"What Is and What is Not Stewardship"

                                                Sermon by Pastor Dan Wilkie

                                                        October 24, 2010

                                    First Congregational United Church of Christ

                                                  Grand Junction, Colorado

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, 1 Timothy 6:18, Sirach 35:10-13, 1 Peter 4:10-11

            When I say the word “stewardship” how many of you see dollar signs, or hear money, or imagine the collection of money? Good, many of you are honest.  This church is not alone in this experience, in an unofficial and totally unscientific poll I conducted recently through contacts I have had with pastors of many denominations and worship groups all of them cite the same experiences.  In most cases they shared with me that about 99% of their congregations think stewardship is solely about money and money alone.  This is not totally surprising, our culture has been conditioned to see money from a totally bottom line perspective.  Every school of business has this as their focus; every decision about research and development, every personnel decision, every moving decision is based on the bottom line.  The stock market is based on the bottom line, profits for investors, who in turn are concentrating on their bottom line. Almost everything we do with money focuses on the bottom line.

            However, the theological and spiritual perspective is far different, money, financial giving is only a small part of the total image of stewardship, albeit an important part. What stewardship is about spiritually and theologically is more of an attitude, a different way of looking at gifts and the giver and how we honor both.

            First, there is the understanding that we are all children of God, and as such God blesses us abundantly with every gift.  This means that every talent, every skill, every ability, every relationship, our freedom, our riches, the justice we share our families, our homes comes from God in some way.  For instance a person has the desire to work to become a Geologist, that desire, the ability to work, the joy in learning, the opportunity to attend school, the blessings of graduation, the jobs one obtains afterward, the income one earns, the ability to care for one’s family, to support one’s church, everything came from God.  While I used this example, this same kind of dynamic happens for all of us, whether we are business people, teachers, home-makers, pastors janitors or whatever. 

            Second, there is a sense of Gratitude, we are thankful for the gifts, and to the giver who provides them for us and we want, in that spirit, to honor the giver.

            Third, to honor the giver of the gifts, God, we then set out to care for and use the gifts wisely to do God’s work here on earth abundantly and joyously.  This means for the person who has been given the gift of music and who sings in the choir or plays music to do so with joy and enthusiasm, not for their own edification, but for the honor and glory of God.  The same can be said for the person who gives of their time to serve on a church board, they attend meetings, they are ready to work, and what is done is done with joy. If one gives of the riches they have received, they give out of a sense of thankfulness, joyfully and abundantly for the love of God.

            Lastly, there is an understanding that by sharing gifts joyously, enthusiastically, and abundantly honoring God, God then continues to reward and bless us abundantly as well.  While many of us think these themes are relatively new they are constants which people of faith have followed for centuries and are common throughout all of the scriptures I chose for today.

            Sirach while not being very common to most of us today is a book of the teachings of the Jewish Prophet Ben Sira written in the Second Century BCE by his grandson.  It was written as a set of ethical teachings and lessons similar to the book of Proverbs and in this particular passage talks about not stinting on one’s gifts, dedicating the tithes with gladness and giving to the Most High as the gifts have been given, and the Lord will repay seven fold.

In New Testament times, as the church is expanding, the Apostle Paul, ministering to areas outside of Jerusalem, writes many letters to help build up the new churches and encourage them in living faithfully.  In the first passage from 2 Corinthians Paul is sharing this information church of Macedonia and how even in their ordeal of afflictions, and poverty, their joy and generosity overflowed.  They gave of and even beyond their means begging to share in the ministry of the saints.  Paul points out they had given firs of themselves to the Lord and then through that love to the disciples. In the second passage from 2 Corinthians He also talks about Corinthian’s own giving “give bountifully for you will reap bountifully, give has you have made up you mind, not reluctantly or begrudgingly, God loves a cheerful giver.  Since God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance you will indeed be blessed……….then he goes on to tell them that by sharing so abundantly they are part of the ministry glorifying God.  The author of 1Timothy also shares in his writings regarding the gifts of God “followers are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous and ready to share”.  The author of Peter’s writings shares his thoughts as well in this passage from 1 Peter “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift you have received.  If you speak, speak as one speaking the very words of God, whoever serves must do so with the strength God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ.  To him belong all the glory and power forever and ever”.

            These things help us understand what stewardship is, now let us look at what it is not. Good stewardship is not ignoring the One who provides the gifts, or taking both the giver and the gifts for granted.  It is not using or sharing one’s gifts half-heartedly.  For example one cannot make a commitment to serve on a board then attend meetings.  Another example might be pledging to play music for the church then never practicing or not showing up to play.  In other words it is doing exactly the opposite of the examples of good stewardship.  

            By now many of you may be thinking okay so what does this all mean?  Think about how different our church might be, or how different our families or our personal lives might even be if we were to follow a more completely the full idea of stewardship rather than simply looking at the dollar signs.  What exactly would it mean if we first pledged our lives or renewed the pledges we have already made to God?  Would this change how we feel about the gifts we receive?  Have we given great thought to all of the many gifts we have received and how they have blessed our lives?  Are we really grateful for all our many gifts enough that we want to share them with others and really live out what it is God has called us to do?  Do we really love God enough that we desire to honor God in all things by giving and living abundantly and enthusiastically?  Would our families, our communities, our environment, and our churches be healthier and more vibrant?  Would many of the things; which happen to us in life have less of an impact?  What might God’s seven fold blessings for us look like? 

            I don’t expect an answer right away for these are tough questions about a very important aspect of our faith.  What I do hope you will do is join with me in prayerfully considering the relationship we all have with God, the kinds of gifts we all have received and the ways they have blessed our lives, and how we can share them and use them in ways that glorify God and fulfill our calling to live as people of faith. 

            In closing I want to encourage and invite everyone to think about a new faith practice around stewardship I found on the National UCC website called “Living a Year of Stewardship”.  Many churches have adopted this as a way of living their call to stewardship and it is based on a monthly focus of one of God’s many gifts to us as people of faith.  Each month churches have activities around the theme to enhance their giving in different ways.  It can also be an excellent way for individuals to reflect on their own personal stewardship and what it means by doing personal things around the same sorts of themes.  Perhaps in some way this will touch your heart as it did mine.

 January – Our relationship with God through Sabbath and Spiritual Practice

February – Our relationship with others – this is Holy Ground

March – Our relationship with money – financial health for individuals, families and congregations.

April – Our relationship with the environment

May – Our covenantal relationships – Walking together in all of God’s ways

June – Training stewards in formation – helping children, youth, and young adults understand stewardship

July – Responsible Freedom – saying yes and saying no

August – Gifted by God – Our talents, vocations and life long learning

September – Peace and Justice – Restoring God’s intended Shalom

October – Extending God’s extravagant welcome – focusing NM, ONA, A2A, JP church

November – Life Abundant – Transforming Generosity

December – Our relationship with the Gospel – God is still speaking through us.

            The choice as always is ours, what matters is what we do.

Amen.