Christ Church Moreton Hall

20-5-2007 Gift day Sermon - based on 2 Corinthians 8:1-12.

Today I could say to you:

“You must give because we have a large quota to pay. And if we don’t pay it, we could lose respect in the eyes of the other churches and if we keep on failing to pay it some will question our viability as a church.”

Now that is a good reason to give and many use that reason but that is not why we should give. It is not what the bible teaches and it is not what Jesus wants for us. He loves us and he will never pressure us to give.

A second reason to give is costs keep rising. It is just good housekeeping to up you giving a bit each year to keep in line with inflation. Now this is a better reason that the last and it something we should keep in mind. None the less it falls short of what Jesus is saying to us as a church today. While it is good ...it reduces God being an accountant. His kingdom becomes just a matter of riding whatever prosperity wave you are on. Worse it divides the church into those who can from those who can’t. It can lead to excessive pride in some, and excessive guilt in others. When that happens, only Satan wins.

A better reason would be, to show you all the great new work we have done. How successful we have been. How we need to replace Peter is we can. How we are reaching out in new ministries and we are making a huge impact on the town and on our estate.

Now while this quickens the heartbeat and reminds of our vision, and is a good reason to give. It is not the best reason. It is a reason based on human plans and human endeavour in response to a divine call. It good, it is Godly, it better that the others, but it is not what I think Jesus is saying to us today.

So what is he saying? The answer lies partly in our reading today. There we hear of two churches. The big, super church at Corinth and three little churches that make up the churches of Macedonia. They are Philippi Thessalonica and Beroea.

Corinth was famous. It was big. It was successful. It was famous for its faith. It’s speaking (evangelism). It’s knowledge of all things theological and spiritual. Its sincerity and its love. Paul says so in verse 7:

“You excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us.”

But what does he say about those little churches in Macedonia? Verse 1 says:

“And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”

 They had gone though great trials, and you only have to read Acts to know how tough it was for them all. They were very poor- they had no historic funds, no art treasures and no great bequests. They were not Church of England at all. There were not even American. 

Yet they were so blessed by Jesus. They were so thankful. They were so glad to worship, that they were filled with praise, and they gave generously. Right now, as minister of your church, it feels more like we are at Macedonia than we are at Corinth. In the last 18 months we have said goodbye to some very good friends. Some have begun new lives, and some have gone to be with the Lord. We have so many in pain and they know they are not going to get better. We have so many facing uncertain futures and even death.

As you know, I got quite low recently. In the very midst of it...Jesus spoke and very powerfully and it came from a source I did not expect. I was given this verse:

 “In quietness and trust is your strength” from Isaiah 30: 15B  There comes a point where Jesus says to me and to us all do you trust me? Do you trust me with your future and all your plans? Do you trust me with your body and all the pain you are in? Do you trust me with your relationships - now you are on you own? Do you trust me with your own future? and when it is your time to come to me? Do you trust me with your dreams - your hopes and your fears? Do you trust me with your children - you job and your home? 

Is there some area of your life you don’t trust me? So will you trust me with you money?

Will you give me a tithe? Will it be as generous as you can make it? And will you give it gladly - and trust me?

Don’t give it just because the church needs it don’t give it just because you want to see great things happen. Give it because I ask you, says the Lord.

Some do not give because they can’t give as much as others. Remember the boy with the packed lunch at the feed of the five thousand. He probably only wanted to share hi lunch with Jesus and maybe two disciples. I wonder how he felt when Peter took the whole thing away and said:

“What is this amongst so many.”

 I bet the Boy thought:

“Hey what about me, that’s my packed lunch, if you try sharing that out – what do I get?”

Or because the needs are so great, they don’t think their mite will make any difference.

The Macedonians were poor - but Jesus took what they gave and made it much. We all remember – “Give me you little and I will make it much.”

Really what Jesus is saying is:

“Face your demons. Face your fears. Trust me and see what I can do.” Twice this week, since Jesus has blessed me, I said:

“ Ok God I will face my fears.”

So at the P.C.C. on Monday we discussed replacing Peter and many other things given our tough financial state. We had a good time of prayer and sought Jesus’ will. We had a robust conversation, which meant we finished at 10:00Pm but I believe that the PCC acted in faith. We heard form God as we listened to each other. And we took the right decision, which is when peter goes we are going to find another student youth worker.

The second was the kitchen. Now there has been a lot of discussion about the Kitchen and how good or bad it is. So I rang up Environmental health and said:

“Give it a complete inspection. Go in and do your worst.”

They came in two hours later, straight after Parent and Toddler. We did not have a special clean up. I told no one he was coming; he saw it as it was.

And not any old inspector turned up but the head honcho himself. I explained in full all the things we do - the big - the small - and alpha. Do you know what?

It is fine, it more than fine it is great. He was impressed with our kitchen and all its equipment. We can keep on doing all we are doing just as we are. He would like us to use Paper towels not cloth ones. He would like is to improve the walls. But they way he wants done will not cost much and we don’t have to do anything this year 2008 will do.

He was more concerned about putting a barrier around the storage area on top of room C than he was about the kitchen.

I faced the fear, God was with us, and he has provided. As I think about it I can find dozens of occasions when I faced the boggy man and came though.

There are three things God what you to learn today and they are in this passage

Lesson 1 from verse 12

“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.”

Jesus knows you love him and you want this church to reach out and touch this community. But he does not expect you to do it all. Give what you can give generously give gladly and the Father will bless you and bless it and great things will come.

Lesson 2 from verse 7

“But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 

There are many of us who want to see great things happen here. Actually they are happening if you keep your eyes open. People are coming to faith and Sunday evenings and Sunday Mornings great stuff happens if you have eyes to see it.

But Jesus says

“No matter how great you are or what gifts you have - or want to have. Make sure you excel in giving.”

For this it the one gift that pleases him. Don’t wait for a big project to give to, or only give to the things you approve of. Give now and as you give show you trust him completely, all the other gifts he is giving to you, and you use so well. This is the one in fact they only one, where you give to him.

Lesson 3 from verse 11

“Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means”.

We have an estate to win. We have made a very good start. We are beginning to understand how to get along side people. And make a difference to their lives.

We have a good reputation. New people are coming, great things are happening, and new ministries are beginning to flower. Maybe things are hard but Jesus is calling us to look up from our troubles and look him clear in the face. See him smiling at us and reaching out to us. Then you need to remember he has not forgotten us, even if things are tough. Jesus has blessed us this year in so many ways.

And we have to reach out and trust him with all we are, all we want to be, and all we have. And just you see what he can do. But better - we will draw close to him in so many wonderful ways; we will not know why we ever hung back.

Make space for Jesus to bless you. Give. Amen. Jonathan Ford 20 –5 -08