Opportunities in Stewardship (2 Corinthians 8:1-7) - September 7
Blessings in Stewardship (2 Corinthians 8:8-15) - September 14
Gospel in Stewardship (2 Corinthians 9:6-15) - September 21
Investment in Stewardship (Luke 19:12-27) - September 28
Attitudes in Stewardship (Mark 12:41-44; Matthew 6:1-4; Exodus 36:1-7) - October 5

Join us as look to the Lord instead of our culture to see how we can glorify the Lord in all of our lives, including with our material resources. Ultimately, giving is about the heart and a response of thanksgiving.

Here are some reading resources you may find useful:

• What Are the Benefits of Biblical Stewardship and Tithing? by Joseph Pipa
• Act of Grace: The Power of Generosity to Change Your Life, the Church, and the World by James C. Petty
• The Book of Giving: How the God Who Gives Can Make Us Givers by Pierce Taylor Hibbs
• Money, Debt, and Finances: Critical Questions and Answers by Jim Newheiser
• Money: Seeking God's Wisdom (31-Day Devotionals for Life) by Jim Newheiser
• The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving by Randy Alcorn

Each fourth Thursday of November is Thanksgiving in the United States. This federal holiday was established relatively recently in our nation’s history – an act of Congress signed by President Roosevelt in 1941. I do not think it is an accident or coincidence that the establishment of a nationally recognized day of Thanksgiving came only a few weeks after America was attacked at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. But the tradition of Thanksgiving goes back much further than that in America. Back to the almost mythical story of the Pilgrims’ feast with the Wampanoag in what is now Massachusetts, to the First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving in 1777, to President Lincoln's proclamation in 1863, Thanksgiving has been a part of the American story

And it should be! There is nothing peculiarly “American” about Thanksgiving, but it is an opportunity for us to remember all for which we have to be thankful. More importantly, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must remember to whom we must be thankful. The Bible reminds us that it is the Lord who made us, and we are His people (Psalm 100:3). Every good gift comes from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change (James 1:17). Our daily lives are so busy that we often forget to be thankful for the many blessings we have – the very air we breathe, the sun in the sky, the family and friends surrounding us, and the freedom we enjoy. Enjoy your time with your loved ones and feast to your heart’s content!

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
(1 Chronicles 16:8)

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
(1 Chronicles 16:34)

So today, as you enjoy your Thanksgiving meal and fellowship around the table, remember to give thanks to the One who has made it all possible. Remember to give thanks to the One who has given the greatest gift we could ever ask for: the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Service in the church can be tough. It is often thankless, forgotten, or overlooked. Whether it is caring for our little ones in nursery, working the sound booth, serving at VBS, going on that mission trip, visiting widows, or getting up early for that yearly church workday, service requires something more than mere obligation. It requires love. What does true service say about you?

First, service to the church shows you love the church, and are committed to keeping your covenant vows. What reason could be given for loving the church? After all, the church is full of sinners! Some of them even have the audacity to sit in my spot in the sanctuary! Kidding aside, yes, the church is full of sinners. Yet, we must remember what kind of sinners. They are redeemed sinners! They have been plucked from Satan’s kingdom and drawn out of darkness. They have been Chosen by God, covered with Christ’s blood, and stamped with the Spirit. God loves his bride with perfect love. Do you love her? Then serve her selflessly.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:3-5)

Second, service is how you love Christ. Let’s go to our theological tool belts and pull out this doctrine called union with Christ. Every believer has been permanently bound together to Christ. He has put his name on them. So much so that if you hate God’s people, you hate Christ! Don’t believe me? Just ask Paul on the Damascus road (Acts 9:4). This also means that to love Christ’s people is to love Christ himself. The Lord has given us to each other, that we may abound in love for him. When you look at the church, do you see Christ? When you see the saints, do you see the one they are connected to? When you serve the body, you are truly serving Christ.

Let your love be stirred up. Remember Christ who loved you and died for you. Remember the body he has brought you into. It is a body of sweet fellowship, divine worship, and costly service.

