Day by Day

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"Wanted: Stewards of God’s Gifts"

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. 1 Peter 4:10
   

The scene: first-century Asia Minor. Christians persecuted for their faith. A world to be won for Christ. Desperate need for light in the darkness. “Wanted: stewards of God’s gifts. Long hours. Hard work. Purpose: serving others and praising God through Jesus Christ. Reward: probably more suffering.” An unlikely want ad? God’s people responded with love and service, using their unique gifts within the fellowship to reach an alien world with the saving news of Jesus Christ.

The scene: twenty-first century America. Christians ignored for their faith. Growing secularism and pluralism. A world to be won for Christ. Desperate need for light in the darkness. “Wanted: stewards of God’s gifts. Not just an hour on Sunday. Not just a church job. Long hours. Hard work. Purpose: serving others and praising God through Jesus Christ. Reward: probably less credibility with the world.” How will you respond? Identifying and using your unique gifts of God’s grace to reach an alien world with the saving news of Christ? Or deciding to play the role of spectator on the sidelines, safe and removed from the battle?

Peter describes the key to faithful stewardship of God’s gifts: “Do it with the strength God provides” (1 Peter 4:11). Any gift points to the giver. God freely gave His Son for us all. He lived in a hostile world, used His gifts in love and service, died to pay for our sins, and rose triumphantly from the grave. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). He provides us with His strength to live for others to His praise and glory. “Wanted: Stewards of God’s gifts!”

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"Giving vs. Hoarding"

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. Proverbs 11:24
   

All we have comes from God, and He expects us to share with others what has been entrusted to us. We are indeed to give generously and sacrificially to the Lord and to those in need. And God blesses, not because we have earned it but simply because He loves us.

Or we can choose a life-style of hoarding: "Another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty." We started hoarding when as children in the sandbox we kept our own blocks from our playmates. That same hoarding spirit leads us to withhold gifts from the Lord. Hoarding needs to be labeled for what it is - sin. Though we withhold to gain riches, the proverb is correct in saying that hoarding leads to eternal poverty.

How can we learn to give generously? Saint Paul gives the answer, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). God freely gave us His Son Jesus to become poor so that we might be rich - rich in forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Because of His death, we are motivated to give.

Giving is living. Hoarding is death. God gives us His Son so that we might adopt a life-style of giving. Keep that in mind as you respond to the many opportunities for giving that are all around us.

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"The Need for Physical Healing"

“Get up, take your mat and go home.” Matthew 9:6
   

Grumbling in the crowd. Teachers of the Law accuse Jesus of blasphemy for daring to forgive sins. They don’t think about the man’s need for spiritual healing. They don’t rejoice about his forgiveness and new life. They just complain about Jesus exceeding His authority.

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, prepares to address the man’s other need, the need for physical healing. “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? … Then He said to the paralytic, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home’” (Matthew 9:5-6). He demonstrates His authority to perform the greater miracle (forgiveness) by performing the lesser miracle (healing the man’s paralysis).

The physical miracle is recorded simply and powerfully, “The man got up and went home” (Matthew 9:7). No fanfare. No headlines. No vivid, detailed account of the miracle. “The man got up and went home.” Yet in those few words we see a man given a new lease on life – no longer helpless, unable to work, depending on others to carry him, now able to walk and perhaps run and care for himself. A physical need supplied. A precious gift. But not as great or as profound as the spiritual healing of forgiveness.

Today Jesus still goes about the task of both physical and spiritual healing. When He heals physically through doctors or in unexplained ways, He reminds us of His authority to forgive sins and change lives. We can come to Him with our hurts, our diseases, our problems, our concerns, physical and spiritual. He will meet our needs. Always the offer of full and free forgiveness, that inner spiritual healing. Sometimes also the physical healing, meeting our needs on both levels. Jesus still has the same power He demonstrated when He healed the paralytic.

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"The Need for Spiritual Healing"

“Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” Matthew 9:2
   

Jesus teaches in Galilee. Crowds gather in a small house to hear Him. Four men bearing a paralytic on a stretcher devise a method to lower the man to Jesus from the flat rooftop. What is the man’s greatest need? Obviously he is paralyzed and cannot walk. Jesus sees that the man needs forgiveness. Dead in sin, he needs a miracle of spiritual healing. He cannot lift a finger to help himself. The need for spiritual healing always comes first.

