Growing In The Grace Of Giving
Bible Reading:
Mark 10: 17-31
PREPARED BY
KEN GEHRELS
PASTOR
CALVIN CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
NEPEAN, ONTARIO
Swiss inventor George de Mestral loved to be outdoors. But while outdoors he couldn’t stand burrs. Dumb things. Burrs stuck to his wool hunting pants and his dog’s fur, annoying to him because of the amount of time it took to remove the pesky things. Being an inventor he wondered why these burrs stuck. Looking at them under a microscope, he noticed that each burr consisted of hundreds of tiny hooks which "grabbed" into loops of thread or fur.
De Mestral decided to take this natural wonder and turn it into an everyday useful item. In 1951 he received a patent for this product.
Know what it is?
"Hook and loop fastener" is the technical term.
Most of us know it as velcro.
An artificial fabric with hundreds of microscopic loops on one side.
The other side with hundreds of tiny hooks - an artificial burr.
Today we find those fasteners just about everywhere.
It’s so simple - and so effective, grabbing with incredible staying power.
Just a reflection of what the Lord has created into nature long ago in the burr.
Actually - not only in the burr.
This hook and loop dynamic shows up all over the place, if you watch for it.
Including right inside the human soul.
It’s my observation that each of us has many - perhaps hundreds, perhaps more - little loops that dangle off the edge of our soul, our mind, our heart..... however you want to think of the inner engine that drives who we are and how we function as people.
There are little loops dangling around inside us that will readily link into certain issues and drives which float around out there, issues and human drives which seem to have tiny hooks dangling off them that are almost made to measure for those loops on our soul.
You can probably name some of these hook-equipped issues:
- esteem: of self and others
- sexuality
- significance
- comfort
And this loop, probably one of the biggest - I tend to think there are dozens of hooks on this issue as it floats around, hooks that grab on even the smallest loop in a person -- money
Every single one of us will face these issues.
And every single one of us will need to struggle throughout our lives to not allow these matters to become so hooked into our soul that they assume over-rated importance, perhaps even beginning to smother us.
This morning I want to deal with the biblical theme of Stewardship, a theme that, among other things, reaches out to challenge the hook that money uses to grab hold of our soul.
Stewardship – The challenge facing believers in Jesus Christ to live as a caretaker, a manager
– living with the responsibility of handling, developing and maintaining what has been entrusted to us by the Divine Creator.
One of the big responsibilities facing Stewards is the care of..... money.
all kinds of prickly barbs protruding from it, ready and eager to cling to our soul in burr-like tenacity, tighter than any velcro fastener.
Which is why scripture has so much to say about the subject. Including:
MARK 10: 17-31
The hook and loop fastening between a person’s soul and a person’s wealth.
Ah, this rich young man had such trouble letting go.
In fact, apart from a miracle worked in his heart by the Lord, it was impossible.
This fellow’s wealth mattered to him – a lot!
As it did to one other character in this story. Do you notice that?
Notice how defensive Peter is about this whole richness thing.
He is quick, very quick with his response.
Becomes concerned about his personal place in it.
Quickly he reminds Jesus about his sacrifice (v.28).
Peter is worried about what he’s getting out of the deal – what’s his cut in it all? The loops of his soul are as deeply embedded as those of the rich young man.
In fact, it’s that way for all of us.
Which is why Jesus adds the peculiar line that formed the last sentence of our reading -
"but many who are first will be last, and the last first." (v.31)
"Peter," says Jesus, "Be careful that this whole thing doesn’t go to your head. When you think you’ve got it under control, that you’re ahead of the game, you may quickly find yourself slipping to the back of the pack."
Be careful, or preoccupation with wealth will consume you.
Which is what is happening in Canada today.
We are a rich culture, and money sits right at the heart of it all.
Someone has even suggested that "we North Americans are slaves to our money; we feel free because we are able to purchase what we want and need. However, like any other addict, we think the solution to our craving is one more fix; whether rich or poor, we buy more things to feel better."
(Gary Nederveld in "Faith And Finances" p.21).
