As almost everyone of this congregation and audience knows, the year 2020 has been a most challenging one, to say the least. It has been even devastating to some, at the worst. In such times, it can be exceedingly difficult to manifest our faith, to proclaim our unyielding belief to God and to Christ, much less to pledge some of our resources to others amidst such malaise, for sure. Nonetheless, I believe it is important to revisit the core themes and beliefs of what constitutes good and faithful stewardship despite the secular and often immutable challenges we continue to face right now. These themes in today’s message may hopefully foment greater inner self-reflection and, ideally, stronger outer manifestations of our Christian calling in these most unusual times.

The 5 T’s:

1. Time: We are admonished to give others our time to bestow more good. While a precious commodity, it is incumbent upon us to not waver from this dedication. As the fourth commandment reminds us: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy… the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” [Exodus 20, 8-12]. When others may ask of us “How do you find time for time for God or church in your busy life?”, I am reminded of what my dear Mom opined: If you have 168 hours in a week to live and work and sleep, you can recharge your spiritual batteries for God one hour per week….”

2. Talents: This congregation is blessed to have such a fruitful reservoir of talented and gifted individuals among us. As we know the innate fruits of the spirit from Galatians 5, 22: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” And, as Ephesians continues: we are “created in Christ Jesus to do good works., which God prepared in advance for us to do.” [Ephesians 2: 10.]

So, it most important that we not let these remain latent or unused. I believe this church can instill that each of our talents be exhibited and utilized to the greatest extent possible…..are you truly using even a portion of your fruits, your gifts in the life of this church or your world?

3. Treasures: Most of us are endowed with many resources and abundance. The Lord asks that we “ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Bring Give to the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” [1 Chronicles 16:29.] In this season of stewardship, I believe it is right that we remit (just some, a fraction of) the many treasures we have.

4. Temple: “… Another part of our stewardship should be the proclamation of the corporate body, the Church. There is an invitation in scripture to glorify God. The apostle Paul defines our bodies as the place to glorify God, as the temple of the Holy spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.” So, not only is our body a manifestation of our belief in God’s omnipotence, so too is our conduct in how we manifest conduct with all that those we encounter. As the Saint Teresa of Avila wrote back in the 1500’s:
“Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion for the world is to look out; yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good; and your are the hands with which He is to bless us now.”
So, ask yourself: Are you in awe, of this constant reminder? That we are truly vessels for Christ, that how we speak, and act, and conduct ourselves in our daily lives…it is an awesome responsibility…..

5. Truth: In an age of much misinformation, disinformation, and other myths, we can be comforted in knowing that “So, then, just as you received Christ, Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” [Colossians 2: 6.]

6. SUM: So, why do we give? Besides the aforementioned spiritual tenants just outlines, I believe that all of us have an inner desire to make some difference, to someone, someday, somehow. If we do not attempt to share that desire, that wish, then we risk living a life that is unfulfilled. This goal is best crystallized by the poet Topaz, who wrote, “Making a Dent in the Universe:”

Show up. Speak up. This is where life is LIVED. Live the
Story you want to tell. Bring your awesomesauce. Leave
no good thing unsaid. Leave no life untouched. BE the
MAGIC. Write on the wall of life.

As I close this morning, I implore all of us, in the spirit of one church, one body of Christ, as one community to live as Ephesians 4:1—3 calls us: “to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

After all, would this not be a wonderful model for others to so model and to live their lives, too???

– David H. Morgan