A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Take God at his word.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are wrapping up a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. For one more month, we will consider the way we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.

         This email is to further encourage what we pondered on Sunday, January 9. (That service can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjo1iuJ-pSw&t=1s)  In this way, each one can give more consideration about how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          This is the final weekly devotion to have us consider what it means to have A Life Shrewdly Lived.

A LIFE SHREWDLY LIVED

Week #4      Take God at his word.

            Stewardship is a faithful response to God.  It is taking God at his word and trusting that, when he makes a promise, he will keep it.  It means that we set our priorities in line with God’s word.  It means that we curb our own desires—of course, desires which are opposed to God’s word, but also desires which are not evil but prevent us from doing what we need to do.  For example, you may want a state-of-the-art media center in your mancave (which would be cool), but your obligations and the wise use of your income may make keep it in the “dream” category.

            Stewardship is taking God at his word.  Either he did not mean what he promised or he did.  Our stewardship is a confession about what we think of his promises.

            So, what does God promise?  Jesus said, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’  For the unbelievers chase after all these things.  Certainly your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:31-33).  We don’t have to worry about our basic needs being met.  Why?  Because God has promised us that we will always have our daily bread.  He knows what we need, and he will supply it.  It may not be any more than that, but it is enough.  (Sometimes he has to teach us that by taking away everything else.  It is a hard lesson, but he does it to show that we can trust him.  He may not satisfy wants, but he will always supply needs.) 

            We take God at his word and get our priorities straight.  The kingdom of God comes first.  The day will come when you won’t care about, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ because you will be dead.  But the words and promises of God will still benefit you.  They are the only things that will, and you will still have them.  If you put God first, the other things will fall into place.  Jesus said so: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

            God wants us to give first to the Lord—first fruits.  In the Old Testament, it literally was the first cut of grain that was given to the Lord.  This was an act of faith.  They had to trust that the Lord would provide by bringing forth the rest of the crop.  Do you suppose God was faithful to them?  Do you think he will be faithful to you in the same way?  Most of us don’t have to wait to see what our income might be.  We can rely on a fairly consistent salary.  In our case, the Lord has already provided us with the full amount.  We don’t even have to trust that the Lord will eventually bring it to us.  Rather, we trust that he will continue in his faithful gifts.  God allows us to faithfully respond to his goodness since we already know he has been good to us.

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Let your money be good for something.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are wrapping up a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. For one more month, we will consider the way we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.

         This email is to further encourage what we pondered on Sunday, January 9. (That service can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjo1iuJ-pSw&t=1s)  In this way, each one can give more consideration about how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          For the month of January, we continue to consider what it means to have A Life Shrewdly Lived.

A LIFE SHREWDLY LIVED

Week #3      Let your money be good for something.

            “Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights” (James 1:17).  Every good gift is from God, and every gift God gives is good.  This includes our wealth.  Money is not the root of all evil; rather, “the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils” (1 Timothy 6:9, emphasis added).  Money, in and of itself, is a tool.  We use it to accomplish what we need to do.

            If money is a tool, it is to be put to good use.  Some uses are obvious.  St. Paul wrote, “If anyone does not provide for his own family, and especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).  Caring for one’s own family and assuring the family has what they need is obvious even to scoundrels.  We put our money to good use by caring for the family God gives us.

            But if this is as far as your use of money goes, it is not doing as much good as God desires.  God intends us to use the tools he gives us to honor him and to serve our neighbor.  In regard to serving our neighbor, this is what the word of the Lord says: “Let the one who has been stealing steal no longer.  Instead, let him work hard doing what is good with his own hands, so that he has something to share with a person who is in need” (Ephesians 4:28).  We bring harm to our neighbor of we steal from him.  But God urges us to go further than to do no harm.  He tells us to do good, especially to the one who is in need.  We make our money good for something when we aid and assist those who are in need.

            Our money is also used to honor the Lord.  While all godly use of money honors God, the offerings we give are a specific act of worship to honor him.  In the Old Testament, the offerings were animals which were slain and then consumed by fire on an altar.  This sacrifice was a complete devotion.  In a worldly sense, it was a total waste.  There was no return on a ram burnt to ashes.  Of course, we do not light our offerings on fire after we devote them to the Lord.  Our money is good for the work of preaching the Gospel, of sending missionaries throughout the world, of supporting the training of future pastors and teachers, of publication of literature which faithfully teaches the Scriptures, and so on.  Our prayer is that the return on our offerings will be the eternal welfare of people whom we don’t even know and of people who are not yet even born.  That is good for something.

            Whatever we do, we want to do it to the glory of God and the good of our neighbor.  Whatever God has given us is given for that purpose, including our wealth.  It is a good gift of God, and it is to be used for something good.