Are you willing to let Jesus diagnose your needs? He comes with keen eye and a sure knowledge of your condition. He explores every nook and cranny of your life. You may identify a host of physical needs – illness, injuries, financial problems, family difficulties – all very real and painful to you. But Jesus probes beneath the obvious problems to your need for forgiveness and spiritual healing.

Jesus says to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” What sweet music to his ears – sins forgiven! He experiences peace inside. Still physically paralyzed, the man feels unburdened, clean, and whole. Jesus has authority to forgive sins because He is God. He will earn forgiveness for the world by dying on the cross in full payment of sin. Spiritual healing accomplished!

Jesus says to us, “Take heart; your sins are forgiven you.” He announces it every Sunday morning in the liturgy, bestows it through the preached Word and the Holy Supper. What sweet music to our ears! Physical problems may remain, but we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We feel unburdened, clean, and whole. Thank God for daily forgiveness. Spiritual healing accomplished!

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"What’s Your Measuring Stock?"

“He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30
   

When my son was growing up, he was constantly measuring to see how tall he was. A number of marks on the wall told the story. How do you measure your place in life? John the Baptizer uses an unusual measure in our text when he says of Jesus, “He must become greater; I must become less,” instead of “I must become greater.”

Jesus had arrived on the scene and was calling disciples, some of them former disciples of John. Furthermore, He was starting to gain popularity with the multitudes. Certainly some of John’s disciples were concerned. “Everyone is going to Him,” they said (John 3:26). By their measuring sticks, John was failing in his competition with Jesus.

Is your measuring stick, “I must become greater?” Are you seeking recognition, success, advancement, higher income, greater social standing? Do you view your relationship to Christ and the church as an opportunity for personal gain? Do you become jealous when others outshine you or Christ receives the credit? An “I must become greater” measuring stick simply measures our sin and selfishness.

But John was using a totally different measuring stick He rejoiced that Jesus was active in ministry to save the world – the Lamb of God taking away our sins (see John 1:29). He saw his own mission as pointing to Jesus and our need for Him. John now wanted to become less, so that Jesus could become greater. He was content to be friend of the Bridegroom. That was his great joy (see John 3:29).

The best measuring stick for us is “He must increase.” Jesus loves us, died to save us, and lives to strengthen us in His service. He is our life and hope. The greater He becomes, the greater is our joy.

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"An Investment for Eternity"

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
   

What kinds of investments do you have – insurance, savings, property, stocks, bonds? How secure are they? How well do they prepare you for the future? In preparing the disciples for their future, Jesus describes God’s eternal investment in us.

God made a major investment in His kingdom on earth. He placed human beings on earth as managers of His kingdom. Initially God received a very poor return on His investment. Adam and Eve fell into sin. The world rebelled against Him. But God continued investing His love and mercy in His kingdom on earth. In the fullness of time He invested the ultimate, His own dear Son Jesus Christ, who paid the price of giving up His life on the cross. That costly investment produced rich dividends.

God has now made all believers in Christ’s death and resurrection co-managers in the work of His kingdom. And to us beleaguered managers, wrestling with worries, burdens, and temptations, Jesus Says, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom."

Jesus moves us to examine our investment portfolio. He urges us to get rid of the investments that fail – purses that wear out, treasures that can be stolen, and clothes eaten by moths. Conversely, He directs us to safeguard those eternal investments given to us by a loving Father – purses that will not wear out, heavenly treasures that will not be exhausted or stolen, and clothes which no moth can destroy. He means the free gift of eternal life based on the forgiveness of sins through His death on the cross. God’s eternal investments move us to share our possessions with the poor. We joyfully engage in Kingdom work, serving others, witnessing to our faith, rearing a Christian family, and giving our financial resources to the Lord’s work.

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"Greed: A Dead End"

“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” Luke 12:15
   

Greed, an ugly word. One of the deadly vices recognized already by philosophers in the ancient world. Condemned by the New Testament. The Greek word simply means “wanting more.” How deceptively simple, yet how deadly! Just one more piece of candy. Just one more amusement park ride before heading home.

Jesus tells the story of the rich man with a good crop who tears down his barns and builds bigger ones to store his grain and goods. Relishing his plenty, the man plans to take life easy – eat, drink, and be merry. Then comes the door slamming in his face, the evidence that greed leads only to a dead end. God says to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.” (Luke 12:20).

Two lessons from the barn builder:

(1) Don’t seek material wealth instead of God’s riches.

(2) Selfish acquiring leads to death, generous giving to life.

