: and enjoy Him forever. Tell you what, if you want 804 00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:05,160 Speaker 1: to experience great joy throughout the course of your life, 805 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:07,400 Speaker 1: use the gifts that God's given you. Don't wait for 806 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:10,600 Speaker 1: somebody else to serve. You follow the model Christ has 807 00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:13,319 Speaker 1: given us. Figure out who He's opened up the door 808 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:16,640 Speaker 1: for you to serve. Invest in their strength. I think 809 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 1: you'll sit back at the end of every day tired 810 00:40:20,120 --> 00:40:25,560 Speaker 1: and very delighted. Let's pray, Lord, thank you so much 811 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:28,080 Speaker 1: for your word. Thank you for the privilege that it 812 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:30,680 Speaker 1: is to be able to look at these things and 813 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:34,520 Speaker 1: think about the things that You've revealed to us. Thank 814 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:36,400 Speaker 1: You for the blessing that it is to walk with you, 815 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:42,799 Speaker 1: to know you, to rejoice in your goodness. Lord, you 816 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:46,319 Speaker 1: are so kind to us. You've blessed us in so 817 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:52,959 Speaker 1: many ways that we absolutely do not deserve, and Lord, 818 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:55,239 Speaker 1: even today, we look at just the option that you've 819 00:40:55,239 --> 00:40:58,120 Speaker 1: given us to partner with you. You don't need us, you 820 00:40:58,160 --> 00:40:59,880 Speaker 1: don't need me, you don't need any of us. You 821 00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:02,879 Speaker 1: look at the lives that you've blessed us with, You've 822 00:41:02,920 --> 00:41:06,719 Speaker 1: created us in your image, and you want us. You 823 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,120 Speaker 1: want us to partner with you. You want us to 824 00:41:09,120 --> 00:41:11,360 Speaker 1: be involved in the work that you're doing, this ministry 825 00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:14,640 Speaker 1: of reconciliation that you're accomplishing in this world. You want 826 00:41:14,719 --> 00:41:16,360 Speaker 1: us to be part of that. That's a gift that 827 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,719 Speaker 1: you've given us to even be able to partner with 828 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:20,960 Speaker 1: you in the work that you're doing. Lord, it's an 829 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:23,120 Speaker 1: amazing thing to think that you would want us on 830 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:26,040 Speaker 1: your team, and yet that's exactly what you do. And 831 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:28,879 Speaker 1: even more than that, you want us in your family. So, Father, 832 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:31,200 Speaker 1: thank you for making us your sons and daughters. Thank 833 00:41:31,239 --> 00:41:33,680 Speaker 1: you for adopting us into your family, giving us an 834 00:41:33,719 --> 00:41:37,759 Speaker 1: inheritance in your kingdom, and strengthening us in ways that 835 00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:41,480 Speaker 1: we know go beyond our natural strength. Fathers, you open 836 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:43,200 Speaker 1: up doors for us to serve. We pray that we 837 00:41:43,239 --> 00:41:45,239 Speaker 1: would walk through those doors, and then as we use 838 00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:47,280 Speaker 1: the gifts that you've given us to serve other people 839 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:49,680 Speaker 1: and build them up and help them to experience the 840 00:41:49,719 --> 00:41:52,520 Speaker 1: strength that you desire that they experience. We pray that 841 00:41:52,600 --> 00:41:54,879 Speaker 1: you would receive the glory. We pray that we would 842 00:41:54,960 --> 00:41:57,480 Speaker 1: receive the investment that you make in our lives through 843 00:41:57,520 --> 00:42:00,480 Speaker 1: other people, that others would receive the investment we make 844 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:02,520 Speaker 1: in their lives. But again, that you would receive the 845 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:06,040 Speaker 1: glory for the entire transaction, that your church would be 846 00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:09,600 Speaker 1: built up this way, that our individual lives and our 847 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:13,279 Speaker 1: families would be built up this way as well. So Lord, 848 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:15,520 Speaker 1: thank you for these reminders from your word. As we 849 00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:17,360 Speaker 1: use the gifts you've given us. We pray that you 850 00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:20,920 Speaker 1: would receive all the glory, because that's exactly the direction 851 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:24,719 Speaker 1: that the glory should go. We pray this all in Jesus' name. 852 00:42:25,760 --> 00:42:26,120 Speaker 2: Amen,