Entrusted

Season of Kingdomtide

Rev. Dr. David M. Oliver

First United Methodist Church

Massillon, Ohio

October 25, 2026

Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Opening Prayer: Almighty God, whose Word is authority and power and whose way is love, grant unto us clear minds, understanding hearts, and willing spirits so that we may wisely appropriate your Word of Truth. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Let’s start with an overview of the passage I read.

Paul spends the first half of this letter to the Thessalonians defending his past conduct and his failure to return, so that his readers will trust him and follow his instructions in the second half.

In verses 1–12, he shows that his motive was pleasing God rather than greed or praise, and that his manner was marked by courage, gentleness, love, toil, and holiness. He pictures himself as a nursing mother and a father, and his manual labor rebutted the charge that he preached only for money.

Paul then gives thanks that the Thessalonians accepted the gospel despite severe suffering. His harsh words about certain Jews are not anti-Semitic; he stood in a long tradition of Jewish prophets who described the judgment that results from rejecting God.

Finally, Paul longs to see them again because they represent the fruit and evidence of his ministry. The chapter reminds us that integrity is not accidental but involves consistently living out what we have discerned from God. The Gospel of Jeus provides guidance for the correct attitudes, behaviors, and course of action in our lives.

As I read and reread this passage the word, entrusted, stood out to me. This word is found in 2 Thessalonians 2:4. Let’s examine some dimensions of being entrusted and how it can positively impact our lives.

If you wish to complete the sermon listening guide in your bulletin, please take it out at this time.

We are entrusted in many ways. We are entrusted with the message of the Gospel.

Paul captures the essence of the Gospel in his letter to the church at Corinth. Listen to 2 Corinthians 5:19-21:  “…In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. There is that word ‘entrusted’ again. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him (that is Jesus Christ) we might become the righteousness of God.”

The Gospel of John says it this way in a passage familiar to many. John 3:16-17 declares, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

In both these passages, who is the one who takes the initiative to do this wonderful work? God. God does for us what we could not and cannot do for ourselves. God reaches out with love to reconcile us to himself. God cares enough about you to offer his only son as a sacrifice for your sin and mine.

This is why we sing and talk about amazing grace. The Gospel, the good news, is truly amazing and all believers in Christ, you and me, are entrusted with this good news to share.

Let’s look at this good news more deeply. It holds important dimensions of what has been entrusted to us. The good news is that you and I are entrusted with the Gospel which declares that though God’s abundant grace is undeserved, and we are undeserving because of our sins and failures, our shortcomings do not have the last word about us.

The good news of God in Christ is that you and I are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). What Christ did through his life, suffering, death, and resurrection, was to heal the rupture caused by human sin. God in Christ is intent on restoring to us all that was lost in the fall of Adam and Eve.

The good news is that the Paradise we lost through sin can be Paradise gained through faith in Christ. Our original sin is being overcome by the greater power of God’s initiative to restore us back to original grace which is the reality that Adam and Eve enjoyed prior to their decision that they wanted to be like God, knowing good and evil.

The good news is that through our baptism we are claimed by God, made part of God’s family. Our baptism declares that we are known by God, called by name, cherished by God. We belong. We matter. That is why we can declare with confidence as a congregation, “You matter here.”  This is not just nice sounding phrase. This is a living reality made real in our individual experience through our baptism and our ongoing growth in faith in Jesus Christ.

The good news is that you and I do not get what we deserve which is God’s judgment for our sin. What we receive through our faith in Christ is perfect love which overcomes the power of sin. This love is absolutely needed by each of us. It is essential to our life, health, well-being, wholeness, holiness, and sense of peace.

Many of us grew up with a different message being communicated to us about what it takes to be loved and accepted. We learned early on to perform to be loved, to try to measure up to a set of expectations, to excel, to strive, to distinguish ourselves.

We did not get the message of amazing grace--that we are radically, perfectly loved by God (full stop, exclamation point)!

Many of us received and continue to receive some message along the lines of, “You are loved, now measure up. Meet these expectations.”

The problem that as we look back on the sum total of our lives, we don’t measure up, at least not fully. Certainly not perfectly. Instead, we fall short. We falter. Sometimes we fail miserably.

