AtomCounting Our Blessings
Deuteronomy 24
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE: Counting Our Blessings
(Bring a hand tally counter.) I brought a hand tally counter with me today so we can count our blessings. You shout out blessings, things you are thankful for, and I’ll count them.
Look at that, we’ve tallied ?? blessings. Do you see what’s happening here?
That’s right. We have too many blessings to count them all. If we kept doing this, there would probably be too many for this counter to hold. When we start to realize how many blessings we have, we also realize our need to become grateful, thankful people.
Today, we’re thinking about this question, “What will I do with the many blessings I’ve been given?” For instance, if you’ve been given the blessing of a cupboard full of food, what could you do with that blessing? You could share some of that with others by bringing some of it to the food shelf.
If you’ve been given the blessing of five dollars in allowance, what could you do with that blessing? Sure, you could share some of your allowance money by placing a gift in the offering bag during worship.
And then, when you share your blessings, how does that make you feel? Sure. It makes you feel good, happy, and joyful. That’s what we’re talking about as we worship today. Let’s pray.
The Gospel from Matthew 13:44-48
“Again,” Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
What will we do with the blessings (the pearls of God) that we’ve been given? – Let’s take a look!
Video…the pearl of Great Price
What will we do with the blessings we’ve been given? From the video, let’s suggest that God gives us all things for two reasons…to (in my words):
ENJOY them…and DEPLOY them (share them is the word used)…
ENJOY…and …DEPLOY!!
ENJOY!! The GOOD NEWS is…WE GET TO enjoy all that God has placed in our care.
The good news is that our abundant God, who loves us beyond measure, has placed all good things in our care to enjoy (this is the creation story as well) ... and not feel guilty about it! Let’s check this out:
Every parent tells stories about their children, sitting on the floor in the middle of the floor sulking…complaining…and…when asked what was wrong, being told: “I have nothing to do!” With the irony being: These rooms are oftentimes PACKED with toys…and things to do…
Truth be told, this holds true for adults as well in a similar way.
God has blessed us with so much…yet too often we believe and act like people of scarcity…and…rather than ENJOYING the blessings of God that we’ve been blessed with, we focus on, fret about, and even complain about what we sense we perceive we lack:
Let’s remember: if you find yourself struggling with gratitude and joy in the midst of times that are tight (and these are tight times): remember, the refuges of the world would LOVE to have our problems!! Millions of people in our world are struggling to simply find the basics of shelter, food, and clothing.
More on this is a moment….
God indeed has blessed us with so much, and, while this contains what we possess, it also includes God’s bigger gifts like:
The beauty of rainbow over the waters, the music of a songbird, rolling hills that make for a GREAT bike ride, the rising of the moon…
All of this, and so much more, is given to us by God…freely and abundantly to enjoy, and when we do really enjoy all that God has provided, we sulk less and discover ourselves grateful and more contented.
And, if we pushed this farther…many times it’s after we LOSE one of the gifts of God that we realize their value and what they brought.
For example: Students (and all hear this one clearly)…consider God’s gift of eyesight…and the gift of reading and textbooks and study time and more? Have you ever considered that the gift of textbooks and reading and being able to study is a gift of God?
Carl Malvick did! Carl, saint of God who is with his Lord today…Carl, who lived over on Wilson Avenue with his wife Sue!! You see, Carl lost his eyesight, if I remember correctly this happened when he was about 60…thus he lived 30+ years without sight!!
One day Carl and I were talking about what we would do if we won the lottery…and Carl, with his glazed over, blind eyes turning moist, said, “Dave, I would give a million dollars to be able to read and study a book on engineering again!!”
And I know, If Carl could speak to us today from heaven, he would tell every student here:
God’s gift of textbooks and the ability to see and read and study time is something to be treasured and enjoyed. Don’t take it for granted…ENJOY it…especially while you can…someday you may lose it!! Remember, if it was easy, everyone could do it!!
