2 Corinthians 8:7-13

“Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.” vs. 7

Because most congregations operate on a budget and are dependent on the giving of members for their revenues, there is often one Sunday during the year in which the preacher will use the sermon to encourage increased giving. Sometimes this “Commitment Sunday” is part of a multi-week “Stewardship Campaign.” In many congregations neither the pastor nor the members look forward to what has been called “the sermon on the amount.” Paul would have been puzzled by that notion. For him anyone claiming to have faith in Jesus Christ would also excel in loving and giving, and he wasn’t one bit bashful about asking for more contributions if the need was great. And because love of money is idolatry, no pastor should be reluctant to talk about it. In fact, such a great danger to our spiritual health should likely be mentioned frequently in the course of the year. Jesus talked regularly about the perils of wealth; it seems to have been one of his favorite topics. Of course speaking about money is uncomfortable–it’s deeply personal and we like to keep our financial matters hidden, sometimes because we don’t want our neighbors to know how stingy we really are! Learning to be generous is really hard, but it’s one of life’s most gratifying lessons.

Thought for the Day: What’s my reaction to a sermon about money?