Saint Luke's Lutheran Church

Throughout this month of November, we have been lifting up our Stewardship theme: Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. We have looked at this theme through the lenses of the four movements in worship - gathering, hearing, celebrating, and sending. Today's focus is on the fourth and final movement: Sending. It also happens to fall on Christ the King Sunday.

Now, the second lesson for Christ the King Sunday comes from John's Revelation which begins with this salutation: "Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come…" This passage reminds us that we live between Jesus' first coming and his second, between the death of Christ on the cross and the resurrection of the dead on the Last Day.

These two events are the parentheses of our time - the parameters of the age in which we live. German theologian Oscar Cullmann, who lived through World War II, draws an analogy that I have always found helpful. It goes like this: On June 6, 1944, the Allied troops invaded Normandy and broke the back of the German army. From that time on, the outcome of the war was decided - the Allied nations had defeated the Axis powers. It was only a matter of time until the war was over. It was not until May 7, however, that the Germans finally surrendered and Victory in Europe could be declared. During the intervening months, the war continued. Allied soldiers could not lay down their guns and go home, because they needed to solidify the victory that had been won on D-day.

Cullmann compares Good Friday to D-day, for it was on the cross that Jesus defeated the powers of sin and death. This was the decisive event in the cosmic struggle between God and Satan. From this time on, the outcome was certain: God had won and Satan had lost. The final outcome was determined, but Satan, like Hitler, did not quit. So Cullman compares the Second Coming of Christ to V-E Day. That is the day when victory will be complete and the reign of God will be fully established. That is the day when the conflict will finally be over. In the meantime, however, the war goes on. Christians cannot sit down and do nothing.

We are living in this time between the D-day of the cross and the V-day of Christ's return. In this in-between time, we have a mission as soldiers of Christ the King. Jesus laid out that mission when he left the battlefield to return to his heavenly headquarters at the right hand of the Father. That mission is clearly and simply stated in last verses of Matthew 28, where Jesus gives what we now call The Great Commission: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." This is our mission - to go and make disciples. We are reminded of that mission at the end of every worship service when we the Assisting Minister says, "Go in peace. Serve the Lord." And we all respond: "Thanks be to God."

Every year, especially around Friendship Sunday, both Pastor Allen and I talk about the importance of this mission. Usually, we speak about it in terms of our calling to share our faith with the people we encounter throughout our daily lives. Certainly, Jesus sends us to share the Good news of God's love and forgiveness with our friends, our neighbors, our relatives, and other acquaintances. But our mission is bigger than this. Jesus sends us out to "make disciples of all peoples."

This is a huge mission. This mission is bigger than any one of us can accomplish. This mission is bigger than any congregation can accomplish. This mission is bigger than any denomination can accomplish. This mission is so huge that it requires the collective efforts and resources of the whole Christian Church on earth - including yours.

This is why St. Luke's support Tim and Annie Reynolds, our missionaries to Cameroon. This is why St. Luke's gives ten percent of our regular offerings to benevolence - supporting the missions and ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in this country and around the world. It is because we know that what we cannot do individually or as a single congregation, we can do by working together with others.

Today is not only Christ the King Sunday, it is also Commitment Sunday here at St. Luke's. In just a few minutes, you will be invited to come forward and lay on the altar your commitment card, indicating what you intend to give in the coming year. With your commitment and with your offerings, you join together with the whole Christian Church on earth in the mission of making disciples of all people.

There is an old story that may help to illustrate how this works. Once upon a time, a well-to-do Egyptian died and left his camel business to his two sons and a nephew who had worked with him. In his will, he stated that his older son should get have of his camels, his younger son should get a third, and his nephew one-ninth. The problem was that at the time of his death, the man had 17 camels. Now 17 cannot be divided by 2 or 3 or 9. As his heirs were struggling with how to divide up the estate, the steward who had managed this man's affairs for many years came up with a solution.

"Before he died, my master gave me a camel as a reward for my years of faithful service," he said. "If I give you my camel, then you will be able to fulfill the terms of my master's will." So the family took back the one camel, which gave them a total of 18. Then they gave nine to his older son, which was his half. They gave six to the younger son, which was his third. And they gave 2 to the nephew, which was his ninth. 9 + 6 + 2 = 17. That means they had one camel left over, so they gave that one back to the steward.

"Thank you, faithful steward," the son said, "for helping us to do our father's will."

This is the way that Christian stewardship works. When we give back to the Lord, we help fulfill the Father's will. And God always makes sure that we still have what we need.

This is different from the offerings in the Old Testament period, prior to the parameter of Jesus' cross. The tithes and offerings that the people brought to the Temple were entirely consumed - either by fire or by the priests. The whole burnt offerings, called in Hebrew the holocaust, and part of the grain offering were burned up on the altar. The rest of the grain offerings was given to the priests for food. These sacrifices were offered simply as an act of worship - to honor and praise God and to support the Temple rituals. They served no other purpose.

Our offerings today in this time between the D-day of the cross and the V-day of the resurrection are given not only as an act of worship but also for the mission of the church. We do not burn up the contributions that you offer, although one member has suggested that, but it is only because he always gives by check. Well, that's not going to happen. And the reason is that unlike the people of God in the Old Testament period, we have a mission - a mission to make disciples of all nations. While we ask you to give in response to what you have received, and not to the needs of the church, your offerings, unlike those of God's Old Testament people, serves a double purpose.

So as you make your commitment today and as you bring your offerings, think about the money you give as both as an act of worship and an act of mission. Amen.