Worship Tools

Worship Outline 1

Additional Scriptures

Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Prelude

Welcome, Caring and Sharing

Prayer of Intercession

Ever-present God, we bring before you our concerns for our brothers and sisters within the sacred community called Earth. We have received your grace and pray for those who have expressed their needs today and for those needs unknown to us that remain on the hearts of your children. Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Call to Worship

To you we lift up our eyes, O Lord. Have mercy upon us, we pray.                       

-based on Psalm 123:1, 3

Hymn of Praise

“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” CCS 53

Sing twice. Encourage people to try a language other than their own.

OR “God of Wonder, God of Thunder” CCS 18

Invocation

Response

Prayer for Peace

Light the peace candle

Prayer

Lord,

Our sight turns inward as we remember others who affect our lives. 

They pass before us in review, and we hopefully ask:

Forgive us for transgressions committed and for compassion withheld.

Hold us all close as unique and worth-full souls.

May we be at peace, one with another. Amen.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:14–30

Confessional Responsive Reading

Two readers speak from the back of the worship space.

Reader 1: A new day dawns…new beginnings…new discoveries.

Reader 2: Lord, you enlighten our lives and still we live in darkness, afraid to risk. Forgive us, we pray.

Reader 1: I have called you by your name because you are my beloved. I knew you before you were born. You are loved.

Reader 2: Lord, at times we do not listen. The noises of our world seem to drown out the sweetness of your still, soft voice. Forgive us, we pray.

Reader 1: I have prepared the way before you and equipped you for the journey.

Reader 2: Lord, at times we don’t see your path because our focus is on other things in this world. Forgive us, we pray.

Reader 1: Each of you, my children, are blessed with talents that, when joined together, create beautiful diversity in the world that I love. Receive my unconditional grace and grow in trust and the knowledge that you belong to me.

People: PRAISE GOD! The Lord has forgiven us and gives us strength to continue the journey to make Christ’s mission our mission.

Testimonies

Ask two or three people from different generations to share about discovering God’s blessing of gifts and talents in their lives that have enabled them to move forward in the mission of Christ.

Hymn of Blessing

“Of All the Spirit’s Gifts to Me” CCS 45

OR “Help Us Express Your Love” CCS 621

Homily

Based on Matthew 25:14–30

Ministry of Music OR Community Hymn of Reflection

“O Living God” CCS 183

“Soften My Heart” sing twice CCS 187

Disciples’ Generous Response

Scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 164:9b–c

Statement

The promise we make when living in sacred community means respecting, caring for, and loving God’s creation. It means using our whole selves to bring God’s love to others. It especially means knowing everyone has worth, protecting God’s sacred creation, and helping those who are hurting.

Video or Story 

 Video: “Plant Trees for Christ” YouTube

OR Mission Story

Share a story about managing God’s wealth through our own financial planning.

Blessing and Receiving of Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes

Hymn of Challenge

“Christ, You Call Us All to Service” CCS 357

OR “Christ Has Called Us to New Visions” CCS 566

Benediction

Sending Forth

Go! Be trustworthy with the gifts with which God has blessed you. Invest in the people you meet each day. Love and bless—as you have been loved and blessed. Go with God.

Postlude

Worship Outline 2

Additional Scriptures

Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Preparation

For the Focus Moment, find Aesop’s fable about the goose that lays the golden eggs. Versions of the story are available online.

Prelude

Gathering Hymn

“When Morning Gilds the Skies” CCS 89

OR “God Is Here“ CCS 70

Welcome

Call to Worship: Psalm 123:1–2

Hymn of Praise

“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” CCS 87

Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own.

OR “Let Us Give Praise to the God of Creation” CCS 607

Opening Prayer

Response

Prayer for Peace

Light the peace candle

Prayer

Challenging God,

Your love challenges us to love like Jesus. You challenge us with the teachings of Jesus. You challenge us to live and seek justice and peace. 

When we think of these things we are humbled by our human limitations. At the same time, we are determined to do your will and work for peace. Help us with—your Holy Spirit—to rise to the challenges. Help us recognize needs and opportunities to make peace around us. Give us courage to speak out for justice. Help us be the balm of peace when there is injustice and violence. Amen.

