This October in GL First Kids we are talking about stewardship and all the ways we can take care of what we have, and why. It starts with everything beginning to God, and we are working with the kids on learning how they can use their time, things and money wisely. We will tying it all together by focus our last week on the importance of living our life focused on what really matters.
The other big news this month is the launch of our GL First Kid’s small groups at 9am on Sundays. We have three groups broken up by grade; K-1st, 2nd-3rd, and 4th-5th. The small groups will be reinforcing and introducing the concepts that we are teaching in the 11am GL First Kids church service. Make sure you check out whats happening!
Bible Story: Matthew 25:14-30
Memory Verse: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” Luke 16:10a, NIV
Life App: Stewardship: taking care of what you have because it all belongs to God.
Basic Truth: I need to make the wise choice.
As a cook who has worked in restaurants it can get very boring. People for the most part order the same dishes over and over. There is very little change in your job. I love cooking when I can create my own flavors and dishes. That is exciting, making 27 grilled cheese sandwiches in a day, not so much. That’s why I love watching the show Chopped.
The excitement of not knowing what’s in that basket is one of the best parts. But the very best part is finding out how those crazy ingredients are going to go together, and if it is actually going to taste good.
In our story this week a wealthy man went away on a journey. He gave instructions to his three most trusted servants . In the story Jesus says that the man gave one servant five talents, the second one two talents, and the third servant one talent.
Now a talent is a unit of money, like a dollar or a quarter, except that for a common worker in that time a talent was like 20 years of wages. So all three servants were actually given a large amount of money, even the servant who received only one talent. The two faithful servants doubled their masters investment, while the other dug a hole and buried it.
Now “talents” are a metaphor for the abilities and gifts that God has given each and everyone of us. So of us have received many gifts, some it may seem we have received just a few. But all of them have great value, and we have all received gifts from God. Here is what we can learn from the two faithful servants.
You have to learn that you have to…
FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU HAVE
Before the two servants could do anything, they had to figure out what their master had given them.
We have to do the same thing, God has given each of you a unique talent, gift or passion. The best thing that we can do is to figure out exactly what we have right now.
Some of you are gifted creatively, you sing, dance, play an instrument, maybe you paint or draw. Some others of you have been given practical gifts, you could be mechanically or technologically gifted. All of us have traits in our personalities that are a gift. Maybe your compassionate, a great listener, or the best, maybe you can make people laugh. The ability to bring a smile to someones face is one of the greatest gifts.
After you figure out what you have, you have to…
FIGURE OUT HOW YOU CAN USE IT
The two faithful servants invested the money their master gave them, and each doubled the amount they started with.
They knew what their master had given them was something of great value, he had given them something that had been his.
In the story of our lives, God is the master, and He has given each of us something born of who he is. Creativity, compassion, complex thinking, love and even humor. All of these things and more make up who God is. His gift is not just a talent or ability, it’s a spark of His very own life.
Even if it only feels like a little gift, we are still supposed to do something with what God has given us. Burying it in a hole and never using it is not good enough. Keeping our gifts and talents inside the church is also not acceptable.
Let’s talk about the third servant, he did nothing with what the master gave him. And as a result the master took his talent from him, and gave it to the servant who did the most with what he had been given.
You have lots of hopes and dreams for your future. But a has as you try to plan every detail of your life – you can’t. But what you can do is make sure you are taking care of what God has given you. That means doing the best with what you have.
Resonant Love 