July 15, 2007 1 Chronicles 29:10-20

David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.

I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided."

Then David said to the whole assembly, "Praise the LORD your God." So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed low and fell prostrate before the LORD and the king.

Today we celebrate a benchmark of having paid off our property and parsonage - as well as the blessings of having brothers and sisters in fellowship with us throughout the world in the Wisconsin Synod. Beautiful Savior has come a long way over the past thirty years. Way back in 1978 the congregation consisted of two families, being served by a pastor who drove all the way from Kansas City. It was in April of 1983 that this church held it's first worship service, and three years later in 1986 that the parsonage was built across the parking lot. Along with those buildings came debt - a tremendous debt - that our congregation owed to our Synod - who generously loaned us money and even paid our interest for many years. For over twenty years we've been paying that debt along with interest to the Church Extension Fund (which then helps build other churches), and now we're done with it. It's something to be thankful for. As they scream on Dave Ramsey, "we're debt free."

Even before they put up one brick or stone of the temple, David's congregation was debt free. They did it in what might be called "the better way" in some people's eyes. They gathered the resources FIRST, and then they built. This prayer in 1 Chronicles reflects the attitude of David and the people of Israel at the completion of those offerings - prior to the actual building. It lays the ground work for how we can respond on such a joyous occasion. How do we respond? It's rather simple.

Praise the LORD

I. By giving Him credit

This would seem like an obvious response at any benchmark. But the thing is, God works in such hidden ways that He can almost seem invisible and nonexistent if we don't remind ourselves that He is there. When you think of the miracle of baptism - He hides His Holy Spirit in the water. When you think of the Lord's Supper - He hides Himself in the wine and bread. When you think of the way He feeds and nourishes us, He hides Himself behind the natural laws of creation. So the temptation is either for us to completely overlook what has happened like completely blind fools, or for us to actually think that we are the ones doing all of the work and we are the ones deserving all of the credit. It is part of the blindness of man to only look for God in the awesome miracles instead of the simple and seemingly natural ones. So many times we miss the visions of God that are right before us. By reflecting on David's words, we are attempting to reopen our sinful eyes - to remind ourselves of the miracle standing behind these bricks and mortar and the sweat and time of so many of our members. Unfortunately, like the Israelites - because of our sinful nature - we need such reminders.

The words of David both beautifully and bountifully crack open those mysteries of God that worked behind the scenes in the gathering of resources for the original temple. He said to the assembly,

"Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

Notice the things that David remembers and points out to the fact that the LORD has been around forever. He remembers how the LORD is a great, powerful, and glorious God - and how He actually owns everything in heaven and on earth.

Just this past Monday we were reflecting on that awesome fact in remembering the story of Joshua conquering the Promised Land. Joshua asked for more daylight to conquer the enemies living in the land that was promised to the Israelites. So in that point in time God stopped the earth from rotating and directed these huge planets to just sit still - so these little tiny humans living in Israel could win a little battle against Adoni-Zedek - king of Jerusalem. (Joshua 10) In comparing the size of the earth with the other planets, and the size of the sun with the other stars - it is amazing that God would direct the universe around a small and tiny planet and some small and tiny people living in this little place called Israel. Yet the God of the heavens did exactly that and directed everything according to His good and gracious will. He took His powerful hands and wrapped them around the sun and the earth - keeping it all in place for a designated time so the battle could be fought and won. Now - you would think that instead of suspending nature in that way - it would have been much easier for God to simply send an angel of death to take care of Adoni-Zedek and kill them himself. But instead God wanted Joshua to be involved and use his own sword. So in a miraculous and yet a hidden way God revealed His awesome power to the Israelites - exalting them and giving them the land Hee had promised. He proved that He is in charge.

In the same way, just think about how God provided for this temple. Like Manna from heaven, God could have just showered the gold from heaven. But instead, the glorious God hid his glory by motivating His people to be incredibly generous in a simple offering. David started with a generous offering from his own resources, and the leaders then followed. The leaders alone had come forward with over 190 tons of gold and 375 tons of silver! The wonderful thing is that David did not remain blind to it. Through all of this generosity David recognized that it was the LORD who had privately worked behind the scenes to enable them to gather all of these resources to build the temple.

"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.

How could David say such degradating things about themselves? They were the chosen people living in the chosen land! They had reached their goal! It was because in faith He saw how sinful and weak they still were. He realized that God had actually provided for them throughout it all. The very first victory on the west side of the Jordan at Jericho would have illustrated this truth. It made him realize how their times really were in God's hands - and that their life on earth - even with a promised land to live in - was still temporary in comparison with the eternal God. So in response to this, David said to the whole assembly, "Praise the LORD your God." So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed low and fell prostrate before the LORD and the king. They praised the LORD by bowing down to Him and giving God credit for where they were and how they got there - with a sense of HUMILITY.

