SHAPE Spiritual Gifts (what I am gifted to do) God has given each of - - PDF document

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HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

“Applying Your Abilities” (SHAPE Sermon Series)

HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

SHAPE

Spiritual Gifts (what I am gifted to do) Heart (what I love to do) Abilities (what I am good at) Personality (how I express myself) Experiences (what I have been through)

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HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 1. God has given each of us abilities.

Matthew 25:14‐18

HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

“A talent represents our abilities, time, resources, and opportunities to serve God while on earth” (Craig Blomberg in “Jesus and the Gospels”).

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HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

Romans 12:6 (NLT), “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.”

HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

God has given us natural abilities (we were born with certain abilities). (Musical Talents, Mathematical Gifting, Mechanical Skills, Athletic Ability).

HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

God has given us acquired abilities (we gain through experience). (accounting skills, navigational abilities, storytelling talents, cooking gifting)

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HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

There is a distinct difference between abilities and spiritual gifts.

• When you were born, you had certain abilities.
• When you are reborn, you get a set of spiritual

gifts. HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 2. God has a purpose for our abilities.
• A. Honor God
• I Corinthians 10:31, “In whatever you do, do it

all for the glory of God.” HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 2. God has a purpose for our abilities.
• B. Serve Others
• I Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever

ability he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.”

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HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 2. God has a purpose for our abilities.
• C. Make a Living
• “The abilities you do have are a strong indication
• f what God wants you to do with your life. They are

clues to knowing God's will for you. God does not waste abilities because he matches our calling and our capabilities” (Rick Warren in “Purpose Driven Life”). HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 2. God has a purpose for our abilities.
• D. Be an Example to Others
• I Timothy 4:15 (NLT), “Put your abilities to work,

throw yourselves into your tasks so that everyone may notice your improvement and progress.” HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 2. God has a purpose for our abilities.
• E. Have Resources to Share
• I Corinthians 8:1‐3, “We want to know about the

grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.”

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HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 2. God has a purpose for our abilities.
• F. Build Up the Church
• Ephesians 4:12, “Jesus prepares God's people for

works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

Matthew 25: 19‐30

• If you use your abilities, you will be rewarded on

earth (fulfillment) and in heaven (blessing). If you do not use your abilities, you'll miss out on reward.

• If you use your abilities, God will entrust you with
• more. If you do not use your abilities, you will you

lose your abilities. HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 3. God has commanded us to use our abilities.
• A. Estimate
• Ask yourself, “What am I good at?”
• Romans 12:3, “Do not think of yourself more highly

than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

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HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 3. God has commanded us to use our abilities.
• B. Dedicate
• Commit your abilities back to God
• Romans 12:1, “Offer your bodies {abilities} as living

sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God as this is your spiritual act of worship.” HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• 3. God has commanded us to use our abilities.
• C. Cultivate
• Any of our abilities can be developed and

improved through use and practice.

• Sharpening your abilities is a spiritual

responsibility. HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• God has made an enormous investment in you

(he created you, he died for you, he lives in you).

• He has hand‐picked and given you special

abilities and talents.

• He expects a return on his investment.
• One day, he will ask you what you did with what

he gave you.

• What will you tell him?

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HEARING YOUR HEARTBEAT God has given each of us a special SHAPE

Spiritual gifts - what I am gifted to do? Heart - what do I love to do? Abilities - what am I good at? Personality - how do I express myself? Experience - what have I been through?

• Your purpose has eternal consequences.
• You have the chance to honor and glorify God,

receive personal reward (on earth and in heaven), and help others encounter Jesus with the abilities he has given you.

• What will you do with the abilities God gave

you?