Sermon: Is Your God too Small?

Is Your God too Small?
John 18: 33 – 38; Revelation 1: 4b-8
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
November 25, 2018
Reign of Christ Sunday


Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’

Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’

Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’

Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’ - John 18: 33-38


Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.

‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. - Revelation 1: 4b-8

The tension was real. Jesus had been betrayed and arrested. He was brought before Pilate, the governor of Rome. Pilate had talked with the Jewish leaders whom were pleading for Rome to take their case against Jesus. The Jewish authorities had accused Jesus of “political sedition,” which would make the case “fall under the jurisdiction of the Roman courts.” [1]

Jesus was accused of being a rebel-rouser for referring to himself as the King of the Jews. Those words alone were a threat to the Jewish and Roman power structures. The Jewish leaders were afraid Jesus would incite his followers to rebel against both the Jewish and Roman authorities. So the Jewish leaders pleaded with Pilate to try Jesus, find him guilty, and give him the death penalty by the Roman cross.

In our text today, Pilate interrogated Jesus about his reign; “Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 18: 33). And it’s fascinating how Jesus answered the question. “Jesus does not describe the location of his reign, but the nature of it.” Jesus’ reign is not of this world, rather Jesus and “his reign originate from God Almighty.” [2]

Rev. Beth Tanner comments on Pilate’s question in a thought provoking way. She says, “Pilate was thinking too small when he asked if Jesus was the King of the Jews.”[3]

The truth is that not only was Jesus the King of the Jews, but Jesus was the King of Pilate too. It was God Almighty who gave Pilate the authority to govern, not the Roman Emperor. Jesus said that it was through his birth and coming into the world that God inaugurated a kingdom that would never end (John 18:37; 2 Samuel 7: 12-13).

God’s kingdom is one of faith, hope, love, justice, and peace. What a big contrast to our human kingdoms of power, fear, shame, injustice, and hostility. Therefore, the Sovereign God reigns in power over God’s people of Israel, Rome, the world, and over every aspect of our lives.

God’s kingdom urges us to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the truth that God is for us. This is the truth you and I belong to.

But sometimes we have our own Pilate moments too. Sometimes our God is too small.

Our small perceptions of God run all across the board.

God has been understood as that old gray bearded man in the sky. If God is that old and gray, how does God have the energy to tend to the whole world, much less me?

Some see God as an unjust judge who patrols the earthly streets of life just waiting to catch us in human failure and accuse us of wrongdoing. If God is all judgement and no grace then faith is derided as a highway of fear with no relationship.

Our circumstances in life often feel bigger than God. The pain, shame, grief, or uncertainty can become so overwhelming that we believe nothing will ever change. When our God is that small then we are tempted to believe God will certainly forsake us and walk away.

Prayer upon prayer was lifted to God, but that prayer was not answered as expected. And so the thought crosses our mind that either God was too busy taking up the prayers of others, or we must have done something wrong for God to withhold his love.

Marianne Williamson says, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” And so we put God in a box so that our faith will never find out.

Brennan Manning shared a story of “A married woman in Atlanta who had two small children. This young mother was certain that God was disappointed with her because she was not ‘doing anything’ for him. She felt called to serve at a soup kitchen ministry, but she struggled with leaving her children in someone else’s care. She was shocked when Brennan told her the call was not from God but her own ingrained legalism. Being a good mother was not enough for her; and in her mind, neither was it good enough for God.” [4]

When our God is too small we not only misunderstand who God is but we also miss the gospel of grace.

Brennan says, “Trust in the God who loves consistently and faithfully nurtures confident, free disciples. A loving God fosters a loving people. The fact that our view of God shapes our lives to a great extent may be one of the reasons Scripture ascribes such importance to seeking to know him.”[5]

God created us good, making us in God’s image that we might care for one another and all that God loves (Genesis 1: 26-28).

Over and over God promised to be our God and we God’s people; The Lord promised to establish an eternal throne through the line of David (Genesis 17:7; Exodus 6:7; Ezekiel 36:28; Jeremiah 7:23; Jeremiah 30:22; Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Samuel 7:13.

God is Spirit and truth and left heaven’s throne so that the most divine love could be born in that sweet little Jesus boy. Lying in a manger the Christ Child fulfilled God’s covenant to prove that all of humanity matters to God – especially the poor and vulnerable (2 Samuel 7:14-15; Luke 1: 32-33).