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Tithe. Really.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are wrapping up a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. For one more month, we will consider the way we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.

         This email is to further encourage what we pondered on Sunday, January 9. (That service can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjo1iuJ-pSw&t=1s)  In this way, each one can give more consideration about how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          For the month of January, we continue to consider what it means to have A Life Shrewdly Lived.

A LIFE SHREWDLY LIVED

Week #2        Tithe.  Really.

            For Old Testament Israelites, it was really simple.  Ten percent of their income was given to the Lord.  It was the first ten percent.  Not ten percent after all the bills were paid.  Not ten percent if it was a good month.  It was the first fruits.  Ten percent was given to the Lord.  This was a confession as much as it was a command.  The command was the tithe.  The confession was that the Lord would supply for their needs after they honored him first.

            For New Testament Christians, there are no commandments.  The closest we get to a commandment is this: “This is what I mean: The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. The one who sows generously will also reap generously.  Each one should give as he has determined in his heart, not reluctantly or under pressure, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).  And this: “Now concerning the collection for the saints, do as I directed the churches in Galatia to do.  On the first day of every week, each of you is to set something aside in keeping with whatever he gains, saving it up at home, so that when I come, no collections will need to be carried out” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

            Though a tithe is not commanded, the principle is the same for God’s people in Old and New Testament—honor the Lord with the wealth he has given you.  Set God first, and the rest will be given to you as God is pleased to give it.  He will supply your need.

            While the Old Testament command to tithe is no longer a ceremonial law which we are bound to keep, it is still a good practice to strive for, and for the same reasons as God gave it in the Old Testament.  It is a confession.  We honor God with our first fruits, not with leftovers.  There is not much honor in giving God what we wouldn’t miss anyway.  We usually throw into the trash what we don’t want or need; that is a poor confession.  Really, an insulting one.  If offerings are an act of worship, then let our offerings be a confession.  A tithe is a good confession in that way.  We honor the Lord first, and then we trust that God will supply what we need to live.

            Granted, that may mean we sacrifice some things and pass on some luxuries.  My guess is that we would not need to sacrifice every luxury or frill even if we tithe, just some.  We would become more particular about what we really want to do with the wealth God gives us, and we would probably appreciate those things more. 

            It should be noted: God does not want you to give because he needs your money.  Nor does God need your good works.  We don’t do these things because God needs them.  We do them because we are God’s people who seek to honor the Lord above all.  We do it because we want our actions to match our confession.  The Lord has been good and gracious.  The Lord is trustworthy in caring for his people.  Our offerings acknowledge both.

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: The Earth is the Lord's

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are wrapping up a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. For one more month, we will consider the way we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.
         This email is to further encourage what we pondered on Sunday, January 9. (That service can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjo1iuJ-pSw&t=1s)  In this way, each one can give more consideration about how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          For the month of January, we continue to consider what it means to have A Life Shrewdly Lived.

A LIFE SHREWDLY LIVED

Week #1         The earth is the Lord’s

            Psalm 24 reminds us: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything that fills it, the world and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1).  We are in the habit of calling things “mine.”  It is true to an extent.  We are not wrong to use phrases such as my house, my job, my car, my family.  If the Lord entrusts something to you, it is yours.  But God never relinquishes ownership.  If God did relinquish his rights to our possessions, we could use them any way we wanted to and God would have nothing to say about it.  God would fully support phrases like, “My body, my choice.”  But God holds us accountable for what we do with our bodies.  They are his gift to us.  It matters to him how we use them, and he has given us direction in his word about what is appropriate and what is wicked (and he still gives us some freedom to do what we want; there are no words—good or bad—about coloring your hair).

Everything we possess is a gift from God, whether tangible things like cars, houses, vacuum cleaners, and coffee makers or intangible things like talents, agility, and sense of hearing.  For a time, God entrusts these blessings to us for our good.  We use them to honor the God who gave them and for the good of our neighbor whom we encounter.  This is why God gave them. 

If it should please God to remove our possessions from us, it may prove difficult.  Some possessions won’t bother us to lose.  If we break a coffee mug, we probably won’t care.  If we lose a family member, that is heart-breaking.  In either case, we are taught to confess with Job: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.  May the name of the Lord be blessed” (Job 1:21).  Job recognized that all he had was the Lord’s.  And he recognized that the Lord had every right to withdraw what he had given, no matter how much it hurt Job to do it.

God does not give us our possessions because we deserve them.  He gives them because he is our good and merciful Father in heaven who is generous and loving.  All things belong to him.  And that includes us.  We are the Lord’s—his creation and, more importantly, his redeemed.  Our life on earth will eventually be taken from us, but thanks to Jesus our life never ends.  Since we are the Lord’s, we will go to him to receive joy, peace, rest, and glory in a life that never ends.  Our Lord has given us his word and sacraments to save us and sustain us until we are brought to his heavenly kingdom.  He has worked in our hearts saving faith which is not lost even when we die.  That is one gift we do well not to forfeit by neglecting God’s word for the sake of loving gifts that we will not keep. 

