2-25-24 “Finding Our Mission”

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“Finding Our Mission”

(Stewardship Month #4)

 

I want to start with something funny that I found on an internet site: An old dollar bill and an even older $50 arrive at a Federal Reserve Bank to be retired. “I’ve had a pretty good life,” the $50 says. “I’ve been to Vegas, the finest restaurants in New York, and even on a Caribbean cruise.” “You did have an exciting life!” the dollar says. “Where have you been?” The $50 asks. “Oh, I’ve been to the Methodist church, the Baptist church, spent some time with the Lutherans…” “Wait,” the $50 interrupts. “What’s a church?”

We observe February as Stewardship Month. Today, for the final session of the stewardship sermon series, I want to talk about “Finding Our Mission.” I was taught that “mission” entails going oversees to evangelize others in other countries, especially in unchurched or developing nations in need. While I learned about the missions, I prayed, “I will do whatever you ask of me, except being a missionary,” because I would like to stay with my family members.

One day, I participated in a mission conference in Chicago with members of our church. I was inspired by a speaker who was a missionary in Mongolia. He said, “Mission is our duty as Christians. God calls each of us to be missionaries. You don’t need to go far away to evangelize; you can do it where God places you in your everyday life.” At that moment, an idea came to my mind: ‘If this is true, I can be a missionary.’ Then, as if God knew my thoughts, the missionary asked the audiences, “If, at this moment, there is anyone willing to be a missionary, please stand and come forward so I may pray for you.” Without hesitation, I stood and went to the front with many others. After that experience, I delved into studying missions again.

The word “Mission” originates from “missio” in Latin, which means “sending.” Because of this, we might assume that a mission entails going far away to a distant place. However, in missiology, mission means “the sending of people who have been called by God for a special purpose to fulfill that purpose.” In other words, missionaries are those who God sends for special purpose. I used to think, perhaps, that might not include me. Missionaries may be special, but I am not special. Do you believe you are as special as missionaries, whom God calls and sends?

Last week, while I was driving down to Pine Lake for the interview, I was listening to the K-Love channel on the Radio. I didn’t catch the preacher’s name at the beginning. When I turned the channel, it seemed like I had tuned in during the middle of the sermon. He said, “All Christians are special missionaries; God calls each of you, and sends each of you to where you are. The place God sends you might be your workplace, your home, your school, your town, your country or even another country. God has chosen you who are special, and sends you where you are.” It felt like God’s voice to me, especially since I had been contemplating “mission” for this week’s sermon. I thought, ‘Yes, I would share this with our congregation.’

Today’s scripture is very familiar to us. Some of you may have heard this parable story many times before. The story goes like this: A man entrusted his property to his slaves before going on a journey. One particular aspect of the story is that the man gave each servant talents differently; for instance, he gave five talents to one, two to another, and one to yet another, each according to their ability. As I read this passage, I often wonder why the man gives each person talents differently. Even though it says, “according to their ability,” if I were the one who received only one talent, I might feel inadequate and do nothing with it, much like the slave in the story.

We live in a world that is full of competition and comparison. From birth, we are compared with siblings, friends, and neighbors, and as we grow older, we find ourselves competing with them. So, from my selfish perspective, having been born and raised in an environment of constant comparison and competition, it all feels entirely unfair. I feel deep sympathy for the servant who received only one talent. I felt so discouraged reading this passage because I experienced discrimination during my childhood. How about you? I know you are not as selfish as I am.

However, I have discovered a secret within this parable. Let’s listen to verses 19-22 again. “¹⁹ After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

I noticed that both the servant who received five talents and the one who received two talents received the same reward and compliment, regardless of whether they gained five talents more or two talents more: “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”  The master’s intention in entrusting his property to his servants was to test their faithfulness and invite them to share in his joy.” If God had given everyone the same talents, the world would be much more competitive. We understand that the athletes playing the sports of soccer and football do not compete with each other, nor do singers and musicians. Because we have each received different talents, we can contribute making a better world together. Because each of us has received different talents and gifts, we need to support one another and work together. The Apostle Paul says, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:4-5).

God created each of us uniquely for a special purpose and called each of us to be missionaries, sending us to this church. It is important to discover the talents and gifts given to us by God. We don’t need to compare ourselves with other churches. The mission of the church is not about competition but about supporting one another and building together. As much as we receive talents and gifts, we must work on them faithfully before God. I want to conclude the sermon serious of Stewardship Month with the words of the Apostle Paul: “Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Thanks be to God. Amen!