"Be Generous"
This past Sunday we began a new sermon series entitled "Stewards of Eden" where we will review the whole of Scripture to see what God's Word teaches us about environmental stewardship. Scripture reveals to us that stewardship of this planet is not alien or peripheral to the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but it is in fact integral to the redemptive message of the Gospel. Responsible stewardship of creation is not only an expression of the character of God; it is the very role that God entrusted to those made in God's image.
Psalm 8 speaks succinctly of our role in the created order. "You have made them a little lower than the angels, and crowned them with glory and splendor, you have made them lord over the works of your hands, you have placed everything under their feet."
God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ includes the redemption of humankind and all of the created order; that's the whole scope of the meaning of the gospel of salvation. God is not redeeming humankind out of the environment, but God is redeeming humankind with the environment. Through Jesus Christ, God is in the process of redeeming and restoring all that was alienated in the fall. God is restoring our relationship with God, with ourselves, with each other, and with the earth. God is redeeming humankind and the earth and is bringing about shalom in this world which God loves so much. "For God so loved the world…"
The challenge for us as individuals and for us as a church is how can we better reflect the image of God's deep love for this world? How can we do better as stewards, caretakers, protectors, and advocates for the earth?
Next Sunday is Communion Sunday and we will be reviewing 2nd Corinthians 8:7-15 in my sermon entitled "Be Generous." God opened His arms on the Cross to embrace all of us, to share His grace with all of us, God's heart is open to everyone. Nothing is more vulnerable than Christ opening His arms on the Cross and giving His all so God's abundant grace could flow freely through to each one of us. Our challenge as individuals and as a church is to be vulnerable and to open our arms to not only receive this abundant grace from God but to allow it to flow freely and generously through us to others.