10-26-25 “Do Good and Share with Others: A Year of Living God’s Love” (Stewardship Month #3)

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“Do Good and Share with Others: A Year of Living God’s Love”

(Stewardship Month #3)

I want to start with something funny that I found on the internet: A little boy came home from Sunday School one day and told his mom, “Today we learned to share what we have because that makes God happy.” His mom smiled. “That’s wonderful! So, are you going to share your cookies with your sister?” He paused, thought deeply, and then said, “Well, I think God would be okay if I shared her cookies first.”

Sometimes we all like the idea of sharing—just not our own cookies! But today’s Scripture reminds us that true generosity starts with what we have. I know that sometimes, when we look at what we have, we might feel that it’s not always enough to share. And when we look at others, it can seem like they always have more than enough. There’s a Korean saying: “Other people’s bread always looks bigger than mine.” I hope we don’t go that way!

When we read today’s passage, what comes to mind? It sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Yes—take a look at our bulletin cover. Did you find it there? It’s our 2025 ministry theme: “Do Good and Share with Others,” based on Hebrews 13:16. At the beginning of this year, we received this simple yet powerful verse as our compass—guiding our ministries, our mission projects, and our daily acts of faith.

And now, as we come to this season of stewardship, it’s a perfect time to pause, look back, and give thanks for the ways this verse has come alive among us. Hebrews 13:16 reminds us that doing good and sharing what we have are not just good deeds—they are acts of worship. They are “sacrifices pleasing to God.” Sacrifice here means the offering we live out in everyday life.

Stewardship, then, is not only about what we give—it’s about how we live. It’s about embodying the generosity of Christ in every part of our life together.

Let’s think about the phrase “Do Good,” which means love in action. When Scripture says, “Do good,” it’s not referring to random acts of kindness, but to intentional acts of love that reflect God’s heart. Let’s see—this year, we saw that goodness in action:

• In our monthly mission projects, we reached beyond our walls—supporting ministries that feed the hungry, clothe the needy, and uplift the hurting.
• In our Summer Vacation Bible School, we shared Christ’s love with children and families—planting seeds of faith and joy that will continue to grow. We did it together as one parish.
• On World Communion Sunday, we celebrated our unity in Christ—sharing bread that connected us not only with one another, but with believers around the world.
• And in our daily lives, many of you practiced tithing in everyday ways: feeding deer, birds, and wildlife; picking up trash along the street; eating healthfully; or sharing stored clothes with those in need.

Yes, tithing is more than money—it’s a way of living, because everything we have, even our breath and time, is given by God. Every one of these ministries was an act of doing good—not for recognition, but for the sake of Christ’s love.

Again, our ministry theme is “Do Good and Share with Others.” What can we share? We can share what we have. If you have little, share a little; if you have much, share much. Today’s Scripture doesn’t say, “Share as much as you can,” but rather, “Share what you have.” Not what’s left over, but what you have—your time, gifts, prayers, presence, and resources.

I’m not sure if I’ve shared this with you before, but when I was about to finish my school program and continue my ordination process, I faced a challenge. The school asked me to move out of campus housing after graduation, but I had no place to go. I had been a student in the U.S. for many years with very little income, so I couldn’t afford to rent a place. At that moment, my spiritual mentor said to me, “You can stay at my place until you find somewhere to live.”

I gratefully replied, “Thank you so much! How much should I pay you?”
She smiled and said, “This home was given to me by God’s grace. I want to share it with you. That’s what I have to share.”

I ended up living with her and her daughter for three years, until I moved to Wisconsin. They became my family—not by blood, but through the love and grace of God. Likewise, we can share what we have—our space, time, energy, strength, loving hearts, kind words, and resources. Yes, we shared in many ways this year:

• Through our special offerings for World Communion Sunday and UMCOR Sunday, we extended compassion far beyond our local church, partnering in global mission.
• Through the loaves of bread given to the food shelf, we offered not just physical nourishment, but a tangible sign of Christ’s body—broken and shared for all.
• Through our regular giving and tithes, we sustained the ministries that bring hope and life to this community.

In each act of giving, we offered worship—a sacrifice pleasing to God. Through our actions we said, “Lord, all we have comes from You, and we return it with gratitude.” Today’s Scripture says that doing good and sharing with those in need are sacrifices that please God. In other words, our acts of doing good and sharing with others are offerings that bring joy to God. When we have something to share, it is a sign that we are blessed—and we should be grateful to God for that. Your doing good and your sharing can make tomorrow different.

You may remember that on the first Sunday of October, my sermon was titled “Gratitude as the Foundation of Stewardship.” True stewardship grows from gratitude. I said then that stewardship is not about fundraising or obligation—it’s about gratitude. We are thankful that Jesus gave Himself for us—that He loved and forgave us even before we fully realized His love.

That’s why, with grateful hearts, we want to share what we have with others. Our giving is not driven by obligation, but by thanksgiving.

When we look back at this year, we can see that our church has been a living testimony of gratitude. Last Sunday, on Laity Sunday, wasn’t it wonderful to hear our church leaders share about their ministries? Those stories were living testimonies of how we have done good and shared what we have. Perhaps as our leaders prepared their presentations, they were reminded of things they had forgotten we accomplished together. And as we listened, many of us thought, “Yes, we did it! God truly used our churches as channels of blessing!”

When we see how much has been accomplished through our mission projects this year, we realize our churches are not “small churches” at all—because gratitude enlarges the heart!

In every loaf of bread shared, in every offering given, in every child welcomed to Sunday School, VBS, and youth programs, we have said: “Thank you, Lord, for letting us be part of Your work.”

Finally, what’s our next step as we conclude this stewardship month? As we close our series, this is not an ending—it’s a sending. Hebrews 13:16 is both a reflection and a call forward. The world still needs the goodness and generosity of God’s people. Our neighbors still need hope. Our church still has stories to tell and love to share. So let’s continue to do good.

Let’s keep sharing what we have. Let’s offer our lives—our time, talents, and treasures—as sacrifices pleasing to God. Because every act of generosity, every shared loaf, every moment of service becomes part of God’s ongoing story of grace.

Thanks be to God. Amen.