Jesus Christ ministered among us and sat at table with sinners and outcasts to reveal God’s radical and “indiscriminate love,” for we are all sinners of God’s own redeeming.

Jesus took the humiliation of the Roman cross, dying to take away our sin and grant us the promise of God’s forgiveness and new life.

Holy Spirit sustains us in our faith journey, teaching us all Jesus has commanded, and guiding us in all truth (Matthew 28: 19-10; John 16: 12-13).

As the body of Christ, sometimes we think our God is too small. We ask God why do you allow all of these things to happen. And the Lord God looks at us with love and asks us the same thing. And so we are called to work with God to bring about God’s reign of faith, hope, love, justice, and peace on earth as it is in heaven.

The gospel of grace proclaims that we live in the reign of the Risen Christ. Our Presbyterian Mission Agency states why The Reign of Christ Sunday matters today:

“As the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, Christ is the center of the universe, the ruler of all history, the judge of all people. In Christ all things began, and in Christ all things will be fulfilled. In the end, Christ will triumph over the forces of evil. We are called to a loyalty [to God] that transcends every earthly claim on the human heart. To Christ alone belongs the supreme allegiance in our lives. Christ calls us to stand with those who in every age confessed, “Jesus Christ is Lord!”[6]

So how is Christ reigning in your life?

If your God is too small, then come to the Table and be reminded how big God’s love and grace are for you, for this community, and for this weary world. In Jesus Christ, the bread of life and the cup of salvation proclaim God is forever for us with us; God is always with us; and even when God is silent God is working out all things for God’s purposes and glory.

May your faith be strengthened knowing that because we are children of God the Lord will fight for us and we need only to be still. It is through the gift of faith that God is able to do more than we can ever hope, ask for, or imagine.

Never forget that God Almighty is armed with love that is fierce like a warrior and yet gentle like a nursing mother. The Lord God calls us to be ambassadors of Christ’s reconciling love that reigns in power for us and through us.

May the gifts of God for the people of God announce once again the hope of the world that was, that is here today, and that is to come.

In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.

Sources Referenced:

[1] New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary: Volume VIII (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2015), 698.
[2] New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, p. 698.
[3] The Working Preacher, Commentary on Psalm 93 and John 18: 33-38, by Rev. Dr. Beth Tanner
[4] Brennan Manning, “The Ragamuffin Gospel” (Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 1990, 2000, 2005), p. 40.
[5] Brennan Manning, p. 41.
[6] The Presbyterian Mission Agency, "Christ the King Reign of Christ Sunday"

Sermon: The Marvel of Flaws and Failure

The Marvel of Flaws and Failure
Proverbs 16: 9; Jeremiah 18: 1-6
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
November 18, 2018

The human mind plans the way,but the Lord directs the steps. - Proverbs 16"9

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. - Jeremiah 18: 1-6

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. He was committed to help his people of Jerusalem. To understand why Jeremiah was so deeply committed I need to share a little history with you.

In Jerimiah’s time God’s people were divided into two kingdoms; the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern kingdom of Judah. Jerusalem was the capitol of the Southern kingdom.

In those days Judah had previously been under Assyrian rule. As the Assyrian strong arm crumbled, Babylon conquered much of the Near East, including Judah and Jerusalem. Twice Judah tried to revolt against Babylon but they failed. Judah’s failures were in part due to their disobedience to God. As a result, “Jeremiah preached both repentance by returning to their ancestral faith and complying with the Babylonians as a sole means of avoiding national destruction.”[1]

The prophet knew the emotional and spiritual lows that failure and flaws bring. Jeremiah’s words speak a word of hope to God’s people. And so to help the people breathe that hope in and really see God’s vision for it, Jeremiah took God’s people on a field trip in their community.

Along the streets, there were several potters creating clay vessels for everyday living. Have you ever watched a potter at work? The hands of a potter are closely in tune with the clay. They quickly become aware of the flaws and failures of the clay.

And the potter’s hands move with slow and gentle precision for the clay to take the shape of their artistic vision. So with water, patience, and creativity the potter reworks the clay until it seems good to him or her.

