By Ladi Ayodeji
Good day to you all in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Again, it is my pleasure to engage you with this edition of the sermon.
In the headline, you read, “We’re All Servants of God,” and wonder if this is a mistake.
No, you read correctly.
In the last sermon, I promised to deal with the call outside of the vineyard this week. That’s what the headline is all about.
We’re all called. We are all servants of God, truly and factually so. Not everyone is called to serve in the vineyard, though, but everyone is called to serve in some capacity, in or out of the vineyard.
Purpose and the Call
This is what purpose is all about. God created everything and everyone to serve His purpose, which could only be achieved, first, through service to God Himself, and then to humanity as a whole.
The instrument required to serve this purpose is the divine power deposit God has given everyone. This power deposit is the anointing and the instrumentality of spiritual gifts, natural, inborn talents, and skills.
This is how it works. While those called to vineyard assignments are anointed with power to function through spiritual gifts and authority, those called outside the vineyard are given talents and natural inclinations to acquire skills to carry out their assignments in the world.
The Major Spiritual Gifts
The Bible lists the diversities of some major spiritual gifts in this scripture:
1 Cor. 12:1-11.
A careful study of these verses shows that they are linked together to serve one purpose, the Body of Christ.
A more detailed study of 1 Cor. 12:12-31 deals more extensively with the need for those given spiritual gifts to work together as one body. Just as body parts function differently to perform individual functions, with the end result being the harmonious and unified performance of the entire body as one entity, spiritual-gift beneficiaries are to deploy these gifts to serve one indivisible body, the Body of Christ.
The Purpose of Talents and Training
While the gifting in the vineyard is specifically for the edification of the Body of Christ, the talents, genius, and skills that people have outside the vineyard are given to fulfil God’s purpose for the entire creation, including the vineyard.
That’s why great inventions like the Internet, technology, and AI, as well as skills like entertainment, sports talents, and diverse other skills and academic credentials acquired through studies, benefit the entire world, not just the vineyard of God.
Although spiritual gifts are given to servants of God in the vineyard, they also benefit humanity as a whole when deployed in soul-winning arenas during worship and other gatherings.
We may boldly say that all gifts, indeed, every good gift, are given by God to achieve His purpose in the entire world.
Satan also perverts God’s gifts to people to achieve his evil objectives. That is why there are crooked talents in every sphere of human endeavour.
Criminals use their talents to steal, kill, and destroy, like their master, the Devil. A lady who is endowed with a beautiful face, body, and other attractive attributes may use such advantages in the awful business of prostitution.
Some use their talents, skills, expertise acquired through training, and anointing given to fulfil ministry to defraud and sabotage the work of God.
Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus Christ, stole and betrayed Jesus. So, expect to see some servants of God do the same terrible things with their gifts.
Talents and Spiritual Gifts
Talents are different from spiritual gifts.
The ability to sing or play a musical instrument is not a spiritual gift. It’s a talent, like sporting abilities, dancing, general entertainment skills, inventive abilities, linguistic skills, etc.
However, the ability to cast out demons from afflicted individuals is a spiritual gift, not a talent or skill that could be acquired through study or training.
However, a talented individual can use their skills to bless humanity, like sports stars and music stars do.
Inventors have used their products to develop the world and bless the entire world, as God intended and enabled.
I want to draw the curtain here today. I hope you have been blessed.
Enjoy your day.
Ladi Ayodeji is an author, Bible-based Speaker, Counselor and Philosopher. He can be reached on 09059243004 (WhatsApp).