“Enough: Defined by Generosity” a sermon on Genesis 28:20-22 & Acts 20:32-35

Genesis 28:20-22
Acts 20:32-35
“Enough: Defined by Generosity”
Preached Sunday, October 12, 2025

When I meet with a family to plan a funeral, I like to take the time to listen to them share about their loved one’s life. Both so that I can honor them and their life as the minister presiding over the funeral - and also to give the family a time to process, to share, to celebrate and give thanks to God.

One question I always ask the family is - what are three words or phrases would you use to describe your loved one? Loving, caring, hard worker, encourager, resourceful, faithful, thoughtful, kind, sweet, generous…these are some of the words that were given to me for recent funerals I’ve done. I don’t think it’s too morbid or too egotistical to spend time reflecting on this question for yourself. When you die and move on from this life, what defining traits do you want to be remembered by? What three words or phrases would you hope that your family would share with the minister? And, are you living your life now in such a way…that that will be your lasting legacy? Asking this question of yourself now, and semi-regularly, helps keep a watchful eye on what is most essential in your life, what your values are, and how you are living them out while you are still six feet above the ground.

On the other end of life, we baptized a beautiful, beloved child of God this morning. We celebrate that so new into this world, her family has made the commitment to raise her in a faith community and for her to know that she is God’s beloved child. This is one of the primary aspects of Baptism that we celebrate when we baptize a baby. Just as in Jesus’s baptism, the voice of God called Jesus God’s beloved son. So we too, in our baptisms, are claimed and celebrated as God’s beloved children. It is our new and primary identity in this life - and for our whole life long - we are beloved children of God.

And a life that is defined by that belovedness, God’s belovedness for us, changes how we live, how we view ourselves and how we treat others. A life defined by belovedness can not be sequestered into an hour a week at church. Belovedness overflows into all areas.

When we are talking about generosity in our sermon series, “Enough,” I believe that knowing that we are truly beloved and living a life of generosity do go hand in hand. Generosity does not come from a life that is parched for love. It comes from one saturated with the knowledge that we are God’s children.

And so, this morning, I’d like each and everyone of us to ask - Do I know that I am beloved by God? Is that belovedness pouring out of me in the form of generosity? Is generosity a defining trait in my life? Am I known as a generous person? Will I be known as one after I die?

And if not - what is holding us back?

One of the primary answers is: fear.

Fear that if we give too much away…we won’t have enough left for ourselves. Or fear that if the bottom drops out from under us, we will find protection, a safety net, in our belongings and bank accounts. Systemic factors definitely influence this fear. Inflation goes up. Unemployment numbers go up…and we hold more tightly to what we have. I do think the fear of, “I won’t or don’t have enough to feed my kids” in a world with increasingly less safety nets is real and valid. But often, the fear comes in and starts when we have more than enough…but the fear of not having enough is still there. There is also the fear, that is less valid, of not having enough for self-gratification. For what I want, for the next vacation, for my daily coffee run…

We cannot let fear overrun our lives. We have to turn our fear over to Jesus. Trust in the God who calls us beloved and let that belovedness overflow in all areas of our lives - including generosity.

This is not the “Prosperity Gospel” that espouses that if you just give a certain percentage or a certain amount then you will have no problems, no job losses, no food insecurities, no medical issues. No - this is not that lie. Living a life marked by belovedness and generosity is a recognition that nothing we have, even our own lives, really belongs to us.

A famous prayer in our tradition is the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer:

“I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt;
Put me to doing, put me to suffering;
Let me be employed for the or laid aside for thee,
Exalted for thee or brought low for thee;
Let me be full, let me be empty;
Let me have all things, let me have nothing;
I freely and heartily yield all things to that pleasure and disposal…Amen.”

This is truly a mindset change from the way our world sees ownership, possessions, and the driving urge to put me, myself, and I, first.

Scripture echoes this idea that all we have and all that we are…belongs to God.

“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” - Psalm 24
“The land is mine…you are but aliens and tenants.” - Leviticus 25:23
In the creation narrative in Genesis, creation is given to humanity for us to be stewards of the earth - Stewards are those who take care of something that is not theirs, and stewards are a very common occurrence in the parables that Jesus tells.
Everything - from our money and possessions, the earth we walk on, the air we breathe, our very lives - they all belong to God. We are but stewards of these gifts. This realization makes us ask - How does God want us to use, or steward, these gifts? The answer is to share them generously.

Generosity begets generosity. Generosity includes caring for the poor and the least of these. Proverbs 22:9 wisely states that those who are generous are blessed for they share bread with the poor.

Generosity also binds all together in loving community. In a place where all belong. In a place where we take care of others and are cared for in return.

