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
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment