Stewardship Built on a Rock

Sermon by Rev. Dr. Mary Alice Mulligan

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-29

Some of us will recognize today’s New Testament passage as part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ major teachings collected in three chapters of Matthew (5, 6, 7). There we find the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, and some of the most difficult sayings Jesus is reported to have spoken. In the Sermon on the Mount, we are told not to worry even about life’s necessities, no matter what common sense dictates. We are told to live out of generosity, beyond common sense; and to forgive abundantly, beyond common sense. These are radical – outrageous – teachings. Today, as we continue thinking about stewardship, we hear Jesus’ concluding words of the Sermon on the Mount, spoken to a crowd of thousands. He says bluntly: “My followers don’t just call my name or perform rituals in my name. A true follower is the one who adheres to my teaching, which provides a solid foundation for building their life.” Stop here to read from the Bible, Matthew 7: 21-29.

Here’s one of life’s truths. Storms come. Life can be rocked by circumstances far beyond our control. We know from hurricane Ian last September. As the storm approached, no one could exactly predict where, how strong, or what damage would result. We saw how nature can explode with unbelievable outbursts of power. Florida’s preachers could have organized their congregations to stand on the beach, hold up their hands, and yell, “STOP!” But a hurricane whipping up the Gulf of Mexico cannot be stopped by yelling. Nature will not yield.

But natural disasters are not the only source of disruption to our normal reality. Lives are also subject to crises caused by human actions. In the blink of an eye, an accident, abuse of a dangerous substance, or some revelation of a loved one’s misbehavior, can shatter a family’s tidy expectations of their future. Meanwhile congregations can suffer devastating eruptions, too. Like when the bookkeeper finally discovers the pastor has been siphoning significant cash from the accounts, or when the lightning rods fail to do their job so a fire flattens the education building. Whole churches can be destroyed by one horrendous act. Individuals, families, and communities of faith can fall prey. No one is immune from crises which shatter normal life. Unwelcomed forces can explode anywhere, anytime – in any community, anyplace in the world. No one is immune. Storms happen.

So then the Church gets busy. Followers of Jesus roll up their shirt sleeves and get to work. But we want to be careful. Jesus does not direct us just to fill up the church calendar. Scripture gives painful examples of those who did all sorts of tasks in the name of Jesus, but he responded, “I never knew you.” Apparently not everything people do in Jesus’ name is his ministry. Those who truly know Jesus will live according to his teachings. They shelter the vulnerable, forgive the unforgiveable, visit those who are desperately alone. We note where Jesus put his energy and then we put our energy into similar behaviors.

But Jesus calls us not only to a new way of behaving. He calls us to a new way of being. We follow Jesus, not just by doing things, but by living (existing) out of the love of Christ, seeing those in need as precious children of God, whose troubles we feel. We join in serving because Jesus loves the world. If we are going to be involved in Jesus’ ministry, we need to join his way of being.

We can be thankful that violence did not explode following the release of the body cam videos from Memphis this weekend. For some of us, the death of Tyre Nichols stirred up memories from 1992, after the verdict of “not guilty” came for the police officers accused of excessive force in the beating and arrest of Rodney King. Los Angeles erupted. In the middle of that frustrated, violent chaos, a house caught fire. When the fire department was called, they refused to come because of the random gunfire and wandering gangs. Next door was First AME Church, whose members immediately promised if the firefighters came, they would form a human shield around them. When the trucks arrived, “the men of the church gathered around, shoulder to shoulder, and completely surrounded the fire fighters so they could have the protection they needed from those who were looting and rioting, in order to save that family home.”(1) In the midst of violence and tremendous need, the church stepped into place. They understood the need for caring service in Jesus’ name and by his power. It’s what church does. When chaos erupts, the church gets busy.

Because the Church is built on a rock. Our foundation is Jesus Christ, and nothing can wash us away. No matter what comes hurtling our way, the church will not fail. When crises threaten to shred dreams and smash our plans, we know our puny human hands cannot hold the church together. The Bible promises: “The eternal God is [our] dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”(2) That is to say, the church is held securely in divine embrace; it does not rest on shifting sand. So when we aren’t sure what comes next, we trust Jesus’ teachings, confident that the Spirit of Christ fills the world with divine power to carry out God’s good work.

Does this mean that churches never get washed away in the flood? Well, we know church buildings do succumb to hurricanes; they fly to pieces in tornadoes; they burn to the ground in fires that congregations cannot control. So how are we to understand the promise that when the rains pound, the flood comes, and the wind beats upon the church, it will not fall because it has been founded on the rock? The hymn we sang earlier told us: “Built on the rock the church does stand, even when steeples are falling.” (3) Ah, there it is! The church is not a building. Buildings can be destroyed, but not the church, because the church is the people of Jesus Christ, who surround the globe, carrying out his ministry by the power of the Holy Spirit. And when steeples fall, when crises come, we find we have plenty of power to lift each other. The church is securely grounded in Jesus Christ. The church is built on the rock.

And we get to participate. Each of us is allowed to share the joy of being part of the church of Jesus Christ. Of course, part of sharing the joy is committing our time, our talents, and our money to the ministries carried out through St. Andrew United Church of Christ, which is part of the universal church. Together, St. Andrew collected money all month and will send our over and above offerings to SPARCC within the next few days. Last Sunday’s bulletin cover photo was our sexton Craig coordinating our donations of diapers and other supplies for Family Promise. And now, the Mission and Outreach Team is planning the next meal with the Project 180 households. So I know we will have enough energy and money for whatever new ministries we sense Jesus is calling us into.

The attitude in some congregations is that it is unseemly to talk about money in worship. But people talk about money over cups of coffee, while they grocery shop, or when they walk the neighborhood together. Why not talk about money in church? Jesus wants our whole life; everything, committed to his purposes on earth. So we rightly talk about our money here, too. When we offer a pledge, it is an estimate of our giving for the next fiscal year, not a promissory note. No one is going to come knocking on our door if we don’t pay up; rather we are putting in writing what we expect to be able to give. We want the Stewardship Team to know what is reasonable to expect. And more importantly, each of us needs to make a commitment to God about what we plan to do with the talents and treasure God places in our care.

I want to say a word to those who do not usually pledge, and especially those who ordinarily make no financial offering. This is not to shame you (I don’t know who you are). I just want to invite you to reconsider. You are part of this family. If you live in a household but pay no part of the rent, never buy groceries, never cook a meal or wash a dish, never mow the lawn or run the vacuum, what does that say about your commitment to the household? I know, many people cannot give significant amounts to the church. This is okay. So perhaps you could pledge 50¢/week, or maybe just let God know that any money you find on the ground, you’ll put in the plate each week. Our financial commitments matter. Our gifts of time, talents, and treasure allow each of us to make St Andrew United Church of Christ stronger, where our good energy together is creating an exciting vision for making a difference in the name of Jesus Christ. Every new step in ministry is more and more exciting. Jesus has stretched out his arms in welcome. And we get to participate.

There you have it. Jesus is calling St Andrew from our own future to continue his ministry of compassionate service. Over the next few weeks, as we consider our pledges for the fiscal year which begins April 1, we can trust God to guide our commitments, knowing that together we will use them to move forward as God’s church, in this place and around the world.

1 Joan Brown Campbell, “Captured by God’s Vision,” in Dreams on Fire/ Embers of Hope: From the Pulpits of Los Angeles after the Riots, ed. Ignacio Castuera (1992), 113.

2 Deuteronomy 33:27 RSV (the NRSV is different).

3 “Built on the Rock,” words by Nicolai Grundtvig, tr. Carl Doving, in Chalice Hymnal, 273.