Rev Francisco BilogI Peter 4:8-11
1958 our family transferred to a 20 hectare farm between the boundary of Baranggay Osias and Katidtuan. I thought we became instantly rich, only to find out later that we were just hired to become a “Katiwala” or a stewards of the farm of Mr. & Mrs. Emilio Graza of Kabacan. My father took charge of the farm which consisted of three hectares planted with coffee, another 4 hectares of coconut and 13 hectares of upland rice farm. Now and then my father will bring the share of the landlord from the coffee, and coconut farm and also palay from the tenants cultivating the rice fields.
I assumed my father was a good “katiwala” or stewards of Mr. Grazas’ farm because we remained as “Katiwala” of that farm until he decided to sell it to concentrate in his grocery business.
Now St. Peter says in our text says that “As each has received a gift from God, so let us use such gift in the service of one another, like good stewards of the grace of God.” St. Paul also tells the community of the faith saying “Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they may be found faithful.” (1 Peter 4:8-10; 1 Cor. 4:1-2). If you have ever been on an airplane, you know what a steward or stewardess is. That person does not own the airplane or anything on the plane. The company owned everything, but he or she is entrusted with its care. That steward has been given responsibility of taking the goods that belongs to a higher authority and dispensing it to the people for their benefit. That is a steward- on an airplane or ship, and in the spiritual realm as well.
It has often been stressed that the center of the congregational life is the church worship service. Now a rightly practice principle of stewardship means an active participation of all who take part in the church service. All and not only the Pastor, Liturgist and the choir, bear responsibility in the church service. The good steward knows that he, as a good participant in the church service, has something important over which to be stewards. Therefore he wants to take part actively in the prayers, the psalm, the hymns, the texts, and the proclamation. The church service is not something which he just sits and listens to and enjoys but something which he experiences with his whole person.
Let us reflect this morning how our sense of stewardship can play a vital part in the life and mission of our congregational worship service.
First St. Peter urges upon his people the duty of hospitality. Without hospitality the early church could not have existed. The homes of the hospitable Christians became lodging houses of traveling missionaries, and parsonage of pastors. Since there were no church buildings for them to met, bigger houses became instant places of worship. Without those who were prepared to open their homes, the early Church could not have met for worship. Thank God we have a church building, but the responsibility toward worship service can still among other things, express itself in hospitality within the lord’s house. Yes, we have often experiences hospitality in our own homes as a distinguishing mark of the stewardship concept. But often we demonstrate far too little hospitality in God’s house. If the un-churched people do not feel welcome at our worship service, then we have shown poor stewardship in this regard. Good stewards then, want to do all that they can in order to make others feel at home in the worship service. Every guest must be received as if they were Jesus Christ himself. This feeling of responsibility is often lacking within the regular worshiping congregation. One often hears the complaint: “Why do not more come to the services? One ought rather to ask: “What am I doing, in order that more may come? Am I perhaps myself the obstacle?”
Confronted with such questions, people have come to realize that they must offer all their resources, their times, and their money, in order to help others come to the point of a regular participation in the divine service. When Jesus caught Peter, he got his boat also. In many congregations the Lord needs both automobiles, pick-up and boats and other means of assistance. When we have awakened to such congregational responsibility, we make the discovery that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive.” This fellowship among brethren and this joy of services are then seen to go hand in hand. The spontaneous joy which swelled up on both the recipient of service and the giver has opened their hearts for a rich reception of the great gifts of the Word, the Sacrament and God’s love.
“Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs… singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,” urges Paul to the Ephesians Christians. God has given us a gift of voice. Thus John Wesley directs every Christian in worship to “Sing all….Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing. Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself or any other creature.” Of course when you are called by the Lord to lead in the singing, as a choir member or a song leader, the gift of voice in you by God demands that you respond without evasion for the honor and glory of God.
Another often neglected moment in the church service which ought to emphasize congregational responsibility is that of church announcement. When the weekly announcements of baptism, weddings, death notices, prayer request and programs are made public at the church service, this is not done merely to give information. It is a part of the liturgy of worship. In fact it is given to remind us of our mutual responsibilities as a household of faith, so that we in common intercession can pray for those who have been baptized, for those who are to be married, or who have passed away, as well for their relatives. Yes, these announcements as a particular part of worship service are place there to awaken the congregation to an active feeling of responsibility for these cases and for one another. It follows then our participation in the prayers of the church. Let every one follows and understand the prayers being lifted up on behalf of the church. Give your stamp of approval of it by saying and joining the church in a chorus of Amen at the end.
Now when we speak of stewardship in the church, a word should also be said about the offering. The importance of the offering of money in the worship service is founded on the fact that it is given to honor, to praise and give thanks to God, who has created us, blessed us and trusted us.
Givers can be divided into three types: the flint, sponge and the honeycomb. Some givers are like a piece of flint- to get anything out of it you must hammer it, and even then you only get chips and sparks. Others are like a sponge- to get anything out of a sponge you must squeeze it and squeeze it hard, because the more you squeeze a sponge, the more you get. But others are like a honeycomb- which just overflows with its own sweetness. That is how God gives to us, and it is how we should give in turn to honor and glorify him. Thus in a true worship service belong not only what we hear, what we see, and what we receive. In it belongs also what we give.
The sermon or the homily is not a speech of one person, rather it is a dialogical proclamation of the Gospel to the world. As the Word is expounded by the preacher, the whole church participates by opening their minds and hearts as manifested through their intent listening, working minds in dialogue with the Word. Many times as viewed up here in the pulpit, the participation of the worshippers in worship can easily be seen in body languages. Such as nodding of the head, a smile, a facial expression and to others a verbal assent to the message. One thing that every worshiper should bear in mind is that the Sermon is the divine truth communicated to the world through a personality. Unless we actively participate in the communication of the Word of God through the preaching we may not receive in full the blessings of His Word. Remember the Word of the Lord comes through a personality, which may facilitate or be a hindrance in the reception of the word. We have to actively participate in order to have the blessings in full.
Surely, the Word of God always culminates with a challenge to every worshippers, calling, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us”.
Herein is the start of the worship service of God in the world when we are able to respond to God bravely saying, “Here am I send me. “
Our respond to the Word of God is blessed by the Lord through the benediction which commissions every worshiper to go into the world and continue our service of God. The whole Church affirms everything that happens in the worship service through the singing of the three fold Amen, meaning, let it be, let it be. The affirmation of the whole church is sang with the high hopes and the conviction that all the gift of God in the worshippers possession must be placed at the service of Christ in the world which must be used in the service of his fellowmen. It could be a gift of speaking, of music, of welcoming guest and of the ability to visit people. It may be a skill which can be used in the practical service of the Church all for the glory and honor of God.
The next time you come to Church, you should remember that God looks at you to help make our worship service a blessing, by actively using and dispensing the manifold graces He has bestowed upon you, all for His glory and honor. Amen.