Psalm 107: 1-9; Micah 6: 6-8
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
November 5, 2017
Stewardship Sunday
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
those he redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to an inhabited town;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress;
he led them by a straight way,
until they reached an inhabited town.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
For he satisfies the thirsty,
and the hungry he fills with good things. - Psalm 107: 1-9
‘With what shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? - Micah 6: 6-8
The month of November often marks our everyday life with a season of thanks and gratitude. But for people of faith, isn’t everyday meant to be lived out in gratitude?
The Psalmist takes that view. He stands before his community of faith and says, “O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Psalm 107: 1-2).
The Psalmists’ words imply an important question to those in his midst: What does this community of faith mean to you? Why are you celebrating the goodness of God?
The Psalmist goes on to share the stories of gratitude held by God’s people.
God is the One who is shaping our hearts by his steadfast love revealed in Jesus Christ (Psalm 107: 1-2).
God is the one who gathers us in to experience the joy of community where we feel accepted. (Psalm 107: 3).
God is the One who is leading us by a straight Way; the ancient paths of faith where God’s grace guides us in all the twists and turns in life (Psalm 107:6-7).
God is the One who satisfies our thirst for authentic worship. God is the One who satisfies our hunger with good things like belonging, right relationships, and faith that bears fruit (Psalm 107:9).
This past week I have been asking our community of faith, “What does Van Wyck Presbyterian (VWPC) mean to you? Why are you celebrating the goodness of God?” I am grateful to be able to share a few thoughts from this body of Christ.
One member shared: This question could well create a document the size of a house! In simple terms - VWPC people fill my heart with the joy of learning together, and reflecting the love of Christ; searching for meaningful ways to express that love to others. There is, indeed, a sweet, sweet spirit in that place.
One of our elders shared: What fills my heart regarding our church? Its people. I have been a member of eight different congregations in my lifetime and the love, faithfulness, and friendliness of the people of our church stand out above all of which I have been a part. I have been graciously blessed by my Father to count myself a member of this most hospitable body of believers.
Another member shared: VWPC always lives up to its name as a "friendly, welcoming church." What makes it so special is the care that the members put into the making of a community church that forms a church family for everyone. The people who have passed through these doors have made VWPC what it is, in contributions of time, talents and just being there. Children are an essential part of our church. I've watched so many young ones grow up in this church and even though many of them are gone on to other stages of their lives, the heart of this church goes with them wherever they are. I see the future of the church in the young ones growing up here now and in the lives that will be touched by VWPC as our area continues to grow and change and new members find this hidden treasure in Van Wyck.
How are we to respond to God’s goodness? How are we to thank God for all the Lord has done in the past, for all the Lord is doing now, and all the Lord promises to do in the future through us and among us?
A faithful response is not out of duty or obligation but rather out of gratitude.
This week one of our members shared with me that “Gratitude is a day by day journey. It comes when we realize how blessed we are for everything that God gives us. Even the not so good but growing experiences.”
As our spiritual cups are filled with gratitude for God’s faithfulness, they overflow into the lives of others we encounter. It is in those moment that others have an opportunity to see not just our attitude of gratitude, but they see our faith is shaped by an attitude of the heart.
Jesus Christ reveals God’s heart to us in the way Jesus lived, in the way he died, and the way he promises the hope of new life.
You and I are here today because Jesus Christ has changed our lives in a significant way. You and I have been blessed to be a blessing to others. Gods’ Spirit calls your faith and mine to bear good fruit to be that blessing to others.
Christ alone is shaping our hearts and minds to pour out our gratitude in this way: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.
We do justice by going out into the community to work for right relationships. I give thanks to God that the Spirit has led us to bear good fruit of justice the past year. We do justice by proclaiming that everyone is a beloved child of God.
This year we were a part of God’s holy work of doing justice in a new partnership with Kairos Prison Ministry. Many of you baked homemade cookies so that every inmate in Kershaw, South Carolina would see the tangible love of God. God’s love conveys that we are more than the worst thing we have ever done. Doing justice in the lens of grace proclaims the cross of Jesus Christ brings new life, forgiveness, and second chances to all. May these seeds of hope take root in these men’s lives to live a Christ centered life to given them a future with hope!
We also have been working for right relationships by gathering with other local churches in our immediate community to begin dismantling the sin of racism. We did this by honest dialogue around the movie “Selma” to build up mutual forbearance and respect. And that event was just a beginning. I look forward to see where God’s Spirit takes us.
Ministry that crosses denominational lines to foster unity in the community in order to make a difference is very near and dear to my heart and I am grateful for the seeds being planted among us to work for right relationships.
We love kindness through the love of serving those in need. And I thank God for all the generous hearts of this congregation – you literally wrap your arms around those inside and outside of these church walls.
Over the course of this year we have served our homeless neighbors with hot dinners at the Warming Center and also assembled hygiene kits to give our homeless neighbors dignity in self-care. We have delivered Thanksgiving baskets to families in need and stood hand in hand in a circle of prayer for God’s hospitality and blessings to cover these families. Some of you were called to serve on mission trips this year to Beverly, Kentucky, Honduras, and Panama to not only share God’s love but to enter into meaningful relationships with our sisters and brothers of faith across the country and world. These stories of outreach and mission are inspiring this church to discern where the Spirit is leading us next!
We walk humbly with God by always giving God the credit when the Lord’s grace abounds. God invites you and me to join the Lord in this holy work of changing the world through the grace of Jesus Christ. The truth is apart from him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
Today we celebrate the stories of God’s goodness and we give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.
The gift of faith tells us there is no other way to respond to God’s faithfulness other than with an attitude of the heart.
May Micah’s beautiful image shape our attitude of faith in this upcoming year of 2018 to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.
Our Lord is calling to us with these words today:
Will you come and follow me
if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know
and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown
in you and you in me?[1]
(Listen to the full hymn here)
May it be so for you and for me.
In the name of God our Creator, Jesus our Redeemer, and Holy Spirit our Sustainer. Amen.
Sources Referenced:
[1] “Will You Come and Follow Me,” by John Bell and Graham Maule, 1987. This hymn is found in Glory to God Presbyterian Hymnal (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013), Hymn No. 726.
No comments:
Post a Comment