Think about the surrounding culture. Greed prevails under the guise of the good life. Professional sports figures escalate salaries. Television game shows encourage and produce greedy contestants with an insatiable urge for more. And our day-by-day lives quickly fill with the quest for more – savings, investments, cars, houses, and appliances. Selfish acquiring replaces generous giving to God and others. A serious sin to confess.

Comes Christ with life. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The riches of full and free forgiveness. Greed crucified with Christ. Greed-forgiven saints rising to new life. No need for new barns. Rich in God’s grace. “Wanting more” no longer, because we already have glorious riches in Christ. “Giving more” now from His inexhaustible supply.

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"Whom do you Serve – God or Money?"

“You cannot serve both God and Money.” Matthew 6:24
   

Headlines often feature economic news about unemployment, inflation, or the stock market. We rejoice or weep, feel relieved or worried, based on the news as it affects our pocketbook. Who says the Bible doesn’t speak to the issues of today? Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount makes the point in clear-cut terms: “You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Mammon is the Aramaic word for material possessions. Unfortunately, many people trust in mammon or money like a god. Depending on the situation, trusting money leads either to self-seeking greed (wanting more) or to worry (being anxious about food, drink, and clothes).

While money has a legitimate use as a gift entrusted to us by God, we must not put our trust in it. Money can easily gain a stranglehold on us. We end up serving money instead of God. The root sin is unbelief.

Serving God means regarding Him as the Pearl of Great Price, worth everything we have. Instead of self-seeking, Kingdom-seeking. Instead of worry, trust in God’s promises. Serving God means using our money for Him – joyfully, sacrificially, expectantly.

With the choice clear between serving money and serving God, we confess our self-seeking greed and faithless worry. Who can help us? The God who asks us to serve came to us in the form of a servant. Jesus Christ refused Satan’s offer of worldly kingdoms and chose to serve the Father. He went to the cross. “Though He was rich … He became poor, so that [we] through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Made God’s children in Baptism, we now serve Him each day as He freely supplies faith to replace our worry, and Kingdom-seeking to replace our self-seeking.

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"Halfhearted?"

“In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense.” Jeremiah 3:10
   

One of the greatest ills of American society is apathy. Many citizens do not bother to vote on Election Day. Civic organizations struggle to find volunteers. People express strong opinions about needed changes, but then do little about making those changes happen. We give only halfhearted support.

Jeremiah writes against Judah for being halfhearted. Her sister nation Israel has openly rebelled against God with adultery and immorality. But Judah stands equally guilty, pretending to love God but not returning to Him with all her heart. In fact, Jeremiah says, “Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah” (Jeremiah 3:11).

Even as we confess our halfhearted response to God, He promises to be our faithful Husband. He gives us shepherds after His own heart to care for us. They point us to the chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who wholeheartedly obeyed the Father and died for our sins. Jesus draws us to Himself. Forgiven and restored, our love for God increases. The spirit fills us with enthusiasm to live for God and others. By grace God fills our hearts with praise to Him. With God’s heart in us, we are halfhearted no more.

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"Fainthearted?"

“Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?” Numbers 14:3
   

What an opportunity for Israel! God sends 12 men to explore the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey. They come back with a report of a good land, but a land inhabited by powerful peoples and fortified cities. Joshua and Caleb favor trusting God to capture the land. But the other 10 explorers disagree. Israel responds in a grumbling, fainthearted manner: “Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?” They add, “Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:3). You know the result of their faintheartedness – 40 more years of wandering in the wilderness!

What opportunities we have to live for God today – people ripe for our Christian witness, churches to be planted, missionaries to be sent, Christian schools to expand. We hear about the great possibilities but also about the problems, dangers, obstacles, and high costs. Are we fainthearted as we complain and say no? Do we prefer standing still or going backward to the good old days? This rebellion against God brings serious consequences.

God’s Son saw the plan of His Father for saving the world. He also knew the dangers, the opposition, and the high cost of faithfulness. But with a strong heart He depended on the Father and went boldly to the cross, where He won the victory against incredible odds. Through Him and strengthened by His Word and sacraments, we need be fainthearted no more. We can move forward in service and participate in Christ’s saving action for the world.

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"One Thing Remembered"

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2 Peter 3:8
   

Time runs our lives. Either our hectic schedules drive us to race frantically from one day to the next or because of troubles and boredom time drags on endlessly. In either case we easily lose perspective. We live for the moment and forget God’s eternal plan.

