First Presbyterian Church of Evanston Sermon of the Week

Worship both as an individual and as a corporate act. That is to say, worship is both something we do when we gather here and something we do as we go through the course of our lives. In the New Testament worship speaks to how we act, or live our lives, in the presence of God. In its most basic sense, worship is the proper response of believers to God. Thus true worship is restricted to those who have come into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving is not a season but a way of life where the believer/worshipper always looks back on the many ways God blesses, rescues and provides. The only appropriate response is to acknowledge God’s enduring love as the source.

Could it be that part of the reason for the frenetic pace of our lives stems from F.O.M.O? (The Fear of Missing Out) The Psalmist invites the believer to rest in the Lord’s ability to build, protect and keep through phase of life.

We are what we study and take in. Thomas Cranmer famously said: “What the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies. The mind doesn’t direct the will. The mind is actually captive to what the will wants, and the will itself, in turn, is captive to what the heart wants.”

Knowing the frailty of this life and that all we possess is temporary, frees us to strive for things that are lasting. This mindset is the prelude to freedom and joy.

Putting God first in all things is possible when we remember that God enabled us to have those things.

Generosity fueled by grace has a powerful impact. It affects the giver, it reflects the sacrifice of Christ, and it also affects the recipients. These are the essential arguments Paul made as he encouraged the Corinthian to share generously.

Generosity and giving is both a ministry (2 Cor. 9:1), and an act of joy and thanks to God. Paul is not forcing the Corinthian Christians to give, rather he reminds them of God’s faithfulness in providing everything; God provides the resources so they can give. What they must now do is make a commitment to fulfill their pledge to the poor Christians of Jerusalem.

No matter where you are, who you are, in Jesus Christ we are one.

Seeking to put God first in everything will be threatened by competing interests: anxiety, a desire for security, a test of our willingness to trust in the providential love and care of our heavenly Father.