Hymn of Peace

“God Is Still Speaking” CCS 282

OR “God’s Melody of Peace” CCS 319

Focus Moment

Let’s talk about one of our Enduring Principles—Responsible Choices. “God gives humans the ability to make choices about whom or what they will serve. Some people experience conditions that diminish their ability to make choices. We are called to make responsible choices within the circumstances of our lives that contribute to the purposes of God.”

—Sharing in Community of Christ, 4th Edition, p. 30.

Our choices usually are better when they are made patiently and unselfishly. The opposite is illustrated by the expression “kill the goose that lays the golden egg.” The story behind this saying is credited to Aesop as printed in Aesop’s Fables. One version goes like this:

Share a version of the fable. Many are available online.

The people in the story were greedy. They wanted instant gratification rather than waiting for the next day to have more money. As a result, they made a poor choice. God gives us the ability to make choices and hopes that we will make good choices. When we do, we create more good things in the world, we have better friendships, and all of creation is healthier. Even when people make bad choices that hurt others or the Earth, we can work with God to make things better.

Jesus asks us to use different priorities than the people in the story: to think of others first and to act from God’s love for all. Then we make responsible choices.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:14–30

Ministry of Music or Community Hymn

“A Diligent and Grateful Heart” CCS 539

OR “Take My Gifts and Let Me Love You” CCS 609

Morning Message

Based on Matthew 25:14–30

Disciples’ Generous Response

Scripture Reading: Doctrine and Covenants 163:9

Statement

Hear these words from Community of Christ’s statement on discipleship: 

Being a Christian is more than holding a list of right ideas; it is about radical obedience to Jesus in every part of life. God’s boundless love sets us free for lives of responsible stewardship in which we generously offer our lives in service to God’s reign. Discipleship is both an inward and outward journey. Jesus calls us to follow him and to invite others to experience the transforming power of his grace (Sharing in Community of Christ, 4th Edition, p. 37).

Receiving God’s grace and love allows us to reclaim our true nature. It is our nature to be generous like God. God’s generous sharing transforms us. We respond by changing our lifestyles. This transformation is an ongoing process of becoming what we were created to be. So while we have reflected on gratitude and generosity, this is just the beginning. Learning to live generous lives comes as we open our lives to God often and intentionally. Thank you to all those who have faithfully and willingly participated as generous givers. 

Reflect

Now the real work begins. During the Disciples’ Generous Response this morning, reflect on how we can continue to explore grace and generosity over these next months and year. May God bless and guide us in our unfolding search to embrace whole-life stewardship through receiving God’s gifts and responding faithfully moving ever onward to Zion.

Blessing and Receiving of Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes

Closing Hymn

“Send Me Forth” CCS 651

OR “Now Go in Joy” CCS 659

Closing Prayer

Response

Postlude

Worship Outline 3

Additional Scriptures

Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Preparation

For the Focus Moment, have a basket of smooth stones with either Joy, Hope, Love, or Peace written or etched on each. Have enough for all participants.

Choose Joy

Prelude

Welcome

Call to Worship

Leader: How will you choose this day?

People: We choose to act justly, to love gently,

And walk humbly with you, our God.

Leader: Will you use the poor?

People: No, Lord. We will serve the poor.

Leader: Will you pass by the brokenhearted?

People: No, Lord. We will let our hearts be broken.

Leader: Will you turn away from those who are hungry?

People: No, Lord. We choose to prepare a feast where there is room for all.

Leader: You have chosen wisely, humble servants, Walk with me.

Hymn of Joy

“Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” CCS 99

Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own.

Translations into Spanish and French for this hymn can be found on Herald House.

OR “Oh, Sing to the Lord / Cantad al Señor” CCS 88

Encourage participants to sing in a language other than their own.

Prayer of Joy

Response

Choose Hope

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:14–30

Focus Moment

Have a basket of smooth stones with either Joy, Hope, Love, or Peace written or etched on each. Have more than enough for each participant. Ask participants to choose a stone. When everyone has a stone, divide into small groups and share why they chose that stone.

Hymn of Hope

“Lord of All Hopefulness” CCS 193

OR “Hope of the World” CCS 29

Sermon

Based on Matthew 25:14–30

Music for Reflection

Choose Love

Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Hymn of Love

“Make Us, O God, a Church That Shares” CCS 657

OR “Let Your Heart Be Broken” CCS 353

Disciples’ Generous Response

Statement

Managing the money we have, no matter the amount, expresses our desire to love and help God, neighbors, ourselves, and the world. When we focus our giving on God’s purposes, our hearts become more aligned with God’s heart.

