"Where Do We Place Our Trust?"    2015

2 Samuel 24:18-24                 Mark 12:38-44

 

2 Samuel 24:18-24

That day Gad came to David and said to him, “Go up and erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” Following Gad’s instructions, David went up, as the Lord had commanded. When Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming toward him; and Araunah went out and prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you in order to build an altar to the Lord, so that the plague may be averted from the people.” Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him; here are the oxen for the burnt offering, and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God respond favorably to you.” But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy them from you for a price; I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

 

Mark 12:38-44

As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

 

Kathy and I had a fairly large yard    back in North Carolina,

            especially  when I had to mow the lawn more than once a week,

                            but still I resisted the urge to buy a riding lawn mower.

      In fact, when someone offered me their old riding lawn mower,

              I turned them down and preferred my old push-style lawn mower.

So why not a riding lawnmower?

 

Because mowing the lawn was my solitary and undisturbed time,

            that allowed me time to think, plan, pray,  even meditate,

                           and all that walking and pushing a lawn-mower

                                    provided much needed exercise, good for my health.

I was way better off putting something more into mowing the lawn.

 

Or suppose you decided to join a gym or health club.

                It would be a pointless unless you actually went regularly,

                        and did exercise   involving some sweat & heavy breathing…

… for it only works to your benefit   if you put something into it.

 

In the Second Samuel passage,

            David was commanded to construct an alter and offer a sacrifice

               at the threshing floor that belonged to Araunah the Jebusite.

 

When Araunah saw King David coming and heard what he wanted,

            he offered the threshing floor to David as gift.  vs. 22-23

                    Then Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him; here are the oxen for the burnt offering, and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.  All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king." 

 

            David recognized that it was not about the threshing floor,

                        but that God wanted David to submit in obedience,

                             and for David   to offer up that sacrifice himself. vs. 24

    But the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will buy them from you for a price; I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing." 

 

     I will not make an offering to the Lord that cost me nothing.

            If I am not making some sacrifice, it’s not really an offering.

 

Since we will be presenting our stewardship pledge cards today

            David’s perspective is a helpful notion for our consideration…

… because, when we think about God’s blessings, our stewardship,

       and our offerings to the church, it is so easy to miss the point.

 

I want to be very clear that when we give an offering or make a pledge

     it is absolutely  not a duty or trying to earn something from God.

 

God’s love, God’s grace, mercy, favor, and abundant blessings,

            all of these things the Lord has freely given us in abundance,

                            and there is nothing

                                    that we can do or not do that ever changes any of that…

                           … and even if we don’t do a thing or ever give an offering,

                                    even that won’t cause the Lord to love us any less.

 

Last week you should have received a stewardship letter,

            along with a pledge card to help with planning the budget.

 

And as I look around, I am amazed   by how richly God has blessed us,

            by the incredible abundance that God has entrusted to us,

                  and all that we might accomplish with a little more funding.

            But Christian stewardship runs much deeper

                than just the amount of money and time that we give.

 

In fact, our stewardship is not about the amount we give,

                  but rather, it’s   how  the amount we give

                        effects our lives, our wealth, purchases and pleasure…

… as it reflects the authenticity  of our trust and commitment.

 

Last July, Warren Buffett was all over the news again

            when he donated 2.8 billion dollars to several charities,

                        to some non-profit agencies that deal with world hunger.

 

Such huge contributions always capture the world’s attention

            because we are very impressed by the largest contributions,

               assuming that more is better, and a lot more is a lot better.

But in Mark's gospel, 

   Jesus challenges this world's understanding of value and worth.

 

The kingdom of God has a different measure of value and worth

            as Jesus illustrates   when he and the disciples

                        are at the Temple in Jerusalem watching as people

                                    are contributing their money into the treasury.

 

We know from archeology and biblical historians that

            there was in a large courtyard area near the temple entrance,

                   where along one wall there were 13 curled brass receptacles 

                            that looked like metal ram’s horns,  called “shofars”.

 

When people dropped their coins into them,

    they banged and clanged going down these trumpet-like spouts;

            so that everyone nearby could hear their offering,

                        with the sound indicating the amount they had given.

vs. 41-44

          He (Jesus) sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury.  Many rich people put in large sums.  A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 

          Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 

**   Apparently, 

           Jesus did not understand the basic arithmetic of fundraising…

 

… for the widow’s pitiful offering was an insignificant amount;

            far too little   for anyone even to bother take notice…

               … surely not enough

                         to make any difference in the Temple operations budget.

**         So in what sense  had   she given  more than all the others?

 

Jesus explains it in  vs. 44b           

          for all of them have contributed out of their abundance,   but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

 

His point was one of contrast, that even after

    the wealthier folks had made their more substantial offerings

            they would still continue to be very wealthy people,

                              for they were giving from their surplus and excess

                                      in amounts that would hardly be missed at all.

 

            Warren Buffett’s net worth still exceeds 30 billion dollars,

                        so what did his donation actually cost him,

                                    and how did it make any real difference in his life?

But the tiny and insignificant offering made by this poor widow

      was an offering of trust, her total self, a sacrificial gift,

                        for she gave  all  that she had -   all she had to live on.

 

 She was holding back nothing in reserve,

            but totally trusting God to provide what she needed…

                 … so her gift was given at great personal sacrifice and risk.