Today is our Ebenezer - our time to ponder and reflect on how we got here. Many people could be mentioned - faithful people - who put hours and hours into teaching and meeting and offering and planning and building. Our Synod could also be recognized for giving us the loan and the pastors and the support throughout the year. Yet we would be fools to lift up their rocks and glorify them - for they are still only flesh. It was the gracious and merciful LORD who gave them the gifts, strength and abilities to do what we have done thus far. Now is not a time for pride or patting ourselves or our synod on the back. Now is the time to bow before the LORD and recognize that it is only by His grace that we have gotten thus far. It is the LORD that has been working behind the scenes - through our members and our Synod to get us this far.

It still amazes me as I recall the tentative fear in wondering if simple bills would be able to be paid when I got here. I'm sure this wasn't the first time. I can't imagine the feelings of fear and trepidation in just signing that first loan. Yet as time went on the LORD continued to bless our members with the ability to work, and the willingness to give. He also blessed our members with a tremendous ability to forgive one another and remain faithful to worship. Throughout it all, the Law and Gospel continued to be proclaimed, and our remaining members continued to grow. Throughout it all - it was the LORD who kept our doors open. Throughout it all - this last 30 years - the LORD has blessed us and now enabled us to pay this off. Now is a time to bow before HIM and give Him thanks and praise in a sense of humility.

II. By reflecting on our hearts

It is interesting that in the middle of this prayer of praise - that instead of focusing on the magnitude of the offering or the size of the building as the disciples did on Holy Week - David reflected on that which can neither be seen nor measured. He focused on the attitude of their hearts throughout the entire process. The LORD who chose David focusing on the heart filled that same heart with a contemplation of itself in this process.

I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.

Notice what God looked for in the heart -

• •integrity - The meaning I got from reading up on the word meant to do things in a straight forward manner - not to do something with a hidden motive.
• •willingly - remember that David lived under the old covenant - which had no qualms about laying down laws and forcing people into doing what they were told to do. Yet God was never satisfied with this kind of behavior. What He wanted was a willing heart. David also wrote of this in Psalm 51 when he prayed, "Grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."
• •joy - The LORD wants us to enjoy the process of giving and being generous. He doesn't want the opportunity to offer to be like writing out a check for the rent of your apartment or the gas bill. He wants it to be a source of joy.

As David reflected and saw his people come forward with their offerings - He could see the looks on their faces - how eager they were and excited about building their permanent place of worship. It made him happy to see his people so willing and joyful to serve and give in preparation for that day. The entire congregation was in favor of this building project and wanted to see it done. It united them together and joined them together in a common goal to worship their LORD that was specifically designed by the LORD; at a place that would say, "the LORD is our God!"

Lord, examine our hearts today. What have they been filled with throughout the past 30 years? What are they filled with today? Joy? A willingness to give more? Integrity? Have we sung with joy over the wonders of his grace and forgiveness that we find in the death and resurrection of Christ? Have we willingly signed up to mow the lawn or clean the church? Has the check we made out on payday been a proportional gift to our our Lord through the congregation? Has it been approached like an offering to God or a monthly bill? Should we rather pray for mercy because our hearts were and are not as pure as David's and the Israelites'? Have we instead been filled with a sense of fear or even anger over the amount of time and effort and offerings that have been requested of us in order to pay the bills? It is time to reflect. How have we done on these tests of the heart?

It is interesting to me to sit and reflect on this moment and to listen to the different comments that have been made at this benchmark. One pastor warned that this debt free situation brings many problems - because people start bickering over where the money will go. Some have felt that our members will give less now that our building is paid off. I have heard some make statements such to the effect of, "let's get such and such because we have money to spend now." In light of these fears and dangers I suppose we could have just ignored this landmark and pretend that we are still in the same predicament. We could keep a hush hush over the situation in fear over what will happen. Or we could like David just give a little time for reflexion.

What is it that motivates us to give what we give? Do we really need to be motivated by bank foreclosures to give? Do we really need debt in order to give a certain amount? Or don't we just need a cross and an empty grave? It is enough to know that heaven is ours and all our needs are promised to be met. Believing this, it won't make any difference whether we have plenty or nothing. Either way we will give our firstfruits. If we find ourselves bickering over whether to spend money on maintenance or beautification or outreach - we again have to determine why we are getting so flustered over it. Is it because we have been working and spending a lot of time on a pet project that we feel has "earned" approval? Or is it because we have a common zeal to spread the gospel and grow in the gospel? Is it good stewardship to simply spend more money on ourselves because we now have it? Or could we in fact be more generous with our synodical offerings and other brothers in need? Even with extra money our needs and wants need to be prioritized to use what we have to the glory of God's name and the spread of His kingdom. The only difference is that we now have more choice in what we do without the pressure of making building and land payments. In reality, not much SHOULD change - if we have been doing what we have to the glory of God's name.

