Using Our Gifts

      We all have received gifts at different times in our lives; birthdays, Christmas, graduations, special accomplishments, and anniversaries. These are gifts given with no obligation to reciprocate other than a note or word of thanks. In another sense, gifts can be thought of as abilities and talents given to us by the specific code of our DNA, such as, the gifts of music, sports, foreign languages, mathematics, etc.

      By looking somewhat deeper and with a different perspective, we can discover what Scripture calls “spiritual gifts.” Paul referred to these gifts on several occasions in his New Testament writings. These spiritual gifts have some similarities to the natural gifts, but are subtly different. Spiritual gifts are given freely by God’s grace to each of us to be used in his work to build his kingdom here on earth by making disciples.

      Can you imagine going to your own birthday party, opening all the wonderful gifts, and somehow neglecting to open one, or even two? Or, even worse, just imagine that you decided not to open a certain one, instead you place it in a closet soon to be forgotten. The unopened gift.

      We all have been given spiritual gifts and each of those gifts is important. It is left up to us to identify the gifts we have, and then learn how and where to use them. God takes his willing people, gives them gifts as tools, and places his disciples in the areas of greatest need.

      James Harnish, in his “A Disciple’s Path, a Guide for United

Methodists,” expresses well the powerful sense of urgency about the decisions we make concerning the use of our gifts.

      He writes, “There are children who may never hear the stories of Jesus if people with the gift of teaching do not teach them. There are lost, confused, spiritually searching people who may never experience God's love unless people with the gift of evangelism share the good news with them. There are adults who may never grow in their understanding of Scripture until someone with the gift of discernment guides them. There are people who may never find their way into the church until people with the gift of hospitality welcome them. There are people with broken hearts and broken lives who may never find healing until people with the gift of intercession pray for them. There are new opportunities for new ministries that may never be accomplished unless people with the gift of leadership show others the way. There are lonely, isolated people who may never find their way into Christian community until people with the gift of mercy extend care to them. There are important issues of justice and peace that never will be confronted until people with the gift of prophecy confront them.

       In short, God has work to be done in this world that will not get done until we offer the stubborn ounces of our weight to make it happen.”

Rev Tim McConnell, Long’s Chapel UMC, October 14, 2012

Preparations

      It seems that we spent a good portion of our time preparing for some event, or activity. We prepare each day in varying degrees for the next day at our workplace, classroom, or our day working at home. Much preparation goes into planning for trips, vacations, and even the career paths we will take.

      As we move from season to season, we see preparations being made for the transition between summer and winter, then winter back to summer. In this fall season, we see the animals preparing for the months when food will be unavailable. We hear chain saws cutting firewood, and see mulch being placed around the yard plants for protection against the cold. We know it is wise to make preparations for every phase of our lives.

      Every year around this time, we begin to see signs and advertisements for flu immunization in preparation against a disease, which surprisingly still takes human lives each year. So, we take the shot to help prepare our bodies against the germs which cause the flu.

     Just as preparations need to be made in the natural world for winter, any changing season, or for any event, God intends for us to be spiritually ready to face whatever may come our way. It is possible with all that life has to throw at us that we could lose our way, slipping off the path that God has made for us, and maybe even taking our hand from his to try to find our own way. We know that trying to face things in life without God would be a mistake, but it happens to people who are not prepared.

      We can prepare ourselves for whatever each day may bring, or the ups and downs of our spiritual seasons by following a path of spiritual disciplines. This path will lead us into a life that is Christ-centered, filled with a love of God and a love for each other.

      This path must involve daily prayer as a communication tool to form an intimate relationship with God. Our prayer will need to be deeply rooted in meditative reflection and study of Scripture.

      Then, we must not neglect to join with other believers in corporate worship and small group fellowship. We do this so that we can experience and praise God together, and grow as disciples. The effectiveness of Christ’s Church is in the unity of its individual members.

      In order to prepare ourselves even further, we realize that our financial resources and our spiritual gifts are given to us so that we can give them back to God. We give freely from a heart that is motivated by God’s love. We learn to serve without the expectation of anything in return.

      As we begin to practice these disciplines, the desire to tell others the story of Jesus begins to take root in our minds and heart. What we have begun to experience as disciples will need to be told to others. Therefore, personal evangelism begins to become part of our way of living and thinking.

      Let’s try these spiritual disciplines as we think of preparing ourselves for God’s kingdom here and now, and into eternity.

 

Rev Tim McConnell Long’s Chapel UMC October 7, 2012    

Questions from Jesus

      In Matthew 16:13-20 we find two of the most important questions asked by Jesus as recorded in scripture. As he was discussing with his disciples, these two questions came up. “Who do the people say I am?” And then the second question was a little more penetrating and definitely personal, “Who do you say I am?” These questions demanded a confession as an answer.

      We read that the disciples answered the first question by saying, “Some people say you are John the Baptist, others Elijah, and some even say you are Jeremiah, or some other prophet.” Then after Jesus had heard the public opinion report from the people, and the evaluation of his ministry, he asked the most important question of all time, the central question of history, and the question that if we get the answer right, we get eternity right. “Who do you say I am?”

      There was perhaps much shuffling of feet and clearing of throats until finally Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Then Jesus said, “You are blessed, Peter. Blessed because you didn’t come up with this answer and confession on your own, you didn’t read it in a book, or hear this in the synagogue. You’ve been talking to God and it is he who has revealed who I am to you.” You see how important it is for us to stay connected to God? When we are in touch with God, he tells us things. He reveals himself to us.

      Jesus praised Peter for his belief and quickly said, “Upon this rock, (“Peter” means rock) I will build my church.” Notice how quickly Jesus takes Peter’s confession of faith and turns it into an action of faith. We can talk all day about what we believe about Jesus, but it is the action that counts.

Jesus tells Peter, “Since you know who I am, I am going to tell you who you are. You, and all the disciples who will follow you down through the years, will be the foundation of my church. You will be the builder of my church. And to my church I will give the keys to the kingdom. The church will be the ‘keeper of the keys.’ We have work to do.”

     If we believe that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” then what difference does that make in our daily lives? Is what Jesus did for us on the cross so weak, and God’s grace so cheap, that we can say we are Christians, followers of Jesus, and go on living we way we always have? Jesus told Peter to not stop with just believing, but take the next step of living what you believe.

      Belief should produce action, and with action comes a transformed life.

Are we living so close to God that he has revealed Jesus to us as the way, the truth, and the life? The keys to his kingdom? Who is Jesus to you and to me?

Rev. Tim McConnell Long’s Chapel UMC September 30, 2012