“Gifts and
Graces”
A Sermon
Preached by the
Rev. Jean
Niven Lenk
Sunday, May
20, 2012
First
Congregational Church of Stoughton, United Church of Christ
Text: Matthew 25:14-30
Look at this beautiful bunch of grapes.
This is the way God makes grapes!
Abundant. Copious. Bountiful.
Plentiful.
And now look at this stem.
Something is clearly wrong with it.
This isn’t the way God made it.
Someone has reduced the number of grapes on this bunch so it looks
sparse, insignificant, inadequate.
I’d like you to think of these not as grapes; instead look at each one of
these grapes as one of the gifts that God has given you – talents, abilities,
aptitudes. Look at the great bunch of
gifts and graces that God has given each one of you!
But look at this poor stem.
Something is wrong with it; this is not the way God made us, but this is
the way a lot of us look at ourselves and our gifts. Many of us think we have few if any talents
or abilities; that we have little to
offer. Many of us don’t see ourselves
the way God made us, overflowing with gifts and graces. Instead, we see ourselves as deficient,
insufficient, limited, wanting. Do you
think it pleases God when we diminish the gifts that God has given to us?
Let’s take a look at the story Jesus tells in today’s Scripture lesson,
“The Parable of the Talents.” In Jesus’
time, a talent – from the Greek word talanton
– was a sum of money equal to about twenty years’ wages, so we are talking
about a lot of money, maybe a million dollars.
In the story, a wealthy man leaves home and
entrusts his talents – his money – to his servants. Two
of the servants invest the money entrusted to them, doubling its value, and the
owner praises them. I like the
translation, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
But the third servant
simply buries the money -- why? Because
he is afraid – he is so frightened of losing it, he doesn’t even try using it. Instead, he buries it. And the money does nothing while it’s lying there
in the ground – it doesn’t grow, it doesn’t benefit anyone, and it isn’t put to
any good use. And when the owner
returns, he rebukes the servant for not doing anything with the money and says,
“As for this worthless servant, throw him into the outer darkness.” Ouch!
The
message is that the master gave the money to his servants not for safekeeping
but rather for the money to be used in a way that would enhance the master’s
estate.
And how beautifully
convenient that the word “talent” in English doesn’t mean money but rather
means ability, aptitude, skill.
God has given each one of you gifts and graces – not stingily, or sparsely, or ungenerously. Rather, God has given you gifts and graces abundantly, lavishly, generously.
And in response, God expects us to use them to enhance Christ’s Church and bring about God’s Kingdom here on earth.
There is no better day than today to talk about using your gifts, because after you have a chance to grab some goodies at Coffee Hour, we’ll be holding our Annual Program meeting right here in this sanctuary, and asking you to offer your gifts and graces and talents and abilities for the good of the church. There are many ways that you can serve, and we urge you not to be afraid like the third servant, but instead to offer your gifts for the good of the church.
Is there something that you love to do? That really jazzes you? That brings you great joy? How might you translate that joy into something here at the church? If you love to read, why not lead a book study? If you love to garden, why not work on our flower beds, or start a community vegetable garden here on church property? If you love music, share your gifts during worship for the glory of God! If you have a hobby, an interest, an avocation – all of these could become small groups or ministries of the church.
And, in doing so, you will be “entering into the joy of your master.”
But there is more to it --
This is about our responsibility – it is about stepping out
with God’s gifts in our hands and risking them for the sake of Christ’s church
– it’s about daring to use what God has given us, and using it for God’s
purposes, in gratitude to God.
The third servant was not willing to take a risk, was not
willing to use what had been given to him.
But God’s gifts are not entrusted to us to be buried in the ground! They are given to us so we can risk using
them to bring about God’s Kingdom, in our little corner of Christ’s church.
It
is so important not to become apathetic or cynical by thinking that you cannot
make a difference. And it’s so important
not to let yourself off the hook by thinking that you don’t have enough time; or
you’ve already “done your time”; or you’re only visiting this church and not an
“official member”; there are so many reasons you could use for not getting more
involved in the work of Christ’s church.
We
want you all to experience the joy of discipleship. The joy of fulfilling God’s purpose for your
life. The joy of using your God-given
gifts for something greater than yourself.
There is certainly a joy to discipleship. But discipleship also involves a cost. There is the cost of your effort. There is the cost of your time.
And
the worst thing you could do would be to play it too safe with your gifts – to
invest nothing, to dig a metaphorical hole in the ground and bury your gifts so
that no one benefits from them.
I
want to leave you with this. Please turn
to your N&N, page 2 –
What would the First Congregational Church of Stoughton be like if everyone who considered themselves a part of our church were just like you?
Would our church be empty on Sunday, or full to overflowing, if everyone attended as you do?
Would people be reading their bibles daily, or not at all, if everyone took the time you do?
Would God hear from many, or from no one, if people took the time you do to pray?
How many bruised, hurting, lonely people – if any -- would be touched if everyone reached out as you do?
Would we need more ushers and offering plates – or less -- if everyone gave like you do?
What would the church be like if everyone who considered this “their church” were just like you?
What would this church be like? Would it be pleasing to God?
May each one of us offer our God-given gifts to the glory of God and to Christ’s church, that these words may be meant for us: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.” Amen.
