The Big Giveaway

Put your money where your mouth is.

Today is a message I have looked forward to for some time.
And, yet I dread it all the same.

This message is going to go two different directions.
There is much good to be said and done today.
And, there is much judgment and harm to be spoken of, also.

The Parable of the Bags of Gold. AKA the Parable of the Talents.

The NIV has taken the road in translation to clearly denote this as a money issue. "Bags of Gold"
(Luke's gospel in the 19th chapter calls it either the parable of the Ten Minas or the Parable of the Pounds, lending itself more to a money idea.)
The idea of 'talents', as other translations have used, leaves it open to interpretation. We have been speaking about gifts, talents and what God has called us to do in ministry - i.e. meeting people's needs, as we cover the subject of evangelism - i.e. reaching people with the message of Christ.

The 25th chapter of Matthew is about the clearest place to make a point on this subject. What Jesus does with these three parables is unmistakably brilliant. He preaches a simple 3 point sermon.
1) The king is coming back. Are you ready? (25.1-13 Parable of the Ten Virgins)
2) The king gave his servants a 'talent'. Did they do something with it while he was gone? (25.14-30)
3) When he gets back, 'the tests will be graded'. Did you pass? (25.31-46 The Sheep & the Goats)

SO, talents, as it is has traditionally been translated, can either be thought of as money or as a personal ability. This 'english word' can be used either way. The point is to use what has been given to you as a means to help others. The middle part of this chapter will be our center today, but we will look through the whole chapter. And, just for fun, we are going to cover it from back to front, from the end to the beginning. I think it will sink in better if we cover it that way.

In case there is any squabbling about that idea, using what we have to help others, in the context of Chap 25 here in Matthew is that story of the sheep and the goats. Jesus speaks to his listeners about the idea that some will feed others, and clothe them, and comfort them when they are sick, and visit others in prison. The idea is that in doing so, they have done this very act of kindness to Jesus himself.

We should act as if the people we are helping or comforting is actually Jesus, himself.

And, in the same story, Jesus explains that some will not comfort others, or feed them, or even give a cup of cold water to a person in need. The ones who did act appropriately are taken away into glory. The others are taken away in darkness and judgment.

In the middle of this chapter is the part we want to focus on. Lets read before we go further.

Matthew 25:14-30

New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,^[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰ And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

You might see what I mean by my really wanting  to cover this chapter and yet being reluctant to do so. When I read through this passage (well, any passage for that matter) what I hope & dream is that my readers and listeners, who are reading it also, will get a sense of putting themselves in the passage. Making it literal and actual for themselves. I can only imagine what Jesus' disciples are thinking as they hear this message. What are the common everyday folks are thinking?

These people are poor. Many of them barely have enough to feed their families each day. Five bags of gold?? Dude, I'd give my arm for just a chunk, a piece. But, instead of using it on myself, I'm supposed to go make it double? I'm supposed to go use it to help others? It is puzzling. And, tempting. To have that kind of wealth at your disposal. To be able to help others in some small way. Can you see yourself doing such? Would you like to be of use to the Lord for his kingdom?

The problem is, many a folk would rather do what the last man does. One bag of gold. That's still a lot of cash! But, maybe it's scary. The thought of responsibility is frightening to some. And, so, we find ways to side step the issue. We bury the issue, like the gold. We debate and we argue, like the servant. In the end, we try to give it back, stating that we really didn't want it in the first place. Some folks know that have a gift and that they could be doing something to serve the Lord and they just plain, flat out, don't want to do it. As Jesus takes that bag of gold from the last servant and then gives it to the one who has ten, some folks wish God would do that with them. Just take this thing away, ok? I don't want it and I don't want to have to do anything. Just let me sit here in my pew and leave me alone.

Man, if we had any idea.... An inkling of a notion as to the seriousness of not doing something with what God has given us.  It's as if the last servant doesn't see that coming. And, many a good going church person doesn't see it either.

²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰ And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The seriousness of this chapter is at the onset. Jesus speaks of ten virgins. A more appropriate term may be "bridesmaids". It's very possible that these women served the bride as she waited for the return of her groom. It sounds very much like a wedding party. It's late at night. They have lamps. They are trying to stay up as late as possible. Sounds like the night before my wedding.