We are, as a society, addicted to spending and consuming.
We live in a consumer age, a culture that stretches and elongates those loops on our soul, making us sitting ducks for the hook of money to come in and grab hold of us. Our consumer culture falsely says, "We deserve this; life owes us."
What’s the L’Oreal slogan? "You’re worth it!"
Harvey’s tells us, "Your choice is our key ingredient"
"Just the way you like it."...... "After all, you deserve it."
The prevalent attitude is that what has my name on it belongs to me.
I can whatever I want with it.
I don’t have to answer to anyone for it.
Jesus takes the radical step with that young man of telling him to get rid of it all. Because it clouds that fellow’s vision of who his Master really is.
We sit back, and think, "Whoa, glad that wasn’t me. Get rid of it all??"
Guess what – To one degree we all face that command.
Throughout the scriptures one of the things God calls for time and again is for believers to take the first portion of their wealth – be that money or goods of some sort — they are to take the first portion, not the "B" grade stuff or the quick sale items left when everything else is gone.....
take the first portion and hand that back to God.
"Each of you must place in a basket the first part of each crop that you harvest and you must take it with you to the one place of worship." (Deut 26:2 TEV).
Give it away without expecting to get anything for it.
Back to the God from whom it came in the first place..... Off the top.
I submit to you that most folk in our culture would say you are stark raving nuts to ever consider such a thing. I just finished helping to coordinate fund raising for March of Dimes in my neighborhood and the amounts that people contribute to charitable causes makes you wince. Folks think they’re heros for giving away $5 or $10.
The scriptures call believers to think more in terms of 10%, off the top, before anything else, back to the work of the Lord. Anytime wealth is mentioned, and the topic of stewardly handling of it is raised in the Bible, that figure of 10% bobs back to the surface.
That aside from caring for one’s family; aside from one’s obligation to government (the King’s portion was another issue) -
- the first chunk went to the work of the Lord.
It’s a good sized chunk.
You have to plan - carefully - to be giving away that much. Which is really the secret of the whole tithing exercise.
Tithing makes us think about our wealth, and about where it comes from in the first place. It brings the whole issue of money to the table, out into the open.
And friends - that is exactly where Satan doesn’t want it to be.
He’d far rather it be kept a secret, in the dark.
Because - you see - he works best in dark and secret places.
He can do the most damage there.
He can’t work in the open, in the light. That’s Jesus’ realm.
Which is why I get really concerned when people become reluctant to enter into accountability about their tithing and giving. Not that it needs be blabbed all over. In fact, scripture counsels not to do that. But accountable -- to your family, or your elder, or a small group somewhere.
If you keep it secret, you’re flirting with trouble – setting up for the hook of wealth to burrow deep into the loops of your soul. And then you’re headed for trouble. You may well get caught in financial slavery; consumer addiction.
You’ll end up the victim of this principle which the wise writer of Ecclesiastes saw: "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income." [Ecclesiastes 5:10]
Tithing....... Let me tell you -
I’ve seen lots of people run into financial trouble, all kinds of grief, because of poor spending habits, VISA and Mastercard overruns, purchasing items on payments (including homes and cars) that are way out of their league, lifestyle choices that keep them on a financial razor edge.
I’ve never seen anyone go broke because they tithed; because they honored the God from whom all blessings flow by presenting Him and the work of His Kingdom with the best and the first of their financial resources.
What I see, instead, are blessings.
Not like some kind of celestial investment house where an investment of $1000 is guaranteed to produce a $50K return. It is not that idolatrous idea of using God as a divine bank machine.
Drives me crazy when I hear people talk and preach such prattle -
"Send this ministry $50 and we’ll pray over your contribution. I just know that God will bless you many times over."
Oh?
But such silliness aside, I DO know that, again and again, when people give out of a generous spirit, a love for Jesus, there are again and again little unexpected gifts and blessings that flow their way - think of them as "thank you" cards from heaven in response to gifts given to the Lord.
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." [Mal 3:10]
The giving of the firstfruits is a symbolic statement that God has first place in our lives and we consider it an essential part of Christian commitment. It is also a step of faith in which we commit our financial well-being to Him.