—Choose Generosity: Discovering Whole-life Stewardship,
Herald Publishing House, P. 49

Blessing and Receiving of Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes

Choose Peace

Prayer for Peace

Light the peace candle

Prayer

We call you many names – 

God

Allah

Great Spirit – 

and sometimes we forget we are all part of the same family.

We call our homes by different names – 

America

Bosnia

Japan

Fiji –                             

feel free to add countries with current concerns

and focus on the boundaries that separate us.

Help us to see the world from your perspective – 

remind us of the view we have seen from space – 

our planet

with divisions only of land, sky, ocean.

Creator,

Our thoughts are on the things that unite us.

Let us not focus on boundaries or divisions.

Help us rejoice in our diversity – 

knowing that you have made each of us a unique creation.

Loving parent,

Draw us closer to you.

Enfold us in your arms.

Grant us the peace of a family united in one goal – 

the peaceable kingdom.

Long prayed-for, long hoped-for. Amen.

—Pam Robison

Hymn of Peace

“O Day of Peace” CCS 380

OR “O God of Love, Grant Us Your Peace” CCS 316

OR “Put Peace into Each Other’s Hands” CCS 309

OR “Lord, Make Us Instruments” CCS 364

Responsive Sending Forth: In Your Hand

Leader: God, in your hands we lay ourselves.

Right: In your hands we lay the black and the white, the rich and the poor, the young and the old;

Left: In your hands we lay Libya and Lebanon, Nicaragua and El Salvador, Palestine and Israel, Russia and Ukraine, America and Iran.    Feel free to adjust countries included based on current events

All: Help us to build bridges and not widen the distances any further, to look realities in the face and not shut them out from confrontation.

Left: Help us to choose between the right and the wrong things to do; to participate critically and be salt instead of sugar.

All: Enlighten our minds. Give us vision. Make us creative. Help us struggle for the sake of the world, your world, the one world you promised us. Amen.

—Judy Judd, ed, Prayers and Readings for Worship, 
Herald Publishing House, p. 101, adapted.

Postlude

Sacred Space: Small-Group Worship Outline

Gathering

Welcome

Ordinary Time is the period in the Christian calendar from Pentecost to Advent. This part of the Christian calendar is without major festivals or holy days. During Ordinary Time we focus on our discipleship as individuals and as a faith community.

Prayer for Peace 

Ring a bell or chime three times slowly.

Light the peace candle.

God of all time and space, I stand waiting for your peace to enter my broken and chaotic soul, just as you wait for me to pause long enough to breathe and simply be. May your peace fill the space that I now create with my breath and my being. Hear my often-impatient cry, “Be with me, O Prince of Peace, and make me whole.”

Pause.

Source of our being, we stand waiting for your peace to enter our broken and chaotic relationships, just as you wait for us to pause long enough to invite you in. May your reconciling presence bring us to a point of apology and forgiveness…of offering and receiving…and unity. Hear our impatient cry, “Be with us, O Prince of Peace, and make us one.”

Pause.

Lord of all Earth’s people, the world stands waiting for your peace to calm the warring nations and stem the tide of violence we inflict against one another, just as you wait for us to stop the madness long enough to see one another as family. We remember all nations, including São Tomé and Príncipe, the country we pray for today. May your profound compassion for your children flow within us. Enable us to surrender our hatred and fear and be filled instead with your loving kindness and mercy. Hear our often-impatient cry, “Be with our human family, O Prince of Peace, and make us one.”

Pause.

Creator of all, your creation stands waiting for your healing touch to restore all living things to oneness and wholeness, just as you wait for us to revere what you have given us as a sacred gift. May your generous offering of water, earth, air, and all that has life remind us of our physical and spiritual connection with everything that was, is, and will be. Help us honor our call as stewards of the Earth. Hear our impatient cry, “Be with our Earth, O Prince of Peace. Make all things one.”

Pause.

We ask for this blessing of your peace in and through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Spiritual Practice

Receiving with Gratitude

Read the following:

Enduring Principles are foundational for Community of Christ. We will rotate through each principle with a spiritual practice during Ordinary Time. Today we will focus on Grace and Generosity.