I remember it clearly. Fishing out at the pond. We stayed at my bride's aunt and uncle's house. I stayed up at late as I could and then succumbed to the sleep. The nerves were on end. The day was coming and I wondered if I was truly ready. And, then it was here. I woke up late in the morning, almost noon. I sat there on the couch. The sleep did little to calm my nerves. My friend and best man was nothing but a chatterbox. I think he was more nervous than I was. If memory serves me correctly, he talked until it was time to walk down the aisle.

Expectancy. There's the key word for today. And, I just have to know...

Definition of EXPECT

intransitive verb

1 archaic : wait, stay

2: to look forward

3: to be pregnant : await the birth of one's child —used in progressive tenses <she's expecting next month>

Didn't Jesus say something similar to this? It was actually in the preceding chapter, 24 of Matthew.
Someone asks Jesus a question about what is to come. It leads to all this that we are covering. From Chapter 24 into 25.

³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

We all want to know. Some of us want to know because we truly want to know how much time we have left. There are things to accomplish. There is work to get done. Jesus makes it real in these two chapters. He spells out lots of judgment and harsh circumstances that will unfold before he comes. Chapter 24 in maybe the darkest piece of writing the bible has to deliver. Then his tone changes in Chapter 25. Jesus focuses on the work that needs to be done before he returns. He spells out in parable story, as only he can, that those who are waiting for him have enough oil to light their lamp and last through the hard stuff. Those who are waiting realize that they have a gift from above and are tirelessly working to multiply what they have. Those who are waiting for him are using what they have to serve others, regardless of the ugliness or the circumstances, as if they are actually serving Jesus, himself.

Oh, but there was more to that definition....

transitive verb

1archaic : await

2: to anticipate or look forward to the coming or occurrence of <we expect them any minute now> <expected a telephone call>

3: suppose, think

4 a : to consider probable or certain <expect to be forgiven> <expect that things will improve>

   b : to consider reasonable, due, or necessary <expected hard work from the students>

   c : to consider bound in duty or obligated <they expect you to pay your bills>

OOOOOO you mean I'm expected to be involved in evangelism? Hmmm it seems the word goes both ways. To be bound in duty. We need to evangelize. More than that, we want to evangelize. We do so with an expectancy that Jesus will return. We want to know when he will return. We work fervently as we watch and wait for his return.

Some people don't want to know. Some folks wish they could avoid the all the hardship and the work. It really burns in my craw when I see perfectly good people who could be doing something to help their church grow and go somewhere....and they do nothing. They come. They sit. I see the gifts in them. I can tell God has blessed them with great things. And, they do nothing. There is a world going to hell around us and we are content to watch it roll on past. Some folks talk a good game. They talk about what can be done or what we could do as a church. Then....nothing. If that person walking past us truly is Jesus, we just let them go without a thought or care. And, the opportunity to do something for God's Kingdom just slipped away. There is no 'expectancy' in what is done. No buzz. No electricity. Nothing. And, the world rolls on by.

Today, I'm putting a challenge in front of my people. There are several envelopes laying on the table at the front of the sanctuary. There are different amounts of money in each envelope. Some have $30. Some $20. Some $10. Some $5. We are going to conduct our own experiment. We are going set out our own "bags of gold". I'm asking you to come and take an envelope. And, then you'll need to pray. And, I mean, seriously pray. The kind of prayer you put into looking for a new pastor. Where are the people who prayed on those Wednesday nights...pleading...asking?? I've heard stories. That kind of prayer. That kind of dedication. You take an envelope and you go ask the Lord where and how you can be of use to Him.

And, here's the catch. (Because, there's always a catch) Just as the servants in the parable had to give an account to the master when he returned about what they did with the gift, so will you. 60 days from now, the first Sunday of November. It will be All Saints Sunday. A time when we light candles and remember those who have gone before us in faith. "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses...." You will give an account of what has happened with that envelope and how the Lord used you in the work of his kingdom.

Maybe you're down at the local gas station. You fill somebody's gas tank. It's that simple it's over. There's your report. Maybe you buy a stranger breakfast down at the local restaurant. Easy enough. Maybe, just maybe, it leads to more. My first Nazarene pastor was a man named Jay Hawes. What a character! One thing he was good at in his life was finances. Before accepting that call to ministry, Jay worked for UPS. "Brown Blood" as the 'lifers' are called. He had his future in front of him. His plan was to be a millionaire before he was 40. He had it all mapped out. Then God got a hold of him.

