Confirmation Sunday

On May 22nd at the 10:45 service, we had confirmation. Above is a picture of the students who participoated in the service.

I want to thank all 29 students for a great year. I want to give a huge shout out to the 6 adult leaders who invested two years with them and the 15 high school peer guides who helped them out along their journey.

I look forward to seeing what God has in stored for you.

Make Up: May 1st, Stewardshop: Money

Make-Up:

We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts and video(s). We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.

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May 1st was our last confirmation class of the year. We finished it up on Stewardship: Money. Big group time was minimized so small groups could enjoy their last class together for longer period of time; especially with it being communion Sunday. Here is a breakdown of the lesson:

Stewardship of Money

Bible Text:
Matthew 6:1–4, 19–21; 2 Corinthians 9:6–15; Luke 11:37–42; 1 Timothy 6:6–10

Lesson Focus:
Christians give in obedience and in gratitude.

Big Question:
How do Christians use money?

Key Words:
STEWARDSHIP, LAW, GOSPEL, FIRST FRUITS, TITHE

Definitions of Key Words

STEWARDSHIP: the use and care of God's gifts. Since all that we are and all that we have is a gift from God, this term is also used to refer specifically to the Christian use of money.

LAW: rules to live by that are given by God. Laws can be difficult to follow and may make us feel uncomfortable.

GOSPEL: the good news that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we live a new kind of life. In this new life we are able to give generously.

FIRST FRUITS: the very first crops harvested, which in ancient Israel were given as a sacrifice to God.

TITHE: a gift given to God comprising 10 percent of one's income or assets.

THE DEEP INFORMATION

The Bible is full of examples and teachings about giving. Jesus tells the rich young ruler to sell everything he has, give the money to the poor, and follow him (Luke 18:18–23). When Zacchaeus pledges to sell half of his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor, Jesus responds positively (Luke 19:1–10). In the Old Testament we find instructions to give one-tenth of one's possessions (Leviticus 27:30–32; 2 Chronicles 31:5). Paul writes that "God loves a cheerful giver," and he doesn't want any to give unwillingly (2 Corinthians 9:7). Clearly giving is part of the Christian life, something we do in response to God's law and gospel.

God instructed Moses that the people were to give the "first fruits" of their harvest to the priest, to be offered to the Lord (Leviticus 23:9–14). That is, before setting fruit or grain aside for consumption or for storage, the first fruits that were harvested were to be given as an offering. Then, as was the usual practice of the day, those offerings were burned as a sacrifice on the altar of the Lord. If these gifts were simply burned up, why did God's people even bother to give?

Giving was considered an act of worship, not a fund-raising effort. The emphasis was on giving from, the act of parting with the valuable gift, rather than on giving to, or the one who would receive the gift. By taking what was valuable to them and freely burning a portion of it, the ancient Jews were making a commitment to the Lord their God (see the First Commandment in Luther's Small Catechism and/or in Exodus 20:1–3) while reducing their inventory of goods that could too easily become a false god. (For more on giving as an act of sacrifice and worship, see Mark Allen Powell, Giving to God: The Bible's Good News about Living a Generous Life [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006], 9–13).

Parting with a portion of our income is not easy. However, once we are able to wrap our heads around the fact that everything we have comes from God—see Genesis 1:29–30 and also Luther's explanation of the fourth article of the Lord's Prayer—we are more able to see ourselves as caretakers of God's stuff rather than owners of our own stuff. None of what we have—money, housing, possessions—is ours. It all comes from God and will go back to God. We just get to use it for a short time while we are here on earth.

Jesus doesn't make a general claim about how much money a Christian should give (note the seemingly contradictory examples of the young ruler and Zacchaeus, above), though using the Old Testament precedent, many Christians set a goal of giving 10 percent of their income to God's work. Though Jesus doesn't give us a percentage amount, his various teachings about living and discipleship make it clear that sacrifice and charity are part of the Christian life. His many references to economic matters—from his concern for the poor to his parables about the use of money—teach us that God calls us to use our money in God-pleasing ways, both in how we spend it for personal use (caring for self and family by buying food and paying for shelter, for example) and in how we share it with others (giving to those who are poor and for the mission of the church, for example).

A classic law/gospel dynamic is at work in Christian stewardship. Christians give out of obedience to the law, but also in grateful response to what God has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. On the cross Christ frees us from the consumerist and materialistic impulses of this world and leads us to live a new life in Him. Liberated from the trappings of money and consumption, we can freely and joyfully share a portion of what God has given to us with others. Yet the law remains, for the sin of self-interest also remains. When the sin of self-interest rears its ugly head, the law is there to remind us of our calling to give and to share what God has first given us.