Sunday's Message: Spiritual Growth for the Height Challenged - Stewardship

When it comes to spiritual growth, have you ever felt “height challenged”? If you’ve ever felt somewhat short in the spirituality department, this sermon series is for you. For five Sundays, we’ll discuss how we might grow in our faith and in our relationship with God. Specifically, we cover the following growth-related topics:

• January 15 – Study
• January 22 – Prayer
• January 29 – Stewardship
• February 5 – Worship
• February 12 – Evangelism

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During the third message in this series, we looked at the importance of stewardship for spiritual growth. Below is a copy and recording of the sermon. You can stream the series by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m.

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Yesterday, I saw this quote: The truth about motherhood is that the days drag on, but the years fly by. And although I guess I agree with what it means, I have two issues with it. You see, first, it doesn’t mention fathers, and given that my daughter is turning 21 on Wednesday, I can say with absolute certainty that it applies to us as well. Now that’s one problem. And second, I don’t know about y’all, but from where I stand, right now the days sure seem to be flying by too. Good night nurse, the month of January is almost in the books, and before you know it, we’ll be getting ready for Spring and warm weather, and no one wants to see that, right? 

Of course, I think this “flying by” business also applies to what’s happening here, and I’m thinking about the sermon series we started a couple of weeks ago entitled “Spiritual Growth for the Height Challenged.” Now, to this point, we’ve talked about two disciplines we might want to develop and apply if we’re serious about growing spiritually. For example, we looked at study as a growth supplement and discussed why it’s important, you know, because it can improve our lives and can enable us to understand God and might even help us avoid being stupid and then how we can effectively do it by taking God’s word and reading it, pondering it and then living it. That was week one. And then last Sunday we looked at prayer and talked about how we’re commanded to do it and we know the great examples of faith did it and it’s something that we just need in our own lives, something that we can certainly accomplish the minute we decide to relax and to focus and to trust. Now, that’s where we’ve been.

And this morning we’re going to move to the third discipline that I believe can help us grow, and now I’m talking about stewardship. But before I say anything else, I want y’all to relax; I’m not going to be talking about budgets and income and tithing. And my goal isn’t to make you feel so uncomfortable and guilty so that you give more. I mean, if you’ve been around the church for any length of time, you know that’s usually what stewardship sermons are about and what they try to do. Let me tell you as clearly as I can, that’s not what we’re going to be doing this morning. Instead, we’re going to take a view of stewardship that’s broader than just money; we’ll include time and talent as well. And our focus will be on the positive relationship between being a good steward of the stuff we might have and the spiritual growth we might want. And with that in mind, we’ll be answering the same kind of questions we’ve considered when we discussed study and prayer. You see, first, we’ll answer the question, why is stewardship important for people who want to grow spiritually? And then second, how might we become better stewards of the gifts God has given us? And hopefully, by the end of our time together, we’ll have a better handle on stewardship as a spiritual discipline.

And as we’ve done twice before, we’ll start with why, why is stewardship important for people who want to grow spiritually? I mean, why does it just make sense for folks like us to think about it and to consider the way we use our time and our talents and our possessions, including money; why should we spend some of our time thinking about what we should do with what we’ve been given? Why is stewardship important? Now that’s the question.

And as I look at the Bible, I think we can find three excellent answers. You see, first, I believe being good stewards helps us feel closer to God. I mean, it strengthens our relationship with the one who’s already given us an awful lot, and it enables us to understand his will and to appreciate his love. In other words, the better we are at handling the blessings we’ve already received, the closer we’ll feel to God. And I’ll tell you, that just makes sense, because isn’t that what God wants us to do, you know, to make good use of what we have? Sure it is. As a matter of fact, it may actually be more important than some of the other stuff we assume is at the top of God’s wish list. I mean, just listen to what the Prophet Amos said to a people who seemed to assume that God was far more interested in religious stuff they did than in how they actually lived their lives. Speaking the word of God, this was what the prophet said:

I, the Lord, hate and despise

your religious celebrations

    and your times of worship.

I won’t accept your offerings

or animal sacrifices—

    not even your very best.

No more of your noisy songs!

I won’t listen

    when you play your harps.

But let justice and fairness

flow like a river

    that never runs dry. [Amos 5:21-24, CEV]

You see, God wants our dedication to be deeper than the words we use or the prayers we pray or the promises we make. You see, he wants those words and prayers and promises to shape the way we live. And he wants the love he commands us to show to be more concrete than a lot of noisy songs or good intentions. You see, when we decide to do what we’ve been called to do with all the stuff we have, I believe we feel closer to God, and that’s one reason why stewardship is important for growth.

And second, I think it also helps us feel connected with others. In other words, our willingness to take seriously the needs of those around us and to use effectively some of our time and talents and possessions to address those needs, I believe this enables us to see the world through their eyes, at least a little bit, and to understand that, in the sight of God, the humanity we share is far more important than all the distinctions the world tells us to make. In a very real way, our willingness to give can connect us with those who receive. And I think that’s what the Apostle Paul was getting at when he wrote this to the Philippians:

Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God’s Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others. Now make me completely happy! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: [Philippians 2:1-4, CEV]

You see, according to Paul, the more love we show, the more harmony and the more unity and the compassion we’re going to feel. And as we approach others with concern and humility rather than jealousy or pride, and as we reach out to those around us with our hands opened rather than our fists clenched, the closer we’ll become. And when you get right down to it, isn’t that what Christ wants us to be? I’m telling you, when we’re Godly stewards of what he’s given us, I believe we’ll feel more connected with others, and that’s another reason why stewardship is important for growth.