There was always this air of expectancy around Jay. He was always looking for where God wanted to use him next. He told the story about how when he learned to give back out of what God had given him that he took on this challenge. Every time God blessed him with something, he was going to turn it around and give in return. He was going to try and 'out give' God. What a wild man! He said it nearly killed him. As he realized everything God was sending his way, he kept trying to return the blessing in some way. Sometimes financial. Sometimes spiritual. Sometimes in simple human need.

That's how he lived his life. He always preached that we never knew when our day would come. He lived his life expecting to see Jesus some day. As he entered his fifties, macular degeneration set into his eyes so that he could not read the bible from the pulpit. Didn't stop him from preaching. He couldn't drive himself around anymore. Didn't stop him from trying. Although, he accepted help in carting him around where he needed to go.

I look forward to seeing him someday. And, to seeing my Jesus. I expect it.

And, the work will go on until that day comes.

Two By Two

We were never meant to do this work alone.

Last week, I took a passage and interpreted the whole thing under the auspices of one word. Grace.
I thought maybe I'd tackle this passage in similar fashion, not with a word so much, but with a phrase.
The thing that should stand out in this passage is the way in which Jesus sends his followers out.
We'll grab hold of that after we read the scripture from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 10

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two^[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. ² He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. ³ Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴ Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

⁵ “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ ⁶ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. ⁷ Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
⁸ “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. ⁹ Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
¹³ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.^[b]
16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
¹⁸ He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
²¹ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
²² “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
²³ Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Way back up in verse 1. The phrase "After this" jumps off the page. (That's not "the phrase" we are using to interpret this passage, but it begs a look into it.) What happened before we got into this passage? A quick page turn back to Chap 9 shows that the previous chapter starts off with the sending of the twelve. And, Jesus gives the twelve pretty much the same instruction he gives the seventy-two.

Luke 9

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, ² and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³ He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. ⁴ Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵ If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” ⁶ So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

SO, he sends out the twelve. Together. All together. Not on their own. Not under their own power or authority or strength. HE calls them together. He gives them power and authority. He sends them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God. He sends them out to heal.

Lots of things happen in Chap 9. After the twelve are sent out the Feeding of the Five Thousand happens. Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus predicts his own death. Peter, James and John join Jesus on a mountain top for the Transfiguration. Jesus predicts his death a second time. The disciples debate over who is the greatest and try to stop a man who is casting out demons in the name of Jesus.

 ⁵⁰ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

 Jesus and the twelve can't enter a Samaritan town because they won't accept Him. So they move on towards Jerusalem. And, finally, Jesus explains what the cost of discipleship truly is.

The Cost of Following Jesus

⁵⁷ As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Let everything that happened in Chap 9 just kind of simmer on the back burner of your mind as you prepare for Chap 10. 

"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go."

I don't know for sure, but Jesus must be planning on going to alot of places if he needs 36 groups of two to go before him. This is in addition to the twelve. "seventy-two others" is what it says. Here's the catchy part. "two by two he sent them out" In Noah like fashion, Jesus sent them out, not in. The animals and Noah's family came into the ark for protection. Jesus sends his followers out into the storm of the world with seemingly no protection from the elements. The only thing they truly have is his command. ³ Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

I'm willing to bet many of these people have either been walking around with Jesus and the twelve for awhile or at least since he fed the five thousand, recorded in Chap 9. Sending out the twelve was an experiment. Sending out seventy-two simply expands upon the spiritual test. Two by two. For all the commands that Jesus gives them here, each person is listening while knowing they have someone at their side who is taking it all in also.

I can only imagine the conversation two people might be having as the walked ahead to the next town.
"Hey, Jesus said not to pack any sandals."
"Did he really say we were to heal the sick? Like he does?"
"So, what are we going to do? Lay hands on somebody and say, 'be healed in the name of Jesus'?"
"We are supposed to say, 'the kingdom of God has come near'?"
"Man, I hope we run into a family that can cook 'cause I'm starving."