Jeremiah wanted God’s people to see with their own eyes that God works just like that potter in our lives. And for God’s people who felt that flaws and failure had gotten the best of them, they could trust that God would rework the lives of the people to be shaped by God’s creative glory and grace.

At the beginning of Creation, God’s hands worked the clay of the earth to fashion humankind (Genesis 2:7). God created us good and breathed life into us so that humankind might be God’s treasure. Even when sin entered the world and left us spoiled in the Creator’s hand, God added the living water of Jesus Christ and embraced us with the gift of Holy Spirit to reshape us and raise us up into the hope of newly resurrected life.

And just like the potter down the street in the community, our Creator God marvels at reshaping our flaws and failures to serve God’s purposes.

Stan Lee had a unique gift of marveling at human flaws and failure. His gift was in part connected to his own sense of flaws and failure. Once upon a time Stan Lee had worked twenty years as a writer and editor for Timely Comics (later named Marvel Comics). He became very frustrated that comics were perceived as a failed art. Stan wanted the work of comics to inspire others and to be the air we breathe as it was for himself and fellow artists.

On one particularly low day, Stan was about to walk into his boss’s office and quit the industry all together. But his wife gave him a marvelous idea. She encouraged Stan to get back in touch with his passion to create, write, inspire, and entertain.

And Stan did just that; “he put the human in superhuman and started to give his heroes a flawed quality - something to make them more relatable to us mere mortals.”[2]

The Fantastic Four was born and their human personalities and flaws leaped off the page before they leaped into superhero action. Stan Lee commented saying, "They were the kind of team I had been longing to write about," Lee said. "Heroes who were less than perfect. Heroes who didn't always get along with each other, but heroes who could be counted on when the chips were down."[3]

Stan Lee became a master creator of using the flaws and failures of imaginary heroes to inspire us to embrace our very imperfect lives.

He empowered us to marvel over the truth that there is something beautiful about our imperfections when we allow our humanity to shine through. Stan was intentional to intersect comics with the brokenness of the world to weave a narrative of hope, justice, and equality for all.

He illustrated there is something greater at work in us that allows us to rise above our weakest moments and make the world a better place together.

The day the news broke of Stan Lee’s passing last week, editorial cartoon artist Marshall Ramsey quickly sketched a drawing of Stan Lee at heaven’s gates. In one hand, Stan is carrying his attaché case with Marvel written on it; in the other hand he is carrying a case of artistic brushes and pencils. As Stan looks up into the heavenly skies, God speaks saying, “You’re not half-bad at creating universes yourself, kid.”

God invites us to co-create a universe that glorify God!

Yesterday morning a handful of youth and adults from our church took a field trip of sorts in our Lancaster community. We joined hands with nearly 50 volunteers to work with Promise Neighborhood. And we saw firsthand the ways God is reshaping the flaws and failures of one of the most impoverished neighborhoods here.

On Brooklyn Avenue it is no coincidence that Resurrection Life Ministries Church sits adjacent to what is now called the Blue House. The blue house is painted a light blue.

It has a jaded history of being used as a drug house. In broad daylight drug dealers would make their trades. Slum lords seemed to have the upper hand bringing fear and oppression to the good people of Brooklyn Avenue.

Resurrection Life Ministries began a neighborhood prayer walk. On those walks they talked to neighbors and shared about praying for God to transform the neighborhood. And then God created an opportunity for the church to buy the Blue House.

Promise Neighborhood is bringing the community together once a month to clean, update, and paint the blue house, pick up trash along the streets, and create a reading park nearby for children.

As we worked on the reading park site and later picked up trash, we had the opportunity to see God is reshaping the flaws and failures to claim Brooklyn Avenue in God’s glory, hope, and new life. When the remodel of the Blue House is complete it will be a house of hope to benefit the neighbors, who need help.

I am amazed by what our mighty God can do through human flaws and failure. And I marvel at the truth that God needs our hands to work with God to reshape the brokenness of our community and world as it pleases God.

What is not going right in your life? What flaws or failure are taking hold of you? You might feel like throwing your hands up and saying, “I’m done.” But today the word of Jeremiah comes to us and promises you and me something amazing…. God marvels at our flaws and failures!

We are not just spinning around and around alone. The truth is this – when you are feeling flaws and failure holding you down, just remember that God is holding you and your flaws and failure too.

