Examine Yourselves: Goals for 2017

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Goals for Yourselves: Examine Yourselves (2 Cor 13:5–6)

  • But don't measure yourselves by other people (2 Cor 10:12ff).
  • Grow in grace and knowledge (2 Pet 3:1)
  • If you have been in the faith for a long time, should you not be a teacher? (Heb 5:12–13)
  • So it's entirely biblical to sit down at the turn of every year and even more frequently to evaluate whether or not we have been who we need to be as a Christian

Goals for the Church: How Can You Serve?

  1. Discover your gifts and talents to use them in the ministry.
    • Even the "One Talent Man" could have done something useful with his talent but he was scared to use it (Matt 25:14-30). He was afraid to fail, to be criticized, or to do it right.
    • Use your gift to serve one another (1 Pet 4:10). It would be nice to have other certain talents but God has given each of us gifts to use.
  2. Equipped to Serve (Eph 4:11–12)
    • We need a diversity of talents, abilities, and viewpoints.
    • Sometimes we have people who are equipped but unwilling to step forward; others with less ability in this area step forward but with less experience and struggle to accomplish the task. Yet the person who stepped forward was more helpful.
    • The talent who choose to sit on the side should not criticize those who attempt to work.
  3. The Heart of a Servant (Matt 20:20-28)
    • When you have the gifts and talents it's important to have the heart of a servant. To recognize that you have the ability and step forward.
    • But you must ask who are you trying to serve? James and John were confident but sought to be important and recognized.
    • Jesus however led the way by serving (John 13:1–20).