Sermons from Moorpark Presbyterian Church

Give to the Giver

by Janet Loughry

Third John and I Timothy 6:6-21

March 18, 2001

Don’t worry. This is not a Stewardship sermon. I realize the title might be a bit confusing after the Children’s Sermon on tithing and the title in your bulletin. to you. But, please just take a look out the windows. The leaves have not changed to the beautiful Fall colors (Fall being the time when Dave preaches that sermon.). And the first day of Spring is this Tuesday. So never fear! That "Sermon on the Amount" is still just a few months off.

But, you know, that particular sermon is a real necessary one. It is necessary because the secular world is never going to pay to be evangelized. Those finances will come from the church. It is the Church of Jesus Christ that must ensure that those financial needs are met.

But true Stewardship is more than a once-a-year thing. It is all about how to give to the Giver - all year long. It is about being convicted and taking action on all manner of giving. Conviction and action are necessary because much has been given to us, therefore. we have the responsibility to give much.

Bill Hybels of Willow Creek, states: "We live in a me-centered world. Me-ism has a devastating effect on marriage and family. Someone who is me-istic, views his or her spouse as someone to meet their needs rather than a person to love and nurture. Parents who get me-istic, consider their children an interruption, rather than an investment."

He goes on to say, "Me-ism is also rampant in the workplace. It causes those traditional ‘management versus labor’ battles. Management says, ‘We own the company. We run it. And we want the profits.’ Labor says, ‘We work hard, so we want higher pay, fewer hours, and more benefits.’ The war goes on as the warriors - on both sides - lift up the battle cry, ‘Me! Me! Me!’"

He says that, "Me-ism is even rampant in the church. Many people attend a church because it makes them feel good. Their primary concern is what they gain from the experience.

Bill goes on to say, "This me-ism in our culture is often accentuated by the media... ‘You deserve a break today.’ ‘You need this car - this one’s for you.’ ‘Have it your way.’ ‘Do yourself a favor.’ Today, it is very easy to get sucked into the pattern of seeking first the things we want" - And keeping it all to ourselves. It would seem the treasure in our Me-ism culture is just that - Me! Me! Me! And Mine! Mine! Mine!

So how does God view this Me-istic way of life? First of all, God is very interested. God is very interested in what we give and how we give. In the story of the widow and the mite from Mark’s Gospel, we are told that at one point Jesus was very interested is what and how the people gave. We are told Jesus just sat right down to watch as people gave. God watches with interest. Secondly, God takes our giving very personally. God wants us to treasure what He treasures. God wants us to love Him. He wants our love to be so great for Him that it is extended to those who love God, and whom God loves, too. This is pretty personal.

We can take our cue from the giving model Gaius from Third John. Gaius is a person who did not just sit around the village square thinking of himself and what would benefit him, and his lifestyle. Gaius did not just make comments over at the City Gate about "thinking" that he "should be" doing "something". He did not just feel a conviction, with no result like the people in the drama. Gaius put action into his convictions.

He knew he would probably never go to a foreign mission field. He felt he was not called to be an itinerant preacher and evangelist like John’s friends Peter and Paul. He did not feel he had the gift of writing and teaching like this particular friend John, who wrote him this very encouraging letter.

However, Gaius must have had an extra room or two in his own home. Now this was a time when inns had the reputation of being dirty and flea-infested traps. The inn keepers were compared to pirates - "pirates who held their guests at ransom before they allowed them to escape." Gaius took a big risk. He put his own reputation on the line within his own community. He opened his home. He unreservedly exercised the gift of hospitality to those itinerant preachers, missionaries, evangelists - those friends of the church - traveling through that area. As the I Timothy passage that Dave read states: Gaius was rich in good works. He was generous and ready to share.

Gaius took a further risk in welcoming the friends of the church into his home. That risk held a threat that would no doubt come from Diotrephes, or others like him. John tells us that Diotrephes, a leader within the church, was one who "liked to put himself first." Diotrephes would NOT have approved of what Gaius was doing in accepting and receiving these friends.

You see, Diotrephes had the mind set that his gifts were the best and that his authority was all that was necessary within the church community. Diotrephes was verbally unaccepting of these friends. He would not receive these friends. He also forbad others to do so.

So there was a genuine risk involved for Gaius. There was a track record that Diotrephes had already rejected and kicked people out of the church for doing exactly what Gaius had chosen to do. Again the I Timothy passage comes to mind, in that Diotrephes had fallen into a different kind of temptation snare. This was plunging Diotrephes into a spiritual ruin and destruction.

Back to our giving model from Gaius: Gaius also gave sacrificially. Any money spent on this bed and breakfast was out of Gaius’ own pocket. He did not have an expense account on this B and B venture to turn in to his local church for reimbursement. The Presbytery of the Greater Roman Empire did not reimburse even one denarius.

As Gaius would accept and receive these people into his Bed and Breakfast - into his home, he was accepting them into his heart - no matter the cost.

After they would have been spiritually and emotionally beat up and chewed up, rejected and refused a place to rest, by Diotrephes and his cronies, these friends of the church would meet up with Gaius. Gaius put to use his talent, or the gift of hospitality that God gave him.

His was more than the offering of just the clean, comfortable, physical welcoming. It was that Gaius was able to minister to the different friends by picking up the pieces strewn all over by Diotrephes, and others like him. My guess is that much of Gaius’ time was given in the way of his calming, peaceful and accepting presence. He, no doubt prayed with and for these people. His love for God and these friends would have been such an encouragement to them.

