2-1-26 “Stewards of God’s Grace #1: “Receiving Before Giving”
“Stewards of God’s Grace #1: “Receiving Before Giving”
I want to start with something funny that I found on an internet site: It was Sunday, and the preacher had just finished an inspiring worship service when Rick, the wealthiest man in town, stood up and asked to address the congregation. The preacher sighed and said, “Please keep it short, Rick.” Rick cleared his throat and said, “I still remember the day I earned my very first dollar. That evening, I came to church and heard a speaker talk about a humanitarian mission. I had only one dollar to my name, and I had to decide—should I give it, or keep it?
I decided to give it all. And I truly believe God blessed that decision, because today, I am a millionaire.” He sat down, a tear in his eye. Just then, an elderly woman stood up in the back and said, “That’s wonderful, dear. I dare you to do it again.”
This story makes us laugh—but it also reminds us of something important. God’s grace is not a lottery system. We do not give in order to get rich. We give because we have already received more than we could ever earn.
We observe every February as Stewardship Month. This year, I plan for us to study the theme “We Are Stewards of God’s Grace” over four weeks in February. Stewards of God’s Grace is a four-week stewardship journey that invites us to rediscover stewardship not as obligation, but as discipleship. Beginning at Christ’s table, moving through calling and vision, and entering the season of Lent, we learn that stewardship is a response to grace, a way of living, and a lifelong journey of faithfulness.
Every February, the word stewardship enters the life of the church, and for some people, that word comes with baggage. They may hear pressure. They may hear obligation. They may hear numbers, budgets, or guilt. But today, on Communion Sunday, I want to say this clearly from the very beginning: Christian stewardship does not begin with what we give; it begins with what we receive.
Let us remember the very beginning of the story of stewardship. God created the Garden of Eden, provided everything humans needed to live, and placed human beings there, entrusting everything to them. This is the first story of stewardship. God provides first, and we respond by giving back with grateful hearts.
Before we talk about money, time, service, or commitment, we come first to the table as Jesus invited his disciples to the table, where he shared an abundant meal with them at the Last Supper in the upper room.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, he did something surprising. He did not give a lecture.
He did not present a plan. He did not ask for anything. Instead, he gave himself. He took bread.
He gave thanks. He broke it. And he said, “Take and eat. This is my body, given for you.” At this table, we are not donors. We are not volunteers. We are not consumers. We are receivers of grace. Jesus invites you all, regardless of age, gender, race, or ethnicity—whether you are a baptized member or not. He invites you all as you are!
In the United Methodist Church, we believe Holy Communion is more than a symbol and more than a ritual. It is what we call a means of grace. That means Communion is one of the ways God actively works in our lives—forgiving us, nourishing us, strengthening us, and drawing us closer to Christ and to one another.
We believe Christ is truly present at the table—not physically confined to the bread and cup, but spiritually real and powerfully active among us. And this table is open. The Discipline reminds us that Communion is not a reward for the righteous, but a gift for those who hunger for grace. You do not need to be perfect. You do not need to have everything figured out. You do not need to give first. You come simply and receive first, because Christ invites you.
Not long ago, I was reflecting on winter—how the land looks so still, so lifeless. The ground is frozen. The trees are bare. Nothing appears to be growing. And yet, beneath the frozen soil, something is happening. Seeds that were planted long ago are not producing anything right now. They are not giving anything. They are simply waiting… receiving moisture, resting in the darkness, trusting that warmth will come. If a seed tried to give before it received, it would fail.
Growth always begins with receiving.
Faith works the same way. Before we can give generously, we must allow ourselves to receive deeply—from God’s grace, God’s love, and God’s presence. This is why stewardship must always begin at the table. If stewardship begins with fear, it will exhaust us. If stewardship begins with obligation, it will eventually feel heavy. But if stewardship begins with grace, it grows strong roots. One reason we keep the first Sunday of each month as Holy Communion Sunday is this: we begin our faith journey at the table of Christ, as a meal-community with Jesus Christ and with one another.
The Apostle Paul tells us that every time we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Communion tells a story. It tells the story of a God who gives first. A God who loves before being loved back. A God who pours out grace before asking for response. In the United Methodist tradition, we also believe Communion sends us back into the world. We are fed not just for ourselves, but for the sake of the world God loves. Our giving is not a transaction. It is a testimony.
Let me share a very honest truth. There have been seasons in my own life when I tried to give before I was ready—serving when I was empty, offering when I was exhausted, doing more without first being renewed. And generosity felt heavy. But whenever I returned to the table—to prayer, to Scripture, to Communion—I was reminded that I am not the source. God is. That reminder shows me that I can be here today because many people helped me, guided me, and provided for me. They were those who had received God’s grace and love before me.
Think about your own life. We have many blessings—such as safe shelter, enough food, and warm church pews—because someone before us shared their abundance through God’s grace. Now it is our turn. As those who have already received, we are called to support others in times of financial need and to care for those who seek food and shelter. Stewardship is not about draining ourselves for God. It is about letting God fill us, so that love can overflow.
Before you ever gave anything to God, God gave you life, breath, forgiveness, family, community, ability, and hope. Stewardship, then, is not about how much we give. It is about how we live as people who know they have received everything from God.
As we begin this stewardship month, I invite you not to ask first, “What should I give?” Instead, ask: “What have I received?”
Today, we come to the table together because Christ gives himself to us again and again. And from this table, we are sent out—not burdened, but grateful; not anxious, but free. Free to live as stewards of God’s grace. Free to share the grace and love of God that we have already received. Thanks be to God! Amen.