Sunday, September 18, 2022

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113
1 Timothy 2:1-15
Luke 16:1-15

If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

What is our motivation? Why do we do what we do? This is not a matter of salvation because our faith is not dependent on the things that we do. However, as Christians we are called to examine ourselves to determine the state of our hearts. Are our motives good and right and true before the God of our faith? When we are at church, are we anxious to be somewhere else? Are we more focused on our daily troubles than on the eternal promises of God? Is our service to others half-hearted or self-centered? If we live our faith for the wrong reasons, we will not give God the honor He deserves. He wants more than our bodies. He wants our hearts.

This has always been a problem with God’s people, as we can see in the passage from Amos. We do not know their motivation, but they were obviously not experiencing God with their hearts and souls. They were not only anxious to be finished with their worship, but they did not take their faith into the world. They robbed the poor and cheated the needy. They cared only for taking care of themselves. This is sadly true of many in our world today, but we are reminded that God could see their hearts and that He can see ours, too.

So, why do we do what we do? We can’t read the state of someone else’s heart, but we can examine our own. What is the state of our hearts? What happens in our daily lives both religiously and secularly? Do we take our faith with us or do we keep it hidden and private? God sees the heart and knows when we are not motivated to praise Him with our whole selves. Shouldn’t we be honest enough to examine our motivations and then seek God’s help in doing what is right?

I once took a survey about spirituality. The surveyor asked questions about when we feel spiritual, where we experience the presence of God, and how we describe God. Some of the questions were very hard because I wanted to give multiple answers. In one question, the surveyor asked “How do you describe God? One or Three?” I wanted to answer “Yes” because to me we can’t understand God as simply One or Three. He is both. In another question, the surveyor asked whether God was “knowable or a mystery.” Again, I wanted to answer “Yes” because he is both knowable and mysterious.

We know God because He has revealed Himself to the world. In the beginning He said, “Let there be light” and there was light. Though there was no one present to see the light that was there in the beginning, that light has continued to shine as God’s presence in the world. God revealed Himself to the first people - Adam and Eve - in the Garden, and though they were cast out of His presence because they sinned, He never stopped loving the crown of His creation. God revealed Himself to the faithful over the ages: to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the judges, prophets and kings. He revealed Himself in the Law. He revealed Himself in the deliverance of His people. He revealed Himself through promises and then finally He revealed Himself in Jesus Christ.

We know God because He came to dwell among us. Jesus Christ was a child born in a humble stable in Bethlehem; He was also the embodiment of the divine in the body of man. Through Christ we see the very character of God living and breathing among men. We see God’s love and mercy and grace in action as Jesus preached the good news, healed the sick and set free those who were bound by all manner of things. Through Jesus we can know God personally, we can even call Him Abba or Daddy.

Yet, despite how knowable God is to us who live by faith, He is still a mystery. God is the Creator of heaven and earth. He is the Deliverer who brought His people out of slavery in Egypt. He is the Redeemer who set His people free from the great burden of their sin. He is as living and active in our world today as He was in the beginning when He brought light out of darkness and order out of chaos. He still creates and recreates His creation, guiding His people in His ways, and gifting us with all we need to join Him in the work of creation and redemption in this world.

The greatest mystery about which we wonder is why the God who is described by the psalmist would give the authority and power to do the work of His Kingdom to people like you and me. He is the Creator and Redeemer of the world. It is by His grace that people are saved, but it is through our humble human flesh that He is revealed to them. It is His Word that brings peace, but our tongues speak that Word so that others might hear. It is by His blood that we are forgiven, but He has chosen to institute rituals using water, bread, wine and people to share that blood with His faithful. He has promised us great things and remains faithful despite our inability to remain faithful to Him. He is truly a mystery in that He is the Lord God Almighty and yet He decided to send His Son to the world to teach His people how to live and how to die that they might live forever.

