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The Gospel of Matthew Bible Studies
The Gospel of Mark Bible Studies
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
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NOW IS THE TIME! Commitment Sunday In the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you. Amen! Today we come to the fifth and final stewardship emphasis Sunday in connection with our Now Is The Time Capital Stewardship Campaign. It is Commitment Sunday – where, after hearing about this Campaign and our proposed building program for the past several months, we are now invited to make our response if we have not yet already done so. I would like to reflect for a few moments on what a Capital Stewardship Campaign is about. A Capital Stewardship Campaign is a special offering that is over and above our regular giving – for the building of a new facility for Pella Lutheran Church. This type of Campaign is not something that we do every day or even every year. Here at Pella Lutheran Church, I know that it has been almost three generations – sixty years – since we last had anything like this! Only occasionally do we have the opportunity to be a part of something truly significant – and this is certainly one of those times! Through this Campaign, we at Pella in the year 2008 have the great responsibility and privilege of being able to bless the life and ministry of our congregation for generations to come! That was what was going on in today’s first reading from the 29th chapter of 1 Chronicles. As we heard in it: “King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great; for the temple will not be for mortals but for the LORD God. So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones, and marble in abundance.” (1 Chronicles 29:1-2) King David was nearing the end of his reign. He had wanted to build a temple for the LORD in Jerusalem, but it had been revealed to him that God had chosen his son Solomon to lead the actual construction of it. David was not to build the temple, but he could, however, still participate in this great work by conducting a Capital Stewardship Campaign so that Solomon would have the resources he needed. Note what David was doing here! Even though he would not be able to actually see and enjoy the completed temple, he still wanted to be a part of its building. That is vision! And in a way, that is what many of us will be doing in our Now Is The Time Campaign. We are doing this for the future ministry of Pella Lutheran Church. Some of us may be able to see and use our proposed facility for many years to come. Others among us may be like King David – who will see and use what we build only for a limited time if at all. But ALL of us, like King David, can be a part of this great undertaking and be a blessing for those who come after us. Today’s first reading also shows how King David set an example in giving for the rest of the people to follow. As David goes on to say: “Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house, and for all the work to be done by artisans, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating themselves today to the LORD?” (1 Chron. 29:3-5) In a way, during our Now Is The Time Campaign we have been doing exactly what David did. We invited a number of people to make “Advance Commitments” – in order to serve as an example and encouragement for everyone else. And, thanks be to God, we truly have seen a miracle happening among us as we have already exceeded our Campaign’s basic goal of $1.2 million! As of this date, we have received 81 Advance Commitments for a total of $1,258,850!!! That is absolutely outstanding, especially when considering our present economic circumstances! Praise the Lord! And now it is time for all the rest of us to participate as we are able. In our scripture reading, after David invited everyone to offer willingly, the people responded with overwhelming generosity. And then, our scripture tells us, “the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with single mind they had offered freely to the LORD; King David also rejoiced greatly.” Yes, the people rejoiced – because their giving had not been because of any “pressure” or “guilt”. They rejoiced because they knew that they were doing something special for the LORD – they were contributing toward the building of his temple. And it felt good!! It felt so good!! Yes, it feels so good to give to the LORD!! And people, that is what we are doing today! Through this Capital Stewardship Campaign, we are doing something special for the Lord as we prepare to build for Pella’s future. And everyone in this congregation can be a part of it! Today on this Commitment Sunday, we are inviting everyone to participate. One of the slogans of this Campaign is “Not equal gifts, but equal devotion.” Not all of us can make equal financial gifts and commitments, but all of us can do something as we are able and our hearts are willing. Even our children will be bringing up pennies they have been saving – and I tell you, their gifts are worth every bit as much to God as $100,000 or more. Yes, all of our gifts, no matter what amount they may be, are pleasing to God if they come from willing and loving hearts. The point is that ALL of us can be a part of this Campaign in some way, shape, or form. If you have not yet already made a commitment, Now Is The Time for this to be done. Not under any “pressure” or sense of “guilt”, but for the sheer JOY and privilege of participating in this great work of building a new facility for the future of Pella Lutheran Church. Getting back to our scripture reading, after all the people had given their gifts for the building of the temple, David then blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. David said, “Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of our ancestor Israel, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Riches and honor come from you, and you are exalted as head above all. Riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.” Those of you who were at one of the Advance Commitment Gatherings may remember that I talked about how this prayer of David was probably the source of the “Doxology” part of the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer that was taught by Jesus in the gospels of Matthew and Luke ended with “deliver us from evil.” But early on, the Church felt that the Lord’s Prayer should end on a note of praise – and so what is commonly called the “Doxology” was added. Say it with me… “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever! Amen!” Yes, this Doxology we pray as part of the Lord’s Prayer probably comes from King David’s prayer in today’s first reading. It is really something to think about – that this wonderful prayer of praise was the result of a successful Capital Stewardship Campaign for the building of the temple! And so it is with us. Through what we give with loving and generous and joyful hearts, we thank and praise God – and we bless his holy name! Praise the Lord! Thanks be to God! Or, as we pray when we give: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever – and ever, and ever! Amen!” -------------------- George R. Karres, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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