Stewardship Sermon October 28, 2007

For those interested, this is the sermon I preached yesterday on stewardship. The text was from Luke about the destitute widow. I began the sermon with a narrative of the story. God's blessings on your hearts and your stewardship efforts.

All or Nothing…and Everything in Between October 28, 2007

Rev. Lyn Olson

South-Broadland Presbyterian Church

Luke 20:45-21:4

The woman looks around for something to eat, but there is nothing in her cupboard. The dingy room she’s been renting since she her husband died is cold, and her lamp is dark – there is no more oil. Clutching a small, dirty cloth purse, the woman rises and draws her ragged cloak around her in preparation for her long walk to the Temple. She makes her way alone.

Entering the Temple, she shuffles past the wealthy men into the Court of Women, where the temple treasury is. She’s early, but there are already lots of people there to make their offerings. Knowing part of this offering is for the poor, she self-consciously pushes a lock of hair back under her head scarf, and smoothing her rumpled skirt, she finds her seat among the other widows.

Her eyes follow a large commotion and she sees the Jewish teachers enter, long white robes flowing with fringes grazing the floor. They await their share of the offerings too, payment for their teaching. She recognizes them from the marketplace, where they walk past her, to meet with important people there. These men do not notice her – they haven’t since she lost her house and went on the dole. But she notices them now – sitting front and center on the bench by the ark that contains the sacred scrolls.

From the shadows of her place, she also sees another man in the Temple– dressed modestly, gathered with other common men. They don’t see her either, for they’re all staring at the religious teachers, while the man is talking in earnest. She overhears him say, “Beware…” but she can’t make out the rest. “I think that man talking is called Jesus,” she ponders. She’s seen him too in the marketplace, teaching about the Kingdom of God. She remembers her children flocked to him one day. He’s the one who turned over the money tables in the temple. She remembers, “I’ve seen the other teachers glare at him and raise their fists at him.”

Soon, it’s time to do what she had come to do. She carefully fingers the 2 small copper coins in her hand. She rises and goes to one of the trumpet-shaped collection boxes, and gets in line behind some people in fancy clothes. The rich ones drop fists full of money in the box. And then, she drops in her last 2 coins. They barely make a sound as they land in the money box.

As she scurries back to the women’s section, she feels Jesus staring at her. She comes close enough to hear him tell his disciples, “Look here – this poor widow has given MORE than the rest – for they have given a gift out of their wealth and she, destitute, has given all she has to live on.”

This is a true story, recorded in both Mark12:41-44 and here in Luke. It’s an important story for Christians. If it wasn’t important it wouldn’t be in the Bible and Jesus wouldn’t be telling it. It teaches us this stewardship season, that all of us – rich and poor and everyone in between – are to come to this Temple to give money to God.

And the age old issue is – how much do each of us give? Well, for some of you, the issue is, will you pledge at all? I’ll be honest with you. I don’t like to beg for money. I don’t want to tell you how much to give. The finance team doesn’t either. We can come up with catchy slogans. We can lay guilt trips on you to counteract all the valid excuses we hear about your money, and tithing and your opinions about how to run the church. Truth is, I don’t like to talk about money anymore than you do.

But let me tell you something. Jesus had NO problem talking about money. He had no problem getting angry over the misuse of temple funds. He made it a point that day in the Temple that his disciples pay attention to this issue of money. He also told the disciples that day, punishment would come for those who robbed God and others (verse 47).

And so as I commit to follow Jesus, as my Lord and Savior and as your pastor, I too will talk about money today. Not just because God needs it – which he does since God has called us to partner in Kingdom purposes with our time and talents AND OUR MONEY. But we shall talk about money also because God loves us and wants us to become like Him - generous people.

This stewardship system is an enterprise that is biblical. And it is an enterprise that God is watching very closely.

First, let’s take a look at our enterprise at SBPC. Like the Old Testament Temple system, and into the early church, there are salaries to pay: your Pastor, Family Ministry and youth leaders, and scribes (secretary). Like the Temple leaders rebuilt and maintained the stones and mortar, we must maintain this 33,000 square feet of building and 11 acres of land. There are programs costs for Christian education and congregational fellowship and care – Bibles, hymnals, Sunday School lessons for over 35 kids and 15+ youth, and now 90 adults in Covenant groups. There are 200 members to care for. There are worship costs: 3 paid musicians, instruments, candles and communion cups, music and sound equipment.

And God’s enterprise requires we give a portion of our offerings to the poor and needy. Deuteronomy 15:10-11: 10 Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

Jesus in the gospels, especially Luke, was greatly concerned with the poor. “Blessed be the poor, for they shall inherit the Kingdom.” This poor widow depended on the Temple for her livelihood. But apparently the system missed her and others, as her home was “swallowed up” (Greek word) by a self-serving system that neglected her in favor of other priorities.

