More Blessed to Give (What actually?)
Acts 20:17-35

† In Jesus’ Name †

May the grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ descend upon you, enabling and causing you to give Jesus to the world!

The Temptation

Did you ever have a thought that was, at least in your opinion, quite brilliant, and in many ways it still is, but then you realize it is not quite the thought you were looking for?

It was oh so close, and then you realize, it doesn’t just quite fit the context!

I did that this week as I read a key verse, and the basis for our sermon, from the Acts reading this week. It says there, “‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

And my brilliant, first reaction was, was a great text to preach on, for mother’s day!

At least from my perspective, I see this as true in many of your lives, as you light up when you tell me all the things they do well, and I know part of the reason is all that you did over the years, to make it happen.

You ladies know the truth of this statement in general. I can say that because I have seen you do it, and have seen you worry and try to figure out how to do what is best for you children- biological, adopted, or just accepted as part of the family!

Great idea – combines several things together, lets me praise some great examples of sacrifice (yeah your kids may never know)

Except I was wrong.

While the idea is true, there is one specific issue that this is talking about – not just sacrifice in general, but a very specific context, a very specific thing to give…

And we are called to learn this lesson, as we continue to work in the harvest with our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

The Threat

As the Apostle Paul is talking to the church leaders that he poured a lot of time and effort into, several words caught my eye…

²⁶ I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, ²⁷ for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.

²⁸ “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.

Paul sees the truth of the “it’s better to give” concept in the fact that what he gave to the Ephesians was that which saved them from eternal death. What He gave them was Jesus.

It’s like me saying that no member of Concordia doesn’t know that the Lord is with them, than because the Lord is risen, you are risen, and no deacon, vicar or pastor I have supervised can say that they don’t know what the purpose of this place is…

Heck – Bob sent me a quote from the new pope that even he knows this, as he talked about “our first talked is to teach what it means to know Jesus Christ! (Maybe he knew a few Lutherans growing up in Chicago. BTW Bob, his brother said the one thing he didn’t understand about their new pope was that he was a packers fan)

But Paul’s comment is that he gave away what was most priceless, and yet costly, the knowledge that God loves us, that Jesus died as the remedy that saves us from Hell, eternal death.

The message

That’s where we are all heading, if we don’t know and depend on Jesus for what he’s done for us.

And it wasn’t Paul’s fault if they didn’t know it, just as hopefully its not my fault or Bob’s if you don’t know it. Of everything we could give you….that is the most valuable.

Aand if we don’t—we are partially at fault for your destination… you see, the message of Jesus’s love, of His presence in your life, of His saving you and forgiving all your sin is that important in you life.

Hearing and trusting it is the difference between eternity in God’s presence, and eterniny in that eternal death known as hell.

And the Blessing

And this is what is even more blessed to give, than it is to receive.

I’ve seen it, but I’ve also seen two lives change because they were part of giving eternal life and faith to people.

The first is our beloved former deacon Chuck. He did everything he could to fix everything he could try when I arrived. But he was a bit fatalistic about it, and sometimes a little grumpy.

Until the day I made him stand right here while I baptized two girls from our school, Kay and Rachel. All he did was hold my book open.

And a speed faster than a softball pitch, Chuck was blessed by helping give someone the gifts or repentance, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection and live everlasting.

It was so transformative for him that he got a bit possessive of the role of standing next to me when I baptized someone!

The other is his sidekick Tom, and I wouldn’t tell you this if he was here. But Tom becoming a elder didn’t hit home, till I asked to visit Margaret’s son Teddy in the hospital. He brought a communion kit, and for the first time, gave someone communion at my request.

And then Ted’s dad, and then and then… it’s like something in him snapped as he did this. As Tom realized the blessing it was to share with something the Lord’s Supper – and see their faith come alive, his did even more.

I could toss Debbie and Tom in here, as they cared for and made sure their moms could find Christ’s peace.

I could toss Jim in with them, as he wrote me last summer on his “mission trip”. He was more excited about sharing the gospel with some folk than seeing all the beautiful places he stayed. And his emails and texts described the conversations, and the hopes he had for there people, that was a blast to read.

Or Sue, who takes many people back and forth to this doctor, that test, and stays with them, wanting them to know God’s peace in the middle of challenging times.

There is a list in Hebrews, that I could duplicate here, people that made a difference because they trusted and were empowered to by God. Each on named starts off with… by faith they…Manny and Lili, Dane and Gerry, Lissa and sandie, Colleen and Ben,, and we have a similar group here.  We are blessed – because we give Christ…

We have the ability to help people gain eternity, and peace, and a perspective that comes from knowing there are forgiven, they are loved, they are important to God himself, who wants to share forever with them…

And when they hear this…and respond… you will know how Paul felt. For it is even more to share you faith with someone who gains eternity, than it is to receive it yourself…

So be blessed, knowing the peace that is yours in Christ will be theirs as well, even if it is beyond words!