Because generosity is so important, Scripture helps give guidelines on giving. This is where the concept of the tithe comes in - mentioned several times in Scripture - a tithe literally means “a tenth.” It’s the theological concept that one tenth of what we have - our harvest, our income, whatever that may be - should be given back to God.

I am going to tell you today - don’t get caught up in the number. For many a ten percent gift, ten percent planned generosity, seems so impossible, that the discussion of a tithe actually shuts down all conversation about generosity and smothers the budding inclination towards a more generous life. The thing, the lesson of the tithe, that I want to focus on this morning is giving to God first. We call the tithe first “fruits” so let’s look at fruit as an example: we have ten apples. I am going to go ahead and say these are not Red Delicious apples from the grocery store, a misnomer name if there ever was one. These are delicious suncrisp apples from White House Fruit Farm. So anyway, we have ten delicious apples - and a tithe calls us to give one apple away and live off the other 9. If we give the one away first…and then live off the remaining nine, we may be tempted to take a bite out of that first apple, but it has already gone on to feed another. If we don’t give first, and then use up all nine and then…well, maybe we take a bite out of the tenth. Or we keep the whole tenth apple for ourselves, insteading of giving it away. There are the voices of fear, the voices of consumerism, the voices - a million voices - that tell us there are ways we can spend that apple for our own “happiness” or security - and generosity never happens.

And so, the concept of a tithe is all about making a plan to give, being intentional about giving - and to give first. Calculate the percentage of your giving - just so you know where you’re at. From there you can think about where you want to be without smothering the spark of generosity that has caused you to make an intentional effort to give in the first place.

And a reminder that more money doesn't actually make it easier to give. In 2025, Forbes reported that there were over 3,000 billionaires in the world. In 2017 there were just over 2,000 and that was twice as many as a decade before that. These are part of the systemic issues of class inequality…To put how much money a billion dollars is in perspective…if a billionaire spent roughly the average US YEARLY salary in a single day - it would still take almost 10,000 years for a billionaire to spend all their money. But, and here’s the cincher, billionaires rarely give more than single digit percentages of their money away.

Indeed, the more money you have - often the louder the voices of fear and self-gratification are - and the more removed we become from the generosity that thrives in connected communities.

Here’s a humorous story about this, originally told by Peter Marshall who was the chaplain of the United States Senate for many years:

“There was a man who struggled to tithe even though he had a large income. The man said to Marshall, ‘I have a problem. I used to tithe regularly some years ago, but.... But now… I am earning $500,000 a year and there is just no way I can afford to give about $50,000.’ Marshall reflected on this wealthy man's dilemma but gave no advice. He simply said, ‘I can certainly see your problem. Let's pray about it.’ The man agreed. So Marshall bowed his head and prayed with boldness and authority, “Heavenly father, I pray that you would reduce this man's salary back to the place where he can afford to tithe.”

The truth is, regardless of income level - each and every one of us is going to wrestle with questions of contentment and generosity. Each and everyone of us is going to wrestle with how much “enough” is - how much is “enough” to live on. How much is “enough” for happiness…of course for contentment and happiness, there will never be “enough” for those things cannot be found in money and possessions. At Wednesday morning Bible study this last year, there was a point when we were talking about how much is “enough” to be giving away - is a tithe enough? What about giving beyond the tithe and so on and so forth - and for starters, this is a better conversation to be having because it’s coming from a desire to be generous - The desire to be generous, to give what what can, to give all one can, and to give to God and neighbor first.

I want to take a moment and thank you for your generosity here…I know, I know. I thank you for your generosity every week. I imagine some of you who are here weekly may tire of hearing me say, “thank you.” But truly - thank you! Your generosity sustains the life of this church. Your generosity creates beloved and caring community here. Your generosity allows us to gather to worship and to study the Bible and to be community together. Your generosity allows for our church to be a spot for the community to gather - a third space for AA, support groups, girl scouts and more. Your giving allows us to teach children - on Sundays and through the week as part of BUMP - that they are beloved children of God. Your generosity does so much - thank you! And thank you for those who go the second mile too. Jesus said if someone asks you to walk a mile with them, go a second too. The first mile is the generosity that sustains the life and work of this church. Planned and intentional giving - thank you. Many of you have chosen to walk the second mile by giving to our Today, Tomorrow, Together capital campaign to help ensure the longevity of our facilities and ministries for years to come. Thank you ALL.

Let’s take a step back from our context and talk more broadly again as to what happens when we choose to give and let our lives be defined by generosity. As I said in the beginning of this sermon - this is not the prosperity gospel. It’s not give and you will get what you want. AND. Generosity still affects us.

