Welcome

October 2, 2022 – Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday’s Scripture Readings and a Message from Pastor Jim Steen

John 3:16

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

2 Corinthians 8:1-7

8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. ² In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. ³ For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴ they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. ⁵ And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. ⁶ So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. ⁷ But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you^[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

The Indescribable Joy of Giving

For six weeks in October and November (October 2, 9, 16, 23, November 6 & 13) our
theme for worship will be “The Indescribable Joy of Giving”, with each of those Sundays
having a sub-theme or emphasis in which we will celebrate the impact of God’s
transformational grace upon our lives. It is a theme encouraged by the Living and Giving
Stewardship Team of the NALC, culminating for us in “Commitment Sunday” on November
13th . It will be a time for us to emphasize and to look deeply at the tremendous grace and giving
of God, and the impact that God’s grace and giving has upon our hearts and attitudes. There is
a certain joy that comes from giving, and I think that is because when we give we are acting and
being like God has made us, to be like Himself – made in His image. The Bible helps us to see
that it is God’s pleasure and joy to be One who gives, and we live out our likeness with God
when we act in “giving” sorts of ways.
The world, however, often encourages us to keep whatever we have to ourselves, and for
ourselves. We live in a world of consumerism where we are taught and motivated to get all we
can for ourselves: more wealth, more achievement, more power. But Jesus invites us to find joy
not in keeping what we have, but in generosity and giving ourselves, our time and our resources
away in love and service to others. As Rev. Dona Johnson writes in an introduction to the
NALC’s The Indescribable Joy of Giving, “…giving has become purely transactional: I give to
get something back. But true giving is transformational. Joy-filled giving warms the heart. It
is contagious, and it has the power to transform the human heart.”
During these weeks in October and November where we will “lift up” the giving nature
of God and the tremendous blessings He has bestowed upon us, I hope / pray God will continue
to transform us to be more like Him. The joy that God gives to us is strengthened and
encouraged in our hearts and minds, and we become more like the One who created us, as we
follow the example of God’s generosity and love that has been shown to us.
The weekly themes for each Sunday during this six-week emphasis during worship are:
DATE THEME SCRIPTURE
Oct 2: The Grace of Giving John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7
Oct 9: Giving as an Act of Worship Malachi 3:10; Mk 12:42-44; 1 Cor. 16:1-2
Oct 16: Nurturing Generosity 1 Thess. 5:12-28; Heb. 10:23-25
Oct 23: Generosity’s Ripple Effect 1 Chron. 29:1-9; 2 Cor. 8:1-12
Nov 6: The Why, How & What of Giving Luke 6:38; 1 Chron. 29:12,14; 1 Tim. 6:17,18; Phil. 4:19
Nov 13: The Indescribable Joy of Giving 2 Cor. 9:6-7
The Spirit of Truth Stewardship Team hopes that we will all be encouraged in knowing the
tremendous, indescribable joy that we receive when we live by faith and follow God’s example.
For God truly is the One who gives.
A fellow receiver of God’s gifts,
Pastor Jim Steen