I once read a post from an atheist who wrote, “Do not pray for me.” This has been repeated many times in the years since. The author did not believe that there is a God, so considered prayer a waste of time and energy. Unfortunately, in recent times, many people think that prayer is a cop-out, a way to avoid doing the hard things by claiming to do an easy thing. Or what they think is an easy thing. What does prayer accomplish for a person who is suffering? As a Christian, I find it hard to understand the author’s point of view because even if he does not believe, I do. Why should anyone mind that I want to take my time to say prayers for him? As for the argument that people pray to get out of doing something tangible, I don’t think it is true. The people I know who pray are the most likely to step out in faith to help.

I suppose I do understand the author’s point of view, after all, what is it we are praying for when we pray for someone like him? A comic that looks at the texts for the week in a humorous way approached this very subject. In the first frame, a character asked why we should pray for all those in authority, even if they aren’t very good. The answer was that we pray for them, not to them. The first character took this all wrong, “Oh! I like that! And we can pray for them for whatever we want!” Those who do not want us to pray for them suspect that our prayers are not what they would want, but what we want for them. We may consider our prayers what is best for them, but we are as human as the next guy and our motivation for prayer is not always what is good, right, and true according to God’s Word. All too many of our prayers are spoken to God for the wrong reasons.

I have heard too many prayers with an agenda, especially for our leaders. These prayers try to teach the listeners, including God, about how things should be done. These prayers describe the issue at hand and then ask God to make people see how it should be. “Turn their hearts so that they will do exactly what I think they should be doing.” If there seems to be no room for change, then the prayer is that God will replace the leader with someone who will do what is right in their minds. No wonder the atheists and others do not wish to have us pray for them. Our prayers, too often, seem to be focused to make the world according to our point of view rather than for God’s glory.

Paul wrote to Timothy, “I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks be made for all men.” We are commanded to pray. That is why we find it so hard when someone tells us they would rather we did not pray. Prayer is our way of showing our support, of bringing our hopes and concerns before someone who is greater than us. It is through prayer that we find some sense of peace in the situation. Prayer does not always bring about the answer we hope, but we pray in confidence that God has heard and that He will so what is best. Most of us admit that we hope there will be a change of heart. We do pray that they will become more like us because from our point of view that is the only way to solve the problem.

Yet, as Paul wrote to Timothy, our task is not to pray according to our agenda; we are to pray “that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence.” In Paul’s day, the leaders were enemies of the Christians. The Jewish leaders were fighting the Way, trying to halt this strange new religion that was bringing conflict to families and communities. The Roman leaders were fighting this new religion because the conflicts were causing strife in the cities and the empire. The Christians seemed to be tearing apart the peace that Rome had enjoyed for so long. Imagine how hard it must have been to pray for those leaders who were enemies.

We struggle with similar issues today, but we are called to pray for all our leaders whether we see them as good or bad. We just need to learn how to pray as God intends.

When we pray for someone, truly and really pray for them without an agenda, we can’t help but connect with them in a very real way. When we allow God’s grace to color our prayers, we see those for whom we are praying from a new perspective: from God’s heart. If we are constantly praying for them to become like us, we see only how they are different. We pray for change, and we take that prayerful attitude into the work we do. If we want them to change, we’ll do anything to ensure the prayers are answered to our satisfaction.

But we are fallible humans, and we don’t know what God knows. We don’t have the whole picture. As much as we hate to admit it, we are not always right. One thing we do know is that God is faithful, and He will be with us. Also, He wants all people to be saved. He has invited us to help but He hasn’t told us how He will accomplish it. He hardened Pharaoh’s heart to save the nation of Israel. He might be doing something similar with those for whom we are praying. He only asks that we live the tranquil and quiet life so that men will see the God of grace in our lives. Our prayers, and the actions brought about by our prayers, will stand as a witness to God’s love in this world. He will take care of the rest. He knows what He intends, He knows hearts and He is faithful. As we live in this truth we can pray for others, whether they are unbelievers or enemies, with thanksgiving, knowing that God has purpose for them, too. We can pray for them even if they do not want us to but let us always remember to pray God’s will for them, not ours. We are to be humble before our God and remember that He knows what we do not know.

