Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sept. 23, 2007
TEXT: 2 Cor. 8:1-5
Give Yourself First to the Lord!
A little background information is necessary in order to follow the flow of things in today’s epistle lesson. Paul is writing to the Corinthians but he’s talking about the Christians at Philippi.
The Philippians were the first Gentiles in the Macedonian area that Paul began to speak of Jesus Christ. This was the first place Paul visited on what is known as his: Second Missionary Journey. These new Christians at Philippi took Paul under their wing, so to speak, and provided for his ministry in the months and years that followed even though they were not asked to do so. It was because they were so move by the saving message of Jesus Christ.
The ministry at Philippi is chronicled for us in the Book of Acts, chapter 16. In this chapter we hear about a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple fabrics. It says of Lydia,
The Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. (Acts 16:14)
It further informs us that:
She and her whole household were baptized (Acts 16:15).
It was also at Philippi that Paul and Silas were thrown into prison. There, Paul and Silas were rescued by an angel, who came to them in the night and opens their prison cell door.
The jailer thinking they had escaped was about to take his own life, when Paul calls out to him that they were still there. The jailer heart too must have been touched by the Holy Spirit because that is the way God works, He touches our hearts and gives us faith to believe.
The Jailer inquires: What must I do to be save?
And Paul responds,
Believe in the Lord Jesus , and you shall be saved, you and your household (Acts 16:30-31)
Here too the text also says,
and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. (Acts 16:33).
Obviously, there was a lot of excitement going on at Philippi.
This group of believers at Philippi were committed to the Gospel About Jesus.
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In spite of all their trials and their hardships, this congregation was the most generous in their support of the ministry of The Gospel.
Paul comments on this to the Corinthians believers not to shame or embarrass them, but that they too might rejoice and also have a part of this same ministry. Paul says of the Philippians:
Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
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Let's take a closer look at the example of this congregation and their Stewardship.
First our text says that this congregation was being persecuted for their faith. This is the most severe trail that the Bible describes. Trials that involve our faith are the most serious, as well as the most dangerous. Trials of the everyday variety are to be expected and are a part of this sinful world. They are a given. But the Philippians were being persecuted for the fact that they believed and followed Jesus.
When we either compromise or surrender our faith, these are the most severe of trials.
I ask you, Do we have these kinds of trials in our day and age? Trails that would challenge your faith or your faithfulness to the Lord and following Him with all your heart and with all your soul?
Maybe not in the same outward ways that these Christians were suffering, but our faith is challenged everyday in this world in many different ways. Those different ways are subtle. They don't affect our immediate salvation, but they have a prolonged affect. They kind of sneak up on you. The most common of these trials to all Christians is a lack of exposure to the Word of God and the Means of Grace.
THAT endangers your faith.
When we take lightly are responsibilities as believers to continue in the faith, and imagine that our baptism is not something that must be nourished all the days of our lives!
THAT endangers your faith! (PAUSE)
The Next element that Paul comments on to the Corinthians is the Philippians overflowing joy. They were a church of joy. They certainly had much to complain about, but they didn't! They knew physical sacrifice and pain, but Paul doesn't allude to that at all! It was their joyous spirit, their non-complaining attitude that impressed Paul about these Christians.
From reading the Book of Acts what filled these believers at Philippi with their greatest joy in the midst of their suffering was the Good News of Jesus Christ! They were refreshed with the knowledge that they were forgiven! They were refreshed with the joy of salvation. They knew the Lord, and the Lord knew them and that's all that mattered.
Paul informs us that they were extremely poverty stricken! And I'm sure for their day and age to be extremely poverty stricken was much worse because the majority were already poor.
It's kind of like those who went through the depression. They all were poor. Plus the fact that the media was not going around telling them they were poor. However, they didn't use their poverty streakiness as an excuse to Paul, but in spite of it they were generous, says the text; richly generous in fact.
Paul merely wants these Christians to see the true heart of giving that is demonstrated by their brothers and sisters in Christ. There is also something positive about holding up true models of Christian stewardship; and that is also what Paul is doing
We could go on mentioning the wonderful spirit of these Philippians and mention that the text says,
They gave beyond their ability, they urges us and pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. (2 Cor. 8:3,4)
But out of all these things, the most impressive thing about them , and that which motivated them was:
They gave themselves first to the Lord and then, to us in keeping with God's will (2 Cor. 8:5)
There in lies the secret to God pleasing stewardship, and NOT just the giving of money, but the nature and true sense behind the giving itself. They gave themselves first to the Lord.
