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Worship Video (recorded at 11:00 service):

"Living Faith" for November

A gentleman known as “Chaplain McCabe” was seeking to raise a million dollars for missions. In his quest, he often struggled with discouragement and disappointment as he encountered what he perceived to be “tight-fisted Christians” who refused to give to God. One day, while going through the mail, he came across a tattered note from a young boy. Written in a boyish scrawl and liberally punctuated with blots, the letter read: “I’m sure you’re going to get a million dollars for missions. And I’m going to help you get it, too. So, here’s a nickel towards it. It’s all I’ve got right now, but if you need any more, just call on me.”

Church leaders can often feel the same discouragement and disappointment as we ask for help or share opportunities to serve in the church or provide other services, such as periodic cleaning, setting up for Christmas, etc.  And this year our congregation has a huge challenge, perhaps as potentially unattainable as Chaplain McCabe’s goal to raise a million dollars – having people willing to serve as officers and board members.

In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” In other words, since you have already received the victory of Christ, set your hearts on the higher challenge of the Gospel and live a Living Faith. In this light, extreme caution must be taken whenever a story or an analogy is used in the development of a servant or stewardship lifestyle, much like what is trying to be accomplished here through these monthly readings. The calling must always remain the higher challenge of the Gospel and must not be lowered to the challenge of human wisdom.

In the case of McCabe’s story, there was an appeal to guilt in the description of “tight-fisted or selfish Christians who refuse to give or to serve.” Yet, before God the Father, we are guiltless. Yes, we often fail to do what pleases God, but through daily contrition and repentance, we are forgiven by the atoning work of Jesus Christ. To be guilty before God is to have a heart of stone, and a heart of stone cannot give or serve willingly.

This story was reportedly told to “challenge people.” But where is the challenge pointing? Is it to the higher challenge of the Gospel or to our own efforts and failures? If a moving story is told on its own accord each week which causes people to change their behavior or attitude, then what about next week? Soon, it may become a matter of topping last week’s dissertation with an even deeper emotional appeal which is accompanied by reduced results, potential stone hearts.

But the higher challenge of the Gospel is about more.  The challenge of the Gospel does not point us to our failures for not having been cheerful givers, trustworthy stewards, or tithers of our time. The Gospel shows us Jesus who provides all his time, talent and treasure for the sake of His people.  It presents to us the mercy, riches of grace, and love of Christ poured out on us and simply asks that we set our hearts and minds on those things and respond accordingly.  Forgiven in Jesus, we are a Gospel-led people who are equipped to do what God desires.

Using stories and examples are not wrong, but they can prove to be problematic theologically. Care must be taken when using stories or their characters as examples. Remember, the Gospel is always the higher challenge, not man’s wisdom. We must always remember that we give willingly, more importantly, that we serve willingly, from the heart, not out of guilt or compulsion, but by a Living Faith in victory, for our hearts are set on things above, on the higher challenge of the Gospel.