Title: MONEY TALK
Focus: in our giving
and Christian stewardship we worship the Lord, for our offerings are acts of
worship.
Function: To move the
people to embrace the Scripture's directions on giving, thus worshiping the
Lord and exercising Christ-like stewardship.
Text: I Corinthians
16:1-4
Everyone knows that money "talks." Children discover early on
that it takes money to buy toys and treats. The more money, the more you can
buy. Parents of teenagers know that the lawn gets mowed on a regular basis
without much protest when you put some money on the table. Young people know
the power of money, and they also exercise that power with their earned pocket
money. Young people and their earning power are vital in stoking the engine of
our economy. Money represents a considerable power in our society. Money talks.
When pastors talk about managing or spending one's money in public, they
step into a minefield of potential criticism. I understand why. For one thing,
I am not an expert on money matters. Many of you are far more qualified to
speak on such things. But then, a pastor's task is NOT to give financial
advice. My task is to echo the Scripture's teachings in such a way that you and
I practice wise stewardship with the resources God gives us.
In my message today I want to move you to embrace the Scripture's
directions on giving. Why? Because it is through our Christian stewardship and
giving that we worship the triune God; In fact, our offerings are acts of
worship.
Earlier, I mentioned that money represents power. And power, wielded by
human beings prone to sin, is power subject to corruption. Perhaps that's why
the image of pastors and churches is tarnished, at times, by stories of abuse
and corruption. These are the comments I sometimes hear from critics of the
Christian church: "Pastors and churches are always asking for money.
" "Remember pastor so and so ? He fleeced his flock and took off with
lots of loot."
Others will point to the rampant "gospel of health and wealth"
(which is no gospel), where pastors and evangelists teach that our giving to
the church or to the Lord's particular cause of the moment will guarantee the
Lord giving back to us ten-fold, hundred-fold or more. They speak of giving
seed money to the church, so that you will grow a money-income tree at home.
The motivation for giving, then, is purely selfish,
These evangelists and pastors are doing in essence the same thing that
the priest Tetzel did in the days of Martin Luther and the Reformation. Tetzel,
along with many other priests, would sell documents or certificates to ordinary
folks; by paying a sum of money, people could buy these certificates as a
guarantee that their sins were forgiven. Money abuse in the church was one
factor leading to protests and reform of the church. So, Christians do well to
listen to the Scripture's directions about stewardship and giving, because
money talks. And we are all vulnerable to bow down to the power of money and
thus abuse our stewardship responsibilities before God.
You see, sometimes money whispers. Those whispers reveal themselves in
the giving or stewardship patterns of God's people. For example, some of you
follow through with those whispers that say; "The ministry of the
church comes last on your list of financial priorities. " And so, you
do not contribute at all to the work of the church. Some of us hear another
whisper: "You are unhappy about something in the church? Why, simply
boycott the ministry of the church by withholding your share or giving it to
other causes. That will teach them a lesson. " And so some of us tend
to undermine the ministry and the unity of the church. And even though it does
not seem or feel right, we do it because it gives us a sense of power.
Thankfully, there are far more positive stories about churches and
money. You, for example, during the last 10 months have contributed a large
amount of money to victims of this huge tsunami late last year and to people
who needed help to cope with the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. You
did so spontaneously, from the heart, in addition to your regular giving to the
ministry of this church. I thank God for these signs of his Spirit at work in
our midst. But I do think that it is
wise for us to pay attention again to the practice of stewardship set forth by
the apostle Paul to the churches in Galatia and in Corinth. Remember, in our
giving and Christian stewardship we worship the Lord. Our offerings are acts of
worship.
PAUL'S DIRECTION TO THE CHURCHES
Did you notice the context of Paul's directives about offerings to the
church of Corinth? Chapter 15 is all about the heart of the Christian gospel.
Here is the good news, says Paul: God gives us the victory over the sting of
death and the power of sin through Jesus Christ, his Son. The resurrection of
Jesus makes all the difference in our daily lives. Jesus' victory over death
and his Lordship over all of life now call for a response from us. Listen
(15:28) "Therefore... stand firm, Let nothing move you. Always give
yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in
the Lord is not in vain." Here the Scripture calls believers in
the Lord Jesus Christ to yield themselves as living sacrifices. We offer up
ourselves as servants of the Lord. All we stand for, all we are about, all our
living—needs to be offered up to the Lord Jesus as part of our response of
gratitude for such a great salvation. John Calvin got it right when he adorned
his life's logo with the words: "To you, 0 Lord, I offer my heart,
promptly and sincerely."
