Sermon Text, "What Does the Future Look Like?":

Welcome back, everybody, to Part 3 of our Stewarding God’s Mysteries Series.  We kicked off with the mini-mystery, “What’s in the Gift Box?”  We came in with wrapped presents throughout the sanctuary and hallways to help us celebrate that the Lord instills in each of us a unique and purposeful set of spiritual gifts, and actually enjoyed opportunities to take an online spiritual gift inventory.  We surpassed the team’s goal of turning in over 150 of Ministry Interest Forms, or time and talent sheets, activating that important aspect of generosity.

Last week, we had fun with Detective Stewart Shipman and associates Miss Genny Rossity and Miss Sharon Love.  They came to investigate some fishy funding at COS.  But as they followed the clues and evidence, they discovered faith communities thrive not by selling anything, requiring membership dues, or verifying giving levels.  No, instead COS thrives by simply inviting and trusting everyone to do their part by sharing a worthy percentage of their God-given resources to the Lord’s work in a spirit of gratitude.

Today, our final mini-mystery is the question, “What Does the Future Look Like?”   Now I have to admit, when we put this series together months ago, we never connected the dots that this would be our theme just a few days after a national election, when half of the country would be pretty excited about future potential, and the other half, maybe a bit sad and worried about future prospects.

The good news in this precious congregation of varying ages, political beliefs, family shapes, and occupations is that all of us are UNIFIED in our baptism into one body of the only Lord, King, and the Ultimate Guide and Goal of Life, Jesus the crucified and risen Christ.   We claim more powerful than any political preference is the mutual identity and calling we share.  As 1 Corinthians 4 states, we are to see ourselves, together, as “Servants of Christ” and “Stewards of the Mysteries of God.”   Pretty awesome.  And as Scripture states, stewards challenged to be found trust-worthy of God’s agenda.  Praise God!

So, let’s undertake today’s mini-mystery:  What does the future look like?   How many of you ever tried a Magic 8 ball when you were a kid?  You could ask a question about the future, shake the ball, and see the answer bubble up to the window:  “Magic 8 ball, do you think Jenny will go to the dance with me?”  Shake it a bit.  Look at the answer: “The stars say no.”  Rats.

Speaking of stars, some look to horoscopes for future predictions.  I’ve flipped through a Farmer’s Almanac at a bookstore but never used one.

As Christians, we believe the most trustworthy forecasts come through God’s word.   And the Holy Spirit driven Bible declares that our future is WONDERFUL.   For as Romans 8—not the Magic 8 Ball, but Romans 8--declares, “there is nothing—neither things present not things to come--that can ever separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ.”  So, friends, if we are guaranteed to be in Jesus’ grip of grace forever, our future is fantastic!

We’re promised that our future is one where the tears are wiped away forever and the Lord kicks off the banquet.   So, as they say, if your current chapter holds tears and hunger, you’re not at the end of your story. For God’s future with you is one of joy.  So, keep moving forward. Praise the Lord.

Well, how about the near-term future, some of you ask.  Fair enough.

For that topic, can we handle using our Old Testament lesson from Genesis?  It’s the story of Joseph.  You remember his roller coaster tale of high highs and low lows.  And we find Joseph on the cusp of his future.  Yanked from the dank dungeon because of his dream discernment abilities, he brings a challenging word to the Pharaoh about Egypt’s future.   The Lord guides Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s dream as prediction of 7 years of abundance for Egypt followed by 7 years of famine.

In our modern context, would you agree that in many ways, these are fairly abundant days.   The stock market has never been higher.  Most of our portfolios are pretty strong. Here at COS, we’re honored that out of 150 or so congregations in our synod, we are first or second in the mission support dollars shared for the ministry of the synod and ELCA.   And how energizing to know our future could be even stronger.   For this might be the year that the family units who aren’t currently giving at all might take that step and join us in resourcing Jesus’ agenda at COS.  Or those who give between 5 and 10 dollars a week decide, “you know, I can take that next step up.”

We’re learning together.   We ask the clarifying question:  if everyone behaved like I did, what would the future of COS and my community look like?   For instance, if everyone gave just their time but no treasure, then we’d all show up on Sunday morning to a building with no heat, lights, staff, or water.  Likewise, if everyone just gave money but none of their time, lights and heat would be on, but only the paid staff would ever gather for worship, prayer, or service.

In our gospel today, Jesus points out the widow’s gift of two tiny copper coins.  Jesus sees the giving.  And we’re still talking about that lady’s small but meaningful-for-her gift 2000 years later.  Indeed, everybody has something to offer.  And when we behave in a manner we wish everyone else would behave too, our future can be incredibly bright.

Indeed, like Joseph’s first years in Egypt, these are pretty good days at COS.  We’ve just completed Phase 1 of a sanctuary renewal project.   We’ve got folks activating their discipleship whether its bread runs, disaster relief, helping hungry in Haiti or vulnerable girls in Tanzania, or three of our women launching a podcast called Messy Christian Mommas.  While we rejoice Pastor Miriam enjoys retirement, we’re also enthused about the Holy Spirit sending us another faithful pastoral leader for the future.

