Today At Your Thanksgiving Table

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Romans 15:22-33

22 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. 33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

 
 

Paul is writing before he heads to Jerusalem. We know from the Book of Acts that once Paul arrives in Jerusalem, a riotous mob tries to kill him and he is taken into Roman custody. Eventually, he will be sent to Rome to be judged before Caesar.

The reason he is going to Jerusalem is to take a contribution he has collected from the Gentile churches back to the struggling Jerusalem (Jewish) church.

Paul’s reason for wanting to visit Rome is that he hopes the churches there will be his home base so he can take the Gospel to Spain, which would be the “end of the earth.”

Generosity and unity are signs of the work of the Holy Spirit. At your Thanksgiving table how can you show generosity and pursue unity?

 

“We will not neglect the house of our God.”

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I can’t win.

If I talk about tithing—giving 10% of whatever comes in to the ministry of Christ’s church—folks will just say, “Of course you say that. You’re not a disinterested party, and you just want our money.”

If I do NOT talk about tithing, then folks will never understand that it’s important!

 

In our reading today from Nehemiah 10, we see that Nehemiah and Ezra have the people pledge to give a tenth part of their income to the ministry of the newly-rebuilt Temple. This is an important part of what repentance looks like—to commit to living the right way.

 

It’s really that simple. If you are a follower of Jesus, you need to be a tither—whatever comes in the door, give 10% of it to your local church.

If you think I’m just after your money, then I’ll call your bluff: if Munger is your local church, then just find another local church and give it there. That’s how much I believe in tithing.

Why Doesn't God See Cain's Offering as Favorable?

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It is human nature to want to control or manipulate God (or the gods) so we can get the outcome we want. Think about the lucky rabbit’s foot or the baseball slugger’s warmup superstitions or avoiding broken mirrors: these are little practices that are supposed to make things go well for us. Offering sacrifice is the purest form of this behavior. “I will make an offering so that God or the gods will either be pleased with me or at least will feel placated and will leave me alone.”

Now, consider Cain: we know he is a farmer, and so he is dependent on the weather, which is outside of his control. God does not ask for or desire sacrifice in order to be favorably disposed towards Cain, but Cain wants to manipulate God by offering a sacrifice. When he offers some of his produce to God, he is showing a desire to be in control.

When God is not favorably disposed to the offering, Cain shows murderous rage and jealousy towards his brother Abel. Cain wants his offering to gain favor with God, and when it doesn’t, his anger is the anger of a prideful man who feels he has been humiliated; it is the anger of an entitled man who doesn’t get what he wants.

The irony of the Cain and Abel story is that, after the murder, God shows his character by being merciful to Cain.

I think Abel’s gift of the firstborn from his flock is meant to be seen as a gift of thanksgiving toward God—it cost him more, and I think it is reasonable to assume he gave it freely and joyfully, as opposed to trying to manipulate God.

How are you giving to God today—like Cain, or like Abel?

 

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 4:1-16