YouTube -- Stewardship: A God-Lived Life #4 (January 9, 2022)

Here is the service from Sunday, January 9, 2022.  

Sermon -- Stewardship: A God-Lived Life #4 (January 9, 2022)

1 TIMOTHY 6:6-19

A GOD-LIVED LIFE PURSUES WHAT IS OF REAL VALUE. 

In the name + of Jesus.

     It does not take much for us to get our priorities out of whack.  St. Paul addressed that in his letter to Timothy.  If you want to sum up what St. Paul has to say, we can do that with two verses.  First, there is the warning: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.  It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10).  Then there is the instruction: “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things.  Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11).  These two verses are enough to keep us focused on what really matters.  A God-lived life pursues what is of real value.  But it does not take much to lose that focus.

     Consider this: What hopes do you have for your children?  We usually have their lives charted out in our minds and guide them on that path.  They are going to go to school, study hard, and get good grades.  Maybe they will excel athletically.  But then they will go to college and get a degree.  To what end?  To get a good job.  Now, how would you define a good job?  Most likely, it is a job that pays well.  After that, we might think in terms of marriage and family and so on. 

     In one respect, these are noble goals.  We want our children to be productive members of society.  But our hopes are usually centered on money.  We want our children to have a job that compensates them generously.  But do we talk about education and career at the expense of teaching a boy to be an honest gentleman?  Do we talk about what it means to be a devoted husband and father, or do we focus on employment?  Do we give our daughters the impression that a career is meaningful but that motherhood is not a high calling?  If fulfillment is only to be found in a career, then family life will be despised.  Some may conclude that it is smart to avoid it.  Certainly, that is not what you want for your children, is it?  Is that what you would call a good life?  If money and career are what matter, St. Paul’s warning should be repeated: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.  It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10). 

     What greater hope could you have for yourself and for your children than to remain steadfast in the Christian faith?  There is only one way that you will get to keep your children for all eternity, and that is if they remain in Christ.  They will only remain in Christ if you bring them to church, talk about the Bible at home, and live your life according to it.  If Jesus and the Church are a priority for you, odds are it will remain a priority for them.  This is why St. Paul issues the warning and gives the instructions.  Worldly priorities are temporary.  They may produce great wealth and worldly security, but they are guaranteed to be temporary.  “For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world” (1 Timothy 6:7).  When death comes, all worldly priorities will prove to be useless.  In fact, they may be detrimental.  Keeping Christ as the highest priority, on the other hand, yields an everlasting reward.  And when you die, you do not lose anything Jesus has promised.  In fact, it gets better.  Therefore, a God-lived life pursues what is of real value.

     Once again, St. Paul issues the warning: “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9).  The love of money diverts our focus from the love of God and of our neighbor.  The love of money, trust in money, and the fear of losing money are idolatry.  For, we are to fear, love, and trust in God above all things.  God is the sole source of life.  We live for as long as God chooses.  God is the giver of every gift.  We receive our possessions according to God’s wisdom and pleasure.  God is the source of mercy, peace, and salvation.  Money cannot buy any of those things, no matter how much we have or collect.  If money cannot give us a joyful heart, a peaceful conscience, or confidence at the final judgment, why would we put our trust in it?  When it comes to our standing before God, money proves to have no value at all.  Therefore, a God-lived life will pursue what has real value.

     So, rather than devote yourself to making money, St. Paul urges you, “Fight the good fight of the faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession” (1 Timothy 6:12).  You were called to a higher place than to a career, and God gives you greater riches than any paycheck.  You were called to eternal life, and you were given faith in the promises which save.  These God gives for free.  While they are free to you, they were very costly for our Lord.

     You know what it cost our Lord to redeem you.  He left the glories of heaven and emptied himself of his divine power and majesty.  He came as an infant—defenseless and helpless.  God had to be carried, nursed, and clothed by the Virgin Mary.  He lived as a peasant, dependent upon his heavenly Father to supply his needs.  Jesus never condemned the use of money, but he also never craved it.  He lived with a perfect trust that his Father would provide for him.  At his death, Jesus’ entire estate was what he was wearing when he went to the cross.  And even that was taken from him. 

     The perfect, humble life of Jesus was given as payment for us.  For our lust for money, Jesus was crucified with thieves.  For our goals of building a kingdom in this world, Jesus was condemned by earthly kingdoms and gained for us a heavenly home.  All the wealth in the world could not pay for a single sin, but Jesus’ sacrifice pays for them all.  God became man so that he could shed his holy, innocent blood to purchase you from sin, death, and the devil.  God became man so that he could walk free from the grave as the man who conquers death and lives and reigns over every power, kingdom, and authority.  His kingdom endures forever.  What Jesus has won, he gives to you for free. 

