"What Are You Doing With What You Have?"
A sermon preached on The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 30, 2007 at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ) , by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Luke 16:1-13.
In Randy Rowland’s book, From Sins We Love, he tells a rather amusing story of an elderly man who was desperately ill. Knowing that death was inevitable and that it was fast approaching, he called for his closest friends to come and see him one last time. Attending him were his doctor, his pastor and his business partner. The old man said, "I know you can’t take your money with you when you die, but who knows for sure? What if their wrong? What if you can take it with you? I want to account for all possibilities. So I’m giving each of you an envelope containing $100,000. When I die, I want each of you to slip the envelope in my jacket pocket at the funeral service." Shortly after this meeting, the man died. And, as promised, each of the three friends did as they were requested. After the funeral service, while these friends were visiting with each other, the doctor with a sheepish look on his face said; "Guys, I have a confession to make. With the cost of insurance and medicine these days, I don’t make that much money. The hospital is desperate need for funds. So I took $20,000 out of the envelope to cover some expenses and put the rest in the coffin." The minister cleared his throat and said; "I, too, have a confession to make. As you know our church is seriously overburdened by the needs of the homeless. I couldn’t just see burying all that money. So in hopes of helping the homeless, I took $50,000 out of the envelope and put the rest in his pocket." Looking sternly at the doctor and the minister, the business partner exclaimed; "I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I’m astonished and deeply disappointed in both of you that you would treat such a solemn trust so casually. He was our friend. And I want you both to know that I placed in his pocket at the funeral my personal check for the full $100,000."
During the month of September many churches will turn their attention to stewardship. Our Gospel Lesson this morning reminds us that our salvation is deeply intertwined with how we engage the goods of this world. Once again we are reminded that the Christian life and faith isn’t just an object - it isn’t just something you put and take off; rather, it is a way of life - it is a way of life that affects how you live, how you give, and how you respond to the needs of others. Now, keep in mind, our salvation is not determined by these things - salvation is a free gift through God’s grace, but certainly, these things are a direct result and witness to our salvation. That's what James meant when he said; "Faith without works is dead!"
Here, in the 16th chapter of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells a rather intriguing parable. For some, it is almost too hard to imagine that Jesus told such a parable. We meet initially the steward or manager of a wealthy person’s land, a position roughly equivalent to the CEO of any large corporation. And we can assume that some kind of audit revealed that this steward or manager had been squandering the resources of the estate. And so, as one might imagine, the steward is called out on this and was asked to give an explanation. Realizing that no defense is possible, and aware that he may be sent to the mines to dig or become a street beggar, he devises a plan. By reducing the debts owed to his master he hopes to curry favor with the debtors so that they might hire him later. And so, we are told that he calls them in one by one for a sit down. One owes the equivalent of 1,000 barrels of olive oil, which he immediately halves, and another roughly 1100 bushes of wheat, which he reduces by 20 percent. But the parable concludes, to our shock with the simple statement; "The master commended that dishonest steward for acting shrewdly." At first glance it sounds as though Jesus is condoning the dishonest manager as a model of some kind. Is he serious? How are we to take this comment?
Some commentators have the opinion that Jesus is saying, "Use the worldly wealth you get for good - make friends of the poor and helpless - so that they [the angels] may welcome you into heaven." Others claim that these words mean; "Just as the dishonest manager acted with wisdom in his hour of crisis, so you too should act with wisdom in the time of spiritual crisis that is upon us." However, the most straightforward meaning of Jesus’ statement is to realize that he is not condoning the ways of this dishonest manager at all. Keep in mind, there were Pharisees standing nearby as Jesus told this parable, and more than likely, this parable was directed at them. You see, the Pharisees were lovers of money. They would use God and people as a means to feed this hunger - this love for money.
Jesus has set out a crystal clear distinction between the values of this world and those of the kingdom he has come to proclaim. We were designed for a relationship with the One who made us - we are essentially spiritual beings. Jesus reminds us that we cannot be a "little bit" given to this world and a "little bit" given to God. It’s all or nothing! Where is your devotion? Where is your priority?
Lloyd Ogilvie, who went from being the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood, California to becoming the Chaplain of the United States Senate, tells the story of being on a plane one day. Sitting next to him on this cross-country flight was a well-known and very successful industrialist. Ogilvie asked him what the secret of his success was. The response came very quickly: shrewdness. The man said that he spent much of his waking moments thinking, scheming, planning, developing, and putting details together in order to make his company the largest profit possible. Though some of his competitors considered him to be ruthless, he told Ogilvie that he did the very best he could to be honest and fair in everything he undertook. He was single-minded and left nothing to chance. He used all of his energy, all intellect, and all of determination to accomplish his goals. He was passionate and charismatic when it came to his business. Later, Ogilvie reflected on that conversation and wondered what would happen to the church if the people of God put the same sort of energy, determination, passion and charisma in their work for the Kingdom?
This passage may be better understood if we look at the meaning of some of the Greek vocabulary. Two important words are derived from oíkos, the Greek word for household, which is oikonómos, which literally means "steward" or "household manager," and the word oiketés, which means "household servant." Both of these words Paul uses in his epistles to describe the Christian's responsibility. We are called to be God's household managers - stewards of God's kingdom and all that God has entrusted to us. All that we have has been given to us by the hand of God - the "Fount of Every Blessing" - the One "from whom all blessings flow." And we are called to use our gifts to the glory of God. What are you doing with what God has entrusted to you? As Christians we are called to be oikonomos - stewards and mangers of God’s household - God’s kingdom.
