Pastoral Notes for Sunday, March 17, 2019

After last week’s message, someone asked me such a great question that I thought it worth answering publicly, so that the rest of you can overhear. The question was this:

“After receiving the vision of the stairway from heaven and the promises of God, Jacob responds by saying, “And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to the Lord” (Genesis 28:22). Is this where we get the idea of a tithe?”

It’s a great question. The answer is yes and no. The answer is no in the sense that we’ve already witnessed tithing with Abram in Genesis 14. After the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the eastern kings, Melchizedek, King of Salem, blesses Abram and, as an act of homage, Abram gave to him a tenth of everything he had (Genesis 14:20). But the answer is yes in the sense that the idea or principle of a tithe is derived foundationally from Genesis 14 and 28.

It is interesting, however, that in the same way Abram received a blessing and then responded by giving a tenth of all he had (Gen. 14:20), Jacob too received a blessing from God and responded by pledging a tenth of all he had (Gen. 28:22). In both instances, the same pattern is followed, and the pattern illustrates a fundamental principle in giving—that we give generously to God in response to His generous giving (blessing) to us. In other words, we don’t give to get blessed, as if we could earn God’s favor through giving. (Sadly, we hear that line of reasoning too often from prosperity gospel preachers). Rather, we give from blessing. From the overflow of God’s generosity, we are generous!

Now, at this point in the biblical text, Abram and Jacob are giving voluntarily. There was no command to give a tenth or tithe to the Lord at this point. That changes later on. The principle of the tithe becomes the commanded standard for Israelite giving under the Mosaic Law (see Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:25-28; Deuteronomy 14:22-29).

All this raises the question, “Should we still tithe today?” Some believe the command to tithe remains binding on the Christian in the New Testament. For instance, Jesus references the Pharisees tithing in Matthew 23:23, and he doesn’t expressly do away with it. He does, however, criticize them for their fastidiousness in tithing when they neglect the weightier matters of justice and mercy.

When we turn to the key writings of the apostles on giving, we find no interest in the matter of tithing. Instead, we see a more radical standard—sacrificial giving. Sacrificial giving starts with offering your whole self to God (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 8:5) and then giving generously of your material resources to the work of the church (1 Cor. 9:6-8, 16:1-3; Gal. 6:6, 10; 2 Cor. 8:1-15).

In the wake of Christ’s fulfillment of the Old Testament law, the New Testament writers are unconcerned about percentage points when it comes to giving. Not once do the New Testament writers invoke the tithe in their many appeals. Instead, the central and driving focus for giving in the New Testament is the gospel. To summarize Paul’s plea in 2 Cor. 2:8-15, are you giving of your material resources in a way that reflects the generosity of God’s gift to you in Jesus Christ? That’s where the New Testament wants our attention when it comes to giving, and that’s the question we must keep answering with a clear conscience before the Lord.

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, March 10, 2019

I was a freshman in college when I first heard of Wendell Berry. One of my professors read a paragraph from What Are People For, a book of Berry’s essays. In a moment, I was captured by the integrity of his voice and the tender toughness of his truth telling. That moment sent me on a journey. I’ve been reading Wendell Berry ever since.  

Some of you are already devotees of Wendell Berry’s work. Others of you haven’t heard of him till this moment. No matter where you fall on the continuum, I’d like to invite you to join me at the next Community Literature Discussion on April 1st to discuss one of Berry’s most celebrated novels, Hannah Coulter.

The book is essentially the memoir of Hannah Coulter, a principal member of the imaginary town of Port William, KY. Now in her seventies, Hannah remembers and memorializes the history and legacy of Port William and the particular experiences of her life there—coming of age, her first job, the loss of two husbands, children who grow up and leave home, community life that binds together and then scatters to the wind. As Hannah walks the landscape of her life and finds, and re-finds, her place in the world, she honors the joys and heartaches that make up human existence in this beautiful and broken world.

Like life, Hannah Coulter will make you smile and weep, often at the same time. As life and joy give way to loss and grief in Hannah’s life, and then somehow come back around to life and joy again, we’re invited to take our own walk through the landscape of our life, to smile and weep, and learn to give thanks for it all.

As Hannah says, “The chance you had is the life you’ve got. You can make complaints about what people, including you, make of their lives after they have got them, and about what people make of other people’s lives, even about your children being gone, but you mustn’t wish for another life. You mustn’t want to be somebody else. What you must do is this: ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks.’ I am not all the way capable of so much, but those are the right instructions.” 

Pick up a copy of Hannah Coulter on the Bookshelf this morning and come join us on April 1st at 7pm to discuss it. Look forward to seeing you then.

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, March 3, 2019

Let the reality of this next statement settle on you for a moment: you are going to die. It could be today or tomorrow, or maybe 50 or 60 years from now. For most of us, it will be sometime between now and 50 or 60 years. The fact remains, however, if the Lord doesn’t return in the next half-century or so, we are going to die. You are going to die.