The first thing we do in this life is receive. Our first breath is a gift. It is a gift that is given freely. The spiritual practice for today is a breath prayer. During the prayer we will use words to breathe in and words to breathe out. Today we will breathe in the words receive life and breathe out the words thank you.

Slowly read the following instructions:

Sit with a relaxed posture and close your eyes. We will spend three minutes in breath prayer.

Breathe in a regular, natural rhythm. As you breathe in, silently say, “receive life.” As you exhale, silently respond with, “thank you.”

Breathe in and out, focusing on what you are inhaling and what you are exhaling.

Watch the time, and encourage participants to continue the breath prayer for the full three minutes.

When time is up, ask these questions in a short group discussion: 

1. What is one thing you are grateful for in this moment? 
2. How do you feel about receiving?

After the discussion share the following prayer:

Thank you, God, for another day. Thank you for the opportunity to connect with others, to receive and to give to one another. Amen.

Sharing Around the Table

Matthew 25:14–30 NRSVue

“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. At once the one who had received the five talents went off and traded with them and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 

—Matthew 25:14–30 NRSVue

This parable, also found in Luke 19, is often interpreted to be about good stewardship of financial resources. However, its placement in Matthew leads toward a broader interpretation about trusting in God, moving beyond our fears, and taking risks to establish God’s reign on Earth.

Being afraid of what the master might do upon his return, one of the slaves in the parable chooses what he thinks is the least risky path by burying the talent he has been given. Had he not been stifled by fear of the unknown (or of his misperception of the master), he might have made a different choice. 

We learn from the parable and from Jesus’ example, that making responsible choices is about being willing to take risks to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace. It is about choosing to get involved in changing the world based on God’s vision of shalom. When we fail to trust God and fear that God will harshly judge the choices we make, we sit idle and frozen in our fear. 

When we center ourselves in God’s unconditional love and grace, we realize God trusts us as stewards of our choices to help build God’s Kingdom. Like the slaves who created miraculous earnings on their “talents,” we are led by the Holy Spirit to make choices that contribute to God’s restoring purposes on Earth. 

Questions

1. How do you center yourself in God’s love and grace?
2. What “talents” has God given you that you can use to help restore God’s vision of shalom?
3. When did fear keep you from risking for the sake of the God’s peaceable kingdom?

Sending

Generosity Statement

Note: If you are using Thoughts for Children, now is a good time for the kids to share with the group their representations of God.

Faithful disciples respond to an increasing awareness of the abundant generosity of God by sharing according to the desires of their hearts; not by commandment or constraint.

—Doctrine and Covenants 163:9

The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing, small-group ministries as part of your generous response. This offering prayer is adapted from A Disciple’s Generous Response:

God of our discipleship, 

As we navigate our world of debt and consumerism, help us to save wisely, spend responsibly, and give generously. In these ways may we prepare for the future and create a better tomorrow for our families, friends, the mission of Christ, and the world. Amen.

Invitation to Next Meeting

Closing Hymn

Community of Christ Sings 636, “I Have Called You by Your Name”

Closing Prayer

Optional Additions Depending on the Group

• Communion
• Thoughts for Children

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

Communion Scripture

Choose one scripture to read from this selection: 1 Corinthians 11:23–26; Matthew 26:17–30; Mark 14:12–26; Luke 22:7–39.

Invitation to Communion

All are welcome at Christ’s table. The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is a sacrament in which we remember the life, death, resurrection, and continuing presence of Jesus Christ. In Community of Christ, we also experience Communion as an opportunity to renew our baptismal covenant and to be formed as disciples who live Christ’s mission. Others may have different or added understandings within their faith traditions. We invite all who participate in the Lord’s Supper to do so in the love and peace of Jesus Christ.

We share in Communion as an expression of blessing, healing, peace, and community. In preparation let’s sing from Community of Christ Sings (select one):

• 515, “In These Moments We Remember”
• 516, “Coming Together for Wine and for Bread”
• 521, “Let Us Break Bread Together”
• 525, “Small Is the Table”
• 528, “Eat This Bread”

Bless and serve bread and wine.

Thoughts for Children

The scripture story today tells us something about being afraid. The story tells of three servants. All three were given talents (money). The first two found ways to increase their talents, and the master was proud of them. The third hid his money away thinking he could keep it safe. The master was disappointed because he did not increase his talents.

God loves all of us with a great love and wants us to “grow” our talents, to not be afraid to risk. 

