New Consecration Sunday 11/13/11
New Consecration Sunday
11/13/11
Text: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Title: The Power of Grace.
It is so good to see a full church on New Consecration Sunday. It is that dreaded one Sunday a year when the pastor talks about how much money each of us should be giving. I am not going to talk about money today, as strange as that might seem since all the readings appear to be about money, for we are not here today to talk about money, but to willingly consecrate ourselves to God’s service. Consecration; just what does that word mean?
To consecrate means to dedicate something or someone to God for his service. As we are using the word today we are saying that we have come together as the people of God to dedicate our whole life to the service of God.
Why do we consecrate ourselves to God? Well there are a lot of reasons. The main one being that we owe our very existence to God. If it were not for his mercy toward us, especially the giving of his son Jesus unto death for us we would not be able to live with God when we depart this earthly life.
But there are other reasons to consecrate our lives to God like all the blessings he bestows on us during this life. Even in the midst of disease and loneliness, family and work problems God richly blesses us. Even the poorest in our society rank in the top 10 percent of the world’s richest people.
In our Old Testament reading for this morning where David is asking those present after he had given an extremely huge sum toward the building of the temple, “Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the Lord?”
He continues in verse 14, “But who am I, and what is my people that we should be able thus to offer willingly?” In other words how can it be that our hearts are changed from being inwardly focused to being outwardly focused on you and your work? He answers his own question by saying, “For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.” You see King David knows that when a person’s heart is open to God that they will gladly do what they can for the glory of God.
The people knew they were blessed by God, as a nation and as individuals. They knew they had done great wrong, but that in their repentance God had forgiven them and blessed them, as he protected them from their enemies and prospered them. They knew it was God and so they willingly gave of what they had for the building of the temple, the teaching of God’s Word, and the care of the poor.
Today, as New Testament people, we know that we are saved from the damnation that we still deserve by the graciousness of God on behalf of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. We know that and we count on it. In fact we bet our eternal lives on it.
As I said earlier we as a people are so blessed by God. Things that we take for granted others never see. So many times we are ungrateful for all that God has done, for we think it is our work that gets us what we have.
God asks one thing of those he died for on that cross; that is to be faithful to him and his commands. Have you ever prayed to God for more time, money, or abilities so that you could do more for him and never got any of it? Maybe it is because you have sown sparingly as our Epistle reading tells us those who sow sparingly reap sparingly.
In other words God will not bless you in abundance, now I am not talking of money here, although it could be, but in spiritual abundance, if you are not faithful in the small everyday blessings of life how can God bless you in a big way?
God tells us to sow bountifully and you will reap bountifully. How does that work you ask. Well, go down to verse 10 where you are told that it is God who is doing the giving. It is not yours, but Gods. Everything you have or do only comes to you through the graciousness of God, for he has given you, as we were reminded a week ago, the gifts to do what God wants you to do in his kingdom. Think not? Think others are better equipped than you to do the Lord’s work? Think that you aren’t capable of working in the Lord’s kingdom?
If so take a look at verse 8 where he tells you, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, ‘He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’”
This is what God is saying to you. God will give you what you need to work in his kingdom. He is the one giving through you to help those in need. That is where the congregation’s work comes in. We, just like the people at Corinth that Paul is writing to, are using our gifts of time, talents, and money to do what the congregation at Corinth was doing; sharing the goodness of God with those who are in need, whether it is a spiritual, emotional, physical, or relational need.
But there is more in the sharing of gifts with others than first meets the eye, as God tells us in verse 12, “For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others”
God is telling you that in your helping of others no matter how unimportant you might think it is that your love and generosity will cause them to give glory to God, for they know why you are helping them the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.
In verse 14 he tells you that all of this, the generosity of your heart and the thankfulness of their hearts are only possible because of the grace of God. Thanks be to God for inexpressible gift. Amen.
11/13/11
Text: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Title: The Power of Grace.
It is so good to see a full church on New Consecration Sunday. It is that dreaded one Sunday a year when the pastor talks about how much money each of us should be giving. I am not going to talk about money today, as strange as that might seem since all the readings appear to be about money, for we are not here today to talk about money, but to willingly consecrate ourselves to God’s service. Consecration; just what does that word mean?
To consecrate means to dedicate something or someone to God for his service. As we are using the word today we are saying that we have come together as the people of God to dedicate our whole life to the service of God.
Why do we consecrate ourselves to God? Well there are a lot of reasons. The main one being that we owe our very existence to God. If it were not for his mercy toward us, especially the giving of his son Jesus unto death for us we would not be able to live with God when we depart this earthly life.
But there are other reasons to consecrate our lives to God like all the blessings he bestows on us during this life. Even in the midst of disease and loneliness, family and work problems God richly blesses us. Even the poorest in our society rank in the top 10 percent of the world’s richest people.
In our Old Testament reading for this morning where David is asking those present after he had given an extremely huge sum toward the building of the temple, “Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the Lord?”
He continues in verse 14, “But who am I, and what is my people that we should be able thus to offer willingly?” In other words how can it be that our hearts are changed from being inwardly focused to being outwardly focused on you and your work? He answers his own question by saying, “For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.” You see King David knows that when a person’s heart is open to God that they will gladly do what they can for the glory of God.
The people knew they were blessed by God, as a nation and as individuals. They knew they had done great wrong, but that in their repentance God had forgiven them and blessed them, as he protected them from their enemies and prospered them. They knew it was God and so they willingly gave of what they had for the building of the temple, the teaching of God’s Word, and the care of the poor.
Today, as New Testament people, we know that we are saved from the damnation that we still deserve by the graciousness of God on behalf of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. We know that and we count on it. In fact we bet our eternal lives on it.
As I said earlier we as a people are so blessed by God. Things that we take for granted others never see. So many times we are ungrateful for all that God has done, for we think it is our work that gets us what we have.
God asks one thing of those he died for on that cross; that is to be faithful to him and his commands. Have you ever prayed to God for more time, money, or abilities so that you could do more for him and never got any of it? Maybe it is because you have sown sparingly as our Epistle reading tells us those who sow sparingly reap sparingly.
In other words God will not bless you in abundance, now I am not talking of money here, although it could be, but in spiritual abundance, if you are not faithful in the small everyday blessings of life how can God bless you in a big way?
God tells us to sow bountifully and you will reap bountifully. How does that work you ask. Well, go down to verse 10 where you are told that it is God who is doing the giving. It is not yours, but Gods. Everything you have or do only comes to you through the graciousness of God, for he has given you, as we were reminded a week ago, the gifts to do what God wants you to do in his kingdom. Think not? Think others are better equipped than you to do the Lord’s work? Think that you aren’t capable of working in the Lord’s kingdom?
If so take a look at verse 8 where he tells you, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, ‘He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’”
This is what God is saying to you. God will give you what you need to work in his kingdom. He is the one giving through you to help those in need. That is where the congregation’s work comes in. We, just like the people at Corinth that Paul is writing to, are using our gifts of time, talents, and money to do what the congregation at Corinth was doing; sharing the goodness of God with those who are in need, whether it is a spiritual, emotional, physical, or relational need.
But there is more in the sharing of gifts with others than first meets the eye, as God tells us in verse 12, “For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others”
God is telling you that in your helping of others no matter how unimportant you might think it is that your love and generosity will cause them to give glory to God, for they know why you are helping them the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.
In verse 14 he tells you that all of this, the generosity of your heart and the thankfulness of their hearts are only possible because of the grace of God. Thanks be to God for inexpressible gift. Amen.
posted by Pastor Rhoads | 1:32 PM
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