Saint Peter writes to Christians who wondered why Christ had not yet returned for judgment: “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day.” On the one hand, the Lord loves us so much that He shows great patience. He wants everyone to come to repentance. The length of days also spells fresh opportunities to witness to our faith in Jesus as Savior and to serve God with our lives. What a blessing to fill our days with praise, service, and witness!

On the other hand, the day of the Lord will come like a thief. Every day may be the last day. Urgency prevails. We want to maximize each hour to live thankfully for Him in service to others. Jesus redeemed the time. His short public ministry was filled with obedience to the Father and service to people in need. On the cross the hours must have seemed like years. Yet He endured patiently to save us for eternity. One thing remembered – all time is God’s time.

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"One Thing Known"

“One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” John 9:25
   

Often we feel ignorant about theological matters. We hesitate to speak up in Bible class because others might regard our question or comment as foolish. We falter in our witness to the neighbor or friend because we fear that they will raise religious questions beyond our ability to answer. We wish we knew more about God and His Word.

The man blind from birth, healed miraculously by Jesus, could have worried about his theological knowledge. Neighbors asked him about the healing in skeptical tones. The Pharisees with their superior knowledge grilled him and tried to discredit Jesus as a sinner who defiled the Sabbath. But the humble man doesn’t hesitate to testify of Christ. “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!”

Whether or not we have memorized the entire Scripture and have mastered Christian doctrine, we can say, “One thing I know, I was blind but now I see!” Jesus Christ through His atoning death and resurrection has brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light. God’s Spirit has restored our spiritual sight so that we know Him as our Savior and Lord. Unafraid we can witness. One thing known!

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"One Thing Lacking"

“One thing you lack,” He [Jesus] said. “Go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” Mark 10:21
   

What do you give to the person who has everything? Quite a problem these days in our affluent society. The rich young man in our text seemed to have everything. He was wealthy. He had a solid religious background, even claiming that he had kept all the Commandments since he was a boy. He therefore assumed that he would inherit eternal life.

Imagine his shock when Jesus said to him, “One thing you lack.” He must have wondered what in the world could be lacking. Jesus proceeds, “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” He lacked treasure in heaven because he was placing his trust in earthly possessions. Sadly he went away because he had great wealth. He preferred lacking heavenly treasure to lacking earthly treasure.

Do you have one thing lacking? Do you trust earthly wealth instead of Jesus Christ as your only Savior from sin? One thing lacking means eternal punishment in hell. Possessing that one thing means lacking nothing else. As Paul writes, “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32). Yes, believers in Christ lack nothing!

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"One Thing Needed"

“But only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42
   

What one thing do you most need? A difficult question. You might answer – a steady job, a marriage partner, a close friend, money for your children’s college education. Your answer probably would differ depending on the circumstances. A man lost in the desert might most need a drink of water. The hospital patient awaiting major surgery probably needs the assurance of life. What one thing to do most need?

Martha worried about many things as she tried to host her friend Jesus. Mary sat and listened to what Jesus said. Jesus, referring to Mary’s choice, commented: “But only one thing is needed.” Hearing God’s Word is the one thing needed. Mary no doubt learned about Jesus as the Messiah bringing in the kingdom of God. The Word offers salvation and strength for living.

No matter what our worries and problems, Jesus offers the one thing needed – His Word, which offers us forgiveness and life through His death on the cross for our sins. Taking the time to listen, we learn to live joyfully for Him. His Word helps us to place our other needs in perspective and to receive comfort and direction for daily living. One thing is needed!

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"One Thing Desired"

One thing I ask of the LORD … that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life.” Psalm 27:4
   

Many fairy tales revolve around the central character receiving an opportunity to choose one thing. One wish is granted by a genie. Or the king offers one request, up to half of his kingdom. Scripture contains some interesting verses where “one thing” receives attention.

David writes, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). Aware of many enemies and major problems confronting him, he nevertheless rejoices at the opportunity to worship the Lord. There in God’s presence he finds shelter and safety; he experiences victory over his enemies; he sings and makes music to the Lord. The one thing he asks of the Lord is to worship Him perpetually in His house. A rather interesting choice for a warrior and political leader.

Would you choose, as your one thing desired, to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of your life? Problems loom large. Challenges occupy our attention. But nothing brings greater joy than focusing on the God of our salvation, the One who gave His life as a sacrifice for the world. Dwelling in His house means living for Him each day aware of His saving presence and rejoicing with praise to Him. How thrilling to gather with God’s people around Word and sacrament each Sunday in the house of the Lord! It is the one thing desired!