Generosity shapes our lives by the desire for all that we are and all that we have to bring glory to God. Generosity is a form of recognizing that we are God’s children, claimed in our baptism as beloved. We live into this identity when we give to God first - it is a very practical, tangible thing - that centers our intangible belovedness.


Generosity is the antidote that brings us relief from the voices of fear and self-gratification that can control our lives. If left to the world’s devices, we so easily become self-absorbed, money obsessed people who have little room for the joy of generosity in our lives. When we give - to God, our families, our friends, neighbors, and those in need - it opens our hearts, allowing them to be filled with joy.

And, generosity begets generosity. We don’t always see it but sometimes, in beautiful glimpses of the kingdom, the circle is closed. I recently had a conversation with a pastor who was my pastor at a critical point in my life. He played a huge role in my faith formation. About two years ago, His child heard a sermon I preached - and the Spirit spoke through that sermon, saving this child’s faith at a critical point in his life. And then my former pastor, his dad, came and told me. The circle was closed. This happens all the time but we just don’t always see it…

A gift is given that changes someone’s life for the better, allowing them to give a gift, allowing them to give a gift…until perhaps you are the recipient of a gift, a blessing, that makes your life all the better.

When we give, our world looks more like the world God desires for us all - a world marked with generosity and joy and community - a world where all of us live into our identity claimed in our baptisms as beloved children of God which overflows in contentment, joy, and generosity - and it is enough.

Amen.

"Enough: Cultivating Contement" a sermon on Luke 12:13-21 & Philippians 4:11-12

Luke 12:13-21
Philippians 4:11-12
“Enough: Cultivating Contentment”
Preached Sunday, October 2, 2025

We are moving into our second week of three of our sermon series, “Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity.” Last week at the start of my sermon I asked, in a time of economic uncertainty and anxiety - how can we talk about “enough”? I asserted it’s more important than ever - every day we are being bombarded with temptations to seek for the answers for our lives, our happiness, our contentment in things - material goods - and things that are not Jesus. Upwards of 10,000 ads a day tell us - happiness is just a purchase away. This is not just a practical problem that plagues the ability to care for ourselves, our families, and our communities - it is also a spiritual problem that separates us from God and leaves us worse than it found us. We said there are spiritual and practical steps to take to get off the treadmill of always seeking more - including giving to God first, developing a budget, and praying for a change of heart for all that we have to support our life purpose. United Methodist Pastor Adam Hamilton asserts this as our the purpose of our lives:

“We were created to care for God’s creation. We were created to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We were created to care for our families and those in need. We were created to glorify God, to seek justice, and to do mercy...if this is our life purpose, then our money and possessions should be devoted to helping us fulfill this calling. We are to use our resources to help care for our families and others - to serve Christ and the world through the church, missions, and every day opportunities.”

And so this week, I’d like to continue to look at the ways our society keeps us from cultivating contentment in the endless drive for more. We said we are over-run with the illness of Affluenza and Credit-itis. We are also sick with Restless Heart Syndrome - RHS. Perhaps you’ve heard of restless leg syndrome where your leg is always contracting or twitching…I have a good friend who has this and it definitely impacts his ability to rest and to sleep. Restless Heart Syndrome, however, is a spiritual problem. Our hearts, our souls, our very being - are always on the move, looking for contentment in all the wrong places…

James Mackintosh, a Scottish philosopher, said “it is right to be contended with what we have, but never with what we are.” Hamilton explains this quote as thus, “It is a positive motivator to be discontent with our moral character, our spiritual life, our pursuit of holiness, our desire for justice, and our ability to love. These are areas in which we should continue to grow and improve, for. We are meant to become more than we are today. We are meant to yearn to know God more, to cultivate a deeper prayer life, to pursue justice and holiness with increasing fervor, to love others more, and to grow in grace and character and wisdom with each passing day. The problem is that we tend to be content with our involvement in pursuing justice in the world. We tend to be content with our level of righteousness- sometimes being self-righteous. We tend to be content with how much we love others. We tend to be content with our relationship with God. We tend to be content with how often we read the Bible and pray. Generally, we are satisfied with those things that deserve more of our time and attention.” And on the other hand, we are often discontent with the things we have - and this can be material goods and even our relationships.