     Even when Jesus gives his gifts, he uses what is common so that it is accessible to all.  He does not make you invest in expensive aloes and perfumes to cover the filth of your sin; you were purified by water in holy baptism.  He does not strengthen your faith with costly meats or gourmet cuisine.  He sustains and strengthens you with simple bread and wine under which he gives you the body and blood which have overcome death.  He does not force you to fill out tedious forms for your forgiveness; it is simply decreed to you through preaching and absolution.  What Jesus won, he gives for free.  By word and sacraments, he keeps you in the one, true, saving faith. 

     A God-lived life pursues what is of real value.  God’s best gifts are not the ones that make life in this world comfortable.  Those who make themselves comfortable in this world seldom want to leave it.  God’s best gifts are the ones that bring us closer to him and unite us to him.  Yes, that means the forgiveness of sins, new life, and salvation.  But it also may include poor health, a shaky economy, and war.  While these are not fun, they usually force people to pray and to long for the heavenly kingdom.  The more evils you endure, the harder you end up praying, “Come, Lord Jesus.” 

     A God-lived life will not be rattled by the loss of worldly goods and treasures.  A God-lived life will not be derailed by poor health or a terminal condition.  We don’t live for those things.  We crave the riches of heaven.  We yearn for our Savior who teaches us, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.  Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:32-34).  A God-lived life pursues what is of real value.

     The Father, whose good pleasure it is to give us the kingdom, is pleased to give us worldly wealth too.  Whatever wealth God chooses to give you, it is only a tool to honor the Lord and to serve your neighbor.  Just as he gives you your talents, abilities, and skills to honor him and to serve your neighbor, your money is given to you for the same reason.  We use it for the good of our families.  We use it to support missionaries around the world and the college and seminary that prepare the next generation of pastors and teachers.  We use it to benefit our children through Christian education at schools like Huron Valley Lutheran High School and the local Lutheran elementary schools.  We use our wealth to help those who are poor or whose wealth was wiped out by disasters or medical expenses.  There are many ways our wealth can be used in love for the good of our neighbor.  That’s what God gives it to us for in the first place.

     Therefore, St. Paul instructs us: “Flee (the love of money).  Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith.  … As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.  They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:11-12,17-19). 

     We hope our children will be blessed with jobs that grant fulfillment, productivity, and prosperity.  However God chooses to bless them or us, the wealth we achieve is only a tool to do good for others.  But recognize this: The most important work we do receives no compensation at all.  We feed and clothe our children.  We soothe a crying child.  We teach them to pray.  We discipline them and teach them to be respectable and honest.  We make a phone call to an aging parent.  We gather as God’s family to hear his word, to sing hymns, to partake in his sacraments, and by these to grow in the Christian faith.  If you are doing that, odds are your children will dwell in a kingdom that endures forever.  You will keep your children for eternity which no amount of money can buy.  God will always provide enough to live on in this world whether people care about him or not.  But only Jesus provides what gives life everlasting.  Jesus’ word and sacraments are of limitless value, and Jesus grants these for free.  A God-lived life gives these the highest priority and pursues what is of real value.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Join Us

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are in the middle of a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. Over the next few months, we will consider the various ways we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.

          Each month, I will be sending out an email to further encourage what we pondered on the first Sunday of that month. In this way, the thoughts do not perish by that Sunday evening, but each one can give intentional consideration how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          For the month of December, we continue to consider what it means to have A Life of Hospitality.

A LIFE OF HOSPITALITY

Week #4      Join us

            When Jesus called Matthew to be his disciple, Matthew hosted a feast.  Naturally, he invited Jesus and, by extension, his disciples (perhaps six men at this time).  But then Matthew also invited his coworkers, colleagues, and acquaintances.  The Pharisees referred to these people as “tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 9:10). 

            I suppose Matthew could have rallied his friends and brought them into the synagogue with a friendly, “Hey, let’s go to church!”  But based on the Pharisees’ assessment of them, I think we can guess what kind of reception they might have gotten at a synagogue.  So, Matthew invited them to meet Jesus in a less threatening venue—his home. 

            Perhaps a non-church venue would be better suited to our friends.  More and more, people are not going to church.  Reasons vary, but church might seem like a very intimidating place.  They don’t know the people.  They are unfamiliar with the service.   Will they be embarrassed by getting the whole stand/sit/kneel thing wrong?  Do they fear that they will be treated with contempt, like “tax collectors and sinners”?  Is there still some recognition that they would be standing on holy ground and sacred space, and such recognition is startling?  While we want everyone to join us in God’s house, that may not be the first step in bringing people to Jesus.

