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The United Church of Canada/L'Église Unie du CanadaSome Sundays, the stewardship message leaps from the pages. In many lectionary passages, however, the stewardship themes may not be readily apparent.
The following lectionary-based sermon starters offer clues to how stewardship can be an integral part of all our preaching, and how it can be incorporated into group worship or Bible study.
Sermon Starters for Advent 2008 through Epiphany 2009 were written by a Saskatchewan Conference Writers Group made up of Kim Antosh (Wesley United Church, Regina), Brenda Curtis (Westminster United Church, Humboldt), Marvin Mackie (Rose Valley United Church, Rose Valley), Holly Schick (Saskatchewan Conference Program Staff), and Deb Walker (Mayfair United Church, Saskatoon)
Use these lectionary-based sermon starters with Offering Invitations and Dedications and Stewardship Seconds for continuity in your worship service.
* or Micah 3:5–12** or Psalm 43***When I read this scripture, I picture a silly scene of humility. You know the one where those two Disney chipmunks, Chip ‛n’ Dale, are scrambling out of harm’s way:
“After you.”
“No, I insist, after you.”
“No! No! No, I insist! After you!”
“Well, if you insist.”
“Indubitably!”
All of us are trying to get to the bottom of the pile and the end of the line.
We’ve all seen those commercials: “Hockey skates: $65. Hockey stick and puck: $45. Goalie equipment: $450. Still knowing you have a career in hockey: Priceless.”
We could just as easily do one for us: “Pulpit supply when minister is away: $120. A pastoral visit: $200. A worship service: $450 when minister is there. A blessing: Priceless.”
A blessing is a prayer spoken out loud to the person you wish to bless. It’s about looking the person square in the eye and saying: “May the kingdom of God be yours, may you be comforted, may you inherit the earth, may you be called a child of God.”
Maybe the Beatitudes are less like guarantees and promises, and more like prayers.
* and Psalm 78:1–7* * * * ***Any parent of a teenager knows what it’s like to wait up for your child to come home. You’ve prescribed a curfew, and you go to bed in good faith, believing she will return at the appointed time. Sleep comes easily as you trust your teen to drive carefully or call if he is going to be late. All will be well—and then you wake up half an hour after your teen was supposed to be home. You listen to every vehicle as it passes your house, imagining it is slowing down and turning into your driveway. The moments tick by as your anger, frustration, and worry gathers, and sleep becomes an illusion. You imagine the worst.
The strange thing is that in all of your stewing, you made assumptions. You assumed that your child was still out there somewhere, and that her bed was empty. But assumptions aren’t right most of the time. In actual fact, you slept right through your child’s timely arrival and bedtime routines. In actual fact, while you have been praying your head off for his safety, he’s been home asleep in his bed.
Even when we’re waiting, we can miss what we’ve been waiting for.
* or Zephaniah 1:7, 12–18** or Psalm 90:1–8, (9–11), 12***Have you ever played “knuckles”? You and a friend stand facing each other, knuckles pressed against knuckles waiting for someone to move and rap the other person’s knuckles. If you flinch or wince, you lose!
Waiting for the realization of God’s realm is a lot like playing knuckles. The key is to not flinch, to not give in to raw emotional responses, or to give up and walk away. The challenge for us today is to stay in the game and stay committed to the mission that is ours, to the end.
In the gospel lesson, Jesus offers a vision of the last judgment: a sorting of livestock and separation of goats from sheep. How often we have heard this passage as a challenge: “Don’t, whatever you do, be a goat!”
It’s true that sometimes it’s only natural to define ourselves by what we aren’t: “I’m not a conservative Christian!” “I’m not liberal; I’m progressive!” “I’m not a bad person,” “I’m not a goat!”
But setting this story alongside the lesson from Ezekiel, the point is that we are to be defined by what we are:
“I am one of God’s found sheep. I am one of the gathered, the tended, and the whole. I am a sheep.”
* (Our righteous God)* (A people’s lament)* (God is faithful)* (Watch, stay awake, there will be signs)Today’s readings remind me of what Annie Dillard has to say about velvet hats and crash helmets in her book of essays, Teaching a Stone to Talk*. As Dillard notes, we don’t really have any idea the kind of power we invoke in God’s name.
Talk with the children about signs. Go through identifying different kinds of signs (stop, yield, no parking, crosswalk, etc.). Then talk about other kinds of signs, like spiritual signs—the star of Bethlehem, images from the Jesse tree, the cross, and so on. How are these “spiritual” signs the same as the others? How are they different?
If we could make a “Christmas is coming” sign, what would it look like? What kind of sign would God want us to create to let people know that Christmas is coming?
Think about who or what directs our lives at this time of year, and whose agenda we follow as we journey through Advent. They say that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. If we never turn off the “commercial Christmas machine,” the results in our lives and our world will remain the same.