God will never let go of your life. The marvel of it all is that in these moments God is creating an opportunity for the flaws and failure of humanity to shine through. God does his best work through our brokenness. The cross of Jesus Christ claims us in this good news of redemption to raise us to new life.

But it does not stop there. It is not just about you or just about me being reshaped. God invites us to join the Lord in reshaping the world one day at a time.

This week make sure you go to the Potter’s house. Trust God is upholding you in the mess of life. And pray for our Creator to reveal how he is reshaping your life and this weary world by the Lord’s marvelous glory, hope, and grace.

In the name of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.

Sources Referenced:

[1] The Harper Collins Study Bible, (San Francisco: HarperOne, 1989), p. 999 Introduction to Jeremiah.
[2] Taylor-Dior Rumble, “How Stan Lee’s Heroes Helped Change the World,” BBC News, November 13, 2018.
[3] Michael Cavna, “Two Viral Cartoons Capture How We All Feel About Stan Lee,” The Washington Post, November 13, 2018.

Sermon: Inspiring Something Beautiful

Inspiring Something Beautiful
1 Peter 4: 10-11; Mark 14: 3-9
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
November 11, 2018
Stewardship Commitment Sunday


Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4: 10-11

While [Jesus] was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head.

But some were there who said to one another in anger, ‘Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.’ And they scolded her.

But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’ - Mark 14: 3-9

Bethany was a special place. It was where Jesus’ closest friends lived; Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. And it was where Jesus retreated to be embraced in genuine community before he turned his face towards Jerusalem to accomplish God’s purposes of salvation in cross.

Jesus sat at table to break bread with Simon the leper and those gathered in his household. I imagine the conversations gave way to laughter, reminisce, and the ordinary grit of life.

And being there in Jesus’ presence moved the heart of a particular woman. Maybe she was Simon’s wife or sister or daughter; Mark does not say. What matters are this woman’s actions.

The woman slipped away and returned holding in her hands something valuable to her. At the sound of the stoneware jar breaking, there was silence. All eyes were suddenly on her. This woman simply stood beside Jesus and poured the fragrant oil over Jesus’ head. She had used the gift that she had to serve another; she was moved to serve Jesus. It was a beautiful act of self-giving devotion.

I have no doubt that there were some in that room that said, “I wish I had faith like that. I wish I could give my all to Jesus like that!”

And yet some in that room criticized the woman for wasting her valuable resource on Jesus in this way.

Jesus reframed why this woman’s actions matter. He says, “She has performed a good service for me” (Mark 14:6). But the Greek language adds something our English translations do not pick up. Jesus said, “She has done something beautiful that inspires others to embrace what is praiseworthy.” That kind of beauty in sharing the gospel will always be remembered.

This woman was faithfully administering God’s grace as she served Jesus with the strength God provided her (1 Peter 4: 10-11). Her devotion to anoint Jesus Christ was an act of worship to praise God in all things. This woman’s devotion to use her gift to serve Jesus inspires me and I hope inspires you to do something beautiful too.

One of our core convictions as Presbyterians is to live a life of grace and gratitude. We believe “God acts with grace; we respond with gratitude. God claims us as beloved children; we proclaim God’s saving love; God redeems us from sin and death; we rejoice in the gift of new life. This rhythm of divine action and human response - found throughout Scripture, human history, and everyday events – shapes all of Christian faith, life, and worship… As those who have been claimed and set free by his grace, we respond with gratitude, offering him our lives, our spiritual gifts, and our material goods” (Book of Order, W-1.0102, W-3.0411).

Our stewardship and self-giving inspires something beautiful – illustrating that our faith is “attending to the presence and action of God in our lives” (Book of Order, W-5.0103). Stewardship and self-giving are beautiful to God because the Lord desires for you and me to mature in these spiritual practices.

One of our elders on Session, Julia Willingham, says that tithing and pledging are spiritual practices just like prayer and meditating on God’s Word. The beauty of a spiritual practice is that it is a posture of keeping God first in our lives.

God’s giving knows no ending. God has given us everything.

God has given us dominion over creation for us to be good stewards of all God has made (Genesis 1: 27-28).
God has given us the gift of redemption and eternal life through Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 5: 8-11).
God has given us the gift of Holy Spirit to teach us all Christ has commanded so that we might go and teach others how to be disciples (John 16: 13-15; Matthew 28: 19-20).

