November
14, 2021
Stewardship
Sunday
Daniel
12:1-3
Psalm
16
Hebrews
10:11-35
Mark
13:1-8
Please
pray with me,
May
the words of my mouth and the mediations of all of our hearts be acceptable and
suitable in your sight, O God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.
Amen.
Well
here we are, gathering to celebrate stewardship weekend. A time of
celebration, of seeing and celebrating God’s abundance in our lives, a chance
to share the ways we will give out of that abundance in the coming year.
It’s a time to dream big and act even bigger…knowing, in our heart of hearts,
that God is a God of abundance and we are called to live out of that abundance.
And
on this celebration of abundance weekend…we have a gospel reading from the 13th
chapter of Mark. As soon as I started digging into this reading to
prepare for this sermon, one theme kept popping up for me.
Apocalypse.
Yup, apocalypse. This passage in the gospel of Mark is known as the
‘little apocalypse.’ I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word
apocalypse, it doesn’t lead me to think about a weekend of celebration and
abundance. It makes me think of people parading around with “the end is
near” signs and worries about the signs - like wars, buildings being torn down,
uprisings, general disorder and chaos - you know, those things that seem to
point us to the fact that it’s the end of the world as we know it.
Not
very uplifting, celebratory or hope-filled, rather it sets the tone of fear,
worry and scarcity.….not really the tone the pastor would hope for a
stewardship weekend. Right?
Okay,
that is not where we want to be today.
But
here is something that I also found as I was digging into this passage from
Mark, an additional definition for apocalypse, which can mean something quite
different than the way we have come to know and have learned its meaning.
An
apocalypse is an unveiling. Yes, it’s an unveiling or an uncovering - a
disclosure of something secret and hidden….in the words of Debi Thomas, “to
experience an apocalypse is to experience fresh sight. Honest
disclosure. Accurate revelation. It is to apprehend reality as
we’ve never apprehended it before.”
That’s
helpful, isn’t it?
To
hear this passage from Mark in a way that we are seeing it anew, that something
is being unveiled for us.
In
this passage, the disciples are focused on the sight of the temple, it’s large
stones and beautiful façade. But in this revelation, Jesus invites the
disciples to see beyond the grandeur of the building itself…and reveals that
God’s amazing work of salvation and love is not limited to the confines of the
temple, or any building.
Jesus,
again, is trying to show the disciples the new way that God is breaking into
the world and that it is different from what they have known and experienced,
that as the kingdom of God breaks into this world, it will not be what they
expect, it’s never what any of us expect, but it is still God.
And
that, my friends is good news.
Jesus
is preparing the disciples, and us, for the coming of the kingdom of God, and
the reality that is will be different than we expect, or imagine or think it
will be.
But,
as Jesus is preparing the disciples, and us, he is also inviting us to
see what is being revealed, as well. He is opening our eyes to this new
future, to a new way of seeing God at work in the word, he is helping us to see
it with him.
The
disciples say, Look teacher, what large stones and large buildings….
But
Jesus says, look…at what God can do in the world…that is not limited to
buildings, or cities or systems that are already in place….
Look,
at what God can and will do…with you, in spite of you and through you.
It
is far too easy, to live in a time of uncertainty, and worry about the present
and the future.
It
is far too easy to wonder what will happen to the greater church as we come out
of a pandemic.
It
is far to easy to be fearful about the future when we do not know what it will
bring…in our world, in our nation, and even here at Trinity.
It
would be an easy response to say, I don’t know what the future will bring in
this place, so I’m not sure I can support what I don’t know….
It
would be easy to just fill out an estimate of giving card or a time and
abilities sheet and stick to a prior year’s commitment…just holding on….to see
where this year of transition takes us…
I
get it…as we continue to live through a global pandemic, our lives have
experienced much change. You may not be able to give as you once were
able to but that doesn’t mean we just hold where we are…
Jesus
reminds us, at the end of today’s passage, that this is just the beginning of
the birth pangs.
Maybe
this year of pandemic has truly brought us to a place of a new beginning…not
maybe, it certainly has….the veil has been pulled back to allow us to see and
be church in new and different ways, outside and online…just to name a
few. As we experienced being pushed out of this building, we discovered
or rediscovered new ways to love and serve our neighbors.
As
new things have been continually revealed to us throughout the past year and a
half….Jesus says, look….things will continue to be unveiled….hold fast to one
another…and look, things are being unveiled.
New
ministries…
New
relationships…
New
faces…
New
opportunities for service…
A
new way of seeing this space, and how yes, it is part of doing Christ’s mission
in our community, but the reality that the mission we are part of is not
limited to the confines of this building…that God’s love has broken out beyond
these walls into our community…and we are called to be part of that love both
here…and beyond.
So,
here we are, Stewardship weekend, and Jesus has and will continue to call us to
look and see God at work in the world…and Jesus calls us to be part of it…
How
will you continue to be part of this mission of love in the world?
In
response to God’s amazing love and abundance in your life….how will you live
out of that?
Looking
at what this place has been, is right now…and can be in the future, how are you
part of that?
As
you look at your estimate of giving card, and time and abilities sheet, in what
new ways are you part of Christ’s mission in this place?
Now
that new things are being revealed, how are you responding in a new way?
Are
you giving more of your time?
In
learning?
In
serving?
In
attending worship?
Are
you giving more of your talents?
In
worship?
As
we have shifted back into full worship in the sanctuary, we know that worship
is the work of the people as ushers, greeters, lay assistants, screen
assistants, and livestream camera folks, not to mention the amazing wealth of
musicians we have in this place.
Have
you shared your talent of praying for others? Calling people on the phone
to wish them a happy birthday? Your talents of cooking or baking?
Your artistic talents or computer talents in helping with our website or social
media sites?
Are
you giving more of your treasure?
To
financially support the staff in this place as they work with lay leaders to
live into the mission of Christ in this place?
To
support the upkeep of this building and it’s many upgrades?
To
support different outreach ministries of this place….like food pantry,
missionary sponsors, shepherding ministries or any of the many others?
Because
here’s the deal…the kingdom, that Jesus continues to unveil to us will come and
will happen…no matter what. It will happen with us or without us and in
spite of us.
I
don’t say that to be negative…but God’s church is so much bigger than this one
congregation. But wow…what a joy, what an opportunity….to be part of this
new thing that God continues to birth in our world. Right?
We
are called to be part of this new birth…this new growth…this new beginning.
How
is God calling you to be part of this new beginning?
And
now may the peace, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds
in Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen.