The new car smell has worn off the new car and we start dreaming of the one we will buy next…
Our dream home has a few more outdated features than we realized so we’re planning the next improvement…
The phone that works perfectly well is lagging just a little and there are two newer models right now so we check for when our contract is available for an upgrade…
That new church community we were so excited to be a part of has a few things we don’t like…so maybe we’ll start church shopping again
The job we were so excited to get is getting ho-drum so we’re browning linked in again…
Or even we think thoughts like…

“Why can’t my child be more like….that other person’s child (or even another one of your children)”
“Why can’t my spouse be more like…”
“Why can’t my parents be more like…”

We should be constantly working on ourselves to continue to be sanctified by and through the Holy Spirit - to every day seek to better love God and better love neighbor as self…

And, we also need to put aside the discontent in what we have - both material goods and even relationships, even in the flaws, to cultivate gratitude. For we will never find contentment otherwise.

Our Gospel reading this morning tells of a man who thinks he has finally reached contentment. Whenever I read this Gospel lesson, I like to emphasize the I’s and My’s - to hear how really self-centered this guy is. Let’s hear it again:

“The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

For starters, this rich man is not using his resources to fulfill his life’s purpose to glorify God, to seek justice, and to do mercy. He is thinking only of himself as is evident from the emphasized words. And he is summarizing all of his life in the abundance of possessions - something Jesus is warning against.

And yet, we also have to ask himself - would his SOUL really find rest in his grain and his goods? Would his bigger barns filled with grain and his life filled with eating and drinking and being merry - would that really cure his Restless Heart Syndrome? Or, before long, would he be out there thinking he needed a new, bigger barn and if only had this much more than he could finally have his soul, his heart be at rest…

Given our shared human nature - I definitely don’t think so. Because we simply cannot find contentment solely in possessions.

In our reading from Phillipians, Paul says he has the secret to being content…”Not that I am referring to being in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.” He is writing this from a jail set that was basically a pit, waiting to find out if he would be executed…and yet even then…Paul is content. Because he knows all he needs is Jesus.

And so let’s turn to some practical and spiritual steps, concrete steps, we can take to cultivate contentment:

1. Look for the silver line:
In all situations, it is helpful to remind ourselves that “things could be worse.” Although, sometimes I wonder about that - if I never see the words “Breaking News” again - I would be happy. And yet…in all situations, and in all circumstances, we can give thanks to God. Look for the silver lining. Look for who God is still at work in the world and in your life. Look for, as Fred Rogers would say, “the helpers.” This can also go back to something I preached about a couple of weeks ago…look for opportunities to turn grumbling into joy.

2. Ask yourself, “How long will this make me happy?” and “Do I really need it?”
This is a simple question to ask and definitely one to ask before any purchases. So often we buy something to find that the happiness of having it doesn't last much longer than taking it out of the box.

3. Find ways to simplify your life.
Simplicity and contentment go hand in hand. Our society has us on the hamster wheel of endless consumption and it is wearing not just our bank accounts but our souls ragged. Set goals of reducing consumption and living below your means. Use something up before you buy something new to replace it. Look for concrete ways to simplify your life.

4. Develop a grateful heart.
I have preached on gratitude before and stressed that gratitude is not just an emotion - it is a practice and there are practical things we can do. Those who specifically write down or say what they are thankful for out loud - especially if they communicate with the person they are thankful for and say, “Hey! I give thanks to you.” express more gratitude and contentment. Likewise, it helps to be as specific as possible when cultivating the practice of gratitude. Not just saying, “I am thankful for my family.” But even listing out family members and what about them you love or specific instances that they sparked gratitude.

5. And lastly, ask yourself, “Where does my soul find true satisfaction?”
We said in our Call to Worship this morning, based on Psalm 63, that our souls find rest and contentment in God. This is a theme throughout Scripture - I’ve shared it before but Psalm 42 and the hymn “As the Deer” resonates with me - “As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you. You alone are my hearts desire and I long to worship you.” Augustine said, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee.” Our world tells us this longing of our souls can be filled up with material possessions and the endless drive for more - God tells us, “I am enough.”

For it is in Christ where we find our live’s meanings.
It is in Christ that there is overflowing grace and mercy.
It is in Christ where there is hope can always be found.
It is in Christ where we discover that we are loved unconditionally.
It is in Christ that we will find lasting satisfaction and contentment for our souls.

Hebrews 13:5-6 says it like this, “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he himself has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.’”

As I wrote this sermon, in addition to as the deer, there was another song going through my head, “Let That Be Enough” by the Christian band Switchfoot - admittedly, this song came out in 1999 so you wouldn’t hear it on the radio…it goes:

“And all I see
It could never make me happy
And all my sand castles spend their time collapsing

Let me know that You hear me
Let me know Your touch
Let me know that You love me
Let that be enough.”

As you come forward to receive Holy Communion today, I would urge each of us for this to be our prayer: that we would know that Christ hears us, Christ touches us in our lives, that Christ loves us - and that all this, is enough.