Some of us don’t have the capacity to measure up or to even understand that concept. Early in her career, my wife worked in a unit with persons who were severely and profoundly physically and mentally challenged. They would never be able to measure up by any worldly standards. Most were adults with the mental capacity of infants and young children. Did that mean they were less loved, less valued, less worthy of being seen and cherished? Certainly not! Not according to God’s perspective.

You and I have been entrusted with the good news of a love that cannot never be earned, never be deserved, never even be fully comprehended. That is what makes it so amazing.

Think of a child who comes home holding a report card that is not what they hoped it would be. Before the child can explain or apologize, a loving parent embraces them and says, “This report card may help us see what to work on, but it does not change who you are or how deeply you are loved.” God’s grace is like that embrace. It does not deny our failures, but it declares that failure will not have the last word. We do not perform our way into God’s love; we learn to live faithfully because we are already loved.

The good news which has been entrusted to us is that God reached out to you and me in love by becoming like us. God became human. God became like us so that we could see and know God. In Jesus we learn how to live and love with God’s values, God’s purposes, and God’s character reflected in our lives. You and I have been entrusted with this message of wondrous love and we are to share this gift that has been given to us.

Friends, this is why we worship each week. It’s why we come together as the body of Christ. We need the help, encouragement, and power of the Spirit of God to live as we were meant to live. We also need one another. We need God’s wisdom, healing, and love and we also need one another. No one can walk the journey of faith alone.

God has entrusted us with love for one another. This church has a history of caring well for one another. When Jane and I were interviewed to come to First Church Karen Wood said, “We love one another.” I have heard this said in other churches which proved not to be true. However, Karen was correct. You do love one another. You not only love one another but you also extend this love to those who are less well known, as well as to the people of our community. Your love is not exclusive or preferential. Your love, empowered by God, is inclusive, expansive, and missional. You are making a difference for Christ and for his kingdom. Thanks be to God!

We have been entrusted with a gift of love. This quality and generosity of love doesn’t exist everywhere. Please do not take this for granted. We are to be good stewards of this gift and recognize that its origin begins with God and our faith in Christ. It grows as we deepen our faith through worship each week. It flourishes and becomes a fragrant offering to God as we engage in mission with our community. Thanks be to God!

Think about a phone battery that is nearly empty. It cannot recharge itself; it must be connected to a source of power. Yet once charged, that phone becomes a means of connection—carrying a word of encouragement, arranging a meal, or checking on someone who is alone. In the same way, worship reconnects us to the love of God and offers opportunity to relate meaningfully with one another. We gather not so that we can keep this love and connection to ourselves, but so that God’s love can freely flow through us to others.

We have also been entrusted with this church building which we inherited from our forebears. They had a vision for witness and worship into which they invested themselves. They entrusted to us this facility and passed it on to us to continue to be used for worship and as a witness to the good news of God in Christ. We want to be faithful with what has been entrusted to us. We will be holding a campaign this spring to ensure our effective and faithful stewardship of this gift.

We are also entrusted with care for those who are elderly, infirm, and no longer able to care for themselves. Our Friendly Visitors and Card Ministry faithfully stays connected with our older members. Our 4 C’s Wholistic Elder Ministry reaches out several times each month to the residents of Amherst Meadows and Hanover Healthcare Center. Dianna Moore told me last week that 21 residents shared in the worship our team of volunteers provided. We are communicating the good news that these people matter to God and they matter to us. We have the privilege of remembering them and giving thanks for them as we love with Christ’s love.

Finally, we are entrusted with the precious memories of those who have died in the last year as well as in previous years. We hold their friendship, love, and our shared memories as profound gifts. Their legacy continues to impact our lives. We celebrate these wonderful people as we remember and reflect upon their lives and influence.

My friends, God has entrusted us with so many blessings, so many gifts. One of the ways that we remember, celebrate and steward these gifts is to share them. We share in both word and deed. We share them with one another. We share them with our families. We share them with our community. May we continue to live with beauty, integrity, and joy all that God has entrusted to us. Thanks be to God!

Let us pray. Gracious and loving God, thank you for the many, many gifts you have entrusted to us. We praise you for the good news that you came in Jesus to triumph over sin and death. We praise you for the many dimensions of the good news upon which we have reflected today. May we continue to be good stewards of all you have given us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.