Having stated the heart of the Christian faith—that Christ is victorious
over sin and death—and having called us to present ourselves as living
sacrifices to the Lord, Paul now moves to the matter of offerings. Listen:
(6:1,2) "Now about the collection for God's people: do what I
told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of
you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up so
that when I come no collections will have to be made."
We learn that Paul has in mind a specific collection; it's for the poor and Christian community in Jerusalem that is suffering the onslaught of drought—a drought that was foretold by the Holy Spirit through Agabus, a follower of Jesus (cf. Acts 11:28). Though Paul has in mind a specific offering, the Christian church has found wisdom in practicing the directives set forth by Paul. The church has always maintained that all our offerings are acts of worship. There is the offering of time, talents, work— indeed ourselves—and also the offering of our treasures or financial resources. Take note of Paul's directives:
• On the first day of every week...: That's the Lord's
Day, the day on which the Christian church remembers and celebrates the victory
of Jesus over sin and death. It's the day of worship, when we bow down in
gratitude, nurture our faith, exalt our God and find direction from God's Word
to serve in the world. The first day of every week is the day on which we
celebrate the freedom from bondage to sin, the freedom from the power of the
Law of God, which accuses us of being breakers of God's holy law, and which
drives us to God's Son, the Lord Jesus. He sets us free from servitude to sin
and self, and calls us to be servants of the living God. Sunday is a good day
to worship God by setting aside an offering of gratitude. Again, take note of
Paul's directives: "On the first day of every week,...."
• Each one of you...: I believe that Paul meant
what he said: "Each one of you...." That includes young children
and young people as well. "Each one," it seems to me, includes every
Christian who has financial resources, whether an occasional dollar bill,
pocket money, a welfare check, or a regular paycheck or income. Each one, young
and old alike, must learn to manage God-given resources and see himself or
herself as a steward who worships God through weekly offerings. Listen: "On
the first day of every week, each one of you...."
• Should set aside a sum of money
in keeping with his income: Here we learn the practice of saving
or setting aside a portion of our income for the offering to do the work of the
Lord. Note the freedom that is given to us: our giving is not based on
tithing—though the N.T does not speak
against the O.T. practice of a l0% tithe. In fact, there is evidence
that Jesus approved of tithing.
But again, note the freedom we have as Christian stewards. Our offerings are an act of worship in that we respond to God's salvation in Christ Jesus. And we are called to respond in keeping with our income. So, if God has blessed us with many resources, we give as God has blessed us. If God blesses us with limited resources, we give as God has blessed us. Giving, then, is not an act of competition with my neighbors; it's an act of worship, where we show our gratitude with our gifts to God.
So, here's what we can do:
• Practice regular giving. Be prepared to give of your resources
as you come to church for public worship. Writing a check, placing money in the
offering bag are acts of worship. Take it seriously. Some would argue that we
should discourage guests and visitors from offering their resources since we
should avoid giving them the impression that we are "after their
money." I say, thank you for joining in worship with us; thank you for learning to pray and sing
and respond to God's Word. And I would say, yes, learn to worship God also with
your finances. God knows your heart and motives, and if you are inclined to
give, then know that your giving is your act of worship today. " Here's
another thing we can do:
• Model giving to
the children: Explain to the children that it is proper and pleasing to God
when we worship God with our financial resources as well. Then help the
children to set aside portions of their gifts or pocket money or income, and
let them be prepared to give their gifts to the Lord in public worship. Help
them experience that placing their gifts in the offering bag is their response
of love and gratitude to God.
Also, consider this:
• Examine your pattern of giving and especially examine your heart:
Does my pattern of giving, does my stewardship really reflect thankfulness? Do
I really understand that my giving is an act of worship, and do I reflect that
understanding in my giving to the work of the church? Are my motives wholesome,
unifying? Does my giving reflect the Bible's understanding that we are a
body—members of one another, united to Christ? That we are to share together in
the work of the church, also in the meeting of our financial commitments and
obligations as a church?
Whether rich or poor or in-between, whether young or old—it does not
matter—each one of us who belongs to Jesus Christ is accountable to God for the
stewardship of all God's resources. Honor God's directives about stewardship.
Worship God in the act of presenting your gifts—and discover the joy of giving.
In the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.