Thanks Living

Romans 12:1-8

November 26, 2006

Today we are finishing our series on giving thanks.  We’ve talked about thanking God for our material needs on a daily basis, which we acknowledge is sometimes difficult because we tend to think of those items as being the result of our hard work. 

However, there is no doubt about the only provision of eternal significance, eternal life through Jesus Christ, which is the undeserved gift of grace from God.

In response to this gift, Paul urges us to offer ourselves as “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.”  So this week, coming off of Thanks-giving, we need to begin to think about “Thanks-living,” which is a way of life.

You see, Christ came, was sacrificed on the cross, died, and rose from the dead—for us!  While none of us here have been called to die physically for Christ and the defense of the gospel, we are called to the process of Christ’s passion in that we die to sin and self-will, buried in Christ’s baptism of death and ‘raised’ to new life, (Romans 6:1-4) new purpose, and new direction – in other words, to be “living sacrifices”.

But to live a life of thanksliving is only possible if we know why we should thank God in the first place.

One day, a tourist visiting Italy came upon a construction site, where three stone masons were shaping a huge stone. “What are you doing?” he asked the three stone masons. “I’m cutting the stone,” answered the first. “I’m cutting the stone for 1000 lire a day,” said the second. “I’m helping to build a cathedral,” said the third. (Adapted from SermonCentral.com; Contributed by: Justin Meek from Bucket of Surprises)

There are three interesting attitudes that this little story conveys. The first workman seemed to have no sense of his ultimate purpose. He was oblivious to the grandeur that he was privileged to have a part in. His life was dull and mundane because He failed to see his role in the big picture.

Have you ever asked yourself, “What in the world am I here for? What have I done with my life? Why in the world am I in this job or in this marriage or even in this church?” When we don’t understand how we fit into God’s plan, this type of despair is almost certain to happen. We become like the stone cutter that sees nothing but the rocks and tools and the sweat and the dirt. Life has no meaning because we don’t know why God has made us.

The second stone cutter seems to have a sense for his purpose – but it is a misguided purpose. That stone cutter believes that his labors are about the 1000 lire per day. Many people are deceived into thinking that life is all about money. In our society, money becomes the gauge by which most things are measured. The significance of a person is usually assigned by how much money they have. Sadly, even friendships and relationships are often determined by money.

And money does strange things to people. A radio station in Chicago challenged people by asking what they would do for $10,000.000. More than 6,000 full-tilt crazies responded. The eventual winner was a young man from Indiana who said that he would eat an 11-foot tree - a birch sapling - leaves, roots, bark and all for $10,000. He put away the 11 foot tree at a very formal event. He donned a tux and dined at a table set elegantly with china, sterling, candles and a rose vase. Armed with pruning sheers, the young man began chomping from the top of the tree and worked his way, branch by branch, to the roots. His only condiment: French dressing for the massive birch-leaf salad. The culinary feat took 18 hours over a period of three days. When it was all over, the young man complained of an upset stomach. Evidently the bark was worse than his bite. (SermonIllustrations.com - from the December 1980 issue of Campus Life)

Money can make us do misguided things, but the saddest thing that money can do is separate us from our Lord. An attitude of, “Show me the money,” or “Life is all about the money,” can cause us to lose our Kingdom perspective. You see, money can be a curse when it makes us miss Jesus. But it can be a wonderful blessing when it allows us to serve the Kingdom. You see it’s not about the money.

It’s about how faithful we are with what God has given us.

The final stone cutter had the right idea. He knew that his life was more than just about cutting stone. He knew that it was more than just the 1000 lire per day he was being paid. He understood that he was a part of something huge. He was helping to build a cathedral. He was blessed to have a part in building a place where people would come face to face with eternity. He led a joyful life of thanksliving because he would be a part of helping children enter the Kingdom through the waters of Baptism. Here, where he was working, Christ’s Body and Blood would be shared with other living stones as God’s temple was being built. Here the Gospel would be proclaimed and lives would be changed.

He was building a cathedral.

And so are you. Your talents, whether they are cleaning, leading, teaching, singing, organizing or promoting – are gifts of God to you to help build the Kingdom. When you offer your life as a living sacrifice by using your time and talents in the local church, you are serving Jesus. Paul tells us: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men… It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24) You are building a cathedral, not just picking up paper or singing or cleaning.

And your financial gifts, whether they are dimes or thousands of dollars, are honored by God when given as a sacrifice. These gifts joined together, penny on top of penny, dollar on top of dollar, are used not only in the many ministries here at St. Paul’s, but are sent on to our NJ Conference and to the General Church, and are used to send missionaries and teachers and workers all over the world to proclaim Jesus. Your contributions here can literally touch a person in China or South America or in Africa or in Mexico . It is a living tithe, a living offering, and you are building a living cathedral, not just giving money.

Giving is a form of thanksliving!  Our tithe, then, should be an offering to God not only a tenth of our income, but a tenth of our lives.

Jesus tells us to, “Go and make disciples.” Are you ready to pick up your chisel and shape your stone and fit it into the walls of the cathedral?

Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, told the story of a friend, Arthur DeMoss, who was a godly businessman. His business reached half a billion dollars in assets. However, an economic recession resulted in Arthur’s stock plummeting so that he was losing $3 million per day, and lost $360 million dollars in four months.
Bill tells that rather than becoming devastated and decreasing his gifts to God, Arthur increased his giving on every front.

When asked why he did this he said, “The Lord gave me everything I have. It all belongs to Him and if he wants to take it away that’s His business. I don’t lose any sleep. I still have a wonderful family. I will do anything God wants me to do. If He takes away everything He has entrusted to me and calls me to the mission field, I’m ready to go. All He needs to do is tell me.”

That’s offering oneself as a living sacrifice, that’s thanksliving—trusting God with all that you have and all that you are.

Thanksliving acknowledges that God’s purposes for all that I have, including my very own life, was meant for something more than just the personal satisfaction of my own pleasurable desires.

Co-authors John Ortbert, Laurie Pederson and Judson Poling write in “Giving-unlocking the heart of good stewardship,” that “Ultimately, good stewardship is not a matter of wise money management or even responsible giving. It is a matter of extravagant love. Have you taken in the love of Christ extravagantly poured out for you? Has it left your heart so filled with gratitude that you can’t help but lavishly pour it out in return? Is his love transforming your prayers from “Give me Lord” to “Use me Lord – all that I am and all that I hold dear”?”

You see, thanksliving acknowledges that God owns everything I have.
Thanksliving reflects my relationship with God.
Thanksliving requires my commitment to God’s will for me.
Thanksliving speaks to the management of God’s message of hope and Good News to the world who needs to know The Truth, as lived out in God’s people.

A rather pompous-looking deacon was endeavoring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. “Why do people call me a Christian?” the man asked. After a moment’s pause, one youngster said, “Maybe it’s because they don’t know you.”

Do people who know you call you a Christian?