Ask: What are some of your talents—not money, but gifts, abilities, and skills? 

Affirm all answers. 

Ask: How can we grow and share our talents? 

Allow time for children to share.

Say: Sometimes we hide our talents because we are afraid. God wants us to have the courage to risk something new and become a blessing in the world. Rather than focusing on fear, we can focus on God and share our gifts and talents with others.

Sermon Helps

Exploring the Scripture

This passage records the parable of the talents and is also found in Luke 19. This parable is often interpreted to be about good stewardship of financial resources. Its placement in Luke would support the financial stewardship interpretation. However, its placement in Matthew leads toward a broader interpretation about trusting in God, moving beyond our fears, and taking risks to help set up God’s reign on Earth. In Matthew, this parable is the third of four stories told by Jesus that give insights about the coming of God’s kingdom. Through this parable, Jesus is trying to help people trust in what God has already done for us. Jesus teaches that we should respond to God’s invitation to help build God’s vision of shalom and not worry about trying to earn God’s love, which we already have unconditionally.

The return on investment by the slaves who received five and two talents was amazing. Although the master praises their efforts, his response seems understated given the significance of their earnings. The focus of the story quickly moves to the slave who chose to bury his single talent. The master’s response to this slave seems extreme and harsh from the perspective of the slave who was trying to keep the master’s talent safe. The slave’s action seems lazy and misguided from the perspective of the master who trusted the slave to make responsible choices about the use of the talent.

As we go deeper in the story, we realize the slave who buried the talent makes his choice out of fear. The slave does not trust the nature of his master. He is afraid of what the master might do so the slave chooses what he thinks is the least risky path by burying the talent to protect it. The master asks why the slave would lose the safe opportunity to earn interest in the bank if he thought the master was so demanding. Ironically, we recognize the slave’s fear blocked him from making a responsible choice. At a minimum, the slave should have made the safe choice to at least earn guaranteed returns on the talent in the bank. However, if the slave had trusted the master who first trusted him with the talent, the slave would have risked choosing to do all he could to aspire to the master’s intents.

Jesus tells this parable in his last few days of life on Earth. He is in the middle of making a series of choices that are not responsible if his goal is to stay alive. However, we learn from the meaning of the parable and from Jesus’ example, that making responsible choices is about being willing to take risks to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace. It is about choosing to get involved in changing the world based on God’s vision of shalom.

When we fail to trust God and fear that God will harshly judge the choices we make, we sit idle and frozen in our fear. Like the slave, we bury our “talent.” We must remain centered on God’s unconditional love and grace through Jesus Christ. We must recognize God trusts us as stewards of our choices to help set up God’s reign on Earth. This helps us trust God, break free from our fear, and take the risks Jesus took. Like the slaves who created miraculous earnings on their “talents,” we are led by the Holy Spirit to make responsible choices that contribute to God’s restoring purposes on Earth. As we risk making responsible choices like Jesus did, we share in the joy of being God’s kingdom builders.

Central Ideas

1. We must learn to trust in God’s unconditional love and grace through Jesus Christ.
2. God trusts us as stewards who will make responsible choices on how to use all we have received to pursue God’s vision of shalom.
3. Making responsible choices requires us to break free from our fears and our wish to “play it safe” and take risks like Jesus did.

Questions for the Speaker

1. How can you stay centered on God’s unconditional love and grace through Jesus Christ to deepen your trust in God?
2. Where is God acting in your world and calling you to risk getting involved?
3. What gifts has God given you that you can use to help restore God’s vision of shalom through Community of Christ Mission Initiatives?
4. What do you fear about taking risks to use your gifts to help change the world?
5. How do you overcome your fear and follow the Holy Spirit’s leadings to use your gifts to engage in mission?

Lessons

Adult Lesson

Focus Scripture Passage

Matthew 25:14–30

Lesson Focus

Fear must be overcome to invest fully in mission.

Objectives

The learners will…

• understand how caring for all of God’s creation is crippled by fear.
• gain a deeper appreciation for God’s grace and generosity.
• grasp the depth of the call to mission and be ready to risk.

Supplies

• Bible
• Community of Christ Sings (CCS)

Notes to teacher

In preparation for this lesson, read “Exploring the Scripture” for Matthew 25:14–30 in Sermon & Class Helps, Year A: New Testament (with focus on the Gospel according to Matthew), pp. 118–119, available through Herald House.