Listen to Jesus

Far too often, the voices we hear in public are designed to make us ungrateful, miserable, and angry. “Look at all that is wrong with the world!” they cry. “Be outraged at this!” “How can anyone have hope when THIS is happening,” is the constant shriek of those who do not know God. Whether it is designed for profit off of misery or the fulfillment of the proverb, misery loves company; these voices do not have our best interest in mind. The effect of such discouragement is to cause us to take our eyes off of the Lord. Life has always been, and will always be, hard in a world cursed by sin. I am sure you have faced challenges in 2023 – it might have been sickness, relationship problems, or job difficulties – struggles that can even cause us to doubt the care of our Heavenly Father. But we must remember the words of our Savior: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Once we realize that our happiness does not depend on us, we are prepared for the year to come. There is no reason to fear the future, for the one who holds us is the Sovereign King of time itself.

Look for Blessings

Instead, let us face the new year with an expectation of seeing God at work in our lives. The Lord has promised to make us more and more into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). He has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). And best of all, He has promised that we will be His people and He will be our God (Jer. 30:22). So are you looking for all the ways that God is blessing you? One of our problems is that we receive so many blessings that we forget to thank the Lord. When was the last time you thanked God for light, air, or rain? The Lord has brought you through 2023, and He will be with you in 2024. Don’t take my word for it – God Himself has promised it! I am looking forward to a new year with a new granddaughter, another blessed year with my wife and children, and a year filled with encouragement from Christ Church. Take some time as the year begins to list for yourself the blessings you have received in the past year and the anticipated blessings in 2024.

Fill Your Year with the Word

The beginning of the new year is also a time to remind yourself of the importance of the Word of God. You don’t have to read through the whole Bible in a year, but making a commitment to read God’s Word every day will be a great blessing. There are many different plans you can use for reading the Bible in a year, or two years, or even listening to the Bible in a podcast format. There are many different apps that you can use (YouVersion, Logos, Reading Plan, among others), or you can print out a plan the old-fashioned way and put it in your Bible to keep track of your progress. Treasure up the Word in your heart, and the Holy Spirit will point you to God’s grace in your life.

What qualities mark Ezra as a leader? How is it that he could so effectively steer God’s people back to covenant faithfulness? Let me offer two reasons:

First, Ezra was “skilled in the law of Moses” (7:6). He had a deep appreciation for, and a profound knowledge of the word of God. But it goes much further than this. For Ezra, the word of God was not something to be admired from afar. Merely an ideal never to be reached. Instead, Ezra was “skillful” in the law. That word indicates quick and decisive action. It pictures a man who is ready, equipped, and prepared to act in every circumstance. Being skilled in God’s word kept Ezra from two great errors. First, he did not hesitate unnecessarily. Of course, we must always be cautious in our acts, but we must never be indecisive. Ezra could be quick to action because he knew the powerful truth of God’s word. For example, God had prophesied through Jeremiah that the exile would end after 70 years. Ezra had witnessed God's fulfillment of the prophesy firsthand and knew that whatever is spoken of in God's word is sure and true. Second, knowing God’s word kept Ezra from foolish actions. Decisiveness without direction is dangerous. Zeal that is unguided will only bring disaster. Ezra would fall into neither error, but instead would lead by God’s command. It is for this reason that Ezra insists on being a lifelong learner and teacher of God’s word. “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (7:10). What a blessing it would be for God to give us leaders such as this, who insist on sitting under his word, always learning, and always growing; Leaders who will feed the sheep from that same bountiful feast.

Second, Ezra carried with him a conviction that he would be used greatly by God, only if he walked by faith and entrusted himself to God. Ezra relied on no human strength. Like Paul, he showed forth God’s strength in his own weakness (2 Cor 12:9). At the end of Chapter 7, Ezra comments on God’s faithfulness:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me. (Ezra 7:27-29)

Ezra had a certain conviction of God’s providence in his life. He longed to see God’s will be done, and he gave himself wholly to that plan. Notice that he is not confident in his own strength, but rather in the revealed will of God. Ezra sees how God is acting and fulfilling his word, and how he is being drawn in to be used of God. In that knowledge he takes courage and moves from faith to action.

What would it look like if Christians today lived like this? That we not only knew the promises of God but also expected the fulfillment? That we not only knew God was working in the world, but that he was working in our midst and in our church? What if we by faith entrusted ourselves to that work of God? What if we pleaded with God to let us join him in his glorious plans? What if we had leaders today doing this? What if we had more Godly pastors, teachers, and shepherds who zealously pursued the glory of God by seeking to do his will? There is only one way to know. Pray for wise leaders in the church, who are skillful in God’s word, and convinced in the strength of almighty God. And pray for many to imitate them.

