Our Turn Now

 

Our 2017 Stewardship Campaign begins on October 22nd.  This year’s theme is called Our Turn Now.  In conjunction with our 75th anniversary as a congregation we are looking back at how people (both in the story of the Bible and in the story of our congregation) have left behind a lasting legacy of faithfulness. Our vision is that this might encourage us to pick up the mantle and see how we might pass these wonderful legacies of faithfulness on to future generations.

 

Here is a great example of how to pass a legacy down to the next generation.  Through the parallel passages of 1 Kings 2 and 1 Chronicles 29, we can see how King David uses his final days to leave a legacy for his son, Solomon, to embrace and thrive in. There are three important things that David does:

  1. David challenges his son to love and fear the Lord. More important than any accomplishment or failure for David is this understanding that nothing comes close to outweighing the pursuit of God. Most of David’s biggest regrets are all centered around moments in his life when had given up on this pursuit and instead lived for himself and his own agenda. David implores his son to never lose sight of this.  Love the lord with everything you have.
  2. David uses the vast amount of resources that he has collected to further the work of God. David had already come to grips with the truth that he will not be allowed to build the temple (God informed him that he had too much blood on his hands. All the killing he had done would leave a stain and connect the building of the temple to murder and pillage).  So David – realizing his own limits – sets up his son Solomon to have what he needs to further God’s mission and build God’s Temple.  He also gathers the wealthy leaders of Israel and challenges them to do the same.
  3. He intercedes for his people. David shares a powerful perspective in reminding us that our lives are mere shadows and everything that we have is a gift from God that must be held loosely and with thankfulness. He wants everyone to understand that the tighter we hold on to the things of this world (our possessions, achievements, status, and awards) the more we lose sight of God. He pours his heart out, pleading with God to work in the lives of David’s children and people, that they would continue to thirst for and obey the Lord.

 

So what are your stories?  Who has communicated the Gospel of grace to you in such a way that it helped you trust God more?  What are the stories of faithfulness from Alpine’s past that people today need to hear?  Let me know! (pastor@alpinelutheran.com)

 

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