How does the story Jesus told about the fig tree challenge us? Encourage us? Perhaps paying attention to the “signs” around us will also invite us to do things differently this year and put our “holiday” emphasis in new places. Some of the “signs of the times” we might see at this time of year are young families trying to keep up in giving their children the biggest and best, people living without even the basic necessities of life, or the drop-off places where people can donate toys for children who live in poverty.
What other signs do you see that call into question the commercial emphasis that has become such a major part of this season of “giving”? Where do you see signs of hope at this time of year?
* (Comfort my people)* (God gives what is good)* (We wait for a new heaven and a new earth)* (John the Baptist)In his book A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle talks about “living in the now.” Consider what that means for people as we move through this season of Advent.
Play a “Who am I?” game with the children as a way of leading them to identify John the Baptist. For example, start asking the following questions until someone gets the right answer:
Once the children have guessed (or you have run out of questions), tell them more about John the Baptist in terms of his important role in proclaiming that the Messiah is coming.
Part of the Advent tradition in church is to bring to mind John the Baptist and the role he played in proclaiming the Messiah. At this time of year, what other traditions do we mark in the church? in our families? in our communities? How helpful are these traditions? or not? What do our traditions say about what we believe about this season?
It is very likely that John struggled against the tradition of his community as he proclaimed a new baptism and made people aware that one greater than he would be coming to baptize people with the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes traditions can become patterns and habits that have outlived their usefulness. What traditions might we reconsider at this time of year? For example, giving is one of our Advent/Christmas traditions, but how do we breathe new life into giving and reclaim the good of this tradition, which gets lost in the frenzy of the season? How can we invite people to embrace giving as an act of faith once more?
Re-creating the faith moments of the Advent/Christmas story might offer a place to start in making old traditions new again.
* (Bring, bind, proclaim, release)* (Bringing in the sheaves)* (Rejoice always, pray without ceasing)* (True light comes into the world)See the prayer* attributed to Archbishop Oscar Romero. What does it say to you about joy, fulfillment, and contentment?
Talk with the children about the arrival of an important person to their house. How will they prepare for the visit? Why will they prepare for the visit?
Because Jesus is like a very special visitor who comes to our homes, it is important that we prepare our hearts and our lives to receive the gift of the Christ Child. How can we prepare for Jesus coming into the world again this Christmas?
When I read the Isaiah 61 passage I get tired just thinking about all the things we are called by God to do—until I realize that the writer of Isaiah is not talking about one individual doing all those things but rather about a whole community of people working together to “bring the good news to others.”
God has reasonable expectations of us. But do we have reasonable expectations of ourselves at this time of year? Reading the prayer attributed to Archbishop Romero reminds me that when we are fully doing what we can do, and when others are doing the same, then we are being the people God is asking us to be. When we glimpse that what we are doing is enough, there is a sense of joy and accomplishment in that. I can’t do more and I can’t do less, but I can do this.
** (Song of Mary)* (I will sing to the Lord)* (Doxology of faith)* (Gabriel’s message)Mary’s song offers images and a theological reflection of a world turned upside-down. The peasant farmers whose theological reflection Ernesto Cardenal captured in the Gospels of Solentiname* also offer images of a world turned upside-down.
As we consider these two liberation perspectives, what would the world today look like if it were turned upside-down?
Talk with the children about magnifying. Begin with a magnifying glass. What is it? What does it do? (It helps us see a larger picture and see more clearly.) When Mary says, “My soul magnifies the Lord,” what does that mean?
How can we magnify God to others and to the world around us? How can we be like a magnifying glass for God in this season? On the other side of this, we might also want to consider how this time of year can also magnify our selfishness, distrust, and lack of forgiveness.
God uses small things for greatness, like a child born to a small clan in Judah. The paradox is clear: Small is mighty in God’s hands; gentle is powerful in God’s hands; foolishness is wisdom in God’s hands; weakness is strength in God’s hands. We know this story. God turns the world upside-down.
Advent calls us to keep repeating this story and bringing it to life. When we look at it rightly, it’s not just the story of a tiny baby but also the story of a powerful God. You might refer to Annie Dillard’s “velvet hats and crash helmets”* to get a sense of this powerful God we invoke.
So, even though we may be feeling overwhelmed with the pending season of Christmas, and even though we may be feeling a little defeated in the face of the materialism that surrounds us, saying yes to this powerful God could bring about the birth of something new this year. If we trust the paradox, then one has to wonder in this season of getting what giving and letting go might do.
The lessons for Christmas Eve point to the gift that Jesus is for the world—a gift given without strings, a gift given out of love, and a gift given for the good of the world. We are great at giving gifts in this season—some of us sometimes go overboard—but Jesus calls us to give of ourselves always. We are to give freely without reserve, out of joy, for the good of the world.
The shepherds left the manger in awe and wonderment, recognizing the Divine in what they saw. They were able to find the Divine in the simplest of things. The message for us today is to live lives of self-control, simplicity, and generosity, seeking the Divine in all things, and responding to the gift of Jesus.
