(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, |
"Touching the
lips"
(Communication gifts)
Message preached February ,
2007
Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Glen Arm, Maryland USA
based upon Isaiah
6:1-13
Unless otherwise noted this is an "amble and ramble" sermon, without a manuscript.
Using the story of the calling of Isaiah, we'll explore the:
Four Communication Gifts
Prophecy: The God-given ability to share and interpret Gods message and call to justice for the repentance, enrichment, or uplifting of the body of Christ and of persons and organizations outside of the church. This may be communicated through the written or the spoken word. Note that one may have the gift of prophecy without necessarily being an extremely skilled preacher. It’s also possible to be a skilled preacher as a manifestation of the gift of teaching without having the gift of prophecy. Some persons express the gift of prophecy in speaking directly to secular organizations or to society as a whole. Some large corporations have prophets in their midst who become a kind of "corporate conscience" which may make a tremendous difference in those organizations.
Teaching: The God-given ability to teach others how to understand Scripture, God, relationships, themselves, and the world in which we have been placed. While we especially think of this gift being utilized in the educational program and ministry of the church, it also finds expression in quality preaching. Those with the gift of teaching may also employ it in significant ways in secular school systems or anywhere there is opportunity to help others learn. In secular settings, of course, one must respect the diversity of beliefs and not impose the faith on others.
Artistic Expression: The God-given ability to share God’s love through one or more art forms such as music, drama, poetry, painting, sculpturing, etc. We find evidence of people having this gift throughout the Old and the New Testaments. The expression of this gift is not limited to the life of the church as an organization.
Intercession: The God-given ability to live a life much of which is immersed in prayer for the needs of other people, the church, and the world. The communication is between the person and God, though it may become public in services of worship and other settings.
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.29-30
If there is time at the end, we'll view the video "For Such a Time as This" by Paul Grout ("a seven minute poetic race through the Old and New Testament illustrating the central place of Jesus within Biblical history and 'for such a time as this'") - an example of a post-modern prophecy.
(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.)