For a while there in the Middle Ages, it was not entirely uncommon for the saints to subsist only on Communion - only on the bread and the cup. It is said that for the last seven years of her life St. Catherine of Sienna subsisted only off the Eucharist and water…for the record, this is not medical advice. We need to take care of and nourish our bodies…and - what if we truly saw this meal as all we needed? Because what is this meal but an encounter with our Risen Lord through the bread and the cup…

As you come forward today, pray that Christ alone would be enough, pray for contentment - for our restless hearts to find rest and joy in our God - living lives of joy and gratitude for all that we have. It is enough.

Amen.

“Enough: Simplicity & Financial Wisdom” a sermon on Luke 15:11-16 & Matthew 4:8-10

Luke 15:11-16
Matthew 4:8-10
“Enough: Simplicity & Financial Wisdom”
Preached Sunday, September 28, 2025

Today begins a three-week sermon series called, “Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity.” And I’d like to set the scene for this sermon series… As of June 2025, SSRS reports that 74% Americans are worried about the economy and 58% believe we are headed towards a recession. As of May 2024, PEw reports that only 4 in 10 Americans think they are in a good or excellent financial position.

We may hear the evening news or read the headlines and ask: How can we talk about “Enough” at a time like this? I would say that in uncertain times like these, these topics of conversation are more important than ever.

This sermon and worship series is not going to ignore that there are systemic issues that affect our cost of living, income, and overall well-being. By just our location in this country and in the global economy, we are put into a system that is beyond our control, and often has us in over our heads…and many of us are truly doing our best with the hand that was dealt to us.

And, it is at times like this, when the system is stacked against us - to consider what personal choices we can make and what voices we should be listening to - to cultivate contentment, joy, and generosity - in a world where the odds stacked against us.

We might need to acknowledge that the American Dream, for many, has become the American Nightmare.

By the American Dream I am not referring to the founding father’s dream of the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I am not referring to the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free…” I am not referring to Martin Luther King Jr’s dream of equality shared in his famous, “I have a dream…” speech. These are all “American dreams…” but when people talk about “THE American Dream” - it is usually in reference to suburban houses, white picket fences, and achieving a personal level of success where life is more than comfortable - where we have everything we need and more.

Alexis de Tocqueville, wrote in the 19th Century about Americans: “[they] are extremely eager in the pursuit of actual and physical gratification. As they are always dissatisfied with the position which they occupy…they think of nothing but the means of changing their fortune, or of increasing it…” While this was written almost 200 years ago, it could be said of us today.

Indeed this ideal of the American Dream and the pursuit of wealth in happiness brings us to the temptation of Jesus that we heard in the Gospel of Matthew today: “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you…’”

Every single day, multiple times a day, we are tempted to try and achieve all the kingdoms of the world and their glory…We are tempted by the American Dream of success being tied up with what we earn, what we spend, what we have.

Consider how many ads we see in a day. This week in response to getting a text message ad my one friend said, “I am tired of always trying to be sold something.” I get a bunch of text message ads so it made me wonder…how many ads do I see in a day? As I am writing this sermon I have several tabs open on my computer - social media, Google, the Bible gateway…my phone is sitting next to me. I decided to spend ten minutes looking at my open internet tabs and phone and counting every advertisement I saw. Friends, after three minutes, I was at 50 advertisements. I was so weary, I could not go 7 more minutes…I regularly look at my phone and computer much longer than this…but I have never stopped and counted the ads before. And here’s the really sad thing, I took a typical day of phone use and saw that I was on social media for about an hour and a half abd on Google for a half hour…so just on my phone usage alone that would even out to maybe…1500 ads a day. That is not even counting “Influencers” - people whose whole job it is to create posts on social media to sell your products or ideologies in ways that don’t look like ads. In addition, the day before writing this sermon I got half a dozen ads via text, and 50 promotional emails. Now, before you say, “I’m not on social media” - consider the ads you see on TV, the product placements, billboards, radio commercials, and more… Google will tell you that we see or hear anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 ads a day.


This is part of what makes the American Dream, the American Nightmare. We are constantly being sold something. But behind each advertisement we see is the voice telling us: if we just bought this product, if we just signed up for this service…we could finally be happy. We could finally have enough. We could have finally made it…but of course, that’s not how any of this works. The promise of more never stops. We spend beyond our means, hoping this next purchase will finally be the one…it never is. As a society, we have so much stuff, too much stuff, that we can’t even store it all in our homes. In 2025, there is 2.3 billion square feet of self-storage space in America. In Boardman, we see how many self-storage facilities there are in our area alone. This drive for more is called “Affluenza” - and it is being facilitated by another illness - credit-itis. As of mid-2025, total U.S. credit card debt is around $1.21 trillion. I literally gasped when I first read this number.

