Good morning,
This Sunday we are concluding our sermon series on the spiritual disciplines by talking about everyone’s favorite subjects – money and stewardship. We pastors tend to shy away from talking about money a whole lot, because whenever we do some folks will say that it is all we talk about! You also might be wondering if I’m intentionally speaking on stewardship before going away for Labor Day weekend. The answer is no, that’s just the way the schedule worked out, but I didn’t exactly switch things around to avoid it either!
The topic of stewardship is so big that it could be its own sermon series, so we won’t be able to take a deep dive into it on Sunday. We’ll be looking at some Biblical principles that can help guide us in our stewardship. There are a couple of frequently asked questions about stewardship that I’ve been asked over the years and I thought I’d share some thoughts here in this space. The questions almost always start with “Should a Christian…”
Should a Christian go on an expensive vacation?
The Bible doesn’t specifically address vacations, but it does have a lot to say regarding rest and stewardship. As we talked about a couple of weeks ago, God created rest and engaged in it Himself. He commanded the Israelites to rest, and Jesus declared rest to be a gift from God in Mark 2. Although it doesn’t appear that Jesus ever took a vacation, He definitely took breaks from His ministry and rested.
We’ve talked about all the benefits of pursuing Sabbath-rest, and I believe that taking a vacation…a complete, extended break from our labors, toils, and strife is not only a good thing but also a necessary thing for us to be able to do all that God has for us in building His kingdom.
Now, the thing about vacations is that even those most simple of them come with some cost. And there is no getting around the fact that many vacations are relatively expensive experiences. So, some folks wonder, shouldn’t Christians be using that money to help the poor and needy?
It is certainly a good thing to consider finances when thinking about vacation. It is not wise to vacation beyond our means or to go on a vacation that either puts us in significant debt or prevents us from meeting our other financial responsibilities (which includes giving our offerings to the Lord). Questions that we might ask ourselves as we think about our vacationing (and, really our entertainment as a whole) include:
Am I still able to give back to God sacrificially after going on this vacation?
Will I still be able to meet all my financial obligations to my family?
Will I still be able to help others should a need arise?
The key here is to take our vacations (and all of our financial decisions) before God and ask for His wisdom. Then, by all means, enjoy your vacation!
Should a Christian save for retirement?
Like vacations, the Bible doesn’t really specifically address retirement, but God does command Moses that once a Levite priest reaches the age of 50 he was to retire from regular service at the temple (Numbers 8:23-26). It does, however, have a lot of say about saving. And like vacations, some folks believe that Christians shouldn’t be saving for retirement when there are people who could use our help right now. A few even suggest that having a 401(k) or other retirement investments show a lack of faith in God.
The Bible frequently provides instructions for how we are to work and just as frequently warns against idleness. Check out 2 Thessalonians 3:10:
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
Yikes! It’s important to note that Paul says “unwilling to work” and not “unable to work.” Still, the general principle that Paul is teaching here is that we are responsible to provide financially for ourselves when it is possible.
Since most of us envision retiring from full-time work at some point (and, let’s face it, this becomes a physical necessity for many of us), the question becomes how we are going to provide for ourselves when we aren’t earning a regular income. Anticipating this question and saving money for those retirement years is the Biblically wise thing to do.
Don’t take my word for it:
The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
Proverbs 21:20
As with our vacations, we should be taking all decisions relating to retirement before the Lord. Ultimately, like so many aspects of the Christian experience, it is a matter of the heart. Saving is a wise and good thing, and trusting God is a very good and very wise thing. As we think of and anticipate retirement we need to recognize that the goal should not be to be able to live an extravagant lifestyle that is free from any labor. Rather our goal should be to wisely save to provide for our future needs AND be able to continue to give to others.
Here’s what’s happening:
- Senior High Youth – We have dates set for youth group following the worship service on 10/8, 11/12, and 12/10. Thanks to Jessica Reyburn for organizing these gatherings. Please mark your calendars!
- I am for a few good men (and women!) who would be willing to help organize a fun activity or a service project for the senior high youth this fall. This can be something you host, host at the church, or plan at another location. This would be a one-time commitment. See me for more details/ideas.
- Coffee and fellowship starting at 9:30 am each Sunday in July and August. Thanks to everyone for providing the food for these fun times of connecting.
- Men’s Breakfast is this Saturday, August 8/26 at 8 am at Hometown Kitchen.
- Junior Youth have their next meeting on Sunday, September 3rd after the worship service.
- Sunday School returns with classes for all ages on Sunday, September 10.
- Our annual church Corn Roast is also on Sunday, September 10 at the Kreider home following the morning worship service.
- The church carpets will be cleaned on Monday, September 11. We could use a few extra hands to help move things off the floor on that Sunday.
See you on Sunday!