Today’s Gospel is one of the most difficult texts we deal with from Jesus. The reason it is difficult is because we don’t understand how Jesus could use such a rascal to make a point about the Kingdom.

Jesus seems to use the actions of a dishonest business manager to teach a positive lesson about stewardship. This parable comes after the Pharisees and scribes complained that Jesus welcomed sinners and tax collectors (Luke 15:1). Jesus then told them three parables: Luke 15:1-7 (the lost sheep), Luke 15:8-10 (the lost coin), and Luke 15:11-32 (the prodigal son.) In these parables, Jesus emphasizes God’s love for those that the Pharisees reject and despise. He then finishes this series with the parable of the unjust steward and a lesson in stewardship. Jesus has a way of twisting our expectations to make us consider how we use our resources and what is the goal. If we look at this parable in its context, we see that Jesus searches out the lost, takes care of those who the Pharisees (and us) do not think are worthy of our concern or worth our time. Jesus cared for the needy and the outcast. He mixed with sinners, Samaritans, and tax collectors. He healed the sick. He died on the cross. His ministry was a concrete demonstration of love. He calls us to exhibit tangible compassion.

This is a story about a dishonest manager who was trusted by a big business owner. He had the authority to do business in his master’s name and only his behalf. The word describing this man is sometimes translated “slave,” but the Greek does not necessarily indicate this fact. The Greek root means stewardship. This was a position of authority, a trusted and perhaps even beloved member of the household. This manager was powerful. Responsible. He was in a lucrative position.

We automatically picture this man as being a crook, but in the first verse the master calls his steward to account because of mismanagement (“wasting his possessions”.) The dishonesty comes later when the steward tries to cover-up his mishandling of the master’s money. If the manager was being charged with thievery, it is unlikely the rich man would have allowed him the time and access to make the changes to the accounts. He would face ruin if he was fired. He decided to win himself influential friends.

The discounts were different, but both were worth about 500 denarii. This action on the part of the steward was not illegal. The steward had the authority to create and modify contracts. He did it hurriedly because he had little time to hand over his papers to be audited.

What bothers us most is that the owner (which we assume is Jesus) praised the unjust steward. Perhaps a better word to use than dishonest, especially considering the interpretation, would be “shrewd.” There are several possible reasons why the owner might praise the manager. He may have given up his own commission, so the owner did not lose anything. Interest was prohibited by the Old Testament, so perhaps the manager canceled the interest which would have brought the master in line with the Law. It is possible that the master would have looked bad to those with whom he did business if he publicly rejected the manager. The manager’s actions would have helped to make the master look better in his religious and business circles.

The master may have deplored the manager’s action but still praised his shrewdness. The unjust steward is a worldly man. Jesus points out that worldly, non-Christian people are often shrewder and more sensible in their own affairs than are the people of God with the things of God. In Matthew 10:16, Jesus told the disciples to be “shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves.” As Christians we need to be aware of how we are using our resources, using foresight to gain for ourselves “friends who will welcome us.” To be shrewd means to use our resources in the best way possible, and to be innocent means doing so in a way that glorifies God.

Jesus finished this parable with the lesson, “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.” I suppose this is what is so bothersome about this passage. How could Jesus tell the people to use money to make friends? This statement is not meant to encourage dishonesty, but to induce people to make the best use of their resources. The Jews were a people of faith, called to trust in God and His provision of all they needed. Their attitude was meant to be one of mutual caring. Those who had much were expected to share with those who did not have enough. Any money beyond that which is necessary to meet today’s needs was considered “unrighteous mammon” or worldly wealth.