            Your pastor is not Jesus.  That will forever be true.  But perhaps you can arrange a meeting between your friends and your pastor outside of church.  Matthew brought his friends over to his house.  That seems like a friendly place to arrange a meeting so that people can learn more about the grace God bestows upon sinners.  It also provides a more comfortable setting for people to ask penetrating and even challenging questions about the Scriptures.  At church, it might seem disrespectful (though it shouldn’t—where else can you get better answers?).  And a Divine Service is not really set up to allow for a Q & A during the sermon.

            While we want people to join us for church, it might be more hospitable to have them join us for a dinner, a barbeque, or a cup of coffee.  If they join us for some aspects of life, they might be less hesitant to join us for what really matters.  Of course, this means that we will eagerly extend the invitation.  And it means, if you think it is helpful, that you will tell your pastor, “These people have questions.  Can you join us, too?”  As much as possible, your pastor will be glad to.

            Invitations are easy.  “Hey, why don’t you join us?”  Our friendship is not phony, so whether it leads to church attendance and membership won’t matter.  We pray it does, though.  “Join us” is a good start.

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Be Honest

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are in the middle of a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. Over the next few months, we will consider the various ways we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.

          Each month, I will be sending out an email to further encourage what we pondered on the first Sunday of that month. In this way, the thoughts do not perish by that Sunday evening, but each one can give intentional consideration how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          For the month of December, we continue to consider what it means to have A Life of Hospitality.

A LIFE OF HOSPITALITY

Week #3      Be honest, even about your sins

            All the people we meet have a past.  Some pasts are more sordid than others, but all people have regrets.  If someone new comes to church, you can be sure that he is a sinner.  Everyone is.  Some are offended that we would confess our sins in church in such strong terms.  (The terms may not seem strong to you because they are familiar, but they are rather blunt to someone who has never considered their sinful condition that deeply.)

            Consider what we confess.  We are by nature sinful.  We did not learn to sin; it comes out of us naturally.  It harbors in our hearts and minds.  We are not sinners because we do sinful things; we do sinful things because we are sinners.  We don’t like it, but we acknowledge that we are sinners.  We manifest that in our thoughts, words, and actions.  We acknowledge that we have done evil.  Yes, we call our sins evil.  We don’t sugarcoat that.  God doesn’t, so why would we?  And we have failed to do good.  We have been lazy, negligent, and even rebellious.  We don’t love our neighbor as we ought.  Again, we are not proud of it; but we admit it. 

            There is relief in standing before God with this kind of honesty.  We don’t have to invent virtues we don’t have.  We don’t have to pretend to be what we are not.  We know what we are.  Our relief is all the greater because we come before God in the confidence that he is ever-merciful.  We know that, for the sake of Jesus, he forgives our sins.

            People who are new to the Christian faith (and even some who have been in Christian churches) might be intimidated because they think their checkered past makes them ineligible to be real Christians.  This is where our honesty can grant them the relief we know.  We can talk freely about our sins, our struggles, our weaknesses, and the temptations that plague us.  Granted, some sins might be a little more sensitive than others.  We don’t have to air out all our dirty laundry.  But we can admit that we still struggle.  We still fail.  We admit that before God.  We can even admit that to others.  This will erase the idea that you have to be perfect to be a Christian.

            But then we also get to confess the truth: It is not our morals or behavior that save us.  Jesus saves us.  It is not our righteousness that gains God’s favor; God’s favor grants us Jesus’ righteousness.  We strive to live as godly people, but that is not where our confidence is.  It is with Jesus, who saves sinners. 

            Jesus came for real sinners, not for phony ones.  We don’t believe in fake promises; we trust in real ones.  The Christian faith allows us to be honest—before God, with ourselves, and with others. 

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Ask Questions

 INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are in the middle of a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. Over the next few months, we will consider the various ways we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.

          Each month, I will be sending out an email to further encourage what we pondered on the first Sunday of that month. In this way, the thoughts do not perish by that Sunday evening, but each one can give intentional consideration how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          For the month of December, we continue to consider what it means to have A Life of Hospitality.

A LIFE OF HOSPITALITY

Week #2      Ask questions

            Perhaps the most intimidating part of being hospitable is that you don’t know anything about new people.  What do you even have to talk about?  What do you have in common?  What is there to say?

            If you don’t know anything about someone who is new to you, you have an almost unlimited source of topics to talk about.  But make it easy on yourself.  Let them guide the discussion: Ask them questions.  Find out who they are and where they are from.  What brings them in?  Do they have family?  Can you get them some coffee?  Their initial answers should offer something to springboard into other topics.  Chances are one of those topics will find some connection where you do have interest.

