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November 15, 2009

Romans 12:4-8

1 Corinthians 12:27-29

Ephesians 4:11-12

Leadership Gifts of the Spirit

 

God has provided us all with basic gifts.

 One of those basic gifts is the “gift of gab.”

  We all have the ability to use our mouths.

   That “gift of gab” needs to be surrendered to God.

    When it is, God has given vocal gifts to transform the “gift of gab”.

     Prophecy, teaching, encouragement, evangelism, messages of wisdom, messages of knowledge, speaking to others in their language.

      Another basic gift with which we are created is the “gift of grab.”

       We all have the ability to use our hands.

        That “gift of grab” needs to be surrendered to God.

         When it is, God has given service gifts to transform the “gift of grab”.

          Contribution, helping, mercy, healing, miracles, serving.

This week we look at another basic gift.

 God has created us with the “gift of nab”.

  We all have the ability to use our brains to influence people.

   Adam and Eve were created to have dominion over everything God created.

    “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’”  (Genesis 1:26)

    Adam and Eve were given leadership over creation.

     But that gift of nab was to be yielded to God.

      We know what happened.

       Adam and Eve decided to take authority over their lives for themselves.

        They ate of the forbidden fruit in defiance of God.

         They saw that the tree was to be desired to make one wise (Genesis 3:6)

          They turned their gift of nab in on themselves.

           They thought they could rule their lives and the world better than God.

           So they took control of leadership and fell into sin.

            Any time we reject God’s direction and authority we sin.

Everyone here this morning has that gift of leadership.

 Everyone has the ability to influence others.

  How we dress influences people.

   How we act and talk influence people.

    What we value and give ourselves to influence people.

     Even the youngest child influences people around them.

      Teenagers have tremendous influence on their world.

       I listened to the Remembrance Day speeches on Wednesday.

        The Three Oaks Student Body President Mark shared a powerful message.

         He influenced every person who heard him.

          You may not speak in front of crowds but you still influence.

           Influence is a sign of leadership.

            Even adults have influence on some people in their world.

Let me illustrate this “gift of nab” with a familiar story.

 Mark Twain’s novel of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer show us the “gift of nab”.

  In Tom Sawyer’s life we see the “gift of nab” in its fallen state.

   Tom uses the “gift of nab” over and over again to influence people.

    Tom had played hooky from school.

     So the next day he was punished by Aunt Polly.

      His punishment was – “whitewashing the fence”.

       In this well known episode Tom uses his “gift of nab”

        He nabs the other boys in town to do the painting of the fence for him.

         Tom is a leader but his leadership is misdirected for much of the story.

          His leadership is self-serving.

           He excels at using his leadership skills to take short-cuts.

           He cheats and manipulates.

We all have the “gift of nab.”

 We can all get people to do what we want them to do.

  We will resort to any tactic at our disposal.

   We will bribe, guilt, promise, pout, or cry.

    We will do whatever it takes to sway people our way.

     We will nab people to accomplish the things we want done.

      The “gift of nab”, in its fallen state, uses people

      Jesus revealed this gift of nab when He talked about this world’s leaders.

“When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.  Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”  (Matthew 20:24-28)

       “Not so with you.”

        The disciple of Jesus surrenders the “gift of nab”.

         We don’t use our brains and ability to influence to dominate people.

          We do not lead to get the upper hand.

           We do not lead for our benefit.

           The leadership gifts are not given to elevate one person over another.

            They are not to establish superiority.

             They are not to be used to jostle for position.

              God has given us the “gift of nab” for the benefit of others.

               We use this gift to rescue and snatch from danger.

                God has given the leadership gifts of the Spirit to lift people.

The disciples were trying to use this “gift of nab” for self-serving reasons.

 They were trying to manipulate Jesus in their quest for power and prestige.

  They thought there must be some personal advantage in this life of sacrifice.

   That is the world’s sinful perversion of the gift of nab.

    We do not lead in the church to satisfy a thirst for power.

     We do not lead to draw attention to ourselves.

       Jesus said, “Not so with you!”

        We lead in order to serve and lift up others.

Paul identifies the leadership gifts of the Spirit.

 They include; teachers, apostles, prophets, administrators, evangelists, and pastors.

  Paul makes it clear that not all are called to lead in these ways.

   But every generation of disciples needs these leaders.

    Every generation needs spiritual shepherds.

     I needed people who surrendered their gift of nab to God.

      They used their influence to bring me to Jesus.

       Their leadership inspired me to trust and believe in Jesus.

        Their leadership revealed to me the perfect and pure love of God.

         Some of those leaders were pastors, others were teachers.

          Some of those leaders were evangelists.

           Some were my peers and friends who had a positive influence in my life.

            But other peers and friends tried to influence me away from Jesus.

            Some teachers taught lessons that denied God’s existence.

             Some administrators eliminated God from day to day life.

              They promoted abortion and safe sex.

               They legalized common-law marriages and now push for gay marriages.

                Their “gift of nab” distracts people from God.

                 They push their own agendas toward moral and social decay.

                  They are not surrendered to God.

This generation desperately needs surrendered leadership.

 God is asking some of you right now to be leaders of the next generation.

  Out of this congregation God desires to rise up Pastors and teachers.

   Out of this congregation God desires to rise up His administrators.

    Our world is in dire need of politicians who will be lights for Him.

     God will raise missionaries and evangelists from among us here.

      But it all begins with surrendering your “gift of nab” to Him.

       It begins by yielding your life to the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

        It begins by allowing everything you do to influence people toward Jesus.

         Listen to what Paul says about the effect of the leadership gifts.

They “prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  (Ephesians 4:12-13)

 They lead so that “each member belongs to all the others.”  (Romans 12:4)

  They influence others to “Share with God's people who are in need.”  (Romans 12:13)

   Those in leadership offer “different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”  (1 Corinthians 12:6-7)

    The leadership enables God to do His work in the world.

     “God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”  (1 Corinthians 12:24-26)

      You can make all kinds of excuses why you cannot be a leader.

       The truth is; you are a leader right now.

        You are influencing people right now.

         People are making decisions based on you.

          You are a leader whether you realize it or not.

           You are a leader whether you want to be or not.

           The question is; are you influencing people toward or away from God?

            Have you surrendered this gift God has given you back to Him?

              Are you open to His calling upon your life?

              Are you willing to yield your life to the Holy Spirit?

               In His power will you lead the Church and the next generation?

                God may or may not call you to be a Pastor.

                 You may not have the skills or personality to be a teacher.

                  You may not be able to live the life style of an evangelist.

                   Not all are called with these spiritual gifts.

                    But God has gifted you with the “gift of nab”.

                     He is calling you to bring people to Him.

                      And God calls some with His leadership gifts of the Spirit.

                       Is God calling you?

                        Will you say “yes” to God’s invitation?

                         Are you willing to say “yes” to God’s will for your life?

 

Closing song   Be Thou My Vision