And third, when we make the decision to use what we have, I believe that will help us feel more satisfaction within ourselves. You see, although we might get a little boost to our egos when we’re able to build bigger barns to store all our stuff, deep down we all know we’re not going to be taking anything with us. And although we might get a real kick building up treasures on earth, deep down we all know that nothing lasts forever. No, true contentment, true gratification, true inner peace comes when we believe that we’ve done the best we could with what we have. And I think that’s what Peter was getting at when he wrote this:

Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well. If you have the gift of speaking, preach God’s message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful forever. Amen. [1 Peter 4:10-11, CEV]

You see, we have it in our power to improve the world around us, to make the lives of others better and to care for the creation that God entrusted to us. In that way, we’ve been called to be his servants. And I’ll tell you, when my time comes and I’m standing before my Lord, I want him to look at me and the life I lived and the choices I made, and say “You are a good and faithful servant. I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in my happiness!” [Matthew 25:21b, CEV] Choosing to be a faithful servant, a good steward can offer us a lot of satisfaction right here and now. And for me, along with helping us feel closer to God and more connected with others, that’s why stewardship is important for spiritual growth. Now that’s the why.

And with that, we’re left with how, how might we feel closer and more connected and more satisfied. in other words, how might we become better stewards of the gifts that God has given us? Well, for me, it really comes down to taking three steps, and let me share with you what they are.

You see, first, to be good and faithful stewards, I think we must identify the gifts God has given us. And even though the source might be the same, the particular gifts and talents and blessings that have been given to each one of us is different. For example, just listen to what Paul told the Corinthians:

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do. 

The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. Some of us can speak with wisdom, while others can speak with knowledge, but these gifts come from the same Spirit. To others the Spirit has given great faith or the power to heal the sick or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us are prophets, and some of us recognize when God’s Spirit is present. Others can speak different kinds of languages, and still others can tell what these languages mean. But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us. [1 Corinthians 12:4-11, CEV]

You see, although we may have all been created equal, praise the Lord, we’re not all the same. In fact, I think we’re a lot like pieces to a puzzle that fit together to create something greater and more beautiful than any of the individual parts. But to do that, to fit together, we need both to understand who we are and to accept what we have. And even though for some that may be obvious, I think it just might be worth our while to approach God for some insight and to ask some folks who are trustworthy for their opinions and to look within and around ourselves so that we honestly assess who we are and what we have. Of course, we’ll also need to be open and humble in handling the insight and the opinions and the assessments we’re going to receive, particularly when what we hear and see isn’t what we want to believe. You see, for me, being a good steward means identifying the gifts we’ve been given. And that’s step number one.

And once we know who we are and what we have, second, I think we really need to develop those gifts we’ve been given. I mean, even Michael Jordan had to practice his free throws and I’ve got a gut feeling that Jack Nicklaus spent a lot of time improving his putting. You see, having a gift or an ability or a talent is good, but for it to be great, it has to be refined and directed. It’s like what Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, so his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him. 

We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place. Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love. [Ephesians 4:11-16, CEV]

I mean, for us to become everything God created us to be, it just makes sense that our gifts and talents need to grow and become strong. And I’ll tell you, I think the church, this community of believers, can help us do that. And again, that makes sense. If Paul was right and the church is like a body, it’s in our interest to make sure every part is both efficient and effective. As a matter of fact, as brothers and sisters called and empowered by God himself, we might want to give the people here the opportunity to grow into the men and women they were created to be. Once identified, we need to develop our gifts and talents. And for me, that’s step number two.

And third, after they’re identified and developed, I think we must use those gifts that God has given us. Put another way, whether you’re talking about time or talents or money, they’re all actually like manure: they’re of no value if you don’t spread them around. And even though he never mentioned fertilizer, I think this was point Paul was trying to make with the Romans:

I realize God has treated me with undeserved grace, and so I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you. A body is made up of many parts, and each of them has its own use. That’s how it is with us. There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another.

God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully. [Romans 12:3-8, CEV]

Now that’s what Paul wrote. And I think this is really important. I mean, he didn’t say God gave us our gifts to hide or to protect or even to save. No, Paul wrote that “God has...given each of us different gifts to use.” [Romans 12:6a, CEV] And so, brothers and sisters, let’s get together and use them. In other words, let’s figure out what gifts and talents are in this congregation. And then let’s develop and refine them. But listen to me, we can’t stop there, because there’s one more step we need to take. Let’s take what we’ve been given and what we’ve developed and then let’s use them to make a real difference in the world around us. And we can do that by sharing the love and grace of God to men and women who are starving for some good news and by inviting folks to this place where they can learn and grow in their understanding of God’s word and will and of course, by reaching out and doing the best we can to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty, to welcome the stranger and to clothe the naked, to care for the sick and to visit the prisoner and to focus our attention on those our world often labels unimportant, because when we do that, we’re doing it for Jesus Christ himself. You see, after identifying and developing them, what we’ve received must be used. And that’s how we might become better stewards of the gifts God has given us.

And for me, that’s what stewardship really is. It’s not about budgets and income and tithing. And it’s definitely not something that should make us feel uncomfortable and guilty. No, stewardship is about using all the gifts and all the talents and all the abilities we’ve been given. And that’s important because, when we take it seriously, it can help us feel closer to God and more connected to others and more satisfaction within ourselves. And brothers and sisters, it’s something that we can claim when we decide to identify and to develop and to use all those things we’ve been given. Now I believe that’s what stewardship is all about. And I’ll tell you, for folks who are spiritually height challenged, this is another way for us to grow.