SERMON

                  In the Way of Jesus      

                                       Proverbs 3: 5-10

 

 Pastor Robyn Hogue                                   June 1, 2014                  Skyline Presbyterian Church

 


Many of the things we have learned and now do, whether habits or behaviors are foundationally “modeled” activities. Even Jesus modeled activity. In John 5 we hear Jesus give this answer to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.”

As Christ Followers, our lives are intended to be modeled after Jesus. We are to do what we see him doing. Jesus modeled every area of life for us – even giving.

Jesus modeled giving WILLINGLY
Jesus modeled giving JOYFULLY
Jesus modeled giving SACRIFICIALLY

First, GIVING MODELED AFTER CHRIST IS GIVING WILLINGLY
Remember John 3:16? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Giving willingness is based on love.  For God so loved the world because God is love.
God so loved that God gave God’s best for our best. God gave his Only Son for the best of humanity. And we are to do the same. We too are to give our best for another’s best. That means we will need to hold back our own needs at times. It means we will need to sacrifice our self-interest for another’s interests. God gave because God loves us.


God gave because God knew what sin would do to us without his giving.

I’m sharing quite a few Scriptures with you this morning and among them is Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God gave so that we might have life.” God gave so because God loved. God gave so we might have abundant life.

We will not give biblically if we are not giving willingly. And for a gift to be a gift it must be given willingly – An unwilling gift is little more than a tax deduction contributed to the charity of my choice, the local church.




Secondly, GIVING MODELED AFTER JESUS IS GIVING JOYFULLY

We read in Hebrews 12:1-2 that, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 So much in our life ambushes joy: Lifestyle stress, Relational Stress, Financial stress. What we want to happen here at Skyline is for every person to give at the level that brings your spiritual joy.


A traveler recently told me that one of most unusual sights in her trip to Haiti was all the “banks” along the road. Some little more than shacks, they dot the roads. Boldly painted on each building are the words, “bank – Guarantee”.

 

When she asked about all of these banks – quite unusual for the poorest country in the northern hemisphere, she was told that these were not banks at all but places where people could bet on the lottery numbers in America.  If they won, the place guaranteed to pay.

 

We bank on many things. We take risks in the hope that the risk will be warranted and the return will be great. But the focus on money as I shared in the children’s message can block our vision.

When we hold a twenty-dollar bill up to our eyes and focus on the money, when the money is held close (about a half inch from our face) then we cannot see anything beyond it. We cannot even see the money itself clearly. Such shortsightedness blurs our joy.

 

We need to stretch out our arms and hold money at an arm’s length—Get some detachment from the power of money and the attraction of the stuff of this world.

We will be most successful in doing so when we again look to Jesus as our model.


Jesus fixed his attention beyond his present circumstances.
Jesus fixed his attention towards his goal.
Jesus fixed his attention of what brought spiritual joy.
Jesus defined his goal as obedience to God, which brought the salvation of the lost and troubled people of the world.


We too need to focus on what will bring us the greatest joy.
It is not our circumstances.
It is to hear our Lord’s voice, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

“You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

 

Giving modeled after the way of Jesus is GIVING WILLINGLY, it is GIVING JOYFULLY.


And, GIVING MODELED AFTER CHRIST IS GIVING SACRIFICIALLY

I love the quote from C. S. Lewis:  “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.”

 

Jesus gave everything so that we might live. Jesus gave everything so that we might remember that we belong to God.

 

We are to follow the way of Jesus.

 

I once heard a man say he was never coming back to a particular church because all they ever talked about in that church was give, give, give. I cannot think of a better definition of Christianity than that: give, give, give. Give willingly. Give Joyfully. Give sacrificially.

 

Thank you for modeling your lives after Christ. I am aware, by the privileged place I hold as your pastor, of your maturing in faith. As you grow in Christ, you inspire me in my discipleship every day. For one of us to step forward in our walk with Christ, then the whole church is a healthier community of faith.

 

Thank you for growing in faith and generosity. Thank you for giving willingly, joyfully and even sacrificially.