Prosper the Work of Our Hands

THE TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Year A, Lectionary 23

November 16, 2014

Psalm 90:1-8, 12

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Matthew 25:14-30

Pastor David Tryggestad

Concordia Evangelical Lutheran Church

Duluth, Minnesota

. . . and prosper for us the work of our hands

—O prosper the work of our hands!

Every congregation I have served has its own rhythm. In addition to the rhythm of weekly worship and the annual cycle of the Church Year, which are shared by thousands of congregations across the country—across the globe—each congregation has its own particular rhythm. Some events are weekly, like Bible studies, choir rehearsal, confirmation or high school ministry. Others are every other week, like serving supper at the Union Gospel Mission. Still others are monthly, like Bridges to Christ or the Altar Guild. Annual events include the Trunk or Treat event, just held a few weeks ago, with at least 17 families showing up with their trunks filled with candy and goodies, and perhaps 100 children from the community involved. Then there are ongoing but unscheduled events that include providing hospitality for grieving families at the time of a funeral or memorial service.

Just this past Thursday our quilters gathered for their monthly rhythm of service and fellowship. As always, the Fellowship Hall was abuzz with conversation and activity and color—glorious color—as many quilts were being worked on simultaneously, each in various stages of construction. I thought about the last verse of our psalm appointed for today, Psalm 90:

. . . and prosper for us the work of our hands

—O prosper the work of our hands!

In many ways, our quilters are a microcosm of the life of a congregation. Some of them bring quilt squares they have been working on at home, while they all bring their lives with them when they gather, as they share their joys and their sorrows with one another. Martin Luther called this the “mutual conversation and consolation of the brothers and sisters in Christ.” Though there is much they might cry about, as most are in their 70s and 80s, joy and laughter dominate the atmosphere. When they sit down for lunch, one of them shares a devotion, after which discussion follows, including the business of numbering the quilts and determining where they should go, where they might serve the greatest need. The new Steve O’Neil Apartments are high on their list this year.

. . . and prosper for us the work of our hands

—O prosper the work of our hands!

Our psalmist would have been right at home with our quilters—in fact, perhaps he was talking about them! “The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong . . .” (vs. 10a). If 80 years old is strong, some of our quilters are even stronger! Some are approaching fourscore years and ten! And still they quilt—they move those tired hands and fingers over those beautiful fabrics and assemble gifts of love for strangers across the street or across the globe.

. . . and prosper for us the work of our hands

—O prosper the work of our hands!

I thought of our psalm when I came in yesterday afternoon and found our volunteer piano tuner sitting at our Mason & Hamlin piano up front. He had been out of town with his wife almost all week attending to a daughter undergoing a battery of medical tests and procedures and came home on Friday to learn that both pianos in the sanctuary needed tuning before worship this morning. He is self-employed and no doubt had a list of his own projects to attend to.

. . . and prosper for us the work of our hands

—O prosper the work of our hands!

While here yesterday, I noted that the Altar Guild had been here to prepare the altar, with final details being completed this morning before worship. One of them baked our bread at home. Next week when you come for worship, you will note that all the paraments will have been changed from green to white in celebration of Christ the King Sunday. In celebration of this festival of the conclusion of the Church Year, one of the members will provide port wine for the Lord’s Supper. And when you come the Sunday following, you will see that all the paraments will again have been changed, this time to blue, to usher in the season of Advent, the beginning of a new Church Year. All of this in addition to the paraments having been red for Reformation Sunday at the end of October, then white for All Saints Sunday at the beginning of November, and then back to green. It is worth noting that our green paraments were lovingly handmade by one of our members, who serves both on the Altar Guild and the quilters.

. . . and prosper for us the work of our hands

—O prosper the work of our hands!

Many, many people share their time and their talents to make a congregation vital. Our English word talent comes from our Gospel for today, though the talents that Jesus is talking about are not traits or abilities, but rather money—lots of money. Depending on which biblical scholar you read, a talent is worth the equivalent of 15 or 20 years of labor. Multiply your annual income by 15 or 20, and, regardless of your salary, a talent is a lot of money.

As much as every congregation depends on the time and talents of all its members, Jesus is talking about money. Yet it seems that, whenever the church tries to talk about stewardship, we tend to steer the conversation away from money and towards issues of time and talents, thinking that, if we’ve offered our time and talents, we’ve offered enough.

The master in our Gospel lesson is incredibly generous, despite what the third slave says about him. Whether you have received five talents, or two talents, or one talent, you have been entrusted with a great deal. It is only right and fitting that we should return a portion of what has been entrusted to us. Yet we are so ready to do nothing to invest what has been entrusted to us in the work of our Lord. As another psalmist sings, “What shall I render to the Lord for all God’s benefits to me?” (Psalm 116:12). “What shall I give back . . .?”

. . . and prosper for us the work of our hands

—O prosper the work of our hands!

This past week has seen many children and young people coming together. We have 26 enrolled in Sunday School, many more than in previous years. We’ve had several weeks with 100% participation among our dozen confirmation youth, and we have more high school youth coming regularly than we have had in a long time. Our children’s and youth leaders are enthusiastic and committed. Five are attending the Middle School Gathering next weekend, in addition to the adult leader; seven are participating in the 10-day Synod Journey next summer, in addition to the adult leader.

In a few minutes we will sing, “Christ, Be Our Light” (ELW 715). The Apostle Paul says in our Second Reading, “. . . for you are all children of light and children of the day . . . Therefore encourage one another and build up each other . . .” (1 Thessalonians 5:5a, 11a).

A large part of that encouraging and building up each other involves your financial contributions to our ministry. Our children and young people depend on it. And our lives of faithful discipleship depend on it.

 

. . . and prosper for us the work of our hands

—O prosper the work of our hands!

Thanks be to God!