We must not let that happen as we consider our budget and our giving. There are 2 ways: Presbyterian mission pledge to support the denomination’s local and global missions, where we can participate with thousands of congregations to leverage our giving, and a local benevolence fund that provides for our own members who are needy. People in this congregation have received monetary support, and all of them have also given to this church. But our giving to the poor and needy is small compared to our other expenses.

And so, we the rich and the poor, and the in between, come to time of year to make our pledge to support the cost of being the church: spreading the good news of Jesus, and serving the community. Our working budget for 2008 is $319,000, only slightly higher than last year. Last year 84 households pledged $248,000, and though we received some miscellaneous income, we had to dip into reserves to balance the budget. Truth is, we have for several years. For 2008 we are seeking 100 households to pledge $300,000 toward this budget so we do not have to depend on dwindling reserves. It’s a bold goal, but the Bible tells us how to reach it. I see three lessons in giving in today’s story.

First, our giving must be proportionate to what God has given us. How much we give is related to how much we have. Look around you. Not everyone here makes the same amount of money. Some don’t have a paycheck at all, or have very little, like our widow. Some of you are on fixed incomes. God has blessed some greater than others.

The Old Testament guideline is the first 10% of whatever one have goes to the Temple. Giving a tithe or 10% of whatever you have is proportionate giving. But the New Testament goes beyond the tithe. In our story today, Jesus notices the proportion of the gift, not the amount. This widow was destitute. Yet, she gave 100%. Her gift was proportionately greater than all of them. To us Jesus says, in Luke 12:48: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Paul reiterates this principle to the Corinthian church: "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income..." (1 Corinthians 16:2). That is proportionate giving.//

The second lesson in Christian giving is that it’s sacrificial.

I once had a pastor who told of playing golf with a wealthy parishioner who had never pledged to the church before. After some friendly discussion, at the 18^th hole, the pastor asked him to make a pledge. The man pulled his checkbook out of his golf bag, and wrote the church a check for $10,000, right on the spot, without blinking an eye. The Pastor looked at him and said, “That’s not enough.” The man bewildered, said, “Not enough? It’s more than you asked and I bet more than anyone else has given you!” The pastor said, “Maybe so, but as far as YOUR giving is concerned, how much did it hurt?”

Have you ever given until it hurt? I know I’m messing with you about this.// But, do we give until it disturbs our comforts? Are we making the hard decisions about the use of our money that allows us to be more generous with whatever we have?

Or are we just making excuses? "Someday when I have more time" or "When I’ve reached my goals" or “I have too much debt,” “I’m on a fixed income.” “I’ve already given my share.” “I don’t trust the church.” “It’s too hard…” “I’ve already made my will.” If we all thought like that, then what will we tell those in need? How would we keep these doors open, pay our people, minister to the sick and dying, gather here together, teach and preach about the love of Jesus, serve this community, if everyone thought like that?

Did Jesus withhold his love as he was dying? No. As a pauper, dying on the cross, he sacrificed everything, for you and for me. You will share in his inheritance for eternity! What is our response to that? An excuse?

This brings us to the 3^rd lesson in Christian giving from this text. Christian giving is faith-filled giving. Faith-filled giving has as its motive love and gratitude, not money. Not out of duty. Not for recognition. Not in guilt, or to leverage power and control. Faith-filled giving expects nothing in return.

Faith-filled giving requires a willingness to give the last dime, even though God might not demand it of you. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:12 – “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.”

Faith-filled giving is not foolish – you have responsibilities to your family – and Jesus himself in Mark 7 reminded the disciples that one must not neglect the responsibilities of family for a religious vow. Curious, huh? But faith-filled giving recognizes God will take care of you, as no doubt the widow believed as she dropped her last coins in the box. Faith-filled giving means you believe your small gift DOES matter. Get this: If 100 households gave only 1% more of their income - and those of you who have never pledged, started there – this church would make it’s budget for the first time without using dwindling reserves. For a $40,000 household income, that’s only about $8 a week. Small gifts given in faith can matter!

But friends, we can crunch numbers all day long. I won’t tell you how much to give. I have rather let God’s word and God’s Spirit tell you today.

Yet, I will encourage you in your prayers as you consider the stewardship of your lives and to this church, knowing that the sacrifice you will be making in faith will be seen by the God who has given you everything. Pledging what you are able, no gift is too small, no gift is too large, when given proportionately, sacrificially, and in faith. For God is Lord in plenty and in want, and everything in between.

This next week, you will receive a pledge card in the mail. We are asking that you COMMIT. COMMIT to give in 2008 and we will make November 11 a celebration of faith and generosity in this Temple. Begin with a tithe of whatever you have, and guess what? You can keep the 90%!

To say Amen, Helen Bishop would like to share her testimony about why she gives to SBPC.