So we pray, "Lord, examine our hearts. Test us in this situation. Grant us your grace and mercy to respond with even more willingness and joy and generosity." Should not the fact that God has blessed us through the past 30 years give us confidence and joy to go forward with the gospel? Should not this benchmark give us a sense of freedom and joy to be even more bold in our witness and stewardship offerings? Or should we instead retreat into a bunker and pantedly say, "whew, thanks for getting us this far. Let's just sit here now and hunker down until the end." What is our mentality going to be? Is it going to be, "we're done doing work now . . . or . . . we're just beginning?" Lord, examine our hearts. Forgive us for not matching up to David. Open up the trust of our hearts so that in thankfulness we can even give more - knowing from the completion of these payments that you will provide.

III. By praying for the preservation of future generations

At this point in time David and the Israelites had a rich history of poverty and survival to look back on and now they had finally reached the Promised Land. Now they were finally going to be able to build a seemingly permanent home for the LORD to make His presence known in. It is at this time that we can become most vulnerable. It's right when you get through the Red Sea or right when you pass through the desert that you think you've got it made - and you get lazy with your faith. Considering the whole history of the Israelites Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12) David recognized this from experience. So he prayed,

O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.

Did you notice who David turned to for the future of the church? Did you also notice what he referred to Him as? David recognized that only the LORD could keep that desire to rejoice in the hearts of the people - and that ONLY GOD could keep their hearts loyal to Him. Which God was this? The faithful and constant God who had kept His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel - preserving them from all attacks.

This doesn't mean that David didn't do anything to preserve this loyalty. He had collected an offering and provided for generations of worship. He had prayed for the future generations. He had made sure that the Israelite children were brought up in the truth of God's Word - and even by inspiration of the Holy Spirit God had provided His very words through the songs of David. Yet throughout all of his work - he still gave praise to God by recognizing that the future was still in HIS hands.

This prayer also doesn't mean that Solomon and the future generations could simply be passive recipients in the keeping of God's commands. They still needed to take advantage of God's gracious gifts. They still needed to keep themselves in God's Word. They still needed to use their hands and their hammers and brains to build the temple that was all ready to build.

As we celebrate this debt retirement and also our fellowship with the synod - we face a new future. Through the tried and true members of our congregation the LORD has provided us with a wonderful building to worship in. Through the blessings of our synod the LORD has provided us with a clear and pure teaching of God's Word. We don't know where we will go from here. Do we build on? Do we start a new ministry? What kind of a president will our synod elect? What decisions will they make in regards to our worker training schools? How will we keep mission work as a priority?

There are many decisions to be made. Through it all, let us praise God by praying that HE would keep us faithful to what is before us. The older generation is not to worry about the future of our congregation or synod - but they are to pray for it. They are to continue to provide the young with all of the tools necessary to remain faithful. And the young are to be thankful for these gifts they have been handed and take advantage of the training and the buildings and facilities they have been giving. Through it all we all need to stay faithful and loyal to God's Word. Through it all, we all need remember that the same LORD who kept the Church alive through Abraham's and David's time can keep the Church alive throughout our time. Without His blessing and strength - we will NOT remain faithful - no matter how hard we try. We need to pray humbly that the faithful LORD would keep both Beautiful Savior and our Wisconsin Synod faithful to Him and fulfill the Great Commission until the Day the Lord Jesus comes again.

In an honest revelation of his the weaknesses of the sinful flesh Proverbs 30:7-9 says, ""Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." Out of fear of both despair and arrogance, the wise man asked for God to take him down a narrow middle road of wealth. This was where he felt safest in his flesh.

Life may have seemed "safer" when we had no decisions to make with the riches God has given us. Our flesh may have liked where we were - we've gotten used to it over the past 30 years. Yet now today we face a new future where if everything continues as it has and our sinful flesh does not draw back - we will have an abundance to use. On the other hand, our Synod is facing serious poverty. Let's not be afraid of either situation. Instead, like David, we will simply humble ourselves to the LORD for graciously bringing us to this point. We will also pray for His continued guidance and strength - so that we can responsibly and wisely use what we have to the glory of His name and the spreading of His kingdom for generations to come. Amen.