When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the first fruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.”4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt Egypt
In the worship service, there is a moment each week when we face grave danger.
Worship???
Danger???
Really???
Most of us probably don’t think that there is a dangerous time in the worship service, but take my word for it, it’s there! We think worship is danger-free because we do not live in a dictatorship where Christians are persecuted. But don’t be fooled. There is one moment in the worship service that is filled with danger and hazards!
No, it’s not when Pastor Candy calls the children to come forward for a children’s message! – although there have been times when we did find it somewhat unpredictably hazardous.
And no, it’s not during the hymns when we might find ourselves next to someone who sings loudly but can’t carry a tune.
Nor is it during the sermon when you are afraid you might fall asleep – and start snoring.
The time of danger? It’s the offering.
In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, we read about a very ancient order of worship. Like any experience of worship, there is an opportunity for an offering – a sacrifice.
In our reading from Deuteronomy, the people of God are about to enter the land God has promised to them. It has been a long time in coming – some 40 years to be exact. And now, after a generation has come and gone, the people are about to enter the land. And Moses speaks to them and gives them some instructions for worship.
He says, “When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the first fruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our forefathers to give us." The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God.”
(Take a basket from the pulpit and put it in front of the Lord’s Table)
And that, my friends, is the crucial moment. The danger filled moment. It was at that moment that person worshipping God could come to his or her senses.
“Wait a minute. What am I doing giving God my first fruits? I’ll be back later when I have second or third fruits.”
Or it is at this moment that a person might say, “Wait, I think I’ll keep that nice yellow banana. For my offering today - Here’s a slightly bruised one instead.”
(Remove the good banana and take a brown, nasty banana, held at arms length, and put it in the basket).
The poor would love to have this ripe banana.
God would want me to have this yellow banana.
It is here that a person might even rethink the offering completely. “Give me back my basket. God gave me this to enjoy, I think He wants me to keep it all to myself. I’m not about to share my first fruits. I’m not about to share anything God has given me!”
The offering is a dangerous time in the worship service, because it is here that one might forget where our hearts need to be.
It is here that you might forget - that everything you put in this basket, and everything you keep - both come from the generosity of God himself.
Our Old Testament lesson for today comes from the book of Deuteronomy, toward the end of the book. But near the beginning, there is a wonderful passage.
In chapter six, verses 10 through 12, Moses gives some instructions on what to do when the people finally enter the Promised Land. He tells them, “When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—
a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build,
houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide,
wells you did not dig,
and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—
then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt
It is so easy to forget.
It is easy to forget that all we have to present to the offering comes from God in the first place.
It is easy to forget that the homes we live in – God provided.
And the food we enjoy – God provided.
None of these comes from our hands as much as from God’s handiwork.
The offering is a dangerous time in the worship service, because it is here at this moment that you are being asked what kind of commitment you have to God who committed so much to you.
You see the danger?
You’re being given a test – where is your heart? How committed are you to God? What do you really value?
Jesus spoke a great deal about money. He talked a lot about it because he understood that money has such a driving force in our lives.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
I don’t know about you but my heart always goes where I put my money.
Actually, I take that back. I do know about you!
Good or bad, faithful Christian or inquiring visitor, profoundly wise or rather simple – your heart goes where you put your money.
If the earthly ministry of Jesus had taken place today rather than 2000 years ago, Jesus would not have said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Instead Jesus would have put it this way --- “Show Me your checkbook, your Mastercard statement, your online banking account, and your receipts, and I’ll show you where your heart is.
Do you have a heart for the work of God?
Do you have a heart for the poor?
Do you have a heart for Haiti
Do you have a heart for the youth of our church?
We say we do, but that moment in the offering tells the reality.
Where is your heart?
When the time for the offering comes, is this all you are willing to part with?
And now unto God the Father,
God the Son,
And God the Holy Spirit be ascribed all might, power, dominion and glory, today and forever, Amen.
Copyright 2016.
Dr. W. Maynard Pittendreigh
All rights reserved
Ministers may feel free to use some or all of this sermon in their own ministries as long as they do not publish in print or on the Internet without ascribing credit to the author.
