Stewards of God's Gifts

Pastor’s Window on June, 2007

Stewards of God’s Gifts

Beloved in Christ, many in our congregation are concerned about our current shortfall in our General Fund. There is no doubt that both our offerings and attendance at the Divine Service have been slack in recent weeks. While this may be reason for concern, it is not reason for worry. There is a big difference between the two. When we are concerned about something, we pay extra attention to it so that if there is a problem, we work toward a solution. Worry, however, is an anxiety over the future, which betrays a lack of faith in our Lord’s providence, and is therefore sin. Worry doesn’t help us solve the problem. Jesus reminds us of the futility of worrying: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matt. 6:27; NIV). This may be a time for concern, but not a time for worry, and certainly not a time for panic. In our concern, using the common sense our Lord has given us, we can work toward a solution.

I submit to you that the solution to our decreasing offerings and lack of faithful church attendance (these are two separate issues, very much related, but distinct) is primarily theological. In other words, the answer isn’t simply, “Everybody give more money,” although that may be a part of it. Rather, the answer lies in changing our understanding and attitude toward the gifts God gives us. Our understanding and attitude has been distorted by sin. In other words, the answer is repentance, a turning away from our selfishness and greed in faith toward God, the Giver of all good gifts, as St. James writes, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17; ESV). We need to recognize that all we are and have belongs to God. He has given them to us to be used for His glory and in service to our neighbor. Nothing belongs to us. It all belongs to God. We are called upon to be stewards of the gifts, taking care of them and using them wisely for others.

Because we are unfaithful and want to keep God’s gifts for ourselves, our Lord Jesus had to fulfill this commandment for us. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). God has credited Christ’s righteousness to us. Christ has justified us (made us righteous) by giving His whole being in our behalf, so that we are now freed from sin and selfishness. Now the Holy Spirit sanctifies us (makes us holy) through His gifts in Word and Sacrament, so that we actually start to look like Jesus, giving all that we have, our “time, talent, and treasures,” and even our very selves in service to the neighbor and for God’s glory. When we give of our abundance to fill our neighbor’s lack, this is called mercy. It looks just like God’s mercy to us in Christ. Our generosity is based on His perfect generosity. And this is the new attitude that the Holy Spirit would mold in our hearts.

Christ is a self-giving God. Christians are self-giving people. Insofar as we are not self-giving, let us repent. Self-giving takes faith that God will provide. And He will. In fact, He does. He provides all that we need. As I said at the voters’ meeting, if we as a individuals and as a congregation want to be stingy with our money (and with our time and talents for that matter), God will give us what we need to be stingy (think about what that is). But if we want to be generous as individuals and as a congregation, God will give us what we need to be generous. We have a great deal of money in the bank. Most congregations do not. Whether we leave the money there to draw interest or whether we decide to use it in mission, let’s make our decisions on the basis of love and compassion for the lost and for those in need, as self-givers. We should be wise in our use of it, to be sure, not using it impetuously. But let us be generous, as our Lord is generous to us. And God will provide. “Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Malachi 3:10; This is the promise… but see the full context of the verse where God calls the withholding of His gifts “robbery,” vv. 6-9). “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 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” (2 Cor. 9:6-8).

All good things come from God. Let us give back into His service whatever we can (some can afford more, others less, but whatever you give, give it both cheerfully and sacrificially in thanksgiving). That includes not only money, but our time as well, especially at the Divine Service on Sunday morning. And it includes the talents God gives us as we utilize them in service to the neighbor. In so doing, the Church will become a mercy place rather than an institutional beast, which constantly demands that we feed it money. The Church is the place where God’s mercy in Christ Jesus is distributed freely, and we give ourselves in mercy for the sake of the other.

The next few months’ articles will reflect on related topics, including mercy, mission, the importance of church attendance, and next month my reflections on my first year of ministry among you and my vision for where we go from here, hopefully a good conversation starter as we share our collective vision for Epiphany.

With love and joy in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Pastor Krenz

P. S. Check out two new publications in our literature rack: Rev. Matthew Harrison’s Theology for Mercy (limited supply… we will order more) and a devotional book on stewardship from our English District office, Give it All You’ve Got!