I Corinthians 13:3b: No one can say, “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit

First Presbyterian Church

Marianna, Florida

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Sermon by Huw Christopher, Pastor

Scripture Readings: Matthew 25:14-30 and Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon Title: "Using Our Gifts as the Children of God"

Sermon Text: Matthew 25:20-21: Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'

"May you use those gifts you have received." These are the words in bold and underlined on the front of our bulletin this morning. In this prayer of St. Thesere of Lisieux she clearly sees that we can be content in knowing that we are children of God only as we are ready to use the good gifts God has given us. In the parable that Jesus told a talent was probably a specific amount of money. Whether we think of talents in that way or in the way in which we generally do today as a gift or an ability, it is clear that it is those who use the talents that they have been given who are the ones who are commended. They are the ones who are invited into the joy of the master. In contrast, of course, it is the one who failed to use what he had been given who is condemned. As we look at this story it is not the case that just because he is given only one talent that he is left off the hook. He is not condemned for having less than the others. He is condemned for not using what he had been given.

As I was thinking about the words of this prayer of St. Therese and the parable of the talents I was reminded of the words of our Congregational Response this morning. Mary Jackson Cathey wrote these words originally for the children’s choir of the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. These words capture the theme of our Summerfest this year, "Go with us, Lord, and guide the way through this and every coming day, that in Your Spirit strong and true our lives may be our gift to You."

The words of her brief prayer in this hymn reminded me of other words which I have read over the years which say, "What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God." I recently read how another person had expanded on these more familiar words when he wrote, "The greatest gift God gave to you was Himself, the greatest gift you can give to God is yourself. The reason God gave you life is so that you would have something precious to give back to Him. The reason God gave you more than you need is so that you would have something to give to those who do not have." (www.seekgod.org December 21, 1997)

I am not sure why Matthew put the two parables of Jesus that we have heard this morning back to back. I have no way of knowing whether Jesus spoke them both together as they are now found in Matthew’s Gospel. As we look at them as we have them now in Matthew’s Gospel they seem to suggest that we can know the joy of the master, the joy and contentment of being the children of God, only as we use our talents, the gifts, abilities, personalities that we have been given, to serve God by seeking to help those in need.

As we listen later in the service to the joy of the Master that Joy Gilbert has found in using her gifts and talents and abilities in the service of those in need in the Calabar area of Nigeria, I am sure the reaction of many of us would be, "I could never do that." I feel sure that she would say to us, "God is not asking you to do what I am doing, but God is asking how are you using your gifts and talents wherever you are to serve God’s people who are in need." As we shall see in our Summerfest program this week we are not all the same. We do not have the same personalities, or the same gifts, talents or abilities. But as we shall think about how our personalities, gifts and talents reflect those of the variety of people in the Bible whom God could use, we will be reminded that God can use each of us with the unique gifts and talents we each possess. Indeed, Jesus suggests in these parables that we can know his joy, and the joy and contentment of being the children of God only as we are ready and willing to use the gifts we have received to serve those in need.

Mary Jackson Cathey reminded the children there in Washington, D.C., and reminds each of us that as we seek to allow our lives to become our gift to God that God has promised to us that Spirit strong and true to be with us and to guide us this and every day. Let us claim the presence and power of that Spirit again that as in gratitude to God for the gift of life he has given us we seek to make our lives our gift to him. Let us do this using the words of affirmation printed in the bulletin…

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH: from Worship Workbook for the Gospels, Cycle A

I believe in the Holy Spirit, who guides and empowers all of God= s children to prepare us for the kingdom of heaven.

I believe it is my privilege and responsibility to accept God= s grace offered through Jesus Christ, and to live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I believe that, under God= s grace and in God= s Spirit, I am being equipped to fulfil Jesus= command to love God with all my heart, soul and mind, and to love my neighbor as myself.

I believe that to use my resources wisely in aiding the least of God= s children in the time I have remaining, is the best gift I have to offer to my loving God.

HYMN OF DEDICATION No. 414 Forest Green

A As Those of Old, Their Firstfruits Brought@