Putting the Pieces Together

1 Corinthians 12: 4-12
Roger Lynn
November 22, 2015
Stewardship Commitment Sunday
(click here for the audio for this sermon)

The card table is set up in the middle of the room. The box is opened and the pieces are spread out, with some time spent making sure they all get turned over so the face is up. And then, slowly, the picture begins to take shape as piece after piece is put in place. A jigsaw puzzle can occupy a whole family for hours at a time. I’ve heard rumors that it is possible for a puzzle to be assembled by an individual, but I can’t quite imagine why you would want to. It seems so much more fun and more interesting as a group experience. Each person brings to the task their own perspective and their own gifts. Some have a knack for spotting just the right shape. Others are great at finding the perfect color match. I’ve searched in vain for a particular piece, only to have someone else reach across the table and pull it out of the pile that was sitting in front of me the whole time. Through the combined efforts of everyone involved, something beautiful emerges from what started out as nothing more than a box of funny shaped pieces of cardboard.

There is something of that same experience involved in being the Church. We are a community of faith. “Wherever two or three are gathered together...” is the way the Bible puts it. A central, essential quality of being Church is that it takes all of us working together to sustain the important work we are called to. Oh sure, it is possible for each of us, on our own, to do important work. But it really does require the combined efforts of all of us to be Church. This year’s stewardship theme is “Putting the Pieces Together.” It is a reminder that we are in this together. We each bring to the experience the uniqueness of who we are. We each contribute what we can. Sometimes that takes the form of money. Sometimes we give of our time. Sometimes it’s something else. Always it occurs within the larger context of God’s abundance.

Last week we looked at the story of the Prodigal in Luke’s Gospel. We saw that each of the characters had a unique role to play – a unique contribution to make. And when they allowed themselves the freedom to let go of old patterns of understanding the world and old ways of doing things, something remarkable took shape. Relationships were restored. Community was brought together. Celebration became the order of the day. New life emerged. Only when someone stubbornly clung to the old ways and old patterns, refusing to add their pieces to the picture which was taking shape, was the celebration diminished.

All of life is a gift. We have been showered with abundance which takes a variety of forms. And the response which such a gift calls for is to share. Stewardship is ultimately a matter of faith. We are empowered to give in response to the gifts we have first received. Truly faithful giving becomes possible through an openness to God’s abundance.

There are a variety of forms which our stewardship responses can take, depending on personal life circumstances. Financial giving is often the first thing we think of when the subject of stewardship comes up. And that really is important. Not because money is the only thing that matters. But rather because in our culture money often represents so much that we value – time, resources, possibilities for service. So the decisions we thoughtfully and prayerfully make regarding the sharing of our financial resources are not to be taken lightly. They are important to us as individuals, to the Church as a whole, and to a great many people in our community and our world. The various ways in which we seek to reach out to make a difference are affected by our financial response. What we give directly impacts what we can do. Our financial stewardship efforts make a very tangible impact. Planned and intentional giving can enrich our lives and bring us joy as we experience the satisfaction of knowing that we are part of a larger whole – participating in the ongoing work of meeting the needs of the world. 

So, what does that look like? How much should you be giving? That is a decision which only you can make. In terms of money, some of us have the means to give a relatively large amount without very much effort. Others will find it challenging to give anything at all. There is no magic formula. There is no one “right” answer. Instead, each of us are invited to review our current life circumstances, our priorities, our values, and all of the ways in which we are currently participating, and then to make a plan for intentionally sharing in the mission of this congregation, as the Spirit moves us. In the process, it is very important to remember all of the different gifts which we have been given, and thus all of the different ways in which we can share, including not only our money, but also our time and our talents and our energy. Abundance comes in a wide variety of forms and so does sharing.

It really does take all of us working together, each contributing in our own unique, creative and faithful ways, “putting the pieces together.” And when we open ourselves to that shared experience of sharing, the beautiful picture which begins to emerge is a vibrant and active community of faith which is reaching out beyond ourselves to touch the world with God’s love. I invite you to make sure that your pieces are included in the puzzle.