Equipped to Join God in Mission

1 Samuel 17:33-40; Ephesians 4:4-7,11-16

God is saving the world. It will happen; it is happening. Ever since humans messed thing up the first time by trusting themselves more than God, God’s mission has been to recreate this broken, shattered world, with all of us in it.

God, probably because God has a good sense of humor, invites groups of people to join in that mission. God makes covenants with these people, knowing they’ll fail to keep their end of the agreement. And yet God continues to do this, advancing this work of saving the world. God hasn’t wavered in this: Noah, God made a covenant of life. Abraham, covenant with a special people in a special place that would reveal God’s intention to the world. Moses, covenant of these people living as a light to the nations. David, covenant of God’s reign forever. Then a new covenant was promised, where God would help people live as a new humanity for the world; a covenant of salvation, accomplished through the blood of Christ; a covenant through a community of people carried out by the work of the Holy Spirit. A covenant with the church for the sake of the world.

Ward pointed out last week that God has called us into this covenant. That’s what baptism is: making us part of the God’s covenant of saving the world. God has re-created us, and our new identity is as people called to join God in mission to the world (thank you, Ward!).

We’re not just called to join, we are equipped as well. This text is Ephesians spell that out for us. Paul reminds us that we’re not all the same – some have these gifts, others have those gifts. But it is the same God who gives them all. And it is for God’s mission that they are given. If we are indeed called, if we are given a new birth, a new and forgiven life, a new identity in Christ for this purpose, then everything God gives us in this new life is toward the purpose of this new life – God’s mission of saving the world.

If you are good with your hands, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you are good with books, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you are athletic, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you are artistic, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you have a way with children, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you are well organized, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you can put people at ease, and make them comfortable, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you choose a simpler life-style so that you can give more away, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you can get people motivated to get involved in things, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you present things in a way that helps people understand hard concepts, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

If you enjoy helping others so that things go smoothly, God gave you that gift to be part of the mission.

These spiritual gifts go on and on and on. Gifts from God, all different, all important, so that together we can be part of the mission.

This is true for all areas of our lives. Not just spiritual gifts, but physical ones as well. One of God’s gifts, given in varying degrees to different ones, is the gift of our money.

Equipped with money so that we can be part of the mission. God is saving the world. It will happen; it is happening. The church is the covenant community God has created to reveal that to the world. We take that very seriously. Church prays diligently over God’s will, direction, how God is accomplishing that mission in our culture today. LCM exists to participate in that. Not just fund programs for their own sake, or because we’ve always done them, or even because they seem like a good idea. But every dollar is put into the context of being part

of God’s mission of the salvation of the world.

If you want to experience God, be partners with God, line your life up with God’s will and direction, be moved into the stream of God’s righteousness so that it flows through you into the world, then use what God gives you to be part of  what God is doing. Lots of ways to do that, but one that cannot be overlooked is to give away money. Oversimplified, but direct. Our money is the last vestige of control – the last remnant of us saying to God, “we know better than you. We trust ourselves more than you.” I’m going to use money the way I want to use it, for what I consider to be important. I’ll decide. It doesn’t matter that it’s a gift from God, doesn’t matter that it’s given to us in order to be part of God’s mission in the world. We want control – and God gives it to us.

So do what you want – it’s your decision. Live however you want, have whatever priorities you want to have. God’s love for us is already at the maximum. God can’t / won’t love us more / less. And what’s more, God’s mission will happen with us or without us.

We are people called by God for a holy purpose; and we are given lots of gifts to be able to join.

The only question remaining is: do we want to experience that unity with God? If we want to be part of what God is doing in the world, then let’s use the gifts of God. If we want to experience God, then let’s listen to how God says that happens. If we want to make a difference, be part of something good and right and eternal, God has already given us what we need to do that.

This week in the mail (if you’re on our mailing list) you’ll receive an envelope with several things in it to help you step into deeper partnership with God and experience God more fully. Find the enclosed Contribution Summary sheet and look for the highlighted “General Fund” line total. This is your regular, non-specified giving from January through September. Divide that number by 39 (the number of weeks from January through September in 2005). This gives you your current average weekly giving (an additional helpful step is to take your average weekly giving amount and divide it by your weekly income. This gives you your percentage of giving [ .01 = 1%, .05 = 5%, .10 = 10%, etc.]).

Now look at the Growth Steps Giving Challenge chart. Find your average weekly giving (from step 1 above) on the chart, and prayerfully consider taking a step forward to the next level for 2006. The idea is to eventually get to a tithe (giving 10%), but for 2006 the emphasis is on the next step as you “Walk by Faith.”

Put your new weekly giving amount in the appropriate space on the Estimate of Giving card. Fill in your name, address, and email, then place the Estimate of Giving card in the confidential envelope and bring it with you to worship on Sunday, October 23, as we all “Walk by Faith” together.