Stewardship is not about that narrow slice of life we call offerings to the church or that narrow slice of our time, talents and treasures that we give to church. Certainly, these things are important - they are vital to the life and ministry of the church; but stewardship is so much more than that. Stewardship is taking care of all of the precious property and people that God has entrusted to us. And so, let us be God's faithful stewards with all the gifts God has given to us. So that the Lord may be able to say to us; "Well done, thy good and faithful stewards..." Amen.
During the month of September many churches will turn their attention to stewardship. Our Gospel Lesson this morning reminds us that our salvation is deeply intertwined with how we engage the goods of this world. Once again we are reminded that the Christian life and faith isn’t just an object - it isn’t just something you put and take off; rather, it is a way of life - it is a way of life that affects how you live, how you give, and how you respond to the needs of others. Now, keep in mind, our salvation is not determined by these things - salvation is a free gift through God’s grace, but certainly, these things are a direct result and witness to our salvation. That's what James meant when he said; "Faith without works is dead!"
Here, in the 16th chapter of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells a rather intriguing parable. For some, it is almost too hard to imagine that Jesus told such a parable. We meet initially the steward or manager of a wealthy person’s land, a position roughly equivalent to the CEO of any large corporation. And we can assume that some kind of audit revealed that this steward or manager had been squandering the resources of the estate. And so, as one might imagine, the steward is called out on this and was asked to give an explanation. Realizing that no defense is possible, and aware that he may be sent to the mines to dig or become a street beggar, he devises a plan. By reducing the debts owed to his master he hopes to curry favor with the debtors so that they might hire him later. And so, we are told that he calls them in one by one for a sit down. One owes the equivalent of 1,000 barrels of olive oil, which he immediately halves, and another roughly 1100 bushes of wheat, which he reduces by 20 percent. But the parable concludes, to our shock with the simple statement; "The master commended that dishonest steward for acting shrewdly." At first glance it sounds as though Jesus is condoning the dishonest manager as a model of some kind. Is he serious? How are we to take this comment?
Some commentators have the opinion that Jesus is saying, "Use the worldly wealth you get for good - make friends of the poor and helpless - so that they [the angels] may welcome you into heaven." Others claim that these words mean; "Just as the dishonest manager acted with wisdom in his hour of crisis, so you too should act with wisdom in the time of spiritual crisis that is upon us." However, the most straightforward meaning of Jesus’ statement is to realize that he is not condoning the ways of this dishonest manager at all. Keep in mind, there were Pharisees standing nearby as Jesus told this parable, and more than likely, this parable was directed at them. You see, the Pharisees were lovers of money. They would use God and people as a means to feed this hunger - this love for money.
Jesus has set out a crystal clear distinction between the values of this world and those of the kingdom he has come to proclaim. We were designed for a relationship with the One who made us - we are essentially spiritual beings. Jesus reminds us that we cannot be a "little bit" given to this world and a "little bit" given to God. It’s all or nothing! Where is your devotion? Where is your priority?
Lloyd Ogilvie, who went from being the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood, California to becoming the Chaplain of the United States Senate, tells the story of being on a plane one day. Sitting next to him on this cross-country flight was a well-known and very successful industrialist. Ogilvie asked him what the secret of his success was. The response came very quickly: shrewdness. The man said that he spent much of his waking moments thinking, scheming, planning, developing, and putting details together in order to make his company the largest profit possible. Though some of his competitors considered him to be ruthless, he told Ogilvie that he did the very best he could to be honest and fair in everything he undertook. He was single-minded and left nothing to chance. He used all of his energy, all intellect, and all of determination to accomplish his goals. He was passionate and charismatic when it came to his business. Later, Ogilvie reflected on that conversation and wondered what would happen to the church if the people of God put the same sort of energy, determination, passion and charisma in their work for the Kingdom?
This passage may be better understood if we look at the meaning of some of the Greek vocabulary. Two important words are derived from oíkos, the Greek word for household, which is oikonómos, which literally means "steward" or "household manager," and the word oiketés, which means "household servant." Both of these words Paul uses in his epistles to describe the Christian's responsibility. We are called to be God's household managers - stewards of God's kingdom and all that God has entrusted to us. All that we have has been given to us by the hand of God - the "Fount of Every Blessing" - the One "from whom all blessings flow." And we are called to use our gifts to the glory of God. What are you doing with what God has entrusted to you? As Christians we are called to be oikonomos - stewards and mangers of God’s household - God’s kingdom.
Stewardship is not about that narrow slice of life we call offerings to the church or that narrow slice of our time, talents and treasures that we give to church. Certainly, these things are important - they are vital to the life and ministry of the church; but stewardship is so much more than that. Stewardship is taking care of all of the precious property and people that God has entrusted to us. And so, let us be God's faithful stewards with all the gifts God has given to us. So that the Lord may be able to say to us; "Well done, thy good and faithful stewards..." Amen.
posted by Pastor Christopher @ 6:50 PM
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