January 16, 2022 ~ Second Sunday after Epiphany ~ Sermon & Zoom Worship Video Link

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/mHM6LQFScQamLqf4gFvdr9n09yqBckjGr4sOkilPi1jDsm624yZqUHvJEev9VW22.k5CA7_YSDSygFlnZ

                                                             01/16/22—Highland—Meute

“To Each Is Given”

Isaiah 62: 1-5; I Corinthians 12: 1-11; John 2: 1-11

Pearl: God imparts to all something that everyone needs.

Function: To ignite each listener with the excitement to give of our beautiful selves…for the common good.

Each of you are uniquely, full-of-wonder human beings, indeed, the creation of God! As I shared with our young disciples, think of the beautiful box of Crayola crayons! What a beautiful diversity of dazzling colors! So many different shades, so many wonderful names! I will come back to names later.

1. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and made this point. Each of them were endowed with all kinds of wonder, including spiritual gifts…the very work of God.
   1. There are four words which jump clean off the pages of scripture: “To each is given.”
   1. God plays no favorites. All receive the Spirit. All have unique qualities, skills, gifts, capabilities, and on and on.
      1. God gives generously of God’s diverse and creative being.
      1. Various spiritual gifts were listed: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, and language skills, among others.
2. Just like the Corinthians God gave you life, creating you, and God stays completely interested in you and in all of creation.
   1. God gives us what we need to live most fully. There is no end to what God gives us to accomplish his will in this world.
   1. There is no end to what God gives to redeem and restore his creation.
   1. We know this because God gave himself in Christ, to the very end, dying in the process.
3. There is not a person listening to this message who lacks the gifts of God. “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit…” (I Cor. 12:7).

You are something wonderful and you are vital to the Messianic community, aka. the body of Christ, aka. the Church.

Not only are you a wonder created by God but you have a wonderful name.

1. I’m not talking about your given name by which everyone knows you. I am talking about your name which is full of life, meant for eternity, given by God.
   1. Isn’t it neat to think about what God calls you? That name which incorporates all of who you are in God’s sight!
      1. The Isaiah reading spoke of a communal name and of being liberated from names like Forsaken and Desolate, and taking on the name Hephzibah: “My Delight Is In Her.” A name full of life and promise and potential.
      1. It reminds me of the movie “Dances with Wolves.” That is a name which captures the story and some of the essence of someone’s life. Again, though, even that name was given by people. What is the name which God gives to you?
         1. It is unique and wonderful and entirely appropriate for you.
         1. Just like the wonderful names of Crayola crayons.
2. What is the name that God gives to you? Many are scattered through the NT:
   1. The righteousness of God (II Cor. 5:21)
   1. No longer a slave to your past or sin (II Cor. 5:17)
   1. God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
   1. Redeemed (Eph. 1:7)
   1. Child, (Adopted, not an orphan)—(Eph. 1:5)
   1. Holy and blameless (Eph. 1:4)
   1. Blessed (Eph. 1:3)
   1. Chosen (Eph. 1:4)
   1. Royal (I Pet. 2:9)
   1. Priest (I Pet. 2:9)
   1. Victorious (I Cor. 15:57)
   1. Light (Matt. 5: 14, 16)
   1. Forgiven (Eph. 1:7)
   1. Salt (Matt. 5:13)
3. There are many other names which God calls us.
   1. Faithful
   1. Courageous
   1. Fierce
   1. Tenacious
   1. Mighty
   1. Dependable
   1. Generous
   1. Determined
   1. And on and on….
4. Claim your name! Claim the blessing of God on your life. Claim the truth that “to you is given.”

Now, what is the chief reason that God gives to you and to me and to all of creation?

1. Let me read it again; “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit…for the common good” (I Cor. 12:7).
   1. This is not some communist manifesto! But it is right out of scripture. What we have is for the common good…for the good of the Messianic community which is in turn for the good of the world.
   1. God distributes all of God’s self among us and within us so that all can benefit.         
      1. He does not distribute himself selfishly but generously throughout all creation.
      1. A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. When God distributes himself among his creation God does not lose anything.
         1. It’s a terrific metaphor?! Passing the flame takes nothing away from the original flame. It moves on and ignites the bearer while still burning boldly in the giver.
   1. Such is the nature of the Lord’s distribution of himself. The One goes into the many to grant beauty and color and a wonderful harmony with the great diversity over all the earth.
      1. My box of crayons contains 64 beautiful, unique colors. Each have their own special names. There are far more than 64 colors.
      1. But 64 colors tell a story. They tell a story of the beauty that exists.
      1. And they are not meant to stay in their box. They are meant to color the world. All of the colors are meant to brighten all of life.

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” To each is given…for the beautiful coloration of the world. Jesus colorized the world with the Spirit of God on earth.

1. He sure did it on that wedding day in Cana of Galilee. Pressed by his mother, Jesus performed what is known as his first public miracle.
   1. Imagine all of the private miracles he performed at home growing up!
   1. His mother knew his capabilities. She kind of ordered him to save the wedding. It was an awkward circumstance for the wine to run out.
   1. Remember, the Spirit of God does not run out. It only keeps on spreading but never losing any of its burning intensity.
2. What Jesus did that day was to brighten and colorize the big event of a family turning water into wine.
   1. He brought color to a situation that became dull, even in jeopardy.
   1. He brought life.
   1. By the Spirit of God he did these things.
   1. He used his gift for the common good…and it was the best wine…it was very good, indeed!
3. A high school friend of mine is writing books. I just began reading his book Use All the Crayons: The Colorful Guide to Simple Human Happiness. He wrote this pearl of wisdom:
   1. “Anytime we hear of anyone dying suddenly, it should reinforce the need that we all ought to be living suddenly.”
   1. You may die suddenly! Are you living suddenly?
   1. That is, are you living out what God has given to you?
      1. Are you making use of all of God’s-self placed within in you, suddenly, every day as soon as it dawns on you?
      1. Are you burning with passion for God’s reign over all the earth and passing that flame on to others?

Finish this message by sharing your full-of-wonder selves…as the community of Christ!