Let's consider this, giving ourselves first to the Lord, to be the most important of our stewardship also.
When we do this we will demonstrate these exact same qualities that Paul is talking about. When God is first then everything that is mine is Thine. (PAUSE)
What About, The Stewardship of Time?
When I consider the Time that God has given me in a day, I will have time to serve God. When I fill out my busy schedule of community activities, family activities, recreational activities, God will come first! If I say I am too busy to serve God whatever the task, then have I really given myself first to the Lord?
It's a real eye opener, and one that each of us must face, if we truly want to put God first, for there is NO one in this room who would say that he/she wants God second in their life.
Whenever I hear some one say, I'm too busy in my life, I think that stewardship of time is a crucial issue for our day and age. One example of the commitment of time that has always baffled me is the problem with attendance of the Voters Assembly.
We have suggest that we do it on a different night, but that doesn't seem to work. We have suggested having them right after church, but the kids are fussy and hungry. But we still have time to go out to Mc Donald's or Pizza Hut. We have suggest baby sitting for those with families, but this too has met with failure. And then there is my all time favorite excuse. I don't come to Voters because of the church politics. Or, I was offended one time when it did come. Of course, that is a fifteen year old excuse.
Well, get a grip!
What are we teach our children and grandchildren about commitment. I tell yoou what we are teaching them. If you don't like something, or don't want to do it, you don't have to? On the other hand, they learn whether God is First in your life by doing something you may not want to do. And there are plenty of those things we don't like to do in life that we must and should do!
The bottom line is that it's a matter of Stewardship, and our time and priority to God!
Talents are closely related to the matter of Time so I'm not going to deal specifically with that one.
Last but not least there are our Treasures, our gold and silver.
What is a fair amount that I should set aside for the Lord? The Old Testament answered that question for us. It was called the tithe, a tenth of what we have. But that would mean a lesser standard of living for some. Yes, that might be true, but is that not also a measure or litmus test of whether we Put God First in Our Lives Too?
In our first Lifelight class this past Wednesday on the book of Proverbs, we learned a little about the man who wrote it, Solomon. It was interesting to find out that Solomon built for himself one of the most grandiose palace's of his time. You think your building project took time, it took Solomon 13 years to complete his home. But it only took 7 years to build the Temple. And I'll bet you can guess which one he started on first? His Own!
Yes, even given our economy, we are rich, and yet why is it that congregations struggle to do the work and ministry that has been determined by the congregation?
I Can't think of any answer but, God is NOT first for Some!
It is a fact that our giving doesn't make us more worthy before God, the widow's mite, proves that, but it is also true that we are deceiving ourselves about the Stewardship of Treasures if we don't think it reflects our commitment to God. God never stress an amount! It's one of attitude. Jesus doesn't condemn the giving of the rich, it is as it should be, but Jesus does draw our attention to heart of giving.
It is a challenge for all Christians to: First Give themselves to the Lord, but it also had it's proper response in the lives of the Philippians, and Lord willing would do the same for those living in Corinth, and for those living in Independence, Cherryvale, Dearing, Neodesha, Sycamore, Coffeyville, and other surrounding areas of Zion Lutheran Church.
It is a challenge and One that every believer must answer for him/her self:
Does My Stewardship of Time, Talents, and Treasures reflect that I too have given myself first to the Lord, or is the Lord somewhere between 1 and 10, or perhaps not even in the Top Ten.
Some maybe think that today's message was all Law, but it isn’t!
The Gospel is that in spite of our stewardship God still loves us, and has died for the sin of greed, the sin of me first, and all the other uncountable sins that you and I continue to do.
He has Redeemed Me a lost and condemned creature, according to Luther.
Even while I was yet a sinner Christ died for Me, writes St. Paul to the Romans.
And let's not forget King David who wrote, if God is keeping score who could stand?
That is the Gospel that we sinners cling to when we haven't been good stewards of all that God has entrust to us. Remember that always!
AMEN.