Gather

Ask class members to take turns reading stanzas of “Bring Many Names” CCS 5.

• What images of God are expressed? Add other images to the list.

Offer a prayer of praise to honor God.

Engage

The parable of the talents is often related to stewardship of time, talent, and treasure. Matthew’s account lends a second lesson worthy of consideration.

In the story, three servants are given talents, or money, to handle for the owner. The amount of money is staggering. A talent was a unit of money equal to 15 years of pay for the common laborer! They are not given instruction on how to use the money, but somehow understand they are accountable for what they received. The first two servants diligently went to work and doubled the interest on the monies entrusted to them. The third, who had received the least amount, simply buried his talent.

Upon the master’s return, the two who had doubled the accounts received praise and reward. The third, who buried his talent, was rebuked. His excuse was, “Master, I knew you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours” (bold type added).

Fear. The third servant perceived the master as a harsh, cruel judge and fear led to inaction. He chose the path of least resistance and took no risk to improve the master’s holdings. According to the parable, however, the master was extremely generous. He trusted his servants enough to give them huge amounts of money to manage while he was away.

A lesson from the parable is that what we do, or what we fail to do, with what God has graciously entrusted to us, shapes our lives and the world. Active faith risks for the sake of the gospel.

Our perception or understanding of God is important.

In small groups or with the larger group, discuss the effects of seeing God as

1. a primary enforcer of rules.
2. a God of grace and generosity.

How does your personal perception of God affect your actions?

How does your congregation’s perception of God affect mission?

Respond

Jesus shares this parable a few days before he dies on the cross. His death witnesses of God’s unconditional and abundant love for all of creation. Because God loves so much, Jesus is raised from the dead so we might know life is stronger than death. But just as we learned from Jesus’s life, discipleship comes with risk and challenge. Consider this scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 164:9a–c.

a. Beloved children of the Restoration, your continuing faith adventure with God has been divinely led, eventful, challenging, and sometimes surprising to you. By the grace of God, you are poised to fulfill God’s ultimate vision for the church.

b. When your willingness to live in sacred community as Christ’s new creation exceeds your natural fear of spiritual and relational transformation, you will become who you are called to be. The rise of Zion the beautiful, the peaceful reign of Christ, awaits your wholehearted response to the call to make and steadfastly hold to God’s covenant of peace in Jesus Christ.

c. This covenant entails sacramental living that respects and reveals God’s presence and reconciling activity in creation. It requires whole-life stewardship dedicated to expanding the church’s restoring ministries, especially those devoted to asserting the worth of persons, protecting the sacredness of creation, and relieving physical and spiritual suffering.

Discuss the following questions.

• How is God asking us to use the “talents” graciously and abundantly given to us?
• What risks are inherent in discipleship?
• What are the blessings of risking for God?

Send

This week, contemplate your giftedness and that of the congregation. Are gifts being used to the fullest? During a time of meditation offer “Lord, here am I; use me” and “Lord, here are we; use us.” Listen intently and journal the ideas that come to your mind. Seek deeper insight into how you or your congregation might risk in mission. Share with your congregation.

Bless

Offer the following prayer.

Loving God, creator of all that was, is, and is to be, forgive us. Forgive us for not knowing, not understanding. Forgive us for fearing to risk, for failing to multiply the time, talent, treasure, and testimony you have entrusted to us on behalf of building the peaceable kingdom.

You alone are worthy of praise! You have blessed us with enough and to spare. May we be found worthy. Amen.

Youth Lesson

Focus Scripture Passage

Matthew 25:14–30

Lesson Focus

God invites us to use our gifts and talents for building God’s vision of shalom.

Objectives

The learners will…

• identify their God-given gifts and talents.
• explore ways to responsibly develop and use gifts and talents as generous disciples.
• explain how gifts and talents can integrate with Mission Initiatives.

Supplies

• Bible
• Sharing in Community of Christ, 4th Edition, Herald House, 2018
• Chart paper (9 pieces)
• Markers
• Paper and pens

Note to teacher

In preparation for this lesson, read “Exploring the Scripture” for Matthew 25:14–30 in Sermon & Class Helps, Year B: New Testament (with focus on the Gospel according to Matthew), pp. 118–119, available through Herald House.

