Honoring God – November 3, 2024, Stewardship Dedication Sunday
Proverbs 3:1-10, I Peter 4:7-11
November 3:2024
I took the sermon title today from our reading in Proverbs. (Proverbs 3:9) “Honor the Lord with your sustenance, and with the first fruits of all your produce.” That’s a thought that keeps going around in my head. Do we think of our Stewardship as “honoring God?”
As you know, we often think of Stewardship in terms of “The Three T’s.” We’re called to give of our “Time,” our “Talent,” and our “Treasure.” The question is, when we give of ourselves in those ways, do we do so “Honoring God?”
That’s a good thought, isn’t it? Do we give of ourselves in order to honor God? And do we do so in ways that honor God? And while you’re thinking about that, think about what other things do we do in our lives that honor God? I’m thinking about Paul begging the Ephesians to “live a life worthy of their call.” Do we think about that when we think of “honoring God?”
I know that’s a lot of questions. But that’s what I want you to think about this week. As you think about Stewardship, I want you to be thinking in terms of “honoring God.” That’s what this time of dedication is all about, of course. But I also want you to think about “honoring God” in how you live your lives. I want you to think about it in those two ways – what you give, and how you live! (That’s a nice rhyme, too, isn’t it?)
Think about this. Do you remember the whole, “What would Jesus Do?” thing? There were wristbands, and T-shirts, and bumper stickers that had the letters, “WWJD.” “What Would Jesus Do?” That was the challenge Charles Sheldon gave in his book entitled, “In His Steps.” If you remember, that was a story about a pastor who challenged the people of his town to make no decision in their lives, and to take no action, without first asking “What would Jesus do?” And it changed that whole town! And of course the book challenged its readers to do the same.
Well, I’m thinking of a similar challenge today. I would challenge you to think about this before everything you do. “What would honor God?” (What is that, WWHG?”) Think about that. What if, before everything you did or said, you asked yourself, “What would honor God” in this situation? Do you think that would change what you would say or do? Would it change how you were about to speak to someone? Would it change your actions? Would it even change what you’re thinking?
There’s a prayer I’ve uttered many times – especially when I’m unsure about something, I say, “Lord, how do you want me to think about this.” And I really want to know! I want to know how God wants me to think! Because sometimes I don’t know what to think about something. And of course, there are many people in our world who say, “I can’t help what I think.” And if you know me, you know that I say, “Nonsense!” We can “help what we think!” In fact, as God’s people, we are called to “help what we think!”
Paul told the Corinthians, “We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive in obedience to Christ.” (II Corinthians 10:5) That means there are times as God’s people that we need to stop ourselves from thinking one thing and choose to think another. So yes, this challenge today includes our thinking. “Does what I’m thinking, or what I’m about to think, honor God?” That would affect our thinking, wouldn’t it? And of course it would affect our words and our actions. Because our words and actions come from our thinking! So, does what we do, or say, or think honor God?
I talked a couple of weeks ago about “planting seeds.” Remember? I suggested that every kind word we speak, and every thoughtful action we take, plants “seeds” in others – seeds of the Gospel. Well, I think planting those seeds honors God. And that’s part of our “living a life worthy of the call.”
I believe Peter says that in our reading for today. He writes, “As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (I Peter 4:10) We’re stewards of God’s Grace! And Peter says that’s more than just our tangible gifts. He says it’s how we speak. And it’s how we serve. In all that, we’re stewards of God’s varied grace by the way we show his Grace to the world. And the reason we do that, he says, is that “in everything, God may be glorified.” And I would add to that, saying, “in order that God may be honored!”
So we are people of Grace. And as such, we need to think about how we impart Grace to others. Because that honors the God of Grace! And keep in mind the meaning of Grace. As we understand it, Grace is God’s “undeserved favor.” It’s receiving God’s blessing and love even though we don’t deserve it, and we can’t earn it! And that’s what we give to others. When we show kindness to someone, is it because they deserved it? When we show respect to a stranger, have they earned it? As God’s people we give them those things, anyway! That’s how we are people of Grace. That’s what Peter is telling us here. And that honors God!
Years ago, a person tried to draw me into a political argument. (Have any of you had that happen lately?) Well, in this case I saw it coming! And I quickly said – trying not to be dismissive – “I’m sorry, but I just can’t do the political thing!” “Because I’m so saddened that we have lost the ability in this country to show respect for people we disagree with. And that is polarizing us terribly!”
Well, I thought that was the end of it. I thought no “discussion” was going to happen. And actually, it didn’t. But later, that person came to me and said, “You know, you’re right about what you said. People need to learn that respect is something that needs to be earned.” And I said, “That’s where I disagree the most. Respect is something that needs to be chosen – whether the other person earns it or not!” “And until we do that, until we learn to choose to respect those who disagree with us, we will never get out of this!”
I felt like I needed to say that on the eve of this election. Because that’s the choice of Grace! And as God’s people we should do that the best! Because that choice is at the heart of our faith. That’s the Grace God showed us. God chose to love us, and it wasn’t a love with strings attached. It wasn’t “I love you if you’ll love me.” It wasn’t “I’ll love you if and when you deserve it.” It was “I love you, period!” And it wasn’t a love that didn’t happen until we deserved it. Paul tells us that “it was while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us.” (Romans 8:5) God did what he did because he loved us. And that is the God we honor! And that is the way we honor him!
So that’s what our Stewardship is about – “Honoring God.” As I like to say when we dedicate our offering, we are “stewards of his Grace, and stewards of this place.” I like the way that rhymes. And it’s a good thought to remember. Yes, we honor God with “The Three T’s.” We give him our time, our talent, and our treasure. That’s what our pledges today represent. And we make those pledges because we are stewards of this place. But we are also stewards of God’s Grace. And we honor him by being people of Grace. We honor him by imparting his Grace to others.
So as you make your pledges, think about doing so “honoring God.” But at the same time, take that challenge with you, out there in the world. Think about your thoughts and words and actions, and keep in mind that question, “What would honor God?” Because honoring God is not just about what you give, it’s about how you live!
Prayer
Eternal God, help us indeed to be people of Grace. We thank you for your great love for us, and we honor you with our gifts and with our lives. May all that we do be for your honor and glory. And we pray in our Savior’s name, Amen.