We become wasteful in our pursuit of happiness. In pursuit of “enough.”

Which brings us to the second Scripture we read today, “The prodigal son.” We often think that “prodigal” means one who wanders…but Prodigal means “wasteful” - a son who thought he could finally be happy, go and have fun - and maybe we did for a time, but before long, his wastefulness left him lost, alone, and hungry…

There are more statistics I could share…These illnesses of affluenza and credititis - along with the systemic issues of inflation and a growing class gap - have left us wrung out, in dire straits, and unhappy in body and spirit. We may have to admit that not only is our system broken, but the sin inside of us, which distorts our desires, leaves us broken on the inside as well. We talk about the seven deadly sins and at least three of them are related to money and possession - envy (wanting what another has), greed (an intense desire for more), and gluttony (the desire to keep on consuming). We are valuing wealth, material goods, the pursuit of external happiness…over what Christ has to offer: gratitude, thanksgiving, contentment, joy - and yes, even generosity - for generosity can happen in any financial situation - what Christ offers us is simply “enough.”

When the devil offers Jesus the riches and Kingdoms of this world…the same offer is being made to us every day. And when we say yes, it enslaves us to sin. It puts a chokehold on us that cuts the Good News and the freedom of the Gospel out of our lives. This is what Jesus meant by the parable of the sower when he said some seeds fell among the thorns and weeds. Jesus says, “As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”

So…what’s the solution?

It’s 2-Fold, practical and spiritual.

For the practical - look at what is within your control.

Plan for generosity first. Put God first in your budget and planning.
1. Create a budget - a plan for both where you need and want your resources to go.
2. Simplify your life. Look for ways to live below your means.
3. Work towards establishing an emergency fund to help cut down on credititis.
4. Look closely at the ways you use credit cards - create a plan to pay off debt.
5. Find ways to save for the future.

On the practical end, for myself, this week was a wake up call to how much I am the target of the constant bombardment for more. I am going to be installing ad blockers, setting screen time limits on my phone (again), and work on having intentional phone free Sabbath time. I am tired of being seen only as a consumer. I want to be seen as a child of God. This ties the practical to the spiritual. The world we live in will often reduce my worth to what I earn, what I consume, and thus how much I drive the economy. This has a negative effect on my soul. I was not made by God to just be a maker and spender of money. United Methodist pastor, Adam Hamilton writes, “We were created to care for God’s creation. We were created to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We were created to care for our families and those in need. We were created to glorify God, to seek justice, and to do mercy….if this is our life purpose, then our money and possessions should be devoted to helping us fulfill this calling. We are to use our resources to help care for our families and others - to serve Christ and the world through the church, missions, and every day opportunities.” This understanding bridges the practical and the spiritual.

And, of course, the spiritual solution:

1. Admit to God that we all need help. That we have placed the pursuit of happiness in material gain over love of God and love of neighbor.
2. Seek God first. Seek God’s Kingdom and strive to do God’s will.
3. God’s will for us is to glorify God, seek justice, and do mercy. Look hard at your whole life as to how you are using all that you are and all that you have to achieve this.
4. And perhaps, most radically, start praying to God for contentment. Acknowledge that all that you already have - may be more than “Enough.” Indeed, if we only had Christ - it would be enough.

May it be so. Amen.

Call to Worship - Stewardship

Leader: We come to worship this morning, seeking to be more like Christ.
People: We want to be fashioned after Jesus.
L: Jesus was called beloved in his Baptism.
P: We too are beloved by God.
L: Jesus was forgiving and merciful.
P: We too seek to forgive as we have been forgiven.
L: Jesus was generous, sharing bread with the poor.
P: We too seek to be defined by generosity.
L: In all Jesus did - he pointed to God the Father.
P: May all of our lives and actions point back to our God.
All: May we be more like Christ. Amen.

Call to Worship inspired by Psalm 63

Leader: We come to worship this morning, longing for contentment.
People: Our souls seek satisfaction in the Lord.
L: And so together, we will echo the words of the Psalmist:
P: “O God, you are my God; I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
L: …My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
P: …for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
L: My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.”
All: May we find contentment and satisfaction in our God. Amen.