But as we look to the future, may I share with you a bit of a challenge?  Some of you in business conduct SWOT analyses.  You dig into Strengths and Opportunities (S and O), but also talk clearly about Weakness and Threats (W and T).  One challenge facing congregations like COS is linked to a changing American culture.  According to church demographer Ryan Burge, in 1958, 52% of Americans self-identified as belonging to a mainline congregation (Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, American Baptist, Reformed Church, United Church of Christ).  Today, it’s about 9%.  But if you ask 20–40-year-old Americans about their connection, only 2 out of 100 say they are connected to a mainline congregation like ours.  From 52% to 2% is a bit of a shift, right?  Maybe not the Egyptian famine, but harder days for our religious landscape might be coming compared to what we’ve experienced.  We can feel it already with a clergy shortage.  We hear from our younger families, how they feel pulled in hundreds of directions, and it makes showing up to church harder than ever.

Now back to Joseph.  He’s got a plan.   Joseph advises, “hey gang, we can strengthen the future if we take action now.   In these days of plenty, let’s set aside 20% of all our crops for the days of challenge to come.   So that’s what they do.”  For each of the next 7 years, they dedicate a double-tithe for the country’s future health with tougher times coming.

Here at COS, we, too, have a chance to join other congregations who are acting creatively now for the benefit of their future health and ministries.  Today, we are so delighted to welcome Pastor Ana Lugo from the ELCA Foundation to share with us how and why we might take action now to bless our futures, the future of our children, and the values we hold dear. Years ago, LuAnne and I heard this kind of invitation, not from Pastor Lugo, but another faith friend like her.  We were invited to consider how we Steward God’s Mysteries not only year in and year out—as we are doing for 2025—but in terms of a long-term horizon.

Last week, we heard the testimony from Andi and Jeff Williams, about their faith journey toward a tithe, or sharing the first fruits 10% of their monthly income to the Lord.  Similarly, LuAnne and I realized we could make provisions in our estate plan for a tithe--that 5% of our estate would go to Camp Luther, for us, holy ground where God blessed us so richly. Secondly, another 5% to Christ Our Shepherd, that’s offered us intergenerational friendships; identity, confidence, and resilience for our children; embracing God’s mysteries of forgiveness, grace, and resurrection; fantastic music, fun times.  As Luke and Morgan, my children, grow in age and capacity, the future help they need from us probably declines a bit—giving LuAnne and me an opportunity to increase the percentage of legacy giving we can offer.  To strengthen the future success of our values and the faith communities that have been indispensable to our lives, and we think would be indispensable for the future and our kids and grandkids.

Back to Joseph.  His plan worked!   Yes, the seven years of famine came.  It was scary and difficult.  But because all of Egypt invested in the future when times were good, they had the resources to endure the tough times.   Who knows if the prognostications of the younger generations stepping away from churches holds in the decades to come.  Let’s hope—and work towards-- all the challenging trends we read about reverse direction immediately.

But until then, LuAnne and I, along with 16 other COS families find value in being part of the new Apple Tree Society.   It gives us a chance to praise the Lord at the end of our days!  But to do so knowing our gifts can strengthen the future church to endure and thrive in what could be challenging times until the pendulum swings back. We love it!

Have we not, friends, been energized by the gift of Mechtild Vogt, whose legacy gift to COS inspired so many other gifts so that we now are enjoying a refreshed sanctuary that is ready for the future? Have we not been energized by Ron and Ann Bowman, whose legacy gifts will empower the Holy Spirit to engineer wonderful future ministries at Palmetto Road?   Friends, as you’ll hear in a few moments, our Generosity Team will be asking for you to make a very important giving decision for our healthy future in 2025.  But if you also want to learn just a little bit more how easy it might be Stewarding God’s Mysteries on a long-term horizon, we invite you for some conversation with our friend, Pastor Ana Lugo in the Fellowship Hall at 12:10 PM today.  I know you’ll enjoy her.  You’ll also enjoy some delicious home-made apple pie.

Final thought, an illustration which one of you sent me last week.   Whenever we have a light bulb burn out in the ceiling projectors, we’ve got to set up a super-duper high ladder.  I thought about setting it up and start climbing while talking to you.  But about the only person at COS who has the guts to climb up all the way is Joni Siepert.    I’ve skydived a couple of times, but I get the heebie-jeebies on a high ladder.   And yet, that’s a temptation of life.   To do whatever it takes to climb the ladder.  To focus only on climbing the ladder.  To climb maybe a career ladder.  Or the ladder of economic or social status.  Now of course, nothing wrong, with using our God given abilities to take on the higher callings the Lord always offers.  BUT, if we fixate on making it to the top rung of the ladder, there’s a danger.  How many testimonies do we hear from folks.   “I climbed pretty high. But the problem with the career ladder was there wasn’t a ton of room for my family or other parts of God’s design for me, on the rungs.  It was lonely at the top sometimes.  Not exactly what I thought it would be.”

Now, what if we laid a cross down?   Stepping on to the cross, we’d each find we could go in any direction we need to.  I could head down the length of it.  To the left.  Or pivot to the right.  In distinction to the ladder, with my cross, I’d have space for at least 3 other friends to discuss, eat, or play with.  Furthermore, since Jesus calls each of us to carry our own cross, if you laid your cross down next to mine and others next to ours, we could all go a long way together, in any direction we needed to. And the adventures—together—would be wonderful.

A future centered by the ladder or the cross?

I’ll be praying for each of you—and me.  As all of us this week, in preparation for Generosity Sunday next week, prayerfully reflect how we activate God’s pronouncement of us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God!   And that you find joy and hope in the process, tasting the fruit NOW and in Lord’s bright future to come.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.