Dear Christian friends:
Today we have our second sermon on STEWARDSHIP. Last Sunday we learned
that Stewards live to please Jesus. Today our text shows that Stewards
try to be like God. In our text St. Paul tells the Christians: "Follow
God's example in everything you do." (verse 10) That means we should
Try To Be Like God
Perhaps you think, "Nobody can be like God!" True, in some ways we
can't be like God. God is almighty. He has all power and can do
anything He wants to do. We can't. We have limited power. God's power
is not limited. God knows everything. We do not know everything.
God's knowledge is not limited. Our knowledge is limited. In some
ways we can't be the same as God. But in other ways we can be the
same as God, or at least try to be the same as God.
God is holy; He has no sin. We are not holy. We are sinners and
daily sin much. But nevertheless we should try to be holy like God.
Do what is good and right according to the Ten Commandments.
"God is love" (1 John 4:7) We should try to love like God loves.
Remember the little boy who was willing to die to save his sister's
life. Think of Jim Osborn who gave one of his kidneys to save his
sister's life! Remember the policeman who stepped in front of a
bullet and got killed to protect President Truman.
What have you done in the past to show that you try to love like God?
Did you love someone and risk your life for that person? Do you give
money to help the poor and the hungry? Many of you filled your Love
Loaf last Spring to help the hungry people in the world. About 100
of our members filled the Love Loaves. We gathered over $600.00 in
that way. That is a good start. We should continue to love like
God loves.
God also loves his enemies. That means to love also those who do not
yet love us, our enemies. Jesus says, “You know the quotation: Love
your friends and hate your enemies; but I say: Love your enemies.
Pray for those who persecute you! In that way you will do like true
sons of your Father in heaven. Because He lets His sun shine on
both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the righteous and
on the unrighteous. If you love only those who love you, what good
is that? Also robbers do that. If you are friendly only to your
friends, how are you different from anyone else? Also unbelievers
do that. But you must be perfect, exactly as your Father in heaven
is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48)
We must also follow the example of Christ "who loved us and gave
Himself to God as a sacrifice (offering) to take away our sins."
(verse 2a) While we were his enemies God gave His Son Jesus to become
our Savior. (Romans 5:6-10) And Jesus agreed with God, the Father,
and He also loved sinners, His enemies, and volunteered to die
that they could receive forgiveness of sins and become the friends
of God.
Now you and I need not die on the cross for our enemies. Jesus has
done that once and for all. God requires no more offerings for sin.
But God still needs you to share His love with the people who don't
yet know Him, who are still His enemies. By loving these people
the unbelievers: whites, Mexicans, Koreans, Negroes, Chinese,
Japanese, all races, we can share God's love. Then some of them will
hear and believe and know that Jesus died for them.
How can you share God's love with them? By using the gifts God has
given to you. Use your time, skills and money according to God's
will. Then you are a good steward. A good steward uses God's gifts
to share God's love. He tries to be like God.
Perhaps you are thinking, "How can I be like God? I am a sinner and
I am weak."
True, we are sinners; true, we are weak, but we can be holy and we
can be strong and follow God's example. How? First, remember that
you are a child of God. Paul says in our text, "Follow God's example
in everything you do just as a dear child imitates his father."
(verse 1b) Often you will see children copy their mother or father
when they are playing. Children play house and imitate what they
see their mother and father do. Why do children copy their mother
and father? Because that is natural and they love their mother and
father and want to grow up and be like them.
So we Christians love God, our heavenly Father. He is our dear
Father and we are His dear children. We daily remember how He loved
us and gave His only Son Jesus to die for us so that we could become
His children again. Paul says, "We are all the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26) "Without faith in Jesus
we are children of disobedience" and "children who deserve God's
anger." (Ephesians 2:2-3)
So, if we remember that we are God's children now, that He has given
us new birth and new life through baptism by the Holy Spirit's power,
we can follow God's example. We can be holy and perfect, not like
the unbelievers.
And because we are God's children we try to please God our dear
heavenly Father.
When Jesus died on the cross for us sinners, that pleased God the
Father very much. Paul says in our text, "And God was pleased,
because Christ's love for us was like a sweet perfume to Him. (verse 2b)
You fathers, you know that when your son tries to copy you in play or
in real life, you are proud and very pleased. So God, our heavenly
Father is so very pleased and He receives honor when we copy His
ways and try to be like Him.
Every son and daughter wants to please their parents. That is
natural. Children want and need their parents' praise and approval.
A son who struggles through college often does so to please his
parents, although he himself may prefer not to go to college.
A father and mother where saying goodbye to their son who was leaving
to go to college for from home. The parents were concerned that the son
behave and be a good student while at college. The father tried to
think of some words to say to impress his son to be good while at
college. The father said to him, "Remember whose son you are!"
So, we Christians want to please God, our dear Father in heaven,
and we, with joy and eagerness, try to be good and holy and perfect
just as He is.
Let us each day when we arise remember our baptism that we have been
born again and have new life and a new Father in heaven. Then we
will be good Stewards trying to be like God.
Amen.