Call to Worship - Stewardship

Leader: We come to worship today seeking wisdom.
People: What does our Scripture say?
L: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
P: We come to worship today, seeking wisdom. What does our Scripture say?
L: “As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.” (Luke 8:14)
P: We come to worship today - longing for wisdom to guide us on a path of simplicity and joy. What does our Scripture say?
L: “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?’” (Matthew 16:24-26a)
P: These teachings aren’t easy! Yet we know they are wise and true.
L: Our God calls us to a better way of life - a way of self-denial, yes - and also a way of simplicity, contentment, generosity, and joy.
All: May we worship our God who guides us all with holy wisdom. Amen.

“Which One of You…?” a sermon on Luke 15:1-10

Luke 15:1-10
“Which One of You…?”
Preached Sunday, September 14, 2025

Which one of you, when you lost a 25 dollar coffee gift card that you got for your birthday, and you’re worried it got thrown out with the birthday cards, would not carefully comb through the trash and recycling bins until it was found? And once it was found, who among you would not buy drinks for everyone who came into the coffee shop that morning to celebrate together?

Which one of you, when your child lost their school binder, would not, together with them, search the whole house for it, looking under the bed, and in the laundry piles, and sort through all the papers on the kitchen table and when you finally find it, would not throw a party to celebrate for their whole grade?

Which one of you, say you owned a small book shop that had 2000 books in it, if you lost one box of paperbacks, would not conduct a thorough search of every nook and cranny of the store until you found them, and then throw a block party with a sale to celebrate?

The answer to this is…uh…probably none of you!

I’d be sad to lose a 25 dollar coffee gift card. God knows I spend too much on Starbucks and at some local coffee places, but to buy coffee for everyone who came in that morning to celebrate? It’s a nice gesture - sure, and my last church did that as an outreach opportunity at a local coffee shop but it was planned generosity. To do it to celebrate finding 25 dollars? I’d be spending a lot more than I found.

A school binder may be important but it can be replaced. Teachers can be talked to. Work can be made up or minor consequences faced. A parent and a child may still deem it important enough to search the whole house for it…but when it’s found? A party for the whole grade? Heck, even a party for the whole class would still be over the top and much more costly and much more work than replacing a binder.

And the last one, well, to my knowledge none of us here today are the owners of a small book shop. As someone who owns a lot of books, if you are, please see me. I want to go and buy more books from you. But I thought it was important to give an example with someone’s livelihood. So if you were to imagine you owned a small bookshop…surely the loss of one small box of merchandise would not outweigh the cost of a party and a sale!

With these modern day examples in mind, let’s hear Jesus’s words anew:

“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.’”

“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’”

A person who has 99 sheep is a person of modest means. To put 99 at risk by leaving them to go search for one…well, it is doubtful that many shepherds would do that. And beyond that, by throwing a party once the sheep is found, the cost of the party would have outweighed the cost of a lost sheep.

And a woman with ten coins, she lights a lamp - not as easy as flicking on a light switch - using up the resource of oil - to give a diligent search for the one lost coin. 10 coins, or drachmas, would have been equivalent to ten days wages. She is searching for the equivalent of one day’s labor. She finds it! She then throws a celebration - of which the cost of hosting and feeding her neighbors and friends, would have cost much more than the one coin lost and found.

When Jesus says, “which one of you” or “what woman…” to the crowd - he is not expecting anyone to actually say, “Me! Me! I would do that!” Quite the opposite. They would look at each other and think, “Are you crazy, Jesus?” That’s over the top, extravagant, wasteful… But Jesus is saying, in essence - “None of you may be this kind of person. But I am.”

And that, honestly…probably doesn’t help Jesus’s reputation! In Luke 7 Jesus is called a “drunkard and a glutton” - he’s always at a party. The Gospel of Luke has at least five accounts where he’s at different dinner parties and he uses the examples of parties not just in this parable but in others as well - he even calls heaven a big lavish wedding banquet. What can I say - Jesus went where the people who needed his message were - and that was often at a party. Our God in Jesus is revealed to be a joyful God who knows how to have fun. I am actually going to re-iterate that because we so often lose this image of Jesus: Our God in Jesus is revealed to be a joyful God who knows how to have fun!

And in the telling of this parable, Jesus is inviting those who are throwing accusations at him, to move from grumbling to joy.

Our Gospel lesson started this morning with setting the context and the audience of this parable: “Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” And so Jesus told them the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin…and actually the lost son as well, although our Scripture reading this morning didn’t continue on.

They were grumbling…because Jesus was including those they excluded. Tax collectors were generally reviled and, of course, “sinners” is a blanket term here but not applied to the “good upstanding community” that the Pharisees and the scribes saw themselves as part of.