In modern times, we work hard at not thinking of death. We’d rather focus on what’s before us and get on with the issues of life. The truth is, however, when we refuse to live with the reality of death before our eyes, we’re destined to live deluded and deceived existences. When we stave off thoughts of our own mortality, we’re doomed to spend our lives on the trivial rather than the eternal. We never gain the heart of wisdom, because we never learned to number our days (Psalm 90:12).

The season of Lent is designed draw you into the wisdom of remembering death. The first day of the Lenten season, Ash Wednesday (March 6), is a reminder that “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Each and every one of us is dirt, and the dirt that we are has an expiration date.

Lest you misunderstand, to remember your death is not intended to be a morbid reflection on the end of life. Instead, it is a bright truth to guide you into real living. For when we remember our death, life is clarified and ordered. The things that seemed so important disappear from view as we’re reminded of the eternal: the things that really matter.

More than this, remembering death leads us not just to renewed minds and reordered priorities about what’s important; it leads us ultimately to Jesus Christ. Remembering our death is humbling. We come to terms with our weakness, our neediness. It brings us to our knees to recognize our need for a Savior, which leads us to hope. Theresa Aletheia Noble writes, “When we remember death, we meditate on the central mystery of our faith: that death has been transformed by Jesus Christ. Not just a vague and general death but our own personal death. Jesus’ death and resurrection can have a direct impact on every person’s life and death if we accept his saving grace.”

As we remember death this Lent, we do so recognizing that right at the center of all we believe is a cross and a resurrection—a death that put to death, death. Which is to say, that when a Christian remembers death, he remembers Christ, and to remember Christ is to remember life. So, take heart, brothers and sisters. You are dust and to dust you shall return. But dust you will not remain. Remember Christ this Lent—and live!

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, February 17, 2019

A few weeks ago, our sister, Rachel Warhurst, reported in service about the amazing work of Raising the Roof Academy in Uganda, Africa. Many of you were moved by her testimony and responded by joining RTR’s educate1 campaign. I’m pleased to report that we sponsored 23 children through RTR! Way to go church! Please continue to pray for Rachel and the ministry of RTR as the school year gets underway in Uganda.

Also, several of you noted how much you enjoyed hearing from Rev. Josh Reiger and the church planting efforts in Hexham, England, a few weeks ago. Josh sent me a thank you note recently; in it he raved about his experience at Cornerstone. He specifically noted the warm welcome he and Gina and the kids received from you, including your eagerness to pray for and support their work. Again, way to go church!

On the other side of this sheet, you will find a dozen different ways to draw closer to the Lord and in fellowship with the Cornerstone family. The February 28th Women at the Mercantile meeting, or March 2nd Men’s retreat, or Midweek @ Cornerstone starting March 6th are just a few of the many upcoming gatherings designed to nurture your spiritual life and tighten the bonds of fellowship. Please avail yourself of these opportunities, especially as we enter the high holy days of Lent and Easter. 

One particular opportunity I want to make sure you’ve circled on the calendar is Steve Green’s Concert for Cornerstone on March 31st at 6pm at the Academy Park Performing Arts Center next to the Williamson County Library. Steve is pulling out all the stops for us—inviting a host of his musically talented friends for a glorious night of singing, storytelling, and rejoicing in the Lord. This is a special Cornerstone concert, which is why YOU are getting first dibs on tickets. Can you believe the deal? Only $5! We’re waiting on Academy Park to give us the green light for ticket sales. As soon as they do, we’ll get that information to you. Seating is limited, and the tickets will go fast. So make plans to purchase your tickets as soon as they come available.

As fun as this concert is going to be (and it is going to be so, so fun!), it is tinged with some sadness. The Lord brought Steve and Marijean Green to Cornerstone in 2014. Then, almost three years ago, Steve was nominated and elected elder at roughly the same time Marijean became co-leader over women’s ministry. In the last three years, I’m not sure anyone has poured more into the life of Cornerstone than these two. Truly, they have been such a gift to our fellowship.

About six months ago, Steve and Marijean came to the office to talk about what the Lord was stirring in their heart, namely, moving from Franklin to Atlanta, GA, to be closer to and serve their family in the next season of life. As they recounted God’s providence, and their own prayerful walk through the decision, it was difficult to argue with their conclusion, though everything in me wanted to! Since that time, God has increasingly confirmed his direction—that He has a new mission for our brother and sister in Atlanta. We’re going to have the privilege of hearing from the Greens on Sunday, March 17 in worship as they share a testimony of God’s work in their lives. Please remember our brother and sister in prayer as they draw this season in Franklin to a close and make preparations for moving to Atlanta later this spring.