03/26/2024
Using Your Blessings to Bless Others
Sunday I talked about this passage from Luke 19:28-40:
Jesus sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village opposite, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat; untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this, ‘The Lord has need of it.’”
So those who were sent went away and found it as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their garments on the colt they set Jesus upon it.
I made the point that ultimately Jesus doesn’t want our most precious possessions. Jesus wants us—our bad as well as our good. Jesus wants to free us from our brokenness and guilt but in order to do that we need to be able to untie those things from our lives and turn over the reins to him.
But it’s important that you don’t get me wrong. When I said that’s not what Jesus wants from you, I didn’t mean that Jesus doesn’t want your car, home, pans, phone, and TV. He still has need of those things, it’s just that he is waiting for you to offer them up in his name and out of the incredible grace he’s shown to you. Nothing would please him more than to see you pass that grace onto others.
You can use your car when the Lord has need of it. There are always folks who would love a ride to worship Sunday mornings. There are always friends who need to be picked up from doctor appointments, driven to the airport, or who are looking for a pick up truck.
You can always offer your home as an act of hospitality for a small group, to get to know those who are new to the church, to invite neighbors in for dessert and to welcome them to the neighborhood.
You can use those pans and that induction stove to create meals to be brought in for the recently hospitalized or for new parents or for single friends who might enjoy a serving of whatever great menu you’ve got planned for next weekend.
You can use that fancy iPhone to make calls for the church, to check in on those who’ve lost a loved one or who need to hear a friendly voice.
Oh yes, the Lord does have need of it too. Our generous God would not have given you those gifts in abundance if God didn’t expect them to become pass through gifts in your grateful and appreciative hands.
May you hold onto what you’ve been given with a looseness that allows you to be God’s blessing to others.
Archived Posts
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
There are several powerful and evocative artworks that depict the scene from Mark 9:14–29, where Jesus heals a boy possessed by an unclean spirit... Some of the following have internet links, the others are worth googling. Enjoy!
The Gift of Ourselves As A Gift of Love
The more the giving of myself costs me something, the greater the power of the gift. You know I love quotes, so after a little research, let me share a few of my favorites on this very subject:
The Loss of a Great Christian Leader
The death today of Pope Francis was particularly poignant, falling as it did on the day after Easter. As Protestant Christians we have a once removed interest in the leader of the Roman Catholic church. Yet the pope is the authoritative leader of 1.4 billion women and men around the world. It is worth our time to pause and consider what kind of man and what kind of legacy Pope Francis left behind.
Everything You Wanted To Know About Judas Iscariot
(Drawn from online sources)
Jesus Hears A Who
Few people know that Horton Hears A Who comes from the 25th Chapter of Matthew.
Matthew 24: One More Thing...
I sometimes stumble on old documents I’ve created but have completely forgotten about. I cannot remember why I created them or what purpose they were originally supposed to serve....
Keeping the Church Doors Unencumbered
Sunday, we considered Jesus’ disruptive actions in the Temple in light of his frustration with keeping gentiles from worshipping in their designated courtyard. We then reflected on how we still tend to throw up roadblocks to those who don’t normally attend church. I found the following, but didn’t have space for it in the sermon. It’s provocative and worth chewing on for a while.