Jesus in turn tells them what kind of man he is - and what kind of God is revealed in him:

God revealed in Jesus tells us that God is joyful and looks for every and any chance to celebrate.
God revealed in Jesus tells us that God welcomes all - and even especially - those on the outskirts of society.
God revealed in Jesus tells us that God is the Good Shepherd who cares for each and everyone of his sheep - including and especially the wayward ones.
God revealed in Jesus tells us that God is persistent and diligent in caring for and searching for each and every one of us.
God revealed in Jesus tells us that God gives no heed to the cost of lavishing love and joy on each of us.
God revealed in Jesus tells us that God who finds the lost and celebrates without restraint.
God revealed in Jesus tells us that God is inviting us to move from grumbling to joy. From being concerned with “the right kind of people” to welcoming and including all.

Friends, I know my job as a preacher is to preach the Good News to you - to proclaim the Gospel. But this morning I have a bit of bad news for you…did you know that church people, “the right kind of people”, us here today…do you know that we have a reputation for being grumblers? It’s easy for us to think we would be at the party with Jesus, or with the choirs of angels erupting at the Good News of the lost sinner being found…but if we’re being honest, a good number of us would be grumbling with the scribes and the Pharisees.

We grumble…that that one ministry team is spending money on x, y, or z.
We grumble…that the pastor is spending too much time on that ministry area and not this ministry area.
We grumble…the church is starting to welcome those kinds of people (maybe like tax collectors and sinners..)
We grumble…that things aren’t like they were several decades ago.
We grumble… because we’d rather the church would look more like the church of yesterday than the church of today or the church of the future.
We grumble, we nitpick, we complain. It’s very common in churches - because it’s contagious too. One dose of negativity and complaining can spread like wildfire. The Good News is - Jesus invites us to move from grumbling to joy. And joy is more contagious than grumbling. Joy is also more inviting than grumbling. Grumbling gives the church a bad name - who wants to be part of a community that is filled with negativity? But the Good News - that our God is a God who celebrates you without restraint, who searches for you regardless of cost, who rejoices in you being present in Christian community with one another, who welcomes you - and goes out of the way to be welcoming to you? That is Good News that people need to hear. And it is the Good News we are working together to proclaim as a Christian community!

Jesus is inviting the scribes and the Pharisees and us here today…to look more like Jesus. To move from grumbling to joy. To be more vile in our embrace of all people.

Some history to explain what I mean by “be more vile.”

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, started as an upstanding and well-regarded clergy person. He was a fellow at Oxford. He was a proper Anglican clergyman. And then…he found that his message of adherence to his faith, to preach to those marginalized by society, to care for the last lost and the least, and to spread this message to as many people as possible - even outside the church doors…he found this started to affect his reputation. People started to grumble. And John had to decide - do things the “proper” and “right” way - or become more vile - more base - more common - for the Good News of the Gospel.

When John Wesley made a decision to preach outdoors - again, doesn't sound that radical to us but was considered paramount to a sin, paramount to eating and drinking with tax collectors, he wrote in his journal - "At four in the afternoon, I submitted to be more vile and proclaimed in the highways the glad tidings of salvation..."

Here is an example of the grumblings that were happening as Wesley sided with those that were considered sinners and outcasts by society - and in one particular case, was supporting a man who was accused of and imprisoned for homesexuality. This complaint about Wesley was printed in the newspaper:

“Wesley and his Oxford friends’ eccentricities might…be tolerated - their excessive religious observance, their closed group intensity, their self-denial and strict code of living reminiscent of some of the wayward Puritan sects of the previous century. Even their lowering themselves to undertake good works in the prisons and workhouse was not beyond the pale. But it seems that when they took up the advocacy of a man accused of homosexual crimes they crossed the boundary between the bizarre but tolerable to the reprehensible.” (Reference: Wesleyan Vile-Tality by Ashley Boggan)

Can you hear the grumbling?

I’d like to take a moment and take the grumbling and change it to joy…

Wesley and the group that formed the first Methodists…they took living out their faith seriously! They prayed and studied the Bible and took Communion regularly with one another! And they humbled themselves to be in solidarity and serve with the last, the lost, and the least - those in prisons and workhouses and even those mistreated and abused for who they are. They used their voices to give voice to the voiceless and they did this all while proclaiming the Good news of Jesus Christ! They took to the streets - standing on the corners and preaching to large crowds - Jesus welcomes you! Jesus rejoices over you when you turn to him! They made themselves more vile for the sake of the Gospel and all of heaven threw a celebration!!

Oh that such things would be said about us here at Boardman United Methodist Church. May we be more vile in sharing the Good News. May we lower ourselves to what was previously unthinkable to welcome all who need the Gospel. May be filled with the joy and celebration that modeling Christ’s radical embrace brings.

Which one of you would…? May we all.

Amen.