As children and heirs of the Divine, we are called to be stewards of all of life. This is a lifelong task requiring patience and persistence. Our strength and our wisdom come from God’s grace. We receive these gifts with the same amazement that Mary and Joseph felt when they took Jesus to present him at the temple and heard what was being said about him.
How is God still amazing us today? How do we respond to that amazement?
In Jeremiah we hear the promise that God will provide: the promise of well being, of lives like a watered garden, full of abundance and celebration.
This is a language of extravagance. We have more than enough. We are to trust in God’s promise for our future, a promise filled with assurance. We have enough and we are to be satisfied. In our world today, we are constantly questing for more. We need to be reminded of God’s promise and work to restore balance so that all people might be satisfied.
The Magi visited the manger and were overwhelmed with joy. Out of that joy they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts.
What is in our treasure chests, and what would motivate us to open them? For the Magi it was joy. What gifts do we have that we can joyfully offer?
When you follow your heart, who knows where you will end up? The manger was the last place people would look for the Messiah, and strangers from a foreign land would be the most unlikely ones to recognize him. Yet here he was and they had been led to him. Following your heart and offering your gifts can lead you to recognize the presence of the Holy in places you don’t expect, and lead you to respond in ways you’ve never dreamed.
Many people today are seeking some form of spiritual nurture in their lives. They seek to engage the presence of the Holy that is in all creation, whatever their faith background.
Jesus’ baptism is a sign of his making a commitment in response to that presence. Baptism is one of the symbols of our commitment and our “yes” to that gift. We are amazed at the gift of life we have received—the gift of our own lives and the lives of our children and others who are so important to us. Part of our response to this amazing generosity is sharing our faith story, our gifts, and our resources generously with others.
We believe we are called to respond to the presence of the Divine in our lives and our world. Part of our response is to care for ourselves, our bodies, our minds, and our spirits.
This doesn’t mean selfishness, but self-caring. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. If we don’t care for ourselves, we won’t be able to care for others and for our world. If we don’t care for ourselves, we become resentful, envious, and frustrated. We become self-focused and begin to obsess about what we don’t have and what others do have. When we do care for ourselves, we can truly believe that we and others are fearfully and wonderfully made. We can respect and care for ourselves, others, and all of creation. We see ourselves and others as the blessings we are intended to be.
Having a meaningful work experience can change the way we live the rest of our lives. In the scriptures, we know that the disciples’ experiences of the meaningful work they were called to do transformed their lives. Jonah’s experiences didn’t bring the results he had anticipated, but they certainly made a dramatic difference, especially for the people of Ninevah. We don’t know if Jonah ever really understood how meaningful his actions were and how much difference they made.
Too often in our world we seem to be going through the motions, running on a treadmill, going faster and faster, and getting frustrated with the world around us. How do we find meaning in the work we do and the lives we lead? Work is meaningful when we are doing something that gives back to the world and others. We don’t always recognize the impact our lives have on others and the world around us. Paid or unpaid, exciting or mundane, we are called to make our work an appropriate expression of faithfulness.
Walter Brueggemann believes that thanking someone is not just an expression of gratitude but also a statement of commitment to the other person (The Message of the Psalms, Augsburg Fortress, 1984).
The scriptures are full of stories of the various responses of those who have experienced God’s gifts. What are the ways our lives reflect the commitment we make when we say “thank you” for the awesome gifts we have received?
Could Jesus be the answer to sustainable health care? God’s desire is for wellness and wholeness for all. Our spiritual well-being is a key part of total wellness. Part of our spiritual well-being is the joy we experience in giving generously of time, talent, and treasure as we are called to do.
Those who give know that stewardship is a recipe for good health.
Who are the lepers in our society? Who are the ones who suffer? Some people in our world have tremendous riches and great abundance but still suffer because they are unhappy and living unfulfilling lives. This is true for many people right here in our own communities.
Can we hear the message that finding joy in our lives can really be through doing very simple acts? Just reach out to another, as Jesus demonstrates in the gospel reading.
In 2 Kings, Naaman is challenged by his servants, who say, “If the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it?” (verse 13). It is often in the simplest acts of sharing and caring that we have the greatest impact. What does it cost us to have compassion? Nothing. Yet it costs everything when we truly commit our lives to it.
Perhaps you’ve heard the story of Larry Walters, the Los Angeles man who, in 1997, tied several weather balloons to a lawn chair and flew up to an altitude of 11,000 feet. When he finally returned to earth safely, he was arrested. When asked why he had done it, Walters replied, “A man can’t just sit around.”
In the Transfiguration story, the disciples appear to want to remain on the mountain building dwellings and “just sitting around,” but Jesus takes them down the mountain and hints that there will be important jobs for them after he is gone.
We too have an important job to support God’s work through our gifts of personal and financial resources. Let’s not “just sit around.”
Supported by donations to the Mission and Service Fund.
© 2008 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd) Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca. Any copy must include this notice.