October 19, 2008 Sermon
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Proper 24 - A
October 19, 2008 Allan Conkling
"Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and give to God the things that are God’s.” "
I. What a great line that is!
a. With a turn of a phrase Jesus seized the high ground in a debate, and left his opponents murmuring amongst themselves: "Gosh, Why didn’t I think of that?"
b. What's more, while they were arguing he left and probably kept the coin!
II. No one could have been more surprised than the Pharisees when Jesus answered their challenge.
a. Pharisees are always portrayed as dumb or bad-guys in the Bible but historians tell us that they were in fact very religious, very pious men.
b. They cared greatly for their nation, for their people, their temple, and God.
c. They too would have had to wrestle with how to live day to day as a believer in a secular culture.
d. They are not that different from you and me.
e. The question they asked is as timely today as it was then: What is my responsibility to God and to this temple? What does belong to me? What am I entitled to keep, and what should I as a Christian be prepared to give away?
III. Now unless you just stumbled into a pew for the very first time, you know that we are in our Fall Stewardship and Pledge drive.
a. Every member of this church has received a Stewardship packet in the mail, and if you did not, we have packets and pledge cards at the back of the church.
b. Tonight is our Annual Stewardship Dinner.
c. We are being challenged to set our goals high in these tough economic times and to make a pledge to support the operating budget of this church.
d. We are being invited to consider what we call proportional giving--that is making an intentional, measured, proportional pledge to the Church.
IV. When doing this I try to lead by example:
a. For years it has been my offering to give 10%--a tithe--of the net income paid to me each month to the church.
b. This has been hard at times, through several downturns in the economy, but I believe that God has blessed my obedience more that I can ever say.
c. Your pledge in whatever amount or proportion is an investment in our future.
d. It releases this church to become all that God would have it be.
e. In a moment Wayne and Shelly Neighbors will share with us what Emmanuel means to them and for the future of their children as new members.
V. However, remember that we give not because we think God needs it.
a. This isn't the United Way and you won’t see a thermometer at the front of the church.
b. Instead, we give because we need to.
c. Stewardship is not about the one who simply "bucks up" and pays dues for membership.
d. The country club will throw you out for non payment, but not here.
VI. We pledge because when we do the Holy Spirit releases us to become all we have been created to be in God's sight.
a. To invest and dedicate your life to Christ, "to serve a living and true God" as Paul says in today's NT, is to invest in something that you know is going to be good.
b. It is far better than the stock market and definitely more stable than a barrel of oil!
VII. Jesus timely response to the Pharisees, "Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's and give to God the things that are God’s." can evoke in us a similar moment of insight.
a. Today as we say our prayers, as we take communion, as we see the children grow, we can begin to view the world in a new light.
b. It can be that V-8 moment: "Man, why didn’t I think of that?!"
c. What we do with our stuff: who we give it to, what we keep is now seen from a "God’s eye view"
VIII. Today, listen closely to the closing prayer at the end of worship:
8:00: "Assist us with thy grace...that we may do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in..." OR,
10:30: "Send us now into the world in peace and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart..."
Do you want to be truly free from fear, doubt, worry or anxiety? Give your life to God: "Render to God the things that are God's" and you won’t be disappointed.
Copyright © 2003 Emmanuel Episcopal Church. All rights reserved.
Revised: 10/27/08