(Matthew 16:13-23)
May these words of this Peter be like a rock,
not a stumbling block!
|
|
"Who do you say
that I am?" Jesus asked. Simon Peter answered, "You
are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." And Jesus
answered, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! ... You are
Peter (petros), and on this rock (petra)
I will build my church..." Jesus then began to speak of
the rough road ahead. And Peter took him aside and rebuked him... "Get
behind me, Satan!" Jesus replied. "You are a stumbling
block..." (Matthew 16:13-23) May these words of this Peter be like a rock, |
"Lifting the Veil"
Message preached February 18,
2007
Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Glen Arm, Maryland USA
based upon 2
Corinthians 3:12-18, Luke
9:28-36, and Exodus
34:29-35
Unless otherwise noted this is an "amble and ramble" sermon, without a manuscript.
Along the way of this message, we'll explore the:
Five Relationship Gifts
Counseling: The God-given ability to effectively listen to people and guide them in becoming more fulfilled spiritually, psychologically, and socially. People who are gifted in this area can find many opportunities to utilize and develop the gift in secular work as well as in the life of the church.
Encouragement: The God-given ability to support, encourage, and strengthen those who are suffering or who are going through a crisis in their faith or in their lives. As with counseling, there are many opportunities in the secular world to utilize this gift—in the home, in neighborhoods, in volunteer work, and in secular employment.
Evangelism: The God-given ability to share Christ s message with people who have no faith or who are unsure of their faith—so that they can move toward deeper relationships with Christ. While possessing this gift can obviously be a tremendous advantage for a pastor, there are many with the gift who choose to work in secular occupations because of the opportunities for involvement with people which those occupations bring.
Hospitality: The God-given ability to embrace people, including strangers, and to provide companionship, food, and shelter when needed. This is related to but not identical with the kind of biblical hospitality which we are all obligated to practice as part of the body of Christ. Many people with this gift find meaning working in the social services field or doing yolunteer work with nonprofits which serve the homeless, the hungry, and the imprisoned.
Leadership: The God-given ability to identify and communicate a vision or mission and to direct people in making the vision or mission a reality. This is not the same as the gift of administration. The gift of leadership is very powerful and can be utilized in a wide range of occupations as well as in the church.
from Preaching, Planning, and Plumbing
by Steve Clapp, Ron Finney, and Angela Zimmerman
A joint project of the Brethren
Academy and Christian
Community
©1999 by the Brethren Academy and LifeQuest, pp.31-32
(para traducir a español, presione la bandera de España)
©2007 Peter
L. Haynes
(you are welcome to borrow and, where / as appropriate, note
the source - myself or those from whom I have knowingly borrowed.)