October 14, 2001
Revelation 3:15-20
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Matthew 6:14-24
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"It's Not About Receiving"

This is the second sermon on the stewardship of money.  Already I have heard that all that guy talks about is money, what about talent and time.

One sermon!  I wonder what will be said this week?

The truth is nothing in the Bible is of greater concern than how a person feels about his or her money.  There is something about money that is beguiling and insatiable.  Until you and I can decide how much is enough, there will never be contentment in our lives.  Determining how much is enough is fundamental to living contentedly, it is fundamental to determining how much we will give away and it is fundamental to determining just who or what is the Lord of our lives.

If you think that I have over exaggerated, I suggest you read some of the statements of Jesus and the New Testament writers - oh, if your really curious, you can read the Old Testament also.  The same conclusion is found in each.  How much is enough? How are you going to honor the source of all that you have?

In my view, many of the TV and radio preachers have distorted the concept of giving.  They say, you will get a gift if you give or God will prosper you.  Almost always it revolves around something you will receive.  I quarrel with the emphasis that if you give money to God through the ministry of their program, you will get great rewards from God.

I happen to believe that you will indeed get great blessings from God for giving to God’s work, but the rewards may not be monetary.  Most of the time the rewards are the simple, silent satisfaction that we have made the work of God through this Church a priority in our lives.  That does not necessarily mean the Church is doing all it could or maybe even all it should but it does mean, we believe in what it CAN do and we will support it first with our means, then with our time and our talent.

I am aware that some are unhappy with the fact that I am placing such a heavy emphasis on the giving of money.  They are right that my major emphasis, this campaign is on money.  My emphasis is there for several reasons, the first is, the giving level of members of this Church, in general is simply not good enough.  Secondly, such an emphasis is sound Biblically because where you put your money, is where your heart will be.  The simple truth is that most people who make the giving of money to their Church a priority are also the people who give their time and their talent.

I have noticed, over the decades I have been a minister, that most of the people who are critical of the Church, and most who pick at this or that are also people who are not committed to the Church in the area of giving as they should.  Those who feel that the giving of time and talent is as important as the giving of money are correct, but that is an add on, not a substitute.  This year, we are focusing on the deficiency of average giving in First Church.

What I am trying to say is, we have to do better.  When our giving level rises to the point that God and this Church are a priority in each life, then time and talent will be more readily available, programs will function better and negativism will fade away because it will be irrelevant.

Let me repeat the numbers I was speaking of last week.  A worthy goal for us for the year 2002 is $800,000 from pledge income. How do we achieve that goal?  Set a goal in your life style that gives 5% of your take home money to the work of God through First Congregational Church.  That leaves 95% of your after tax income for all of the other uses you choose.

Those of you who are just learning the art and the joy of giving, try moving up 1 or 2 percent this year from last year.  Those who currently give $1, $2 or $ 3 per week, try moving up the value of 1 Big Mac per week, that’s $2.20 more per week.  One step at a time you can achieve that priority in your life for the work of God through this Church.  You can experience that satisfaction.

On the other end of the scale, major givers already know that an organization, like the Church needs to receive 80% of its income from 20% of its givers.  Some, whose stock value has dropped could give the Church a block of stock and receive a tax benefit equal to the original purchase price of the stock. 

I pray also, that some major donors will consider establishing a bequest to endow this building.  Think about it and wrestle with this-“do your giv’n while your liv’n, so your know’n where its goi’n”.  Having our building taken care of through the interest income of bequests would allow future generations the freedom to support the ongoing ministry of the Church.  It is right and proper that the ministry of the Church not be dependent upon the generous support of past generations.

The writer of the gospel of Matthew is forthright in his conviction about where we should be placing our values.  Chapter 6 verse 24; “You cannot serve two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.”

Do you see what the writer is concerned about here?  The issue isn’t money.  The issue is who receives your love, your time, your attention and your response.  There is no guarantee that if God is the primary recipient of your love and service that you will be wealthier than now.  It also probably true that if money is the recipient of your affection and your time and your major emphasis you probably will get wealthier than now.

The issue here is what is permanent and what is the most constructive value for you to have in your life.  Most of the whiney professional athletes have lots of money but it also true that most of them do not find satisfaction in themselves and their own merits.  They are unhappy unless they are compensated on a level that reveals their worth in relation to others.  Such an approach to living guarantees one will never be satisfied, no matter how much the compensation package is.

The Bible never says wealth is wrong.  There is never protest written because people have money.  Quite to the contrary the Bible always points out the responsibility that people of means have.  If you want to avoid responsibility and the making of priority decisions, don’t have money.  The monks leaned that long ago,

Unless you have taken a vow of poverty, I haven’t, then you and I have to make decisions; just as the writer of Matthew said Jesus taught.  Here was his advice.