Gather

Decisions

Ask group members what they would do with an unlimited amount of money. Make a list of the things they imagined and discuss how they would make their ideas real.

Engage

Talents

In the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25:14–30, the man distributed talents to his servants. A talent in this passage was a monetary unit valued at more than a worker’s wages over a period of fifteen years. Read Matthew 25:14–30.

God asks us to be good caretakers over what we are given. That means we are expected to handle things with responsibility. Whether God has blessed our lives with money or with a particular talent, it is important to use these things wisely. God calls us to use them for the needs of others. We can read in 1 Corinthians 4:2 that it is required that we be found faithful. Too many times the gifts God entrusts to us are used for our own wants and priorities instead of God’s. Like the three servants in Matthew 24 that were given responsibility to use their talents, when we use our gifts wisely, when we take a risk with God, God will provide abundance. Those that squander their gifts find that they soon have little left. They use their gifts for their own agendas and soon find that God will place those responsibilities with someone who will use them well.

Prepare to act out this passage. If possible, perform it for a younger audience. Another option is to become movie directors. Decide which of today’s actors would fill each role. Tell what qualities made each actor the best for the role.

Respond

Multiply

What are some of the responsibilities that God places in our care? What are some of the ways that we can use what God has given us to help others? Ask each group member to make a list of the talents and skills they have. Ask group members to suggest gifts and talents they see in other group members like humor, charity, joy, or organization. Ask each to make a list on paper of the ways their talents can be used to help others.

Write Principles 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Disciple’s Generous Response on four different large sheets of paper. Ask group members how each of the gifts in the group, from the lists they compiled, could work within these principles adding their thoughts to each appropriate page. The principles are:

Principle 3—Align Heart and Money. Managing the money we have, no matter the amount, expresses our desire to love and help God, neighbors, ourselves, and the world. When we focus our giving on God’s purposes, our hearts become more aligned with God’s heart.

Principle 4—Share Generously. Tithing is a spiritual practice. It is a gift of thanksgiving to God in response to God’s generous gifts to us. When we share our tithes, the church can spread joy, hope, love, and peace around the world so others can experience God’s generosity, too.

Principle 5—Save Wisely. Saving is a way to prepare for the future. It gives us the chance to extend our love and create a better tomorrow for our families, friends, the church’s mission, and the world.

Principle 6—Spend Responsibly. Responsible spending is a commitment to live a healthy, happy life together with God and others. The teachings of Jesus challenge us to make lifestyle choices that are often countercultural.

—Sharing in Community of Christ, 4th Edition, pp. 41–42
(Additional information for discussion is available on this page.)

• How can my talents and skills be multiplied for God?
• How do we use these gifts to help change the world?
• How can we use them to convey God’s mission of shalom?

Going Deeper: Christ’s Mission Is Our Mission

The mission of Jesus Christ is what matters most for the journey ahead.

—Doctrine and Covenants 164:9f

For each Mission Initiative identify group members’ gifts and talents that can be engaged in the mission of Jesus Christ. How can each member take a risk like Jesus did? Make a chart for each initiative and let group members record how they can use their gifts and talents for each one.

Invite People to Christ—Christ’s mission of evangelism

Abolish Poverty, End Suffering—Christ’s mission of compassion

Pursue Peace on Earth—Christ’s mission of justice and peace

Develop Disciples to Serve—Equip individuals for Christ’s mission

Experience Congregations in Mission—Equip congregations for Christ’s mission

Send

Servants

The servants praised by their master took their challenge seriously. They took a risk, wisely invested what they were given, and produced more that they could share. For their good work, they were rewarded with greater responsibility and joy in knowing they were serving their employer well. Reflect and discuss the following questions.

• What risk are you willing to take as a generous disciple of Jesus Christ?
• In what ways are you using your talents wisely?
• How can you develop gifts and talents?
• What can you do this week to use your gifts and talents for someone?
• Where can you risk yourself for Christ’s mission?

Bless

In the book, The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran wrote,

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself That you truly give….There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward… It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding; And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.

—Kahlil Gibran, (New York: Knofp), 1972, pp. 20–22

Thought for the week: Consider this week how to develop your gifts and talents in ways to serve Christ’s mission. That is what matters most.

Close with prayer.

