1 Corinthians 4: 6-7 “Taking Stock” July 28, 2019 Rev. Jerry W. Krueger Boardman United Methodist Church
There is an essential truth for each of us to understand as Christians. God does NOT find a place for our gifts, but God has created us and our gifts for a place of God’s choosing.
The Apostle Paul has been in Corinth, a shipping center 40 miles S/SW of Athens, for three years. He writes to the congregation in regard to their vision and attitude toward God, each other, and the poor among them. Corinth has great wealth and the reputation of a populace that typically takes advantage of the poor. This church is made up almost exclusively of Gentiles, meaning these non-Jews have backgrounds as varied as do all of you.
My wife, Susan, was watching the Great Baking Show last week and it got me thinking. If your life were made into a cooking competition, would it be like the Iron Chef style challenge, or a Chili Cook-Off?
These are two different contests. One compels you to cook with the ingredients on hand, like Iron Chef, but cooking chili is typically based on a recipe.
Some folks live life as if they are putting together a winning recipe, but this may limit our response to God. How different life can look when we begin with the current life ingredients we have on hand, rather than a standard recipe.
We think of the Apostle Paul as a good apostle who grew up in Tarsus. And where did you grow up? Was it urban, rural? Did you move frequently, stay in the same place, or were you exposed to much racial, political, economic diversity? What did your culture value, and how did geography play into your life?
What about Paul’s faith upbringing? He was a devout, orthodox, circumcised Jew. Was your upbringing inclusive of faith development? In what setting?
Paul knew his line of descendants. Can any of you trace family back 100 yrs., 200, 300, 400? I cannot even go one generation.
Marital status influences our approach on life. Having caring mentors who influenced you greatly determines how you view the world. Who had the most influence on your life in your family? Parents, siblings, relatives, coach, teacher, preacher?
What is, or was, your vocation? What talents and gifts do you have? Who are the readers, the artists, the academics, the analytical? What abilities have you cultivated, and what lays fallow now?
In each of your lives, God uses your unique gifts and talents as a means of connecting with others through Jesus Christ. Your current life situation can be viewed as another opportunity to fulfill your purpose.
We know Paul had a temper and was stoned almost to death. Put in jail, flogged, shipwrecked, and almost died from snake bite. He was punched and spat upon because of his beliefs and his outspoken approach to his faith.
But Paul made it clear that “God consoles us in all our affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.” 2 Cor. 1: 4) God doesn’t waste any experience you’ve ever had. Good or not. Nothing is wasted if used in connection with one who doesn’t know Christ.
Before we move on, I want you to think about key life shaping experiences you have had. My life events that have shaped me, deepened my faith, challenged me. Accepting Christ, marriage, birth of children, loss of a child, divorce, officiating my Mother’s funeral, my own cancer, spouse’s cancer, being itinerant, being ordained, living on the Tex-Mex border, living in West Texas, grandkids, aging parents, siblings, education, etc.
What tears have you shed in your life? What heartaches and disappointments have you experienced? What great joys and celebrations have you experienced? Do you have any regrets or failures? In God’s hands such realties become redemptive for us.
Taking stock of who we are requires us to do some inventory and ask questions about our talents and gifts. Who influenced us? How has your faith grown, or is growing?
- Does God see your life work as opportunity to fulfill your purpose? How have life experiences shaped you, and what do they say about your purpose in life?
Anyone use a GPS any time? GPS stands for Global Position System. Where we locate on the globe, where we are. But for today GPS stands for this. G -for Gifts. P- for passions. S -for style. Gifts, Passions, Style.
- Gifts represent the traits and abilities God places in people to benefit others. Romans 12 & 1 Corinthians 12 address this. Gifts lived out don’t drain us, they energize.
Passions involves what stirs your soul. A test of your passion is “what could you stay up late talking about?” And what problem or issue in the world ignites you to say, “This is not okay and cannot continue?”
Watching your kids, or student you teach or mentor, find a passion is amazing. Often, we can’t talk about our passion without tears. Seeing gifts and passion align is fulfilling to witness in others.
And then Style. It’s the way we work or accomplish tasks which help or hinder our ability to work with joy. Do you work as an individual or team member? Do you like directions, or do you like to dream things up?
- of this leads us to the uniqueness we encompass as Christians. So, before we close, just one more item to recall. Attitude in life.
Jesus identified his mission this way: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4: 18-19
Jesus also came to rescue people from sin, from emptiness, from being lost, and from death. Jesus’ life purpose was to bring hope to the world.
We are called to have the heart of a servant. To serve and not be served. A servant’s heart can be the door that God uses to shift you to a new life direction.
Think of your own life. The good, the not so good. There is nothing in my life or your life that is off limits to God. You each have a wealth of life tools called experience, joys, regrets, education, upbringing, travel, friends, & contact with various others, that says, “nothing is off limits to God. When we let God use everything about us, the good and bad, there is no telling where God will take us.”
And the purpose-filled and purposeful people of God proclaimed, Amen.