Worldly wealth is not necessarily ill-gotten gains. The scriptures, particularly the book of Proverbs, teaches us who to make good use of our worldly wealth, which is temporary, perishable. It will end. Have we used our worldly wealth well when we had it? Are we using today’s wealth to prepare for the future? Our present way of life will come to an end, so we are faced with the reality of God’s kingdom. From a very practical, worldly perspective, are we using today’s wealth in a way that others will be willing to help us if our wealth fails? We are not to live for this world but for the next, to make friends by means of our financial resources. Think about the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. What might have happened after he died if the Rich Man had made friends with Lazarus by using his worldly wealth to make life better for him. His wealth was useless after he died, it meant nothing for his eternal future. We are to use our wealth generously with eternity in view. If the Rich Man had made friends with Lazarus, Lazarus would have welcomed him into heaven.

Prepare for the future crisis of judgment by practical generosity in the present. Invest your money in God’s Kingdom, not in this temporary and insecure world. This is not to suggest the way into heaven is by charitable good works, but those who are blessed with wealth are called through faith to use their wealth properly. How we invest our pounds and pennies reflects and influences our attitudes. Money is trivial, but the use of money is a measure of faithfulness and fitness for more. Everything material is not evil, and the material world is not everything. Money is temporary but has value when used properly. Money is temporary and should never become a distraction or our master. Used wrongly, wealth can even become our God as it did for the Rich Man who ignored Lazarus.

The dishonest manager may have been using his unrighteous mammon in all the wrong ways in the beginning, but in the end he shrewdly used it in a way that looked to the future, and Jesus commended his shrewdness. Jesus is not anti-material or anti-riches, but He calls us to share our resources so as to lay up treasures in heaven. We are to invest in God’s Kingdom, to be practically and not just theoretically committed to the exciting world-changing mission that Jesus began. Generosity with our worldly wealth brings together all people with unity and equality. Fellowship is practical sharing.

We call the manager “dishonest” because the Greek word can be translated that way. It is also translated “unrighteous.” Unrighteousness is about broken relationships, about being in “un-right” in one’s associations. The manager was not right in this relationship with the rich man, and not right in his relationship with the people he dealt with in business. His right use of the unrighteous mammon put him in right relationship with the rich man and with the people. We should not use this manager as an example of good or godly living. He is still an unrighteous man doing dishonest things with money.

We should always remember, however, that we are also unrighteous people doing dishonest things with the resources our Master has given us. We have never been very good stewards of God’s gracious gifts. We are wasteful, greedy, and dishonest. We fail at using those resources to build up the kingdom and take care of the needs of our neighbors. We are like that unrighteous manager and God calls us to account. How will we make use of our resources to heal broken relationships? We are put in charge of worldly wealth for a time. Will we use that wealth in a way that makes us right with one another and our God?

Jesus follows this parable with a lesson about faithfulness. Those who are faithful with a little will be given charge of very much, but those who are dishonest with a little will be dishonest with much. We are called to be faithful with our earthly possessions so that we can also be trusted with the true riches – spiritual wealth. Faithfulness means trusting in God, living in His amazing grace and sharing our blessedness with others. The parable shows a world that trusts in mammon. We are to see in this parable that we cannot trust in wealth or money because it is fleeting. Instead, we can see that by God’s grace we can trust in Him who is the source of all our wealth and use that wealth shrewdly in this world to build up His kingdom, bringing others into right relationship with God.

Jesus says those who are faithful with little will be faithful with much. Are we being faithful with the Christian life we are called to live? Are we being faithful with our resources, with our prayers? God sees our hearts and knows our motivations. Luke writes is talking about important things: spiritual and eternal riches. If someone is not trustworthy and honorable with the things of this world, how can they possibly handle the things of God? Jesus knows those who can be trusted with the work of His kingdom, He knows the hearts of those who will serve Him well. There are many who take advantage of the gifts of God for their own sake, but God knows those who have been faithful with their worldly wealth, and He will bless them with so much more.