Proper 24, Year A                                                                   Isaiah 45:1-7
October 16, 2005                                                                    Psalm 96:1-9
St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church                              1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
The Rev. Linda McCloud                                                         Matthew 22:15-22 

The Measure of our Maturity 

“Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  -- Jesus of Nazareth. 

            It’s that time of year again.  Already I’ve gotten several calendars from wildlife preservation societies.  They desperately need my help to keep going.  How did they find out I think animals are important to the human race?   

            We’re all probably getting letters and phone calls from fund raisers who hope we’ll be generous.  One of my alma maters wrote me a letter asking for a specific dollar contribution.  They assured me that I could expect a follow-up phone call if the letter did not produce the desired results.  We don’t do that here at St. Margaret’s.  We rely on everyone’s generosity and innate sense of doing what is right.   

We have a Finance Committee in place now, and we hope to be presenting a revised budget to the church at our annual parish meeting.  We will probably ask for pledges to support that budget.  Maybe we’ll develop two budgets – a dream budget and a real budget.  But in preparation for that, let’s talk about why we give.  Christian giving is a part of Christian formation.  It’s a mark of Christian maturity, of understanding that we give because we have been given so much from the abundance of God’s love.   

            When I read the Gospel lesson just now, some of you might have thought:  “Here comes a sermon on financial stewardship.  She hasn’t mentioned financial stewardship the whole time she has been here, but it’s about to happen now.”  Well, I would not want to disappoint you.  It is my responsibility to address this topic from time to time.  It is also my duty to remind you that you should make a Will.  Trust me on this one -- you don’t want to die in the State of Georgia without a Will.  It could be very messy for those who are left behind.     

            I know that from a cultural standpoint, the subject of money is a squeamish topic.  It makes us uneasy because money is so personal.  It identifies us and stratifies us.  We have a great division in this country and in the greater world between the rich and the poor.  And the gap is growing.  It’s no secret that money talks, but talking about money seems to be a secret.  The fact is that regardless of our financial condition, we always need money.  As Christians, we all have a need to give at least some of it away. 

            Stewardship, of course, is the proper handling of that which has been entrusted to us.  Theoretically, this means that what we have is not our own, but that we are in temporary custody of it.  When we go to work, we should do our very best to do the job from which we earn our livelihood.  It’s a matter of glorifying God in our daily lives.  Over a period of time, we usually find ways to improve the way in which we put our own stamp on our work.  Of course, we expect to reap monetary benefits as well as self-esteem from our professional careers and jobs.  Our proper use of those benefits is a measure of our Christian formation. 

            Rendering to God the things that are God’s is about so much more than sharing our financial resources. It’s about the stewardship of every aspect of our lives.  When we think of rendering to God that which is God’s, what is there about us that does not come from God or belong to God?   

            We are also stewards of our physical, mental and emotional selves, and staying in good physical condition is good stewardship.  Reading and staying mentally alert is a good idea.  Staying emotionally healthy is also very important.  These are all ways in which we are stewards of our time, talents, and treasures.  And why should Christians do these things?  I believe that as we move toward maturity in years, we can also move toward spiritual maturity.  As we move toward spiritual maturity, we are more inclined to see our responsibility and to share our resources.  Mature stewardship comes out of our growing relationship with God.   

            Giving is not just for those who have abundance.  Giving is the privilege of every Christian.  We have been asked to give a lot lately.  There have been so many natural disasters, and there are so many people around the world who are in need.  However, Christian giving is not a response to the needs of those around us.  Christian giving is a response to God who loves us.     

Giving proceeds from an “attitude of gratitude,” or from a responsible heart.  Christian giving is an outward and visible sign of our relationship with God who is generous to us.  True wealth is defined in the General Thanksgiving in our Prayer Book, when we give thanks for “our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life . . . but above all . . . for the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.”  To be able to share this wealth with the world is our privilege.   

            Stewardship is not just something personal.  Stewardship is something that our church does, our Diocese does, and the National Church does.  When we give to support the work here at St. Margaret’s, that is like tossing a pebble into a pool of still water.  It has a ripple effect.  St. Margaret’s gives a portion to the Diocese.  The Diocese gives a portion to the National Church.  Then the National Church gives to the aid of Christian causes around the world, as well as giving back to the Episcopal Church in this country in so many ways.   

            As Episcopalians we have a rich heritage to share – two thousand years of Christianity.  We rely on the teachings and councils of the Church as it was before the East-West split of the year 1054.  We look to the Bible and the Creeds.  We hold in common with Christians everywhere the teaching of the Holy and undivided Trinity – one God.  We also hold with Christians everywhere the teaching of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.  These teachings remain a mystery, and the only response to the mysteries of God is worship.  The Episcopal Church is good at this.  Worship is something very important that we have to share with the world.  As good stewards of that which is God’s, it is important that we worship often.  This opens us up to God.  Frequent reception of Holy Communion is one way of being a good steward of that treasure entrusted to us.   

            As a church, our responsibility as stewards includes creating sacred space, opening the space to others, and leaving space for the Holy Spirit to work.  Stewardship becomes a way of life.  It keeps the doors open so that others can experience the worship of Almighty God in this place.  Of course, this takes financial resources.  As your priest, I make no secret of the fact that I tithe.  I give ten percent of my salary to St. Margaret’s.  Also as your priest, I have a wish list for St. Margaret’s.  At the top of my wish list is a parish hall and educational space.  This would make our church more attractive to families with small children.  I believe that if we build it, they will come.  This is also a way that we could be good stewards of the land on which this church sits.             

            In Christ, God has revealed his glory among the nations.  Our participation in that is a privilege that God grants to us.  One measure of our maturity as Christians is figuring out what is important and acting accordingly.