True Commitment
Flows From Gratitude
Pledge Sunday

Luke 17:11-19 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Rev. Todd B. Freeman
Bethany Presbyterian Church, Dallas

November 2, 2003

Today is the Sunday that we set aside every year to put an extra emphasis upon our commitment to God and to this church. We call it Pledge Sunday, for it is the time when we make a public display in our service of worship of presenting our Pledge Cards, which are a reflection of the financial commitment we hope to make to the church during the coming year. And though we don’t put it down in writing, it is also a time when we pledge to volunteer our time and our abilities to help this church function as best it can.

That is why a lot of other denominations and even other Presbyterian churches call a service like this Commitment Sunday.

But commitment is a tricky thing – it flows from more than one source and motivation. Some commit their time, energy and money to the church out of a sense of obligation – that it’s their responsibility and duty to help support the life and ministry of the church they belong to. It is indeed one of the things we ask every new church member to commit to before they are accepted into membership.

Others give more reluctantly or out of a sense of guilt that God won’t bless them unless they give yet give nonetheless.

The Apostle Paul in his second letter to the church that he founded in Corinth reminds that congregation of one of his favorite themes, “The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” Paul then advises them, “Each of you give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

But let’s face it, the church today is not like it was 30 or 40 years ago. For instance, today almost everyone works, or is seeking employment, making volunteer time at the church exceedingly difficult. Over-commitment in other areas of life make it hard for many to want to spend much more than an hour or two at church a week, preferably restricted to Sunday mornings.

Also, most people are up to their eyeballs in debt, leaving very little, comparatively speaking, to contribute to the church as compared with past generations.

All these things, and more, contribute to make “doing church” much more difficult and stressful in the 21st century. I admit that I’m from the “old school,” as are most pastors, who will continue to be frustrated until we find new ways to “do church.” For we face the reality that the church is a volunteer organization, and a non-profit one at that. Therefore any church, including this one, survives only out of the dedication of its members to contribute what they can, when they can. And the church, like every other entity in our society, asks for more and more.

So how does a congregation in this day and time get motivated to give and give generously? It is my assertion that true commitment to God and to the church flows from a person’s deep sense of gratitude and thankfulness.

In today’s Gospel Lesson from Luke, known as the story of the Ten Lepers, we are faced with the fact that only one of the ten lepers who were healed turned and expressed appreciation to Jesus and to God for the blessing of wholeness that he experienced. That’s only 10% of those who were healed. That’s a very interesting statistic.

I have no way of knowing, but it makes me wonder if the gospel writer was trying to make the point that he believed only 10% of a given population consist of truly grateful persons.

Or perhaps that we, as individuals, express grateful only 10% of the time – the other 90% taking things for granted, including the things we own, other people and even God.

Some have called gratitude the ‘neglected virtue’. In their reflections on this biblical story, the theologically progressive New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary states, “Gratitude may be the purest measure of one’s character and spiritual condition.” That’s worth reflecting upon. A Greek philosopher named Cicero, writing before Jesus was even born, wrote, “A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, it is the parent of all virtues.”

So then, are you and I always grateful for the blessings and grace in our lives? in the life of this congregation? Do we even recognize what we should be grateful for? Or, has gratitude become a neglected virtue?

I have asked myself this question this past week and have given it serious consideration. Upon much reflection I want I to confess that I am guilty of not being as grateful as I should be, especially in regard to you in this congregation. I have realized that I have taken many things for granted, including your volunteering of your time and talents and the offering of your financial resources. My often high expectations of you, and of myself, have led me down a path that has lost sight of the sincere gratitude and thankfulness that I do indeed sincerely have for you and your efforts.

Learning to be grateful and appreciative of others, and of God’s blessings, is perhaps one of the most important priorities in developing our spiritual lives. No one wants to be taken for granted. And unmet expectations can get in the way of genuine caring and compassion for others, including loved ones, and for the building and maintaining of truly meaningful relationships.

So I’m here this morning to say thank you. I do indeed appreciate each of you, and am deeply grateful for all the time, talents, and financial resources that you do commit to the life and ministry of this congregation.

For it takes all of us working together, out of mutual respect and gratitude for one another and for God, in order to commit ourselves fully to this ministry to which we have been called!

Amen.

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