For many of us this commitment is made specific through a commitment made to God’s work in and through our local congregation. A general rule of thumb that teachers, planners and leaders will suggest is take 60-70% of your tithe and reserve it for your local faith community. And direct the rest to other Kingdom causes. Even that can be channeled through your home church.
I am so grateful for our denomination’s approach. You all know that there are so many scam agencies out there, and others that mean well but simply do a poor job. Our deacons, however, go through a long list of such agencies and carefully screen them. They then recommend causes. Some of them end up as recipients of offerings here at Calvin. If you have envelopes, that’s what the second envelope is for.
Just remember, as you strive to be a faithful steward -
a free servant of God’s good gifts
not a slave to them, hook and locked in to their whims
.....remember that stewardship is not a matter of how little or how much you contribute to the Kingdom. Rather, it’s a matter of how you handle what has been entrusted to you – in saving, in spending, in sharing.... and giving.
If God has granted you much, much will be expected.
If you are granted less, than less is expected.
Which is why the Bible speaks in terms of percentages rather than amounts.
And why you won’t ever find us talking here at Calvin about needing the average member to contribute x, y, or z dollars. Because that’s not the issue.
Faithfulness to God with what we’ve been entrusted.
That’s the issue!
We may find, as we sit down to try and sort this out for our own lives, that we’re going to make some changes. We may be challenged to greater levels of moderation. That’s hard in a climate which cultures us towards spending to the max, and perhaps even beyond because, after all, you can put it on payments and don’t even need to make the first payment till 2002.
And - let me say this - please DO spend some time to try and sort this out.
Write out what you take in and what you spend.
Something I hope you do anyway. It’s part of careful stewardship.
Do you keep a monthly budget sheet?
Do you plan your giving to the Lord?
Good firstfruits discipleship is planned giving.
Do you use contribution envelopes? Why not?
Sometimes I run into the notion that the most spiritual practices are those which arise on the spur of the moment – the spontaneous prayer, the last-minute sermon, volunteering on a whim....... and contributing as and when the idea or mood strikes.
That is so unfortunate. And so wrong.
Planning, discipline and routine are central to the Bible’s advocating and teaching in all matters of Faith-centred living. Growing in obedient living to the Lord demands diligence. It demands practice. It demands focus. Every bit as much as an athlete in training for the Olympics (2 Tim 2:5, 4:7; 1 Cor 9:24-27).
That’s true for praying, for church attendance and bible study, for christian service and for financial giving - firstfruits.
"Now about the collection for God’s people... On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income...." [1 Cor 16:1,2]
Stewardship.
We’ve spent the whole time talking about money.
Did it occur to you that we could just as easily have talked about time?
That’s another issue that has just as many hooks on it. Especially in today’s stress-filled society.
How do you handle your time?
Does the Lord get His fair share? Can we look God in the eye and say that we’re contributing our due to the work of His Kingdom?
May I suggest that if you are not giving a measurable portion of each week to the work of the Lord, somewhere in some visible form, if you can’t find even one or two hours a week to put your shoulder to the wheel of Christian Kingdom work, some serious questions need to be asked.....
...... assuming, of course, that you are truly striving to live as a Christ-honoring Steward! That’s a given to our whole discussion.
And in both matters of time and money - beyond immediate contributions towards the work of the Kingdom; stewardship will ask questions about what we do with the rest.
In what measure we consume.
How careful we are as regards those around us.
How gentle we are with limited resources.
Whether it be time, money, food, fuel...... whatever -
the issue is the same one that faced the rich young man.
Who is in charge?
Who owns what?
Does it all REALLY belong to you?
Or is it a precious treasure entrusted to you?
If so - is it meant entirely for your own pleasure and consumption?
And to whom are you accountable?
The rich young man would have to clear his deck completely in order to be able to give the correct answer.
What’s the status in your life?
Who is Lord? Who has greatest hook into your soul?
And what does your daytimer suggest?
Your cheque book?
Your garbage can?
Your thermostat settings?
