I remember a sermon my good friend, Pastor Tato, preached at another church several years ago. He spoke about Christians who become stagnant in their faith. They go to church every Sunday and listen to the Word of God. Some do this for years, yet never seem to move past the listener stage. They never serve in the church or share the wisdom they have learned with others.
He compared them to the Dead Sea, a body of water in Israel known for its extremely high salt concentration, which makes it difficult for most aquatic life to survive. Water flows into it, but it has no natural outlet. It receives water without passing it along. In a similar way, many Christians receive biblical teaching for years without sharing what they have learned or putting it into action.
To illustrate his point, Pastor Tato brought out a two-liter bottle filled with water. He took the cap off, replaced it with a ping-pong ball, and turned the bottle upside down. To everyone’s surprise, the water didn’t gush out; it didn’t even move. The water stayed trapped inside the bottle.
As Christians, we should not allow our faith to become stagnant. Our faith should be evident in the way we live, and we should use what we learn to instruct and encourage others. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.”
Notice that Paul emphasizes patience and careful instruction. Sharing God’s Word is not about berating or beating others over the head with the Scripture. Rather, it should be about speaking the truth to others in love and humility.
For years, I too was stagnant in my own faith. I was afraid I was not worthy of serving or representing the church. Who was I to preach or teach the Word of God? I thought my place was to sit, listen, and support the ministry financially when I could. Preaching and teaching were for people like Pastor Tato, people who were called by God and had special gifts.
But I was wrong to think like this. We tend to be hard on ourselves, and our culture is partly to blame. Our society celebrates the superstars: the charismatic motivational speaker, the kid on YouTube who can play guitar with one hand and sing perfectly in tune, and the pastor whose energy captivates with every word. We compare ourselves to them and think, “I can never do that.”
We begin to believe that unless we spend countless hours perfecting those skills, have a large audience, or receive widespread approval from strangers on social media, we have nothing to offer. We convince ourselves that preaching God’s Word or serving in church is meant for someone else.
But God never called us to be perfect before we can serve Him. He never said we had to walk on water before we even thought about walking onto a stage or starting a Bible Group. He never said we needed years of experience, an established audience, or world-class talent to serve others at church. Peter reminds us that we are to use our God-given gifts to serve others. 1 Peter 4:10: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”.
God has given each of us different gifts. Just because we don’t have the gift of preaching or teaching doesn’t mean we can’t use what we have to glorify Him. We can lead prayer groups, encourage friends and family members going through difficult times, mentor younger church members, volunteer, or help facilitate Bible studies. There are many ways to honor God with our gifts. We don’t have to imitate others.
Jesus laid out the blueprint for how we should serve, and it doesn’t look anything like what the world teaches. Matthew 20:26-28: “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. “
Jesus lived out this principle in His own life. He didn’t just teach us to serve others; He served others and ultimately gave up His life for us. After His death and resurrection, His disciples carried His message through the power of the Holy Spirit. They preached, taught, healed, and used their God-given gifts to build the church and lift up other Christians.
I am a product of this wonderful work. When I was young, I had a great youth pastor, Pastor Brian, who took the time to mentor me and teach me about Jesus. He made sure I understood the meaning of baptism and helped prepare me for an incredible journey of faith I was beginning.
This was possible because the Holy Spirit inspired ordinary men and women to serve the church and help others. How many young people are searching for direction and guidance? How many men and women are trying to fill the void in their hearts? How many couples need counseling to bring their relationship back from the brink of ruin? How many people are waiting for someone to show them the love of Christ?
God is calling us to be part of that work. He is calling us to get out of our comfort zones and follow Him. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers or the qualifications you think you need. Focus on Him and use what you have, and He will give you what you need.
I’m here today because other Christians took the time to invest in me, and I want to do the same for others. I don’t know exactly what God has planned for me, but I want to be ready to answer when He calls and serve wherever he leads. That is wisdom put to work.
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