CLIMAX OF PENSA GHANA CONFERENCE'15
SUNDAY, 11TH JANUARY, 2015
SPEAKER: APS DR. OPOKU ONYINAH
TOPIC: CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP
TEXT: Matt 25:14-30
EXPOSITION
A Steward is one who takes charge of people's property. Normally
talents refer to natural gifts but in the context it goes beyond gifts and
money.
IDENTIFICATION OF THE TALENTS
Talents here refer to:
1 THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
God has revealed himself to us through His Word. For us to
understand the nature of God we need to know his word. For instance, Paul
charged Timothy to study the word (2 Tim 3:15-17). The Lord also charged
Joshua, to hold unto the word. (Joshua 1:8). If you want to be successful and prosperous
as a steward you need to study the word for yourself. This identifies you
with Jesus Christ.
2. THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND ALL THE GRACES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Spiritual gifts and all other charisma (graces) of God are
given to people (1 Peter 4:10, 1 Cor 7:7, 2 Cor 7:1)
The term here "Charisma' is the commonest term used to
describe God's gifts in the New Testament. The term is found in the following
places, and with the following meanings:
* Salvation, redemption or eternal life that is given through
Christ Jesus our Lord. ( Rom 5:15-16; 6:23 ; 11:29)
* Special gift or ability given to people to live the Christian
life ( 1 Cor 7:7)
* Deliverance from danger, " gracious favor" or
blessing" (2 Cor 1:11)
*Spiritual gift that can be used to impact others or strengthen
them (Rom 1:11, 1 Cor 1:17)
* The miraculous endowments conferred by the Holy Spirit ( 1 Cor
12:4, 9, 28, 30-31)
* The special ability, gift or endowment for the work of the
ministry. (I Tim 4:124, 2 Tim 1:6, 1 Pet 4:10)
Note that in all the references to the "gift" in the
texts stated above, Paul and Peter use the term Charismata
3. THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S KINGDOM
The talent can be identified as the special knowledge given to
people about the Kingdom of God and the ability given to them to execute the
principles of the Kingdom. Put in order way, the talent can be identified in
our generation as special knowledge given to people to understand the Church of
Christ and the gifts given to such people to be able to build up the church, as
Christ wants it. Furthermore, the talent is about the knowledge of the gospel
and the ability to build the church of Christ.
HOW GOD GIVES OUT TALENTS
1. He entrusts or gives to one;
*Through birth.
* Once you accept the Lord as your personal savior, He impacts us
with the Holy Spirit, which comes alongside with the gifting. (1 Cor 12:6-8)
* Through the laying of hands. 1 Tim 4:14
GOD'S EXPECTATION OF INCREASE or WHAT GOD EXPECT FROM US
1. God Expects His People To
Know Him.
Knowing God is having knowledge what he wants. We need to allow
our knowledge of God transform our being as His good stewards. Also, once the
Master Jesus has entrusted the knowledge of the Kingdom and His Gospel into our
care, and equipped us with spiritual gifts, He expects us to occupy ourselves
with His work until He comes.
(Luke 12:47-48)
2. God Expects Us To
Increase In Whatever He Has Entrusted Into Our Hand.
We shall be accountable for what he has given unto us.
Once the Lord gives a person talent, he expects that the person
will increase the talent through personal development. It has been the
principle of God that when he gives us something, it must increase within us.
We must not keep the talents.
However, the greatest challenge is that, there is always the
tendency to play it safe and keep the gift dormant as the man who receives one
talent did with his. He wanted it safe, he did not want to take risks, he did
not want to corrupt it, he wanted to preserve it, but this was not what the
master wanted, rather he wanted him to do business with it. He wanted him to
multiply it and to increase it.
NB: In other development, 99 young and energetic Pensa Members
were ordained as new officers of the Church of Pentecost. 21 as Elders; 46 as
Deacons and 32 as Deaconesses. May God grant them the grace to fulfill the
mission and stewardship entrusted into their hands.
GOD BLESS U
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