“Don’t lay up treasures on earth!  Moths and rust can destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them.  Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy and thieves cannot break in and steal them.  You heart will always be where your treasure is.”

That is straight to the point and that upset the people of Jesus day and it still upsets people  because we know its true.

I repeat, the issue is not whether money is good or bad, the issue is the love of money is what distorts our view of truly important things.  The wise throughout the ages have known this truth.  Consider these words from Clement of Alexandria written about 215 AD and preached to his wealthy congregation in Alexandria, then one of the world’s great trade centers.

Clement cautions that wealth can be perilous, but one cannot avoid this peril merely by renouncing wealth.  Rather, wealth and worldly goods are gifts of God.  “They lie” continued Clement, “at our disposal like materials or like instruments that can be well used by those who know how.  If an instrument is used poorly, one blames the one who wields it, not the instrument.  In the same way, the blame for the unjust use of wealth lies not with the wealth but with the owner.  That which is capable of using it well or ill by reason of its free choice is to be held responsible.”  and for Clement, “ this is the human mind, which possesses both independent judgment and the power of free choice in the disposal of what has been given it.  Therefore, what is to be destroyed is not one’s possessions but the passions of the soul, which hinder the right use of one’s property.”            (Acton Notes, Aug 2001. Volume 11. Number 8) 

That’s the message.  It hasn’t changed.  That is the task that faces you and me when we sit down and make out our pledge to this Church for the year 2002.  It is needed by the Church, but even more, you and I need that discipline and that priority in our own lives.

At a recent meeting here in Milwaukee, Ron Blue of Atlanta, a person who raises money for Christian based foundations said, your life and mine needs finish lines.  The more prosperity that we have the more choices we have to make so we need to determine, how much is enough, not just for our lives but for this recipient and that.

How much is enough?  A wealthy industrialist was walking along the seashore when he encountered a withered old fisherman in his shorts and sandals who was slowly repairing a small net that had been torn.  “Is that what you use to catch fish”, he asked, “ That’s it,” said the fisherman.  “Why don’t you get a newer and bigger one?”  said the industrialist.  “What for” answered the fisherman.  “So you can catch more fish, receive more money, retire early and sit on the beach and have more time to yourself,” Said the industrialist.

“Seems like that’s what I’m doing already.”  The fisherman replied.

We also need to determine what is the source of truth upon which we will make our decisions.  If you go to any bookstore today, the number of self-help books will overwhelm you, particularly on the topic of money.  “How you can get rich in 10 years”.  “Looking out for Number One”, “Pulling Your Own Strings”.  How to Get Rich in Real Estate and Not Spend Any of Your Own Money”, and the list goes on and on.  The one true fact is that the writers have become rich upon the profits of those who buy their books.

The Bible puts it very clearly and very simply- you cannot serve two masters.  The danger of wealth is the temptation to stand on two logs at the same time.  Usually, they begin to go apart and the gap gets larger and larger until you either fall in the water or you leave one and stand on the other.

This problem is as old as humankind.  Listen to the writer of the book of Revelation.  “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.  Would that you were cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.”  Wealth, you see, has the temptation to make us lukewarm.  We feel self- reliant.  We are beguiled into thinking we have it made.

The writer says, chapter 3 verse 17, “ You say, I am rich, I have prospered and I need nothing, knowing not that you are wretched, pitiable, poor blind and naked.”

To lukewarm Christians, Jesus says, “behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”  The picture of Jesus standing at the door and knocking has been brilliantly painted by William Holman Hunt.  It was also the theme of the huge stained glass window that stood in the middle of the wall of the chancel in the Church I served in Toronto.  It was the focal point of all who sat in the Cathedral.

The unique feature of the painting is that the door upon which Jesus is knocking does not have a handle.  Jesus is knocking, trying to get in but you and I have to open the door.  The only handle is inside.

My dear people, I am hammering away on this theme of giving because I don’t want this to be a lukewarm Church.  We are a good Church blessed with superb people as members.  We have every potential in the world to be a great Church.

I pledge to you, I will make a pest out of myself, as long as I am here, in trying to hopefully drive us toward being a great Church.  We must not settle for less.

Jesus said, you cannot serve two masters.  If Jesus is our master, the rewards may not be as the world counts rewards, but they will be rich indeed.  We must choose what our priorities will be.

Jesus is there, knocking on the door of your heart and your conscience.  Let him in.  Let Him be the Lord of your life and this Church.