Sunday, Nov. 24: “Jesus gave it all” (week 4 of 4)

Our four week series Stewardship: Who do YOU see? continues with “Jesus gave it all”  Jesus spoke about money/wealth/possessions more than anything else except his central message of the Kingdom of God.  Today we focus on Jesus ‘poverty’ that makes us ‘rich.’

The First Reading:  Colossians 1:11-20 (NLT)

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, ¹² always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, ¹⁴ who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.  
¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.  
      He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,  
¹⁶ for through him God created everything  
      in the heavenly realms and on earth.  
He made the things we can see  
      and the things we can’t see—  
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.  
      Everything was created through him and for him.  
¹⁷ He existed before anything else,  
      and he holds all creation together.  
¹⁸ Christ is also the head of the church, 
      which is his body.  
He is the beginning,  
      supreme over all who rise from the dead.  
      So he is first in everything. 
¹⁹ For God in all his fullness 
      was pleased to live in Christ, 
²⁰ and through him God reconciled  
      everything to himself.  
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth  
      by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. 

The Second Reading:  2 Corinthians 6:1-10 (NLT)

As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. ² For God says, 
     “At just the right time, I heard you.  
          On the day of salvation, I helped you.”  
Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. 
   ³ We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. ⁴ In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. ⁵ We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. ⁶ We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. ⁷ We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. ⁸ We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. ⁹ We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. ¹⁰ Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. 

The Gospel:  Luke 23:33-43 (NRSV)

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴ Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. ³⁵ And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" ³⁶ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, ³⁷ and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" ³⁸ There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."  
     ³⁹ One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" 
     ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." ⁴² Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  
     ⁴³ He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

 

Saturday, November 23 – Where does ‘goodness’ come from?

The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶  In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."  –Jeremiah  23:5-6 (NRSV)

Some people seem to have a well of ‘goodness’ that flows out of them.  They’re considerate and kind; they think of others and seem mostly peaceful rather than angry & complaining.  Where does that come from?

We know that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23)...but there is something worthy of God’s attention and love in each one of us.  Some ‘goodness’ we’ve learned at home or school or church or at work.  But the source of all ‘goodness’ (righteousness as the Bible calls it)...is from the ‘branch’ of David’s family tree...the One in whom the fullness of God chose to dwell...the One who chose to become poor so that we might become rich! ...in goodness.  Talk to him about it.

Friday, November 22 – A “key” truth

And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.” –2 Corinthians 9:8 (NRSV)

These three verses—2 Corinthians 9:6-7-8—all go together; each part reinforces the others.  But I would say that this verse is the key.  If we don’t believe this truth, we won’t take much of a chance on the others.

Like the others, this isn’t always immediate...or proportional.  The reward for our efforts doesn’t always appear in the manner or time frame we think it should...so do we give up on God’s abundance?

Talk to Jesus about trusting God’s abundance...and his work...

Thursday, November 21 – Cheerful, joyful giving

Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  –2 Corinthians 9:7 (NRSV)

Sometimes we give or sow sparingly because we’re afraid the verses on Wednesday aren’t true.  We just put our toe in the water, when we need to take the plunge...or at least walk into the water and begin to swim.

How have you made up your mind to give?  And that’s not just ‘church giving.’  Even though Paul is talking about offerings to meet the need of the churches in Jerusalem, it works for many other things as well.  How have you made up your mind to give... time to family, lend to the neighbors, get to know strangers, share your relationship with Jesus?

What takes some time is becoming a cheerful giver, especially if you’re of the personality that is afraid of loss.  You’re reluctant to give because you’re afraid you won’t have enough for yourself...(read Friday’s devotion)

Over time the joy and cheerfulness of giving comes as you see the results of your giving...the joy it brings to others...and the joy it brings to you.  Talk to God about your attitude toward giving.

Wednesday, November 20 – Giving and Getting

“...give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."      –Luke 6:38 (NRSV)

 “The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  —2 Corinthians 9:6 (NRSV)

This seems to be a ‘law of the universe.’  You reap what you sow.  What goes around comes around.  You get what you give.  There are many ways of saying it, but the basic truth remains:  You get out what you put in.  If you practice diligently you become skilled whether it’s a sport, music, craft, language...  The results aren’t always immediate or exactly proportional, but the law seems to hold...except in the case of our salvation. ... There we get what God put into it.

And in that case, our effort...in response to God’s...draws us deeper and richer into the bounty that is the life that God keeps giving away.

Talk to God about your giving...and getting.