Sermon - 2017-10-01
Leighton Farrell was the minister of Highland Park Church in Dallas for many years. He tells of a man in the church who once made a covenant with a former pastor to tithe ten percent of his income every year. He and his wife were both young and neither of them had much money. But things changed. The man tithed one thousand dollars the year he earned ten thousand, ten thousand dollars the year he earned one-hundred thousand, and one- hundred thousand dollars the year he earned one million. But the year he earned six million dollars he just could not bring himself to write out that check for six-hundred thousand dollars to the Church.
He telephoned the minister, long since having moved to another church, and asked to see him. Walking into the pastor's office the man begged to be let out of the covenant, saying, "This tithing business has to stop. It was fine when my tithe was one thousand dollars, but I just cannot afford six-hundred thousand dollars. You've got to do something, Reverend!" The pastor knelt on the floor and prayed silently for a long time.
Eventually, the man said, "What are you doing? Are you praying that God will let me out of the covenant to tithe?" "No," said the minister. "I am praying for God to reduce your income back to the level where one thousand dollars will be your tithe!" In a few weeks, we are going to gather together and talk about our relationship with God in the way of Stewardship. Now when we think of stewardship our typical thought is of the amount of money you can share with the church. I am not telling you should not to give your money to the Church. However, this year, I want you to think about it a little different. I would encourage you to think about stewardship as giving back to God because of what God has given to you.
This is something that so many of us in this world do wrestle with, our relationship with money. Now the world is constantly telling us that we need more, we need more money because by having more money, we would be able to have more stuff. If we have more stuff, people will look at us and say we are successful. If people think we are successful then we will be elevated to a place of honor and things will just come to us so easily. This is what we strive for in this world. Once we have reached this stage, then we know that we are comfortable. We are happy. This idea and concept is truly lived out in the lives of celebrities. They are the ones whose whole life is put on a screen. We are amazed by their house, their cars, and truly their lifestyle. They seem to have it all and more. And we want it too.
While we are on this journey of getting to where we want to be, we often turn to the source of our blessing. We turn to God. How many of us pray to God that, “If only I had more money, then I would be happy. Then I would be able to give more to others, God.” However, it is this journey that actually leads us away from God. For when God gives us money, it is truly for a purpose. We are able to take care of our daily needs. Not only our needs but also the needs of our family. But God doesn’t stop there, God blesses us with a wealth that we could actually not focus on ourselves but share that wealth, that blessing with others. Money is a tool. We can use it for evil or we can use it for good. So through this tool, we are able to see where our heart truly is. Yet I am going to push you one more tool more, your calendar. Stewardship is not just our money but it is also our time as well. It is these two items that we have our lives. These two items are the insight into where we place our faith.
This week, I invite you to take some time to look at your wealth and your calendar. Looking at an average week or month. Where does your faith and heart truly land? Do you find yourself spending a lot of time chasing kids around for school events? Do you find yourself spending all your wealth on stuff that sits around to collect dust? Now finally, if God would look at these two items of your wealth and calendar, what would God say to you?
For God is truly one who we should strive to please today and everyday of our lives. Amen.
He telephoned the minister, long since having moved to another church, and asked to see him. Walking into the pastor's office the man begged to be let out of the covenant, saying, "This tithing business has to stop. It was fine when my tithe was one thousand dollars, but I just cannot afford six-hundred thousand dollars. You've got to do something, Reverend!" The pastor knelt on the floor and prayed silently for a long time.
Eventually, the man said, "What are you doing? Are you praying that God will let me out of the covenant to tithe?" "No," said the minister. "I am praying for God to reduce your income back to the level where one thousand dollars will be your tithe!" In a few weeks, we are going to gather together and talk about our relationship with God in the way of Stewardship. Now when we think of stewardship our typical thought is of the amount of money you can share with the church. I am not telling you should not to give your money to the Church. However, this year, I want you to think about it a little different. I would encourage you to think about stewardship as giving back to God because of what God has given to you.
This is something that so many of us in this world do wrestle with, our relationship with money. Now the world is constantly telling us that we need more, we need more money because by having more money, we would be able to have more stuff. If we have more stuff, people will look at us and say we are successful. If people think we are successful then we will be elevated to a place of honor and things will just come to us so easily. This is what we strive for in this world. Once we have reached this stage, then we know that we are comfortable. We are happy. This idea and concept is truly lived out in the lives of celebrities. They are the ones whose whole life is put on a screen. We are amazed by their house, their cars, and truly their lifestyle. They seem to have it all and more. And we want it too.
While we are on this journey of getting to where we want to be, we often turn to the source of our blessing. We turn to God. How many of us pray to God that, “If only I had more money, then I would be happy. Then I would be able to give more to others, God.” However, it is this journey that actually leads us away from God. For when God gives us money, it is truly for a purpose. We are able to take care of our daily needs. Not only our needs but also the needs of our family. But God doesn’t stop there, God blesses us with a wealth that we could actually not focus on ourselves but share that wealth, that blessing with others. Money is a tool. We can use it for evil or we can use it for good. So through this tool, we are able to see where our heart truly is. Yet I am going to push you one more tool more, your calendar. Stewardship is not just our money but it is also our time as well. It is these two items that we have our lives. These two items are the insight into where we place our faith.
This week, I invite you to take some time to look at your wealth and your calendar. Looking at an average week or month. Where does your faith and heart truly land? Do you find yourself spending a lot of time chasing kids around for school events? Do you find yourself spending all your wealth on stuff that sits around to collect dust? Now finally, if God would look at these two items of your wealth and calendar, what would God say to you?
For God is truly one who we should strive to please today and everyday of our lives. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment