Rev. Mark A. Loest, Pastor
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church of Frankentrost
Saginaw, Michigan
Stewardship 2007 III (September 30, 2007)
Text – Revelation 2:19

09-30-2007 audio

This morning we complete our three-fold stewardship emphasis of faith, gratitude and service. Today we look at the last theme of Service.

May God bless our meditation upon His inspired Word recorded in Revelation 2:19:

“I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.”

So far our Scripture.

Prayer:
May Thy gospel’s joyful sound Conquer sinners, comfort saints;
Make the fruits of grace abound, Bring relief for all complaints
Thus may all our Sabbath prove, Till we join the church above.

In Matthew chapter 25, Jesus reveals to us what the last judgment will be like.

He says that all people will be gathered together in the manner a shepherd gathers, and then separates, flocks—separating the sheep from the goats.

And then the righteous will come into heaven with Jesus’ recognition that they did good works, while the wicked people will be condemned to hell because of their wicked works. And Jesus will tell them it is because of what they did or did not do when he was hungry and thirsty and a stranger and naked and sick and in prison.

And they will ask “Lord, when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the Lord will answer the righteous saying, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

But to the unrighteous he will answer, “Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”

Jesus is telling us that if we would serve Him, we do so serving our neighbor.

Luther expands on this in the Catechism on the Seventh Commandment—“You shall not steal.” He writes,

Anyone who seeks and desires good works will here find ample opportunity to do things which are heartily acceptable and pleasing to God. Moreover, he graciously lavishes upon them a wonderful blessing: We shall be richly rewarded for all the help and kindness we show to our neighbor, as King Solomon teaches in Prov. 19:17, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” Here you have a rich Lord. Surely he is sufficient for your needs and will let you lack or want for nothing. Thus with a happy conscience you can enjoy a hundred times more than you could scrape together by perfidy and injustice. Whoever does not desire this blessing will find wrath and misfortune enough.

Perhaps another example will help.

Another well known parable of Jesus’ is that of the unmerciful servant. The lord forgave a man a great debt at his pleading. But he did not—as far as we know—say any kind of thanks, but immediately went out and took one of his creditors by the throat and threatened him without mercy. He was a human being who never really appreciated what had been done and given him.

Now I would hardly expect anyone here today to act that way toward another person with the same vindictive spirit. But I know for fact that we are all capable of the same short memory as his.

Is it possible for a person to be so ungrateful after a debt of millions has been cancelled? Of course it is. Just turn the question upon yourself and see. For isn’t it possible that you could forget all that God has given you and did for you when he pardoned your debt and justified you? Isn’t it quite possible that you could become unappreciative of all this, that it could even weary you at times to hear about it?

Our Scripture this morning from Revelation chapter 2, speaks about works, love, faith, service and patient endurance. It is the Word of Christ saying “I know these things about you.” These words were written first to the church at Thyatira. It was one of the Seven Churches that the Spirit of God had a message for the Apostle John to write down and deliver.

Among the Christians in Thyatira, there was tolerated a sinful woman who practiced sexual immorality and satanic works. Christ warned those who participated with her that He would deal with her and them so that others would know that He sees into the heart and mind.

But to those who remained faithful and their works were love, faith, service and patient endurance, Christ says, “hold fast what you have until I come.”

What do we have here at Immanuel worth holding fast? The many acres of land set out from the very beginning 160 years ago? The buildings on this property? Church? School? The heritage and the connection with the past? And what would it take to lose all these? But isn’t there more than property here? How about the pure Word of God? The Sacraments: Baptism and Lord’s Supper?

Could we be tempted to think that if in the future a grand church was here that was technologically advanced and captivating and that the lot was full of cars and that people from all over came and that the cost for it all was simply to set Word and Sacrament aside in order to set Frankentrost “ablaze for Christ”—could we be tempted to do it?

“After all,” it could be argued, “More members could help pay the bills around here! Growth would mean income.”

One of the common ploys to get people to give is to manipulate their emotions by asking, “what would you do if you came to church and it was locked? If you found a sign saying that a bank owned the place?—How would you feel?”

But I think more searching questions need to be asked: Would you really miss it if Law and Gospel were no longer properly divided? What about if doctrine didn’t get in the way of visitors communing openly? How about if couples living in sin outside of marriage weren’t made to feel shame for it and could come to church with no guilt? Would American idol entertainment perhaps bring you to more services?

You know that the list could go on. So answer these questions for yourself: Do I keep the Lord’s Day holy? Do I despise preaching and God’s Word? Do I hold the Lord’s Word sacred and gladly hear and learn it? Do I neglect the Gospel and Sacraments or make light of them when they are given? Do I attend the Church’s worship faithfully, or do I attend sporadically because I prefer to be elsewhere? Do I pray for my pastor and support his efforts to guard Christ’s flock from error?

What do these matters have to do with service, you wonder? They have to do with God’s Service: His serving us.

It is here, in the congregation, amidst God’s people that Jesus has promised to be present. “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them.”

It is among God’s people that forgiveness is offered, Christ is preached, sins are forgiven, and souls are saved. “A part from me, you can do nothing” Jesus told the disciples. He also promised them the Kingdom and He prayed for those who would believe their words. “He who receives you, receives me. And he who rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

Stewardship is much more than practical tips for giving your money a Christian lifestyle. Stewardship in the New Testament is always connected to the ministry. “Stewards of the mysteries of God” is what the Apostle Paul calls ministers.

Stewardship is connected to the support of the proclamation and administration of the Gospel
That’s why it is so difficult to meet general budgets. We have gotten away from Faith as Paul speaks of it in Romans chapter 10,

But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:14-18 (ESV).

These three weeks we have heard from the Word of God concerning the gift of faith—which God has graciously given to us, that we might know and believe in our Savior Jesus Christ and be saved—
We have joined in gratitude—thankful that God has given us all that we need for heaven and for life here on earth—
And we see that service is not wasted on Christ or His Word, that the greatest investment we can make in this world is service:

That His kingdom might be extended among us, in our community and throughout the world.

In Galatians chapter 5 we read,

One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:6-10 (ESV)

Amen.