The family is at the foundation of God’s creation. In the Garden of Eden, before sin entered into the world, God formed the family. Since that time, the family has been a central part of every human society. Husbands and wives have come together to become fathers and mothers, raising children for the benefit and blessing of individuals and society. In many ways, our modern society seems to have forgotten the importance of the family. God has given instructions to fathers, mothers, and children about how to care for each other and follow His design. In this sermon series, we will explore God’s blueprint for the family, challenges that come to the family, and God’s provision for the family.

The Model: the Family of God (1 John 2:28-3:3) - July 30, 2023
The Foundation: Marriage (Genesis 2:18-24; Ephesians 5:22-33) - August 13, 2023
Fathers: Leading and Forming (Malachi 4:5-6; Hebrews 12:7-11; Ephesians 6:4) - August 20, 2023
Mothers: Discipling and Caring (2 Tim 1:3-7; Isaiah 49:14-15; Isaiah 66:13) - August 27, 2023
Children: the Gift of God (Mark 10:13-16) - September 3, 2023
The Enemies of the Family (1 John 2:15-17) - September 10, 2023
Prayer: the Hope of the Family (Matthew 15:21-28) - September 17, 2023
Teaching: Building Up the Family (Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Psalm 78:1-9) - September 24, 2023

Looking Back

Take some time this week to look back at your life and the Providence that God has given to you. I recommend making a list (either “old school” on paper or on an electronic device) and setting forth for yourself all of the struggles, accomplishments, and changes that have come to you. Even the little things matter. Then ask yourself a question: have I been in prayer about these things during the year? Have I asked the Lord for strength in my struggles (Psalm 118:14), or have I just tried to muddle through? Have I given the Lord praise for all I have accomplished this year, knowing that every good gift is from above (James 1:17) and that my accomplishments come from God’s blessing (1 Cor. 4:7). Looking back also prepares you to face the future. The future is unknown to you, and while you can prepare for various eventualities, you are sure to face unexpected challenges, sorrows, and joys. Reminding yourself that the Lord has promised never to leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5), and that He has kept that promise in the past, is the surest way to have confidence for the future.

Looking Ahead

But the new year is more than just a retrospective on life. It is also an opportunity to think about the future and make preparations for how you want your life to be better. That starts with a commitment to cling to the Lord. I write this almost every year, but it remains true: the new year serves as a spur to recommit to spending time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer. Do you have a daily Bible Reading Plan? There are many available on our ministry partner, Ligonier Ministries’, website. Find one that works for you. There are New Testament-heavy plans, Chronological reading plans, and even plans that run for two or three years! Don’t think that you must be able to accomplish a goal to start; it is the reading itself that is important. So if you know you have not been able to read the whole Bible in a year, make the effort to read it in two or three. One Bible “reading” plan that I have found helpful is a podcast from Crossway Publishers. There are several versions that you can subscribe to and download to your device. You can then listen to the Bible as you drive, exercise, or even do chores. You may not think it will be as effective as morning quiet time with a Bible, a highlighter, and coffee, but it certainly is better than nothing (which is often the alternative)!

Look for Opportunities

A final encouragement I would like to give to you is to look for opportunities in 2023. The Lord gives us opportunities to use our gifts, share the gospel, and be a blessing to others.  Don’t get so busy in the everyday that you fail to recognize when someone needs an encouraging word. The Christian life is meant to be active and a blessing to others. Find opportunities to serve, ministries to get involved in, and times to get together with others. The Lord will bring such opportunities to you – you simply need to recognize them and act on them. May the Lord bless you richly in 2023.

The very first Christmas is recorded in Luke 2. Mary has just given birth to the promised child, and the shepherds in the field have been visited by angels with a message and a grand show of angelic worship (Luke 2:8-14). The Shepherds, curious about the boy, come to find him and report to Mary all they had seen and been told by the angels. Mary’s response is revealing. “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (2:19). What is Mary doing? She is fixing her mind and her heart on the full glory of her savior Jesus. By treasuring up these thoughts, she is guarding them, protecting them. Like a precious object we lock away and keep safe. Nothing else will steal her mind away from the thought of her child and savior.

