Our text is about commitment.

But what is it and how does it work? When I was growing up, little-league baseball was the thing. It seemed as if every boy in the neighborhood was in it. As for my family I am one of four boys and all of us were in little league. My mother and father were even coaches. It was the rage. Our family even went to an All-State playoff, not as a competitor but as spectators, we weren't that good. To say the least it was often a topic at our dinner table.

Today’s lesson reminds me of those days of little league. There's a story of a very talented team that made it to the play-offs. On this team was a young man, a true talent, a phenomenon. But he was always late to practice and occasionally didn’t even show up. He was so talented that his absence was often over-looked. But when the team reached the play-offs the other players became disgruntled. They began to complain about the practices and each other. They complained about the lack of commitment that the other players had. Soon backbiting, nagging and name-calling became commonplace. The boys began to lose the love for the game. The coach realized what was happening. They were no longer a baseball team but a group of individuals playing baseball. The last practice before the big game the coach knew he had do something. So he called the players together and asked them; Do you want to win? They yelled out YES.

Then are you just contributing or are you committed? He looked briefly into the eyes of each of the player yet no one answered. Finally his gaze met the eyes of the young man who had been late so many times. Their eyes locked it seemed as if several minutes had passed, in reality only seconds, and finally the young man out of nervousness asked the coach; What do you mean just contributing versus committed? The coach explained to the team that he had been raised on a farm. Every morning the day was started with a big breakfast of eggs and bacon or sausage or sometimes ham. Then he said, a hen contributes but a pig is committed. In other words the hen gives eggs, the pig gives it’s life if you eat bacon, ham or sausage.  Are you just contributing or committed?

Our lesson today talks about the Churches in Macedonia and they can serve as an example of commitment for us. While at the Seminary I was reminded of one of the most important lessons I had ever learned. It is one that I learned in a small Lutheran Church over 30 years ago. When a pastor said while reading the Scripture always remember these 3 important things: Context, context and context.

1.  Context: read the Scripture before and after the text.

2. Context: read the Scripture concerning the text, in other words Scripture interprets Scripture.

3.  Context: read and hear the Scripture in the way the original hearers would have understood it in light of their situation and understanding.   

So let's begin with the context. St. Paul is talking about the churches in Macedonia.

 Macedonia in New Testament times was a Roman province lying just north of Greece. It was governed by a propraetor with the title of proconsul. Paul was summoned by the vision of the "man of Macedonia" to preach the gospel there. Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Frequent reference is made to this event. The history of Paul's first journey through Macedonia is given in detail in the Book of Acts. At the close of this journey Paul returned from Corinth to Syria. He again passed through Macedonia (Ac 20:1-6) the details of this trip are not given. After many years he probably visited it for a third time. By the way: The first convert made by Paul in Europe was in Macedonia and it was Lydia (Ac 16:13-15) her name means, a "seller of purple," she was residing in Philippi, the chief city of the eastern division of Macedonia. Many important churches were established in Macedonia, Thessalonica, Philippi, and Berea the place where many believed.

But the Churches in Macedonia were suffering great poverty. A famine had hit all over the world and especially hard in Jerusalem. The worst of it lasted about one year from 45 to 46 AD. This news was known by many Christians because it was a prophesy made by Agabus in Acts 11: "Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders." Paul and Barnabas desiring to bring relief to Jerusalem had encouraged the Brethren of other communities to show Christian charity and give what they could. Times were lean, people were dying - help was needed.

Paul like the coach of that little league baseball team stood up and said it's time to act like a team. Forget about how hard times for yourselves, I know you lack in many areas but God still provides for you. You're a team and a team looks out for each other and plays nice with each other. It's our sinful nature that wants to control everything. It's our sinful nature that wants us to work out our own plan of salvation. It's our sinful nature that causes us to look inwards instead of outwards. It's our sinful nature to want to hang on to all we have for ourselves especially when times seem lean. It's our sinful nature to want to forget that God is still in control. It's our sinful nature to not trust God. When things are tight for a church it's easy to think things are tight for us also.

I can imagine that Dr. Martin Luther would remind us at this juncture of the Lord's Prayer fourth petition. Give us this day our daily bread. What does this mean? God gives daily bread indeed without our prayer, also to all the wicked; but we pray in this petition that he would lead us to know it, and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. What is meant by daily bread? Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

Dear fellow redeemed God has indeed blessed you. Just look around the sanctuary. Look in a mirror. We aren't facing famine; most of us have shoes, shirts, pants and food. Most of us have homes to live in. We are indeed well blessed. Instead of running the risk of famine we run the risk of being lax and forgetting the Lord our God. Deuteronomy 8 says: Beware lest you forget the Lord your God. When you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; "and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; "when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from your slavery."

The churches in Macedonia didn't have our luxuries. They didn't have excess. What they gave, ------ Paul says it best: verse 3 "For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability." You see they truly understood the team concept, the concept of Christian community. We may not share that mindset everyday but sometimes that epiphany of Christian community does come forth. Such as when a tragic storm destroys a community and we are moved to help, when a loved one, a child, brother, sister or grandchild, friend or neighbor is in grave physical or financial distress and we become moved to make a difference. That's what the Christian Churches of Macedonia understood. It isn't about being rugged individualist, it's about being part of the body of Christ. It's an attitude of realizing that everything we have is a blessing from God. Paul calls it: the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. It's a grace to be able to see what blessings you have. It's grace to be able to trust God when you give. That includes your time, your talents and your financial gifts. It's grace, grace alone and it's a great blessing. God even talks about that blessing in 2 Corinthians 9:7 Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.

God doesn't lay the law on people to give. But he does bless those that do. Years ago a dear sweet church lady told me, you know it's impossible to out give God. He just keeps on blessing you with more and more. What she had learned was a principle taught in Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." God does bless those that give. By the way that phrase cheerful giver in the Greek the word is pronounced Hilaros (i`laro,j() the same word that is the root of hilarious. Now I'm not recommending that when you give you bust up laughing. But giving to the church in time, talent or finance should bring great joy because it's out of response to the grace given to you.

What is that grace given to you? Paul tells us: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich." 

By His grace The Creator of all is committed, He's committed to you. So He exchanges His richness for poverty by allowing Himself to be born lowly in a stable, He allows Himself to suffer many things, and He allows Himself to be placed on a cross, He allows Himself to die in your place, and this He does because He is committed to you.

For it is by His grace alone you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves but a gift of God.

 By His grace alone He establishes the gift of Holy Baptism, which does His work of salvation.

By His grace alone He establishes the gift of the Lord's Supper that continues to provide a means of His grace to you.

Dear Fellow Redeemed you are indeed truly blessed, His Grace alone blesses you. For in that grace He has forgiven you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of Son and of the Holy Spirit -- For He is committed to you and your salvation. By Grace Alone. Amen