"Gifts Are for Giving"

1 Peter 4:7-12

Last Sunday, I preached about receiving gifts from the Spirit, which allow us to do good works for the kindom of God. It's fun to receive gifts. There is a sense that someone truly appreciates you when they bring a gift to you. However, it may be true that giving gifts can be more satisfying. It is nice to receive gifts, but giving gifts can be even better than unwrapping just what you wanted for Christmas. There have been times when I have found just the right Christmas present for one of our kids, and their eyes lit up, and they became so excited as they opened it. I think my wife, Paula, really enjoyed giving me a gift a little over 17 years ago. One of my all-time favorite gifts is this bracelet, given to me by my wife on our 20th anniversary. At first, I thought, "Oh, ok. This is nice. I guess I can wear a bracelet now." But on the inside is a quote from the Song of Solomon 6:3, written in Gaelic: "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine. " I was overwhelmed when I saw that, and I could tell Paula was pleased with herself, giving me the perfect gift for our anniversary, which I wear daily to remind me of my beloved. However, I may have one-upped her in the giving of gifts. When we were in Scotland during my sabbatical, I gave Paula a gift on our 37th anniversary. I found a bracelet decorated in a Celtic knot and had the inside engraved, also quoting the Song of Solomon in Gaelic, from chapter 4:1, "Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved." Giving her that gift in Scotland felt really good! I'm not sure whose gift-giving was better. Let's just call it a tie.

Today's passage speaks about giving gifts as well. However, these gifts are also spiritual, just like last Sunday. Let's set the background of today's passage so that we can better understand its meaning for us. First, this was a circuit or general letter addressed to a broad group of Christian churches near the end of the first century. Many churches at that time were facing persecution from Rome. Much of this letter instructs these early believers to persevere while facing such persecutions. In part, due to these difficulties, many Christians believed they were living in "end times," expecting Christ's return to be imminent. At any moment, he would return and judge those who were unjust and free them from their suffering.

From a theological perspective, we still live in such end times, although we may not feel quite as those first-century Christians did. We live in what is known as a period of grace before Christ's return. For those Christians in the first century, while they are waiting, Peter tells them to have three qualities in their congregations. First, the believers were to be disciplined in prayer- to pray regularly for others, the world, and themselves. Second, they were to be led in all things by love.

Then comes this famous quote – “for love covers a multitude of sins.” If you did not know the source of that quote before, you do now. Peter's third quality for congregations is hospitality- to welcome strangers, to welcome one another, and to be a visible sign of God's hospitality on earth. Those are things we modem-day congregations are called to as well. It is an excellent list for us to follow here at Ashland First Presbyterian Church.

Then comes our focus for today's passage. Through God's grace, we have been given two significant gifts. Grace is one of those concepts we speak about and sing about all the time in church. What exactly is grace, and what does it do for us? We begin at the cross. Through the sacrifice of Christ, we have access to God. We are made righteous in God's eyes. We can find a new beginning each day apart from sin, even though we do not deserve it, nor is there anything we CAN do to deserve it. That is what grace is. God gives it to us because God loves us so.

Grace works similarly to when you get a pumpkin for Halloween. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, washes all the dirt off of you. Then God cuts the top open and scoops out all the yucky stuff. God removes the seeds of doubt, hate, fear, and greed and then carves you a new smiling face. Finally, God's light is put inside you to shine for all the world to see. That is what the gift of grace does to us. Theologian Anne LaMott says, "I do not understand the mystery of grace-only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us. "

It follows then that we who have done nothing of merit to deserve such grace are to be good stewards of that grace- that is, as caretakers of that grace, we are meant to give that grace as a gift to others. According to Peter, we do that by providing two very specific gifts.

First, according to this passage, "If ANYONE speaks, let it be as the words of God." This verse means that we who have been given God's grace and call ourselves Christian are to speak consistently as if we are representing God. Gulp. It is difficult to speak as if we are speaking on behalf of God regularly. It makes me wonder what would happen if someone came around and followed me all day, everywhere, with a voice recorder on their phone. Then, I would listen to everything I said. How many of those words would represent God's intention for the world?

Consider what James said about the tongue! "No human being can tame the tongue restless evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:8). Our tongues can get us into so much trouble.

We speak angrily, lie, spread gossip, and hurt others with our words. Those words are painful and powerful. Yet Godly words can be powerful as well. Mother Teresa said, "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. " So, the first teaching for us today is to use our speech, language, and communication with others consistently as a grace-filled gift and to speak the words of God to them- words of love, hope, and mercy.

The second gift Peter encouraged the congregations to use in the first century was service. Peter writes, "Whoever renders service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies." Serving in this way helps us act as God's hands and feet in the world. We are to serve others, using God as our source of strength.

How and where are Christians called to serve through God's strength? We are to serve our families, neighbors, and those in need. Our congregation does that in so many ways. This is true of many individuals in our congregation. If you were at Marilyn MacLean's memorial service last Saturday, you learned that until last year, Marilyn was the Green Bag coordinator for all of Mountain Meadows, which helped food-insecure people throughout the Rogue Valley. Just this morning, you saw the picture of Barbara Marsh bringing yummy homemade Chex mix to guests at OHRA. Many individuals in our congregation serve on boards to help those in need, and they do so by the strength God supplies.

As a congregation, we consistently use our buildings to help the unhoused. Our deacons help folks by providing food cards and bus tokens and assisting others with rent and utility costs. We've had a group of volunteers help build homes through Habitat for Humanity Rogue Valley and will soon be gearing up again to help make more homes in March. Our Little Free Pantry recently received a $3,000 grant from the Presbytery of the Cascades to help us continue feeding people in need. Then, there is our Safe Parking Program. Right now, we have one gentleman living in his trailer while he works construction full time, getting his life together and not incurring tickets from the police department for parking to sleep overnight. Then there is the story of Hank, who came into my office on Wednesday. Hank worked as a land caretaker near Ashland, but the landowner told him he no longer needed him. Hank is older and has some medical issues, and he found himself unable to secure a bed at a shelter. He fell through the cracks and was in difficult circumstances. That led him to us. We offered Hank a place to sleep at night in his car, let him know about the food pantry, and then gave him a brand-new coat the Cleveland’s donated to us to keep him warm at night. These are just a few of the areas of service provided to others from this congregation.

Serving in such a way can indeed be a gift. In doing so, theologian Dieter F. Uchtdorf says, "As we emulate Christ's perfect example, our hands can become Christ's hands. Our eyes, his eyes. Our heart, his heart. " We serve as Christ served. It certainly felt that way when I gave Hank the coat. So, in closing, remember these two gifts Peter mentioned, supplied through God's grace.

Gifts are for giving. Use your speech to others as a Godly gift. Use your hands, feet, time, talent, and treasure to serve others and support this church's ministry. It truly is better to give than receive. Alleluia. Amen.