            What if there are no areas of common interest?  If that is actually the case, ask about their interests.  You probably won’t take up their hobbies, but you can learn a little more about the way they think.  It will be enlightening to understand that.  For example, you meet a person who has a string of tattoos up his or her arm.  If you think tattoos are a waste of time and money, you might recoil from conversation or ignore the person.  Try this instead: Ask him about what the symbols are on his arm.  Do they signify anything?  (They usually do.)  How did he decide to do that?  Was it awkward getting it done on the back side of his arm?  (You can decide for yourself how bold you want to be; some questions might seem a little too personal.)  These questions show an interest in that person.  They will appreciate your interest and will likely reciprocate with questions of their own.  And even if their answers are less that godly, you will at least learn about other people.  You may develop a compassion for others you had not held before.  You may learn to appreciate that, having lived your life according to God’s word, you have been preserved from some very bad decisions. 

If that person whom you just met ends up being a fellow Christian, you get to learn that through your questions and conversation.  If he is not, you have begun to pave the way for a confession of faith and an invitation for the person to get to know more.  That never happens when we recoil or turn in disgust.  If you ask questions, demonstrate interest, and have a conversation, you at least bear witness that Christians are not “too good” for other people.  It is part of “Love your neighbor,” as different as your neighbor might be—even if your neighbor has no interest in the kingdom of God.  A life of hospitality is a life that loves the neighbor and seeks his good.  Only by asking questions can you learn what good you can do for that neighbor.

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Say "Hello" to Someone New

 INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are in the middle of a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. Over the next few months, we will consider the various ways we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.

          Each month, I will be sending out an email to further encourage what we pondered on the first Sunday of that month. In this way, the thoughts do not perish by that Sunday evening, but each one can give intentional consideration how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          For the month of December, we continue to consider what it means to have A Life of Hospitality.

A LIFE OF HOSPITALITY

Week #1       Say “Hello” to someone new.

            Our Lord commanded us, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Then he gave us neighbors to love.  Some of those neighbors become dear friends.  We find that we share interests with them, and we spend time with them talking about those interests.  The more we become acquainted, the more tightly we tie the bonds of that friendship.  It is a wonderful blessing to have a close friend like that.

            If there is a downside to that, it can be that we shut out other people from our circle of friends.  We don’t really do that intentionally.  We are just focused on our friendships and comfortable with the familiar to the extent that we overlook others who are new.  Most people will not crash our little circle of friends and incorporate themselves into our conversations.  They stay away and remain excluded from our “members only” clique—or at least, that is how they will see it.  It may not be fair, but if you are the one on the outs, you will appreciate their frustration.

            We are often intimidated to initiate the conversation with someone new.  If, however, the people are new to our congregation, they are the ones who are rightly intimidated.  You know everyone; they don’t.  They may be nervous and awkward; be gracious.  They may speak English as a second language; be patient.  You will be hard for them to understand, too.  They may be recently divorced, struggling with alcoholism, or unemployed; be kind.  Offer to help them through the service.  Invite them to have coffee.  Introduce them to someone else.  Making them feel at ease won’t help them believe God’s word, but it will help them come back to church.

            We help our congregation when we make efforts to welcome the new person.  Saying, “Hello, my name is ….” goes a long way to make a new person feel welcome.  It also establishes a pattern that the new person will adopt—looking for the next new person to make feel welcome.  This useful and beneficial hospitality is part of our God-lived life, springing from God-given grace.

YouTube -- Stewardship: A God-Lived Life #3 (December 5, 2021)

Here is the service from December 5, 2021.

Sermon -- Stewardship: A God-Lived Life #3 (December 5, 2021)

MATTHEW 9:9-13

A GOD-LIVED LIFE IS A LIFE OF HOSPITALITY.

 In the name + of Jesus.

      When we ponder whom Jesus chose as his friends, we might be as surprised as the Pharisees were.  That Jesus chose unschooled, blue-collar fishermen to be apostles might surprise us.  But some of his other choices are shocking.  One example is Matthew.  “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’  And he rose and followed him” (Matthew 9:9).  Jesus and Matthew must have had some acquaintance with each other.  I find it doubtful that Jesus would say, “Follow me,” and a stranger would get up and follow him without any question.  Matthew must have known Jesus’ preaching and teaching.  He knew what Jesus’ call meant, and he followed him.

     Matthew had been sitting in the tax collector’s booth.  He was a hireling of the Roman government, commissioned to collect revenue from his countrymen.  This is not like a man from the IRS.  This would be like a man from the KGB collecting revenue from you.  And it was no secret that the tax collectors inflated the tax rate and pocketed the extra for themselves.  Matthew would have been a man easy to hate; yet Jesus called him to be his full-time disciple.  Matthew was probably both stunned and excited to hear that there was a place in the kingdom of God for the likes of him.