Children’s Lesson

Focus Scripture Passage

Matthew 25:14–30

Lesson Focus

God trusts us to make Responsible Choices in using our talents. Making Responsible Choices requires us to break free from our fears and our wish to “play it safe” and take risks as Jesus did.

Objectives

The learners will…

• explain that scripture stories require study to understand their meaning.
• identify the gifts and talents they have.
• discuss how to move past fear and hesitancy when sharing our gifts and talents.

Supplies

• Favorite story to read or tell
• Bible or Lectionary Story Bible, Year A, by Ralph Milton, illustrated by Margaret Kyle (Wood Lake Publishing, 2007, ISBN 9781551455471)
• Variety of Frisbees™ or other flying discs (preferably different sizes/materials)
• Paper plates
• Art supplies to decorate plates (markers, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, etc.)

Notes to teacher

In preparation for this lesson, read “Exploring the Scripture” for Matthew 25:14–30 in Sermon & Class Helps, Year A: New Testament, pp. 118–119, available through Herald House.

Gather

Welcome children to class and hand out a few Frisbees™ (discs). Take the children outside, or to a location where they can spend a few minutes throwing them. Ask the children to pay close attention to what the different discs do when they throw them.

Engage

Return to class and gather to listen to the scripture story. Read “An Upside Down Story” based on Matthew 25:14–30 from Lectionary Story Bible, Year A, pp. 240–241.

Note to teacher

Finish the story halfway through p. 241 with the rich man’s statement, “I don’t ever want to see you again. You can go work for somebody else. Give me my money and just get out of here!” If you read the final section of the story as written, it will confuse the focus of this lesson.

Ask:

• What did you think of this story? Acknowledge concerns students may have about the way the third slave was treated.
• What do you think Jesus was trying to teach people with this story?

Tell students that sometimes we must look for the meaning in scripture stories. Even teachers must study in order to understand what the scripture passage is trying to teach us. Read this excerpt from the Sermon & Class Helps:

Through this parable, Jesus is trying to help people trust in what God has already done for us…

The return on investment by the slaves who received five and two talents was amazing. Although the master praises their efforts, his response seems understated given the significance of their earnings. The focus of the story quickly moves to the slave who chose to bury his single talent. The master’s response to this slave seems extreme and harsh from the perspective of the slave who was trying to keep the master’s talent safe.

The slave’s action seems lazy and misguided from the perspective of the master who trusted the slave to make responsible choices about the use of the talent.

As we go deeper in the story, we realize the slave who buried the talent makes his choice out of fear. The slave does not trust the nature of his master. He is afraid of what the master might do so the slave chooses what he thinks is the least risky path by burying the talent to protect it. The master asks why the slave would lose the safe opportunity to earn interest in the bank if he thought the master was so demanding. Ironically, we recognize the slave’s fear blocked him from making a responsible choice.

Ask again:

• What do you think Jesus was trying to teach people with this story?

Respond

Let the children know that the version of the story we read talked about bags of money, but the Bible uses the word “talents.” Let them know that the biblical version also refers to money. It is important to remember that God gives us more than money to share generously. God also gives us gifts and talents.

Pull the discs back out. Say to the children, “These discs may not look like much. Some of them may be worn and well used. What did you notice about them when we were playing with them earlier? What did they do?”

Help the children understand that a Frisbee™ is meant to fly. Ask the children if the Frisbees™ would be able to do their job if they were buried? Acknowledge that they look different, they may even fly differently, but they were all meant to fly.

Ask:

• What gifts has God given you that you can use?
• Have you ever felt afraid to use your gifts? How can you move past your fear?

Hand out paper plates and art supplies. Tell the children to pretend that this Frisbee™ (disc) is them. Ask them to decorate them with the talents they have.

Going Deeper

Ask students these additional questions:

• Where is God acting in your world and calling you to risk getting involved?
• What do you fear about taking risks to use your gifts to help change the world?
• How do you overcome your fear and follow the Holy Spirit’s leadings to use your gifts to engage in mission?

Send

When the students have finished their paper discs, ask them to share how they can use their talents to grow God’s love in the world.

Bless

Take the children back to where you threw Frisbees™ (discs) earlier. Ask each child to say a thank you prayer to God for their talent as they fly a Frisbee™ (disc).

Note to teacher

For this activity use the real Frisbees™ (discs) rather than the ones the students made. The paper plates won’t fly quite as well, and you want their prayers to soar!