Jesus pronounces a lot of judgement in this passage in addition to sending out the seventy-two.
Maybe it has something to do with previously being rejected by the Samaritans. Maybe he knows people won't listen to the message. Maybe he knows that these groups of twos being sent out will be confronted by unfriendly faces. The last Sunday of July we covered Matthew 10 where Jesus said similar words. The Matthew 10 passage is also a sending out of the twelve, but it has all of the discourse we find here in Luke. Jesus tells his twelve to do much of the same.

⁵ .....Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. ⁶ Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. ⁷ As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Hmmmm. Sending out as a group, rather than going it alone. Sending out in pairs of two, so you have someone to lean on. With what purpose? Heal. Raise. Cleanse. Drive out. Give.

How could we put those 5 things into practice in our everyday lives?

I'd like to encourage anyone reading this to share this message with someone. Share it with one special intent. The person you share it with could become your "partner". Your friend. That person who goes with you and helps you spread the message. That person and you could 'go ahead' with you. Go and share the good news of Jesus Christ with someone. Go find one thing the two of you could do together that could make a difference in God's Kingdom. Go with the intent of carrying out the 5 verbs above. Notice they all action words. Maybe a brief definition is in order on each, just to help us grab some context.

Definition of HEAL

transitive verb

1 a : to make sound or whole <heal a wound>

   b : to restore to health

2 a : to cause (an undesirable condition) to be overcome : mend <the troubles … had not been forgotten, but they had been healed — William Power>

   b : to patch up (a breach or division) <heal a breach between friends>

3: to restore to original purity or integrity <healed of sin>

Hmmmmmm. How could your pairing of two affect the world around with healing?
And, notice the transitive word up there. We can transfer healing between two parties.
As I have learned to do with Webster's, I scrolled down the page a little farther (because there is usually more) and, of course, there was more. Webster's listed definition from their "Medical Dictionary" that I'm sure will make us think spiritually. Chew on this for a bit!

Medical Definition of HEAL

1: to make sound or whole especially in bodily condition

2: to cure of disease or disorder <heal injured tissues>

The next word we usually think about in a death state, because we have read many time about Jesus raising the dead. And, that is exactly what he tells the disciples to do. But maybe there's more to the word than we think. There was a mile of definition here, so I cut out what i thought didn't apply.
Notice that word, transitive, there again.

Definition of RAISE

transitive verb

1: to cause or help to rise to a standing position

2 a : awaken, arouse

   b : to stir up : incite <raise a rebellion>

   d : to recall from or as if from death

3 a : to set upright by lifting or building <raise a monument>

   b : to lift up <raise your hand> <raise sunken treasure>

   c : to place higher in rank or dignity : elevate

   d : heighten, invigorate <raise the spirits>

4 : to get together for a purpose : collect <raise funds>

5 a : grow, cultivate <raise cotton>

   b : to bring to maturity : rear <raise a child>

6 b : to give voice to <raise a cheer>

7: to bring up for consideration or debate <raise an issue>

8 a : to increase the strength, intensity, or pitch of <don't raise your voice>

b : to increase the degree of

c : to cause to rise in level or amount <raise the rent>

11: to multiply (a quantity) by itself a specified number of times <raise two to the fourth power> 

 

 How could your pairing of two affect the world around you by raising?

The next word might take a bit more thought and imagination. We usually think of this more as the work of God. Jesus sends his followers forth telling them to cleanse those who have leprosy. This subject needs it own sermon on it's own Sunday. Webster's is, actually, very simplistic here. It's used as a verb and we get to visit the Medical Dictionary again.

Definition of CLEANSE

: clean; especially : to rid of impurities by or as if by washing

Cleanse is a verb and simply used. How could your pairing of two affect the world around you by cleansing? What could you cleanse? What is that medical definition?

Medical Definition of CLEANSE

transitive verb

: to make clean 

 

That's it??? Yep, that's it. Funny that we had to go to the medical definition to get that transitive part, though. Medically speaking, one would need to be clean and stay clean to then affect cleansing or cleanness to another. You really don't want your doctor or surgeon to be dirty or full of germs when they take care of you or operate.  It must be the same in the spiritual reference as well. How can we clean up the world around us if we are full of uncleanness ourselves. Another subject that deserves more attention I can give it at this moment. Here comes another one.

