God’s Extravagant Gifts

The first trip that Denise and I took out to Estes Park during the call process was in early June. The snow was retreating from the Visitor’s Center on the top of Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountain National Park (there were still ten foot drifts on the back of the Visitor’s Center) and the Elk were out and about in town. That was our first introduction to the local phenomenon that we call an “Elk Jam.” Cars would be backed up for quite a ways or  pulled over onto the shoulders of the roads while locals and visitors alike paused to enjoy this wonderful opportunity to bask in the gift of nature that is the RMNP.

The picture above is of a juvenile bull elk that we saw in Moraine Park in mid-December when we were out exploring the park with our youngest, Christopher. By the time the rest of her family got here for Christmas, the Elk were making themselves pretty scarce. We didn’t see hide nor hair of our four-legged neighbors in the usual places in town. Even in the park we had to search to find a herd in the field near Moraine Park.

Today, however, we saw a line of cars on Moraine Avenue heading into town. When Denise drove into town to get some groceries, she called to report that there was indeed an Elk Jam on Moraine as a large herd (100 is what I heard from the owner of Coffee on the Rocks) made their way across the road. As is typical for our neighbors, they take their time. Some weren’t sure if they wanted to cross and others started across only to double back to the side of the road they came from. We were both excited to see our neighbors again after what seemed like a long absence. It has been ten days, after all, since we saw this group of four Bull Elks in the preserve across the road from our condo.

Okay Padre, what do these “Elk Tales” have to do with the Scripture readings for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany? Well, believe it or not, they do connect. Just as I have experienced the amazing wonder of God’s extravagance here in Colorado, so too did the people at the Wedding in Cana. They also tie in to what Paul was discussing with the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.

The people had come to a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus, his disciples, and his mother Mary were invited guests of the couple. It was a wonderful celebration most likely. The guests were enjoying themselves and the wine was flowing freely (free for the guests, not so for the bride and groom). I served many wedding celebrations during my time as a bus boy and later bartender at the Country Club back home when I was in college. I can tell you this, no matter how freely it flowed, we never ran out. Our manager made sure we always had enough on hand with some left over just in case.

When Denise and I planned our wedding, we fretted and worried over which “mathematical equation” we should use to ensure that we had enough wine and beer for our guests. As it ended up, we had more than enough of both… we didn’t run out… in fact, we had enough wine and beer left over to last us over a year! That wasn’t the case in the wedding celebration that Jesus attended though.

Oh great, they ran out! Before anybody could say anything, Mary told Jesus that they had no more wine. He looked at her and said, “Mom, that’s not our problem! My time has not yet come.” In other words, Jesus told her that it wasn’t the time or the place for his first miracle (according to the Gospel of John). Did Mother Mary take no for an answer? Not exactly… she simply told the servers “do whatever he tells you to do.” I guess Mom didn’t hear what Jesus said! Or perhaps she gently nudged her son into doing something for this poor couple who were about to have a disaster on their hands.

Either way, Jesus did something unusual. He simply told the servants to take the six stone water jars (each held 20-30 gallons of water) and fill them up with water. These jars had been used in the ceremonial hand washing that had occurred at the beginning of the feast. This was done in order to fulfill  one of the myriad of traditions that the Pharisees had concocted.

The servants filled up the six jars with water and did exactly what Mary told them to do. What happened next shows the extravagance of God’s gifts! As the master of ceremonies tasted the wine brought to him, he was amazed. Typically after the guests have been drinking a while, they would bring out the cheap stuff. In this case though, what was brought out was even better than the first offering of wine to the guests. Jesus didn’t just give them a replacement wine from the racks… he gave them the top shelf wine! That’s how it is with God’s grace… it isn’t the minimum required… it is a cup that overflows like the cup in the 23rd Psalm!

God doesn’t give us junk. God doesn’t give us the minimum required by protocol or law. God gives and loves extravagantly! “My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all of the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6, NLT)

With that in mind, let’s turn to the reading from 1 Corinthians 12 concerning spiritual gifts. Reflecting on the extravagance of God’s love and grace, hear these words: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6, NLT)

In the Corinthian church an argument had broken out over which gifts were more important. In that particular church, they seemed to think that speaking in tongues was the most important gift and that if you didn’t speak in tongues, you weren’t quite on part with those who did. Does this sound familiar? As Ecclesiastes said, there is nothing new under the heavens. Paul was reminding the congregation that all of these gifts came from the same Spirit. Not only that, these gifts and service were all so that the people could serve the same Lord. God works in different ways and gifts each believer as an individual. However, it is the same God who works in all.

Why is a spiritual gift given? “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” (1 Corinthians 12:7, NLT) It isn’t given so that the believers with certain gifts can lord it over others who have different gifts. The gifts are given so that we can help each other in doing God’s work!

Tomorrow we will be ordaining and installing Deacons and Ruling Elders at Presbyterian Community Church of the Rockies. When I was conducting officer training, I pointed out that the ordination vows they take are the exact same ordination vows I take, with one exception. For Deacons, Ruling Elders, Teaching Elders (ministers), Commissioned Ruling Elders, and Certified Christian Educators, the last question asked is unique to the calling of that particular office. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us… we serve the same Lord!

Through the years I have had a number of candidates for the office of Ruling Elder and Deacon come to me privately with concerns about their impending ordination. Somehow they don’t feel “worthy” of the office upon which they are about to enter. I share with them my own concerns when I was first ordained to the ministry. While I had completed all of the requirements for my Master of Divinity degree and passed all of the required examinations for ordination, I still had doubts. Was Michael Moore truly worthy of the office? In a word, no I wasn’t! However, God called me anyway. God had given me gifts so that I could do God’s work.

Over the years of ministry in a variety of places and settings, I have continued to learn and to grow. From two small rural churches in Northern Minnesota to a variety of positions and locations in the US Air Force, God always came through. Following retirement from the Air Force, God was again faithful as I transitioned back into the parish and re-engaged with the denomination after 21 years of working in an unusual setting.

Here I am in the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains serving a new congregation. Denise and I have transitioned from the Florida Panhandle to Estes Park, Colorado. I have been called to serve a much larger congregation who has been in the midst of a significant transition. Yet as I walk with and talk with our church members and leaders, I am confident of God’s presence and the Spirit’s calling. God is at work here and the Spirit is NOT being stingy when it comes to gifts and callings. As we work together to be the Presbyterian Community Church in Estes Park… as we strive to be a witness to Christ in this community… as we reach out to the community… We need to remember the extravagant nature of God’s gifts in our lives. We need to remember the bold claim of the Psalmist: Our cup overflows with blessings. Surely God’s goodness and unfailing love will pursue us all of the days of our lives.

This message, dear reader, not only applies to the members and servant leaders of Presbyterian Community Church of the Rockies, it applies to you. Just as Jesus gave the wedding couple the best wine last, so too God pour out the extravagant gifts of the Spirit upon all who open their hearts and their lives. The gifts are yours… all you need to do is open your hearts and receive… will you join me in serving the Lord wherever God may send us?