Not only that, but she also ponders these things. That is, she considers them over and over again. Like a person in such deep thought that they begin to converse with themselves! She is peering into a deep mystery. One that is profound, mysterious, and overwhelmingly magnificent. What are these thoughts? No doubt she is thinking about the good news that Christ brings. The angels tell us that Christ himself is “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (2:10). He is called a “savior” (2:11). Simeon will later proclaim to God, “my eyes have seen your salvation” (2:30) as he gazes upon the infant child. Mary is in awe that God has provided the greatest gift. A light in the darkness! A hope for everlasting life!

Perhaps even greater than this, Mary is fixated on the divine identity of her baby. He is the Christ of God, the Son of God, Immanuel forever. He is “Christ the Lord” (2:11). Yet, shockingly, he is the one “wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (2:12). Mary is pondering the great doctrine of the incarnation, full of awe and wonder.

Most of all, Mary is considering the glory of this one she has been given. The angels proclaim at his birth, “glory to God in the highest” (2:14)! In Christ, God’s glory is displayed. He displays God’s mercy as a savior. He displays God’s faithfulness as the fulfillment of promise. He displays God’s holiness as the redeemer from sin. He showcases the glory of God like no one else!

This Christmas, do as Mary did. Treasure Christ in your heart. Treasure the fullness of his character, mission, and identity. Set you heart and mind on him and let nothing steal your gaze from him. This Christmas, let us celebrate Christ!

As is my habit at this time of year, I want to encourage you to think about all the ways that the Lord has blessed you. He certainly has treated you "better than you deserve" in His Son, Jesus Christ. Christmas time reminds us that when all was dark, when all seemed lost, when we were unable to save ourselves – the Father sent the Son to be our redeemer. And the coming of Christ brings hope into even the most difficult of situations. We need not fear death (what a wonderful thing in this time of COVID!); we don't have to solve the world's problems; and we can know that God accepts us in Christ. When everything around us is uncertain, Jesus is our rock and stay.

Following Jesus does not mean that we are perfect or have all the answers. We certainly learned that this past year in our study of 2 Samuel. David was the "man after God's own heart" who was given God's covenant promise of an everlasting kingdom, and yet over and over again, he failed and needed the grace of God to go on. Do you sometimes feel like you are treading water? That the same problems of life keep repeating themselves? Know that the Lord does not give up on His children when they fall into the same sins or experience the same trials. His promise is "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

This coming year we have a great deal to look forward to as a church. After a COVID pause, our Foreign Missions Conference will be back on the weekend of February 18-20. After that, I will begin a new sermon series in the Gospel of John, "That You May Believe." We will learn together, eat meals together, pray together, and worship together. I am praying that 2022 will be a year in which Jesus shows Himself clearly and especially. Will you pray with me to that end?

As you face the challenges of 2022, the best way to be prepared is to focus on the Word of God. The Bible is ever-relevant, ever-helpful, and ever-comforting. The new year is an excellent time to take up again (or start) the habit of daily Bible reading. There are numerous ways to do that, from reading the New Testament intensively to reading passages from both the Old and New Testaments daily. Our partners at Ligonier Ministries have 18 different Bible reading plans that you can explore HERE. May the Lord bless you richly in 2022!

How is all this possible? Is it because we are inherently more moral than our ancestors? A casual glance at the news will refute that theory. Is it because we are more worthy than our ancestors? On what grounds could we say that? Men and women who have gone before us worked hard and sacrificed. The only answer that satisfies is that we are the beneficiaries of the grace of God. The One who made all things and preserves them by His almighty power has blessed us with more blessings than we can imagine. A good Thanksgiving exercise would be to take the advice of the old hymn and “Count your blessings, one by one. Count your blessings see what God has done.”

Thanksgiving is a time when we are reminded that much has been given to us. So how can you cultivate a heart of thanksgiving? A starting point would be to listen to the Apostle Paul:

6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:6–11)

Generosity produces thanksgiving. By giving freely of what we have, we are reminded that the Lord has promised to continue to provide for us. And that makes us thankful. So this Thanksgiving, look for ways to be a blessing to others around you: family, friends, co-workers, even strangers. May the Lord bless you with gratitude this Thanksgiving!