What’s the best gift that you’ve ever received? My all-time favorite gift was this great little drum from the Muppets with “Animal” on it. I gave it my all to do my best “Animal” drummer impersonation when I got the drum just this past Christmas, I mean a few Christmases ago. But the thing about giving that amazes me is the gift probably says even more about the giver than the receiver. It shows they also cared enough to know what would bring the other person joy. In other words, even as much as we need these things, they didn’t just go out and get a package of socks or underwear. No, they gave them the “Animal” drum set!

But there’s another way of giving that goes beyond even knowing what present would bring another person joy. It’s a gift that’s been given to give. It’s something that is as much a joy for another person to give away again as it was to receive it in the first place. I think that’s what Paul was talking about when he wrote to the Christians who lived in Ephesus . In Ephesians 3:2 he says, “Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you.” If anyone could talk about giving, it was certainly Paul. But before he was telling about the amazing free gift of God in the love of Jesus Christ, he was taking: taking up strong positions against Christians, taking Christians to jail, and even taking up stones in his hand to kill them.

But then one day Paul received an amazing gift: a visit from Jesus! But instead of a loving embrace, Paul was confronted, blinded, and fearful for his life. And what happened next is beyond incredible. The man who was so used to taking was given a most incredible gift: faith in Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior.

God had poured out His love into this little man to give away. And give Paul did as a missionary to people who had no clue about God’s love for them. God gave so that Paul would give so that one day our Lord’s love would be given to you. I know Paul didn’t have Summit of Peace in mind when he gave to the people in Ephesus , but you most certainly are the result of his giving. You are part of the legacy of love Paul has left behind, and that’s just the kind of giving legacy the Lord has intended for you.

“Not me,” you say? “You don’t how my family has been completely messed up. You don’t know how I’ve given myself away to things that can’t satisfy. You don’t know how I’ve completely hit rock bottom.”

If that’s where you are or ever have been, I have good news for you. No matter where you’ve been, what you’ve done, how much you have gone through there is a wonderful gift that has been given to you. Our Lord’s love has been given to you to give. And I don’t think St. Paul would mind one bit if we would take his line from Ephesians 3 to use for ourselves. “Surely you have heard of the wonder of God’s grace given to me for you.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard of it,” you say, as you volunteer at school, sit in your office at work, drive on your way to the game, talk with your friends at school, and as you get to know your neighbors.

You are in the right place at the right time with more than enough of God’s love for you to give because of what you’ve been given. That’s why I’m writing: to give to you from what the Lord has so generously given to us and to ask you to give to the people of your neighborhoods and work places: to give to people like Reed.

We met Reed on a recent trip to Boulder. He’s seventeen, born and raised in Colorado and ready to take on the world. But Reed has something in common with over half of the people here. He’s not a Christian. Colorado is filled with people just like Reed.  In fact over 20% of the state is atheist or agnostic putting Colorado into the top five states in the country in this category.

Studies confirm that unless the Church begins make disciples at a faster rate, more people will continue to live and die without faith in Jesus Christ. That’s what our lives as Christians are all about: making a difference in Reed’s life and the thousands of people like him. We need to give as we have been given to.

Give because you want to change lives forever because of Jesus’ sake. Give because you have been given so much to give. Ultimately God’s giving to you will cause your life to overflow like you’ve never given before. Then when you ask how is my world, my community, my church, my family better because of me? Then you will say, “Surely you know the wonder of God’s grace given to me for you.”

Like St. Paul never meeting you in person, you will never meet Reed or others our Lord brings to faith in Colorado . Yet one day when Jesus returns, you will see your Savior face to face. And as you kneel before the Lord, our prayer is that somewhere in that great crowd of witnesses there will be a young man named Reed and, along with his family, and many more because Reed gave…because someone gave to Reed…because you gave to people like Reed and many more on Colorado’s Front Range leaving behind a legacy of love and of giving.

Giving Everything Together for Christ and His Creation,

Pastor Roggow