     So, Matthew threw a party.  He held a banquet to which Jesus and his other disciples were invited.  But there were other guests, too.  “As Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples” (Matthew 9:10).  Matthew had invited to this banquet fellow tax collectors and other people of ill-repute.  He did not ditch his friends; he wanted them to meet Jesus.  If Jesus would be merciful to Matthew, perhaps he would be merciful to his friends, too.

     Do you think Matthew’s friends were nervous about coming to meet Jesus?  Matthew and his friends had probably been on the receiving end of sneers and nasty comments from other Galileans.  The Pharisees openly broadcast their opinion about Matthew and his buddies.  What would Jesus say?  How would he treat them? 

     If such thoughts were going through their minds, it is because the Law was working in their hearts.  It happens when we see a police car.  The law makes us sure we are driving more attentively.  When a criminal stands before a judge, he knows how to clean up his vocabulary and show some respect.  When a pastor walks into someone’s room, everyone suddenly tries to become a little bit holier.  In the same way, these people knew their sins.  Jesus’ presence made them feel their guilt all the more.  Why would they put themselves in a position which would make them feel that uncomfortable or defensive? 

     On the one hand, they trusted that Matthew was not setting them up to be embarrassed.  Matthew’s invitation was genuine hospitality.  On the other hand, his friends probably knew Jesus’ reputation.  Jesus had proven that he was hospitable and merciful to sinners.  They did not need to avoid him.  They came to the feast, and they were not disappointed.  A God-lived life is a life of hospitality.

     When the Pharisees saw Jesus feasting and fellowshipping with Matthew and his tax collector buddies, they were outraged.  Interestingly enough, they did not talk to Jesus about this.  They approached his disciples.  Perhaps the Pharisees were trying to drive a wedge between them.  If the Pharisees could shame the disciples for eating with sinners, maybe they would also be ashamed of Jesus and abandon him for better company.

     Jesus interrupted their questioning.  “The Pharisees … said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’  But when he heard it, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  …I came not to call the righteous, but sinners’” (Matthew 9:11-13).  The Pharisees did not want to sully themselves by interacting with people whose reputations were less than pure.  They failed to recognize that we are not sullied by others; we are impure because of our own faults.  The very attitude of the Pharisees—“We are better than them,”—their arrogance, and their hatred condemned them.

     Both Matthew and Jesus demonstrated wonderful hospitality.  Matthew’s meal may have been to honor Jesus, but it was also an occasion for his friends to meet Jesus.  And Jesus showed that he does not despise sinners.  Jesus reclined at the table, thereby demonstrating acceptance and fellowship with them.  That did not mean Jesus gave approval to their sins.  It meant that Jesus would look upon people according to their need for mercy instead of their deserving of judgment.  For Jesus to have mercy upon sinners, he had to interact with them.  For Jesus to preach the good news, he needed to speak to people for whom the good news was meant.  This is a God-lived life—a life of hospitality which does not limit interaction with people who are good enough.  A God-lived life seeks the good of all and demonstrates a hospitality that shows it.

     Why would sinners be hesitant to join us?  We’re nice people.  Well, if someone is guilt-ridden, they might fear that the church will just hammer them with more guilt.  There is a story of a woman whose circumstances drove her to sell her body to get by.  She felt utterly worthless for this.  A friend said to her, “Why don’t you go to a church and talk to a pastor?”  She said, “Go to a church?!  I feel bad enough already.”  I guess some Christians might act like the Pharisees and look down on others whose lives are messy or broken.  And if you have looked at people that way, repent.  

     Your place in God’s kingdom is not a reward for clean living.  No one enters the kingdom of God squeaky clean.  We enter through the mercies and merits of Jesus.  If you are clean, remember that it is the Lord who cleansed you.  It is the blood of Jesus which purifies you.  It is the Spirit of God who works in you to avoid wickedness and the consequences that come from it.  This is what our Lord desires for all.  He desires all to be cleansed, to be loved, and to be welcomed into his kingdom—the straight-laced and the messed up, the familiar and the foreign, the rich and the poor, and even Pharisees.

     I don’t know what the reputation of our congregation is among outsiders.  We can’t really control that anyway.  What we can control is how hospitable we are to one another and to strangers.  Let our goal always be to have our reputation match the reputation of Jesus.  If Jesus welcomes sinners, then sinners must be welcome here.  We shall be patient and gracious to each other and to all. 

