Week 4 Day 4-Abilities

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DAY 4 – AbilITIES (Matthew 25:14-18)

¹⁴(The Kingdom of Heaven) will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

    In the “parable of the talents” in today’s reading of Matthew 25, the New International Version, substitutes “bag(s) of gold” for the word “talent” often found in the Bible.

A talent was not a literal ability but rather
it was a common unit of measurement.

    Some have suggested a single talent was worth as much as 20 years of labor. Therefore, five talents would be equal to more than a lifetime of wages! That’s no small chunk of change.

    As we have seen this week, every member has at least one supernatural “spiritual gift” distributed specifically for the ministry. Others have an impassioned zeal and heart. The point of today’s lesson is for new members to turn their natural and learned abilities to be used for the ministry.

    Someone has said “God is not interested in your ability but your availability”. However sometimes (such as in the choir or orchestra for instance), members should consider their abilities on whether they should get involved.

    On the following blanks, write down on the left side some natural and learned abilities that can be used for the Lord or for the world. On the right-hand side, list how God can use those abilities.

                             ABILITIES        

HOW TO USE IN MINISTRY

_____________________________    

_____________________________    

    There are some who do have more abilities that others, but interesting thing on this parable is that those who use their abilities equally got the same reward of praise. Jesus said in Luke 12:48, to whom much is given, much is required, and in Luke 16:10, He said, “whoever is faithful in a little, will be faithful in much.”

    In other words, do not compare yourself to others! Be accountable to the abilities that you have and not the abilities you do not have.

Question: If the steward had attempted to double the value of the bag of gold and failed, rather than simply burying it, do you think the owner

Would

or

would not

have praised the steward for trying. (Circle one)

Why or why not?

    In the parable, Jesus called the man wicked and lazy, saying “take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents,” for not using his talent. Inactivity buries talents God endows on us (Matthew 25:25).

    God created us and saved us for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Let us prayerful see what areas God has enabled us to be involved with others through our abilities He has given.

Day 5, Recognition