Now some of you may know the feeling, or would like to know the feeling, of finally being "off duty." Sometimes it would be nice to kick off your shoes, put your feet up and click "off". I would think there were probably many times when Gaius would have enjoyed nothing more than to kick off his sandals and just be "off duty." I would not be surprised that Gaius’ was always on duty, and cheerfully so, for God.

Gaius teaches us the way we Christians ought to live out our faith in love. His ministry was being used in the church to fill specific personal needs for others. Gaius opened his hands. He opened his heart. He helped pave the way for the Gospel. His was a full spectrum ministry. That full spectrum ministry obviously included the risks Gaius took, his sacrificial giving, his time, his cheerful presence, prayers and encouragement. His full spectrum ministry then also included sending these people back on the road "in a manner worthy of God" rested, rejuvenated, refreshed and ready to continue to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

He kept his door open. Therefore, the door of God’s love was kept open. In this way, Gaius also gave indirectly because of his love for God. His love for God was so great that it extended to those who loved God, and whom God loved, also.

Now, most of my growing up years I had a step-sister whose birthday is just 4 months after mine. Many more times than I care to recall, we were given mutual gifts. Several dolls, special books, and my bicycle are just a few gifts that stick out in my memory as gifts that were given to Sandy, but through me, or through the event of my birthday. When I was little and I was given a beautiful doll, with red hair, I certainly never appreciated being told how or when I could use it. Nor that I had to save it, for the good of someone else, especially Sandy! I honestly do not remember Sandy being told she had to save her gifts for me and MY use! This is a NON-issue, I bare no more pain! I harbor no ill feelings over this toward Sandy, well, not much anyway. And Rick Blackmon does not need to counsel me after church today.

Nonetheless, does this mean that I could not treasure that doll, or book or bike as mine because of the stipulations put on the gift. Well, as a child, unfortunately, the answer is "YES!" And I can’t say I was very cheerful about it either. However, as a Christian I cannot resent gifts given to me for use in the church.

Are we, you and I, not treasure the gifts that God has given us-even with or because of-the stipulation we are to use them for the church, for His purposes?

The Apostle Paul tells us that gifts are given to the church through us-you and me-the people. The people who make up each particular, local church. The gifts that God gives us for His use through the church are His in the first place! That’s personal!

What happens when we do not work to express those gifts within the Body of Christ - the church? We rob the church! In Malachi chapter 3, we are told we ultimately rob the Giver of those gifts, and their purposes for His Church. We rob God! We rob God when we keep our own hands and hearts closed. We rob God when we keep our own stuff, that is our gifts-be it money, encouragement, expression of care, teaching, administration, leadership, creativity, time or praying ability - in our closed hands and in our closed hearts. We rob God when our feelings and our actions are only lukewarm for Him. We rob God when we do nothing, when we already know it all belongs to Him.

As I said, God is very interested and to God it is very personal what we do with the gifts He gives us. God wants our hearts. Therefore, God wants all of us. To quote from this week’s Small Group Lenten material: "The goal of every heart ought to be to treasure that which is treasured by God." God created us. That is a treasure. God gave us gifts we are to use for His purposes. That is a treasure. God also gave us eternal life. That is a very personal treasure.

In your small groups this week, you will be asked to look at several scripture passages that tell you what it should be like to treasure what God treasures. Perhaps God is tugging at your heart strings, as we saw played out in the drama presented earlier. It is from Revelations 3 where we learn that our work for the church is not to be lukewarm. Conviction without leading to action is just mind games. It is worse than doing nothing. Being lukewarm is simply not good enough in using your gifts in giving to the Giver.

It is through and in the church where we surround ourselves with people who demand much of themselves because of their faith in Jesus. This is where much is demanded of us. Together we serve with those gifts the Giver has given us. Together we serve the One who "came not to be served but to serve..."

There are many areas in which to serve right here. If you happen to be visiting from your own home, local church, when you go back, I encourage you to find places of ministry where you can give of your gifts in your local church. If you are not sure what in the world your gift could possible be, there are different avenues to assist in that discovery process. One of the best ways is to ask your friends what they see your gifts from God might be. There are also Gift Inventories that I have, so come see me. If you are not sure where, how or when, your gifts could be expressed, we have ways to inform you. The ministry teams meet the third Tuesday. That just happens to be this coming Tuesday. I’ll be here, I hope you will be, too. I’ll look for you. The notice is in the bulletin and newsletter indicating the appropriate person to contact for information. You are welcome and urged to contact me or Dave.

Whatever your circumstance: a missionary to the secular and business world, or a preacher and teacher to kids or adults, an organized leader, a first-line pastoral caregiver, or a prayer warrior, you are called not to be lukewarm. However you express your gifts it should not be routine. And remember what Dave said in his sermon on March 4: There is no age limit on service. Christians don’t have a retirement age." And young people, age on the other end of that scale is not to be a factor either.

In a recent Upper Room Devotional a snowflake and a blanket of snow were compared to the church. It was said that, "Each snowflake is intricate and unique, yet the snow forms one blanket over the land. Each member of the church is intricate and unique. Each is given beautiful gifts of God. Yet together we use our gifts for one purpose: to build unity in the church, so the world will see the love of God in us."

Working out that unity and showing that love to the world, spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, begins right here. In expressing the many gifts given to us by God, our love of God will be extended to those who love God, and whom God loves, also.