"Two Truths For a Modern

American's Thanksgiving"

November 24 & 25, 1999

Sermon on 2 Corinthians 9:8-11

Saint Mark's, Watertown

Pastor Karl Walther

The Psalms say: Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name! Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits! Amen.

God's Word which urges our thanksgiving today is Second Corinthians chapter nine, verses eight through eleven:

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Introduction: We Are Wealthy!

Dear fellow Christians-- who today give thanks to the Lord:

Are you rich...? Let's have a show of hands. How many of you here today think you're rich? Raise your hands!

Well, I have to agree with those of you who have raised your hands. I'm rich, too. Oh, I know that by modern American standards few of us are wealthy; it's like the Apostle Paul wrote to these same Corinthians at one time: Not many of you are influential. But I also know that in comparison with those who lived in the sixty centuries or so preceding us, in comparison with others living even now across the world, you and I are rich. It's as Paul writes to the Corinthians here: You have been made rich in every way.

Theme: Two Truths For a Modern American's Thanksgiving

So, what do you suppose the Lord wants to say to us wealthy modern Americans, on this final Thanksgiving day of the century? Well, on the basis of the Bible today, let me offer to you (*) TWO TRUTHS FOR A MODERN AMERICAN'S THANKSGIVING. These are, first of all, that: (1) GOD HAS BEEN VERY GENEROUS TOWARD US, & secondly, that (2) WE NEED TO BE VERY GENEROUS TOWARD GOD & OTHERS.

Part One: God Has Been Very Generous Toward Us

Let me give you the background to God's Word to us today. The Apostle Paul was on his third missionary journey-- in the country of Greece, in about the year fifty-five ad. At the time, Paul was in process of gathering an offering from the Gentile Christians for the needy Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. Paul took the occasion to remind the Corinthian Christians that God had been very generous to them-- and that they, in turn, needed to be generous toward the Lord and others.

And so, he begins by saying: God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, you will have all that you need. And so, by God's grace, the Corinthians never did lack for food and water, for clothing and shelter. They always had all that they needed-- just as it says here.

And isn't that ever so true for you and for me? I mean: have you ever really lacked for anything you truly needed? I bet not! You've always had something to eat-- before starvation did any damage to your health. You've always had something to drink-- before thirst did any damage to you. We've always had clothing; we've always had shelter-- even if sometimes we haven't been wise enough to enjoy it.

But then think of God's overwhelming generosity to you and to me! Not only have we always had food and water and clothing and shelter-- the kinds of things which we need for our lives. God supplies to us so many of our wants, as well.

I mean: the ancient Egyptian kings (who had slaves enough to build the pyramids) didn't have access to airplanes, and they didn't own cars that could go sixty-five for endless hours on the open road. Solomon in all his splendor (who raked in tons of gold every year) never heard a stereo, saw a television, or worked a computer. The Roman emperors (who ruled the world) knew nothing of the wonders of electricity, or even effective indoor plumbing. The English kings (with lives of ease and flowing robes and jeweled crowns) didn't have Frigidaire refrigerators and freezers or Amana radar ranges and ovens. And even the Carnegies and Vanderbilts of the last century (filthy rich as they were) never knew the heating and air conditioning systems that you and I take for granted.

So, we are wondrously wealthy! But we're even more blessed than all of that. Consider what else the Lord said to the Corinthians: Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way. Do you see how here the Lord promises the Corinthians that they will be rich in righteousness, too?

Rich in righteousness! That's what you and I are! And that tells us quite a story on this Thanksgiving Day.

You see, there was a time when you and I were poverty stricken. Although we were born into an immense amount of earth wealth, spiritually speaking we were destitute. We didn't have even one wisp of the righteousness that we need to pay to God in order to enter into his glory. We were, as the Bible says: wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

And that's exactly when God exercised his greatest generosity toward us. More than helicopters and minivans and gizmos and gadgets and Piggly Wiggly and Pick 'N Save and Shopko and Walmart-- God generously supplied to us: his Son, Jesus Christ. He supplied to us, as the Bible says: the Lord, our righteousness. And he means for us eternal wealth.

For example: you and I, on our part, were greedy and covetous. For that matter, all too often we still are. But consider what the Bible says about Jesus Christ, our greatest treasure: You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. That lack of greed, that desire to do God's will no matter what the cost-- that's now ours (our ticket to heaven) through Jesus Christ.

Another thing: you and I, for our part, were complainers and malcontents. For that matter, all too often we still are. But consider what the Bible says about Jesus Christ, our greatest treasure: He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. That lack of complaint, that contentment to do God's will no matter what the cost-- that's now ours (our ticket to heaven) through Jesus Christ.

Part Two: We Need To Be Very Generous Toward God & Others

You see, then, God has been exceedingly generous toward us! But we're not done yet. The Lord tells us here that his generosity means we need to be very generous toward him and others, too....

Remember what the Lord says here: God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. Paul is telling the Corinthians: God hasn't lavished his wealth on you with no purpose in mind; no, he wants you to use your wealth for him and for others.

And then Paul quotes Psalm one hundred twelve-- which refers not to God, but to a godly person. He says: As it is written: "The godly person has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." Paul is saying: You Corinthian Christians, exercise your generosity with reckless abandon!

Paul says the same a little bit later: You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. God has graciously given generously to you, so that you can generously give to others-- and they will give grace to God.

And who can deny?-- all of this is just as much God's challenge to you and to me! This lavish wealth that God has poured upon us-- God did not give it to us so that we could grow selfish and tight-fisted and fat and lazy. No! He wants us to be generous to those less fortunate. So, in the holiday season ahead, when many charities approach you to share with those who are poor and ill, do it! And when you do, go so far as to say: "I'm giving to you, because God has given so much to me in Jesus Christ."

Furthermore, the lavish righteousness that God has poured upon us-- God did not give it to us so that we could grow selfish and smug and proud and conceited. No! God wants us generously to share Christ's righteousenss with others. So, in the Christmas season ahead, invite your friends to church; invite your relatives to church-- and in the new year, if they don't know Christ, bring them to classes here where they can get to know him!

Furthermore-- furthermore, as the end of the year approaches, don't let the fact that the church's budget looks pretty good allow Satan to tempt you not to give generously to your Lord's work here. Give generously here! Let's set it up so that, in the new millenium, we've got all the firepower we can use to get God's Gospel of Jesus Christ to others!

Conclusion: We Want To Share Our Wealth

After all: if we earn thousands, how can we give to God only dozens every week? If we have all we need, how can we avoid giving generously to those in need-- especially those who don't know Christ? Amen.

The Psalms say: Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word! Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will! Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion! Praise the Lord, O my soul! Amen.