As we put God first -not just on Sundays, but in our everyday lives - then God’s faithfulness will guide us to use whatever gift we have received to serve God and one another. When others see you and me attending to God’s presence in our lives then it inspires something beautiful; it motivates others to praise God with all that they are and all that they have as well.

I know in my own life I have been spiritually moved by another’s discipleship and giving patterns when Doug and I did not know how much we could give. I have said, “Wow, I wish I had faith like that.” And God always honors our desire to follow Jesus.

This community of faith is a special place where many know Jesus Christ in such an intimate way. But what makes this community of faith so special is the faithfulness here to share God’s grace with others. Your devotion to Jesus Christ has a great potential to proclaim the good news in ways that will be remembered in life-giving ways.

Someone once said, “There is no greater act of worship than giving God all of you.”

How will you inspire something beautiful and give God all of you here at Van Wyck Presbyterian Church?

What part of your calendar will you break open for Jesus?
What passion and skill will you avail to share the good news?
What percentage of your treasure are willing to risk giving to join God in building the kingdom?

God does not desire for us to give out of obligation. God desires our obedience to give ourselves to God as an act of worship to honor Jesus and praise God.

I pray God will inspire each of us to be a part of something beautiful to faithfully administer God’s grace and serve others in this new year of ministry together.

Whatever you and I do in word or in deed, do it for the glory of God. May God’s name always be praised.

Amen.

Sermon: Growing Our Faith Through Generosity

Growing Our Faith Through Generosity
1 Peter 4: 10-11
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
November 4, 2018
Stewardship Sunday


Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4: 10-11


It is hard to keep focus when you are distressed. The Apostle Peter certainly knew this to be true. So he put his thoughts on paper and wrote to his flocks whom were under Roman authority and scattered through Asia Minor. Peter was sending encouraging words to the early church – you see they needed a pick me up.

The church’s core values were being rejected. Christians faced slander and misunderstanding from their neighbors, former friends, and family. It was a divisive time. And Peter’s letter was to reassure Jesus’ followers not to get caught up in all the negativity. Peter’s words were to empower the early church to remain faithful to their core convictions in an uncertain time.

Peter says the very core of our Christian belief is that we are blessed by God’s great mercy for God has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ( 1Peter 1:3). As a result of this new hope we have received an inheritance that is kept in heaven for us. Therefore, this gift of God’s grace is more precious than gold (1 Peter 1: 3-4, 7).

But this incredible gift revealed through Jesus Christ is not solely about transforming us as individuals. This incredible gift is about transforming all humanity and creation back to God’s intentions.

For Peter, the real gift is that Jesus Christ did not abandon the world but gave his life to save it. And this very gift holds great implications for us as disciples of Jesus Christ – if you and I belong to the body of Christ then we are to follow Jesus’ example and not abandon the world either.

Jesus Christ entrusted the disciples and apostles with his resurrection power. And this gift of God’s power changes everything! It changes the way we see the world and one another. It changes the way we are to live, work, and play in God’s beautiful yet broken world. Therefore, God’s precious gift of salvation is to move us to set all our hope on the grace that Jesus Christ brought and will bring as we actively wait for God’s kingdom to fully come.

The Christian life is always about following Jesus.

I love the words of a favorite contemporary Christian song by Third Day:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
Live a life of his glory and his grace.

As we grow in a deeper head and heart knowledge of Jesus Christ and this gift of faith our lives are forever changed.

We find a place of welcome and belonging when God’s hospitality meets us where we are.
We thank God that we are never left where the grace of God finds us.
We experience that second chance (and sometimes more chances that we can count) knowing that we are more than our past mistakes.
In our weakest moments we find that another’s prayers hold us in the strength of God’s deep embrace.
When we fellowship together and serve our neighbors we are blessed by the holy encounters of seeing Jesus in one another.
And the more our faith grows, the more we begin to discover the unique passions, talents, and treasures which God has given to us to help build the kingdom.