     A God-lived life is a life of hospitality.  Life in the church is first and foremost the fact that the Lord has been hospitable to us.  He does not treat us as our sins deserve.  While we acknowledge our sins and confess them, the Lord does not revisit our faults and rub our face in them.  The devil does that.  The Lord remembers you according to his mercy.  You were baptized into Christ, and therefore you are clothed with Christ.  That is what God sees when he sees you—he sees the righteousness of Christ.  He sees one whom Jesus did not despise, but for whom Jesus willingly suffered and died.  And because of Jesus’ sufferings and death for you, the Lord is most hospitable to you.  He does not merely tolerate you, but he prepares a place for you in the mansions of heaven so that you can be with him forevermore.  The Lord loves you and delights in you.  He is amused by your personality quirks (I can say that, because we all have them).  He is patient with your weaknesses.  He cares about your concerns.  He is sympathetic your frustrations.  He takes up your requests, and he answers you with promises that do not change and according to wisdom that does not fail.  Jesus is hospitable to you.  He likes you and wants to be with you. 

     In fact, the Lord makes his home with you.  Jesus has sent his Holy Spirit to dwell in you.  The Holy Spirit teaches you to look upon other people with the same compassion Jesus has upon you.  Many people carry around guilt and shame that they try to hide.  They look fine, and they tell you they are fine.  People generally do not share their deepest, darkest fears.  But think about this: What fears and frustrations do you struggle with?  What weaknesses do you have?  These things are common to all people.  As bothered as you might be, you have God’s promises to cling to so that you can have comfort and peace despite your fears and struggles.  What hope do others have who don’t know Jesus and his promises?  If that does not stir up compassion, what will?

     A God-lived life is a life of hospitality.  We want sinners to know that they are welcome here.  They may come with a lot of baggage.  They may bear the scars of their sins for the rest of their lives.  They may struggle to overcome a lifetime of bad habits.  They may not live as exemplary a life as we might hope for.  But recognize this: Everyone needs what you need.  Everyone needs what you have—a Savior who tenderly speaks to the hurting, to the frightened, and to the ashamed.  Let them hear the words of Jesus, and then let the Holy Spirit shape lives, just as he shapes yours.

     A God-lived life is a life of hospitality.  You might be nervous to speak to a stranger.  But if a stranger comes to church, ask yourself: What happened in that person’s life that compelled them to come to a church where they don’t know anybody and they don’t know what to expect?  Your friendly welcome and hospitality will be like Matthew putting his friends at ease.  “You don’t need to fear Jesus.  He welcomes sinners.  He welcomes us, and we will welcome you too.”  Even a friendly “Hello” and a handshake will let them know we want them here.

     Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12-13).  The Pharisees were good at their worship rituals, but they had no room for mercy.  If there is no mercy, the worship rituals are useless.  Both matter.  What we believe and how we live matter.  They are both a confession of our faith.  Our mercy and hospitality are to reflect what our Lord has done for us and for all.  Sinners need Jesus, but sinners will only know Jesus if we welcome them and assure them they are one of us. 

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Little Things Mean A Lot

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

          We are observing a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor.
          Each month, I will be sending out an email to further encourage what we pondered on the first Sunday of that month. In this way, the thoughts do not perish by that Sunday evening, but each one can give intentional consideration how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.
          For the month of November, we continue to consider what it means to have A Life Lived for Others.

A LIFE LIVED FOR OTHERS

Week #4      Little things mean a lot!

            We often put too much pressure and unrealistic expectations upon ourselves when it comes to our vocations.  We get the idea that we are supposed to produce some earth-shaking, world-conquering works.  Perhaps we have believed too many movies and high school graduation speeches.  But we become very disappointed that our lives are not amazing and that our works are not met with rave reviews.

            Two questions: Who said they were supposed to?  Who said they aren’t?

            The reality is that our works are almost always little things.  Think about your routine in the home.  Meals are prepared.  Laundry is folded.  Dishes are washed.  Floors are swept.  Beds are made.  Toilets are scrubbed.  Wow!  Such glamour!  Well, no.  But these mundane things are what keep the house in order.  They are absolutely necessary, as unexciting as they are.  Little things mean a lot.

            The same is true outside the home.  You show up for work on time.  You do your best at tasks that are repetitious and appear to have no real value at all.  Our work often goes unnoticed (unless you mess up!) and unappreciated.  But is it useless?  Someone who hired you doesn’t think so.  Someone benefits from your labors, even if you don’t see it.  It may seem like every day is like running on the hamster wheel, but faithful service is never a waste of time, not in the sight of God.  Little things mean a lot.

            Occasionally, God lets us see some reward, some progress, some gratitude.  That helps us keep going.  But even if your labors seem like little, meaningless things, little things mean a lot.  St. Paul wrote, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).  Eating and drinking are not exactly head-turning works, but they are done to God’s glory.  So are all your other works.  Little things not only mean a lot, they are also the things that serve other people.  It is the little things that keep your home, your work, and your life functioning.  That seems pretty big.