Jesus told his disciples to "drive out demons". This one is sure to stir up some trouble.

Definition of Drive out

[phrasal verb] transitive

: to force someone or something to leave a place

 

Have you ever witnessed a demon possession? I can't say that I have. How is it that our enemy affects the world around us? That might require some thought and study. Do we see evil around us that needs driving out? Would you like to handle that on your own or would you rather have somebody by your side? Maybe we should take a look at the seven sons of Sceva.

You'll find that story in Acts 19. Here, Luke the historian, records a story about seven sons who went out thinking they could just throw around the name of Jesus and make spirits obey. They found that idea to be less than worthy. They come up against a spirit who won't leave. Why?

¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

 In this case, it didn't matter that someone was beside you. Especially if that someone doesn't believe in Jesus Christ as his/her Savior & Lord. Having a pairing of two ensures that you have someone else besides yourself who believes and can support the other one. The sons of Sceva didn't fair so well. The name of Jesus is not something you just throw around for personal gain and power. You have to know him. You have to walk with him. You have to believe in him. None of this make sense without that all important relationship.

Lastly and maybe most importantly....
 This word should be self-explanatory. We know how to do it, but it can be hard to do it all by yourself. Giving requires that we actually have something to give. Do you have anything to give? Can the two of you put your heads together and figure out something to give? Jesus said, Freely you have received; freely give. Freely look at the definition. There was a mile of it again. Editing needed.

Definition of GIVE

transitive verb

1: to make a present of <give a doll to a child>

2 a : to grant or bestow by formal action <the law gives citizens the right to vote>

   b : to accord or yield to another <gave him her confidence>

3 a : to put into the possession of another for his or her use <gave me his phone number>

   b (1) : to administer as a sacrament (2) : to administer as a medicine

   c : to commit to another as a trust or responsibility and usually for an expressed reason

14 a : to cause one to have or receive <mountains always gave him pleasure>

     b : to cause a person to catch by contagion, infection, or exposure

15 a : to allow one to have or take <give me time>

     b : to lead or attempt to lead —used with an infinitive <you gave me to understand you'd be late> 

 

There was actually something medical about this word, as shown in line 3. It read the same as line 14b. to cause a person to catch by contagion, infection, or exposure Now, how could someone find Jesus simply by being in close proximity to use. Infected by our joyfulness. Exposed to our worship. Given the contagion of forgiveness and love.

That's alot of information! But, Jesus' discourse wasn't short either and we really didn't dig into all of that. How do we wrap this up? Maybe, we could ask a few questions as we close.

After reading through all of this, can you see yourself and your friend following through on any of this? Can you see the Lord using you in some way to 'go ahead' of himself, working in his grace, sharing the message of the kingdom?

Better yet, and maybe we should ask this first, can you see someone else around you that you can lean on and depend upon? Is there somebody who can be your friend, the person to support you and whom you can support?

We need each other as we endeavor to share the message of Jesus Christ with a world that so desperately needs to hear about him. We aren't called to do this alone. It's scary at times. It might put a knot in your stomach or give you the butterflies. 

 

But, it's whole lot easier with someone by your side.

Gifts...Revisited

We serve a God of grace.

Back in May, on the Sunday after Pentecost, I spoke about the Gifts of the Spirit.
In the midst of this Summer of Evangelism it serves us well to revisit that subject again.
In order to reach people for Christ we need to understand what it is we are called to do.
What kind of gifts do we possess? What is it that we feel good about doing and what do we feel we are being challenged to take on? "The Spirit distributes the gifts as he sees fit" - keep that in mind.

Most folks are probably familiar with the passage from 1st Corinthians listing the gifts that the Spirit gives. We'll get there in a moment. What I want to look at is one of the less familiar ones. In Romans 12 there is talk of the gifts in the context of laying down one's life as a living sacrifice.

Romans 12:3-8

New International Version (NIV)

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Right away, one special word jumped off the page at me. Grace.
Really need to look that word up and I have a feeling Webster's might knock our socks off.