Today Peter’s letter taps our faith on the shoulder saying, “Beloved, rekindle the gift of God within you!” (1 Timothy 1:6). God’s Word speaks into our uncertain and anxious times and reminds us to focus on our core conviction. Jesus Christ did not abandon the world and we are not to abandon it either. In fact, God’s Spirit is always seeking opportunities to invite you and me to join God in this holy work of reconciling the world.

Peter speaks the truth in love to us today: “We are to serve one another with the manifold grace we have received” (1 Peter 4:10). In the Greek, the word “serve” means to kick up dust – to actively serve. So do not neglect the gift of God within you.

The prophet Isaiah once spoke as God’s mouthpiece: “My word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty; it shall accomplish that which I purpose and succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

God’s Word dwells within you and me and God chooses to work out God’s purposes in the world through us as God’s agents of reconciliation. It is our belief that the church is the body of Christ. And Jesus Christ gives the church all the gifts necessary to be his body. The hope is that we may be good stewards of these gifts with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love.

We believe that the Christian life is an offering of one’s whole self to God (Book of Order W-3.0411). So do not neglect the gift of God within you! Let us invest our whole selves to growing our faith through generosity! We do this by becoming a more integral part of this community of faith.

We serve and kick up some dust by investing our TIME to grow in relationship with God, with one another, and with the neighbors of the community. When we are attentive to God’s work of tethering us in authentic relationships then the world sees us as a genuine “community of love” (F-1.0301). Authentic and genuine relationships exists where “sin is forgiven, reconciliation is at work, and the dividing walls of hostility are being torn down” (Book of Order F-1.0301).

Many from this congregation attended a vigil Thursday evening at Sun City Carolina Lakes to remember the eleven Jewish souls who died at the Tree of Life Synagogue (Pittsburgh, PA) on Saturday October 28. It was overwhelming for hundreds to gather as a community of love united as children of Abraham; sisters and brothers of the Jewish and Christian traditions. Pastor David of the Bible Study Club shared, “We stand in solidarity with you because we love you.” Rabbi Rachel urged us to live our lives with intention to be the light, love, and joy to bring peace.

Let us be intentional to grow our faith through generous relationships of self-giving love.

We serve and kick up some dust by investing our TALENTS – our passions, skills and spiritual gifts to further our identity as a “community of hope” (Book of Order F-1.0301). Van Wyck Presbyterian Church is known as a small church that cares. I am often overwhelmed by the generosity of hospitality and compassion here. When a need arises this church rallies in prayer and in action. The gift of faith moves our hearts and minds to share the hope of Jesus Christ with others. And there are so many talents and skills among us!

We serve one another and kick up some dust by sharing our stories in worship; by learning God’s Word through one another; sharing our talents with one another and the community through Van Wyck’s Got Talent; seeking opportunities to help our neighbors in need; and gathering together in the greater community to bring new life.

Let us be intentional to grow our faith through the generous giving of hope.

We serve and kick up some dust by investing our TREASURES to join God in building the kingdom as a “community of witness” (F-1.0301). All that we are and all that we have belong to God. When we return a portion of our financial gifts to God through our tithes and pledges then we are making a promise to live by God’s faithfulness. The whole of Scripture proclaims God will always keep his promises to give God’s people a future with hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

God invites you and I to discern God’s plans for our church’s hope-filled future. Therefore, our tithes and pledges become foundational building blocks of ministry that change lives beyond the church walls. As our ministries grow to share God’s story of love and hope, our gifts “point beyond the church itself and to the good news of God’s transforming grace in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Book of Order F-1.0301).

Let us be intentional to grow our faith through the generosity of our treasures to share the good news.

My prayer is that God’s Spirit would rekindle how precious the gift of faith is for you and for me. I pray each of us will consider taking a risk to grow a little more in our faithfulness to God.

Each year we have a few more households who feel led to pledge or tithe. I thank you for your generosity AND your growing trust of God’s provision!

May we grow our faith and our core convictions through generosity – becoming a more integral part of our faith community.

There is something at stake for us. Our community and the world need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ in these anxious times. Every member here has a mission and a purpose in this. How will you share this precious gift with the generosity of your time, talents, and treasures?

Our time, talents, and treasures may seem quite ordinary, but to God they are extraordinary instruments of Christ’s resurrection power! The sole reason we share them is so that God’s name will be praised.

Are you ready to serve and kick up some dust today and into this new church year of ministry together?

In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.

Amen.