Enthusiasm…

June 30, 2024

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

This past Friday morning dawned clear and cool. Nan and I awoke early and after grabbing a cup of coffee, we went out to sit on the screened in deck. The air was cool at 64 degrees, some 30 degrees cooler than just three days prior. And as we sat there I reflected on today’s scripture from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, where he encourages the new followers of Jesus to renew their zeal in continuing their work of spreading the Good News with all ardor and enthusiasm.

Now I had also been thinking about the word ‘enthusiasm’ for several days, as I have been fond of it ever since it was pointed out to me in seminary that the root of the word was from the Greek word enthousiasmos. Which, if it at first does not sound familiar, think of the word ‘Theos’, as in ‘theology’ or ‘theocracy’…

‘Theos’ is the Greek word that is used as the name for God all throughout the New Testament. As such, the word ‘enthusiasm’ means literally ‘full of God’, or, ‘to be possessed by God’. Which I find is a fun way to think of that word, especially as one of those who are actually called to be continuously ‘filled with God’ in the form of the indwelling Holy Spirit. And although the actual word ‘enthusiasm’ itself is not in the bible, there are other words used to denote the same idea, words such as zeal, ardor, whole-heartedness, and even passion.

And I say all that, because as I sat there on Friday morning in the quiet cool of the day, the morning air was so alive with multiple joyous calls of birds who were also greeting the new day…sounding for all the world as though they too were wholly enthusiastic…as though they too were filled with the joy of God. Truly it was as though all of Creation had come together in that moment in joyous praise of the goodness of our Lord.

In particular, there was a group of house finches in the trees right next to the deck as well as across the yard. And I swear I have never heard a more joyous song as they repeatedly called back and forth to each other. In addition, as I gazed out into the woods and felt a gentle breeze blowing past, it almost seemed as though a select few leaves on the lower branches had decided that they too just had to participate in this early morning testament to the glory of our God, gently dancing to and fro as though in accompaniment to the finches songs.

And I mention all of this because within the words of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth in this morning’s reading I heard a call for us all to redouble our efforts to live joyously and with great passion as we seek to be all that our loving Lord has enabled us to be. And, as we work together, to live into and further reveal the stream of blessings that seem to follow us whenever we do so.

Listen again to some of Paul’s words, and see if they don’t seem to speak directly to our church, and to all of our efforts to serve those whom God has placed before us. As Paul says in verse 7, it would be hard to deny that we have been gifted greatly as a congregation. Starting there, Paul speaks as tho he is talking directly to us as he writes…‘Now, as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you — so we want you to excel also in the service of love’. Since we have been given so much, and, as the depth and breadth of the gifts present within our gathering are so numerous and varied, it would seem as tho the work to which we are called reflects both that magnitude, and scope. Truly we must continue to seek after excelling in the service of the love which God has placed within our hearts.

Now it may seem as though this is just a bit sugar-coated, as living in such a way as to continuously put the service of others at the very top of our list seems challenging. However, Paul insists that we must seek to be earnest and persistent in the service of love. Lord knows that this is not always easy for us, even as individuals, so why should it be any easier for a group of us to try and work through these sorts of things together? Especially in light of all that the world would counter to any and all who do seek to live with creativity and joy. The challenge to remain ‘up’ and ‘enthusiastic’ can be really hard at times, especially of late, as so much of everything else that is not related to our faith life seems all askew and topsy-turvy.

Paul addresses this by acknowledging that despite the hardship of living a life of love, we only need remember the willingness of our Lord Jesus to give of himself, even unto death, in order to share the depth and breadth of the love which has been freely offered to us…and which we are now called to share with others. Paul writes, ‘I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

We have been so blessed, but the race is not yet finished. We have much more to do, and many more blessings which we have not even begun to take advantage of in the service of our God, as we seek to share acts of godly love one with another. Paul is earnestly asking that we stay the course, and that we do our best to enthusiastically share that which we believe and know to be true. And one of the easiest and most effective ways to do just that is to join in with the rest of Creation in gratitude and with a joyous spirit.

My friends, the time is now to redouble our efforts to spread the Good News…the God News that there is hope, that there can be peace, that there truly is enough to go around for all to be satisfied…and for all to catch the joy we seek to share.

As he closes today’s passage, Paul begs us one more time to pull together, to do our best, to redouble our efforts, and then to redouble them again in the service of others, as we make full use of the many blessings we have been so fortunate to receive. In closing he writes, ‘Now finish doing it, so that your enthusiasm may be matched by completing it according to your means. Do what you can according to your ability…For if the enthusiasm is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has — not according to what one does not have’.

‘If the enthusiasm is there…’ he says, then the gifts we offer are forever acceptable in the eyes of God. For it is the Spirit of our God which takes those gifts and ensures that they accomplish his good will and purposes.

As the words of Isaiah Chapter 55 and in verses 8-11 remind us, ‘…as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and succeed in the thing for which I sent it’.

        And then, as an almost perfect recap to Paul’s words, to our calling, and in giving all due credit to the glory of this past Friday morning, Isaiah finishes up these thoughts by saying in verse 12, ‘For you shall go out in joy and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.’

        Let us agree, that any life truly worth the living, is a life lived out fully and joyously in the company of those whom the Lord has called together in the service of love. Let us redouble our efforts as we also redouble our love and compassion for one another, for this work is never easy, and there is much that runs counter to it.

        But, as I was so wonderfully and gently reminded on Friday morning…even the bubbly happy song of the house finch, and the slightest breeze that makes leaves dance back and forth is proof positive that all of Creation still seeks to proclaim the Glory of God, as well as the truth and goodness of that which we are called both to do, and to be…

…amen