Definition of GRACE

 noun

1 a : unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification

   b : a virtue coming from God

   c : a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace

2 a : approval, favor <stayed in his good graces>

   b archaic : mercy, pardon

   c : a special favor : privilege <each in his place, by right, not grace, shall rule his heritage — Rudyard Kipling>

   d : disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency

   e : a temporary exemption : reprieve

3 a : a charming or attractive trait or characteristic

   b : a pleasing appearance or effect : charm <all the grace of youth — John Buchan>    c : ease and suppleness of movement or bearing

Hmmm. Paul says it is by grace that he speaks on this subject.
Maybe we should interpret the subject of gifts given to us by the Spirit in the same light.
Grace. God gives to us freely. Unmerited divine assistance.
In other words, you didn't know you needed a gift. He gave it any way.
You might not have wanted a gift. He gave it any way.
You didn't know you had a gift. He gave it any way.

That's grace. Unmerited. Saw a word that really grabbed me as I looked up the word "merit".
Related Words - qualify
If grace is unmerited, then we don't "qualify" for it. As if we were taking a test and qualifying for college with an entrance exam. God doesn't check out our credit score to see if we are in good shape before he bestows grace upon us.

I said we would get to the 1 Corinthians 12 passage about gifts and here we go.
The key phrase is in verse 11.

¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

There's grace too. God sets the package outside the door of our hearts and waits to see if we will open the door and bring the package inside. He has given to everybody what he wants them to have.
"...and he distributes them to each one..." Don't say you don't have anything. You do and God has given it to you. God hands out gifts to us better than Santa hits houses on Christmas Eve. Everyone.

Lets ponder for a minute that if grace is true, then His sovereignty is true also.
God doesn't give gifts to us and then walk away. Do you have any idea how to use the gift?
Like a kid on Christmas day, we open the box, we see what's inside and we need help putting it together. We have to develop it. We need his help to it work properly. Nothing is more aggravating than thinking you that race track put together properly only to watch it fall apart after one lap.

Check out verses 4-6 in 1 Cor 12.

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

 God is at work. In everyone. He gives us the gift. Then he helps us work it out. He doesn't leave us so we have to go rogue. If you truly believe that you have a gift, you might want to check with the One who gave that gift to you, once in a while. Let Him know how things are going. Talk with Him about how things are developing. You didn't sign up to be a free lance artist. You belong to Him.

We haven't even begun to look at the actual gifts themselves. What they do. How they are used.
Before even jump into that arena, there needs to be an understand in our hearts about the fact that we all have gifts and their is a God who wants to work through us using these gifts.

God wants to speak to others about his grace and mercy. He does that through you.
God want to heal people. He needs willing "physicians".
God wants to communicate the Gospel message to any who will listen. He needs your voice.

Verse 5 in Romans 12 says much to us.

⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

 We don't belong to ourselves. We don't sail our own ship. We belong to God and to others.
Why is that? Well, it seems we are supposed to be using these gifts to build up, to support the rest of the Body. There are followers of Christ who need help. There are people all around us who need to be lifted up and given support and nurture.

How can we then use our gifts to support other people?

Elana Meyers knows this answer better than most.
During her high school years she found her way into athletics. For her, everything was about sports and winning. Family, church, God all took a backseat to making sure she excelled. It wasn't until she came to place in life where she had gone to college and was separated from her family that she became depressed and lonely. Then she began to realize that it wasn't all about herself.

Elana says she found that her family loved her unconditionally. She also realized in her sport that she was not the one in control. As the leader of the US Women's bobsledding team, being at the front of the sled going down a 400ft drop, she prays the whole way through it. She truly came to a place where she realized that the whole sled needed to work together, shifting together at the right time to handle a turn. Her favorite scripture verse?

Psalm 118:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?

She learned through this time to do as Paul suggests in this section of scripture from Romans.
Look at verse 3 again.

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

 It takes sober judgment to handle a bobsled team. It takes the same grace to handle life on a daily basis in this world. To not focus on ourselves, but to realize that God is in control. He gives us what we have and wants us to use these gifts to serve others, not ourselves.

In January 2013, Elana led her team to a silver medal in bobsledding at the world championship in Switzerland. The same day, at the medal ceremony, her teammate and long time boyfriend proposed to her. She got a medal and ring in the same day. God is good.

It's because he is good to us that we feel some desire to be good to others.
To share what we have. To give out of what he has given us. To be a blessing to others.

We serve a God of grace. He freely gives. How can can we freely give what we have, as he has?