The first word from the scriptures tells us over and over, God gives HIS GIFTS…call them the Pearl of GREAT PRICE…to ENJOY…TODAY!! God created all things…and they were GOOD!!
“Use them and enjoy them,” says the Jeweler…and then he says, “remember…they belong to me…I want you to share them.”
In the words of today…as we ENJOY God’s gifts, we also are asked by God to DEPLOY God’s gifts. We’re invited to put them to work for God’s purposes!! This is what the Call to Worship and the passage of scriptures from Deuteronomy 24 is all about. (small I know…but wanted on one screen)
God provides an abundant harvest for the people to ENJOY, but also commands the Israelites to leave some of the harvest in the field, to DEPLOY it for the orphan, the widow and the alien.
God’s people are called to NOT pass through their fields a second time at harvest; they are to leave what they missed the first time. And they are not to harvest around the edges of their vineyards; they are to leave that for those with need. WHY? Because God has provided: more than enough for all to ENJOY and DEPLOY. And…this is a command if notice the last verse!!
Now, if there is some truth that God’s people do tend to get bogged down in the negatives, the worries and the anxieties of life and forget to ENJOY God’s gifts, there is also some truth to the sense that many, if not most Christians in America are also getting bogged down in the hoarding of God’s gifts and aren’t DEPLOYING much either: and these two go hand in hand…in both ways:
- Ø When we forget to ENJOY…we think we don’t have much to DEPLOY…AND…
- Ø When we fail to DEPLOY, we also miss out on being able to ENJOY…
With the end result being:
We neither ENJOY or DEPLOY, but rather
We become fearful HOARDERS…concerned with scarcity and are unable to ENJOY nor DEPLOY the abundant generosity of our Living Lord.
Now…as we bring this to a close today, know that in November, we’re going to be revisiting this message of being Blessed to be a Blessing: of Enjoying God’s gifts and in November, focusing even moreso on the message of Deploying God’s gifts through the ministry of First Lutheran by being generous harvesters and givers. Between now and then…consider God’s call of the lesson and Gospel today…in three ways:
- First, go from this worship and ENJOY what God has provided!! Gather around your table today and “tick” off your list of God’s blessings to you and for you!! Ask God to Open your eyes and your heart to all that God has provided: little and big. God forbid that we would sit like discontented children in a room filled with gifts to ENJOY! God forgive us when we get bogged down focusing on what we DON’T have…and miss the incredible gifts we HAVE BEEN given in this life. God’s word to us is: ENJOY!! Rejoice and give thanks…live each day as the gift that it is!!
- Second, if you don’t have what you really need – not what you want, but what you really need – let First Lutheran serve you. If you are in need of food, or clothing, or spiritual care…
We’re family, and this is our call!! Call Pastor Wade or me, and we’ll do what we can to get you connected to the resources you need.
- 3. Third, if you do have what you really need: which is probably most of us here, ENJOY what God has given and then follow God’s command to DEPLOY to others. Be counted among those who Give generously and joyfully.
- If you’re already a generous and joyful giver, leaving much around the edges of the harvest for others through your giving to First Lutheran and to others…consider how you might DEPLOY even more generously.
- And if you’re not yet a generous and joyful giver, consider how you might begin. Start somewhere. DEPLOY for others by starting with $5 or $10 or $25 or $50 a week. See what happens in your life…
- Much more on this invitation/command to be generous DEPLOYERS coming in November…
Jesus said: The Kingdom of God is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
People of God:
ENJOY it…and then DEPLOY it as we live today and every day of our lives in this new Kingdom of God. AMEN.
THOUGHTS from the Video: (worked into the sermon…)
WE all know what the pearl is worth…
I want you to have all these
Technically they are all mine…I what you to use and enjoy them…
Remember who owns them…
And…share them….from time to time I may send people your way…
Just listen to my instructions…I’ll be in touch!!
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