 

The widow’s sacrifice that seems so extravagant and over the top

            points to the sacrifice Jesus will make in just a few days,

                        the extravagant gift of God’s love, mercy and grace to us.

 

While the crowd was impressed by the amount of the larger gifts,

   Jesus is impressed by the amount of this one impoverished giver,

            which reveals something of how God views true worth and value.

 

It's not the amount given, but it's the cost to the giver

    as an expression  of the giver's gratitude and trust toward God…

               … just as David recognized and declared in 2^nd Samuel, vs. 24

                        “I will not make an offering to the Lord that costs me nothing.”

 

Buffett’s 2.8 billion dollar gift got lots of public recognition.

            But God is more impressed and pleased   by those who quietly

                and consistently give offerings though smaller in amount,

                                     yet whose delight

                                                is to give  more than they can easily afford.

 

It’s not that Jesus wants us all to give all we have to live on,

            … but at the same time,  if there is no sacrifice on our part,

                        then our offering may be   quite a bit less than we think.

 

When I was a young boy, on the way to Sunday School each week,

            Dad would give me a dime to drop into the offering plate,

                        and the offering was a fairly meaningless gesture to me.

 

Later, when I earned my own money shoveling neighbors’ driveways

            my offering became a joyful and meaningful part of worship,

               an expression of commitment that helped me grow in my faith…

… for my offering was a making choice not to buy something I wanted.

 

You see, I needed for my offering to come at a personal cost,

     to give of my own resources, to have some a sacrificial aspect…

               … and I needed to make that choice to give    at a cost to me.

 

The question is,   is there any real self-sacrifice involved?

            And,  can I point to anything that I am willing to forgo,

                        so that I can  give that money, that time, that talent? …

 

… for if my giving is simply   a little excess from my surplus,

            if there is no effort, no creativity, or sacrifice on my part,

                        then I am shorting the benefit that might have accrued,

I will miss the blessing that might have been mine.

 

     What matters has to do with making a sacrifice,

            some pleasure or desire, something we might have purchased,

                        except that we chose to respond more generously to God…

… for it’s not the amount or size of my offering,

            but the seriousness of my commitment, it’s impact on my life.

Stewardship is not just putting money into an offering plate,

            but includes everything about us, do we trust God to provide,

               it’s who we are, what we do and the attitudes by which we live.

 

* My pledge is an opportunity  to refresh and renew that commitment,

       and to self-examine, to see if my life  is in synch with my faith.

 

            As we consider our own trust, commitment and stewardship today

                        our own situation in terms of our money, time and talents,

 it’s not about trying to fill every church volunteer position

            - it’s not about trying to balance the church budget,

                                    however much  I would like to see those things happen.

 

But knowing that God has something far and more wonderful in mind,

            let me suggest these seven goals – 7 things we can all do,

                        that I have found to represent faithful discipleship,

                                    a lifestyle of sacrificial stewardship in response

                                                to our Lord who loves and blesses us so freely.

 

1^st - worship weekly
            to participate regularly in a worshipping  faith-community

 

2^nd - pray daily

            set aside some quiet time every day, to pray and listen to God

 

3^rd - study Scripture

            turn off the TV and learn by reading the Bible,

                        or Christian biographies, church history or theology

 

One of the great challenges of this age is biblical ignorance.

            Because we don’t know the truths Scripture actually teaches,

                we are unable to recognize the lies & distortions of culture.

 

4^th - life faithfully

            wherever we are, whatever our situation or role in life,

                        let our faith, our relationship through Jesus Christ    

                                    determine behavior – all that we say and do…

… so we live a life   that reflects the truth and grace of our God.

 

5^th - give generously

            don't be stingy with our time, our talents, or our money,

                        but find joyful ways to reflect God's abundance toward us

 

6^th - serve creatively

            what are your passions in life, the things you care most about?

                        let them guide your faithful service and offering to God

 

7- witness boldly

        I know we're Presbyterians here, but still Jesus did command it

Matthew 28:19-20

          Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, … and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.  

 

In Ghana, a favorite and most joyful part of the worship service

            is when the drums and music start, and the whole church stands

                        with singing, dancing, swaying and waving handkerchiefs

                          as with great flourish and joy they present the offering.

 

The whole congregation dances their way up to a big plastic washtub

            to drop in whatever money they can, and even those with nothing

                        will with dance   give themselves over to the divine joy.

 

You see, it’s really isn’t the money, certainly not the amount,

    but rather, the exuberant joy of giving, participating with God.

 

During the final hymn, I invite those who are able to come forward

            and even dance as you place your offering ,your pledge card…

 

…  and let that symbolize   gratefully-joyfully presenting to God,

             all that we have, all that we value, and all that we are.

 

Yes the amount on the card will help with budget planning,

                 but the more important part

                        is that  when we get up from our comfortable seats,

                                    we are offering for God’s purpose, our whole selves.

 

It is declaring, I trust God and want to grow deeper,

            for Jesus be first in my life and because of God’s grace,

               I want to participate in whatever God is up to in this place.

 

 

I want to be in on

            all the cool stuff that God is doing in and through this church,

                        and for God’s Spirit and gracious love

                                    to fill and transform my whole life and being…

 

… and as a part of that process,

            worship weekly, pray daily, study Scripture, live faithfully,

                        give generously, serve creatively and witness boldly.