Sunday, September 21, 2025

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

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.

A coffee table book titled “Mort Walker’s Beetle Bailey: 75 Years of Smiles” was released yesterday. It is dedicated to the cartoonist Mort Walker who produced nearly 25,000 strips in the 67 years, 3 months, and 12 days that he drew the comic. His sons have taken over the strip, to honor the life and work of their father who was one of the most prolific cartoonists in the business. He not only drew Beetle Bailey, but several other syndicated strips during his lifetime. Mort’s objective was to create smiles, and after seventy-five years, the character of Beetle Bailey continues to do so. The comic, begun when Mort was just a teenager, had moments of controversy: the army banned it from the Stars and Stripes publication for “insubordination,” but the move doubled his readership. Decades later, Mort’s son Neal said, “Beetle Bailey isn't really about the Army. It just happens to be funny people in that setting. They could just as easily be firemen or teachers.”

Beetle Bailey has been a private for as long as the comic strip has been in publication. The ongoing story of his laziness is what makes the comic strip funny. Beetle Bailey spent decades falling asleep on the job, avoiding every task, and conning others to do his work. He is not trustworthy and has gotten into trouble over and over again for his uselessness. In this comic strip we see the truth of life in the working world: if you can’t be trusted to do the things you are given to do, you won’t be given a promotion. In the military and in other jobs, a promotion means greater responsibility. If a person is unable to complete the lesser tasks, they will never move on to greater things. Beetle Bailey has remained a private for all those years because he has not been worthy of anything greater.

Beetle Bailey is just a comic strip and it would not be nearly as funny if Beetle was a model soldier. In the real world, however, Beetle Bailey would not have kept his job for very long. As a retail manager, I paid attention to the work habits of my employees. Those who proved themselves trustworthy with the little things were the first to be considered for promotion. The same is true in fast food, a new employee always begins with a mop, then they move into food prep, cashier and eventually they might even be considered for a supervisory or management position. Most employers these days hire only entry level employees and then promote from inside the company. They know that the best employees are the ones who can be trusted with little, so they hire people to do the little things until they deserve to be in charge of much.

Luke wrote in today’s Gospel passage: “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” We can see the truth of this in the real world, or at least in the Beetle Bailey comic strip. He remained a private for decades because he is not a trustworthy soldier. In my retail experience, I knew it was best to choose those who had been trustworthy with the little things to do important tasks around the store. Luke wrote about even more 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 power and position they’ve been given to benefit their own lives, but God knows those who have been faithful, and they will be blessed with so much more.

While we understand and accept this lesson from Luke, the passage is also difficult and shocking to us because it seems to condone dishonest behavior. It does not make sense that Jesus would make this type of behavior an example for us to follow. We do not expect Jesus to tell us to be shrewd like those in the world, like the manager of the rich man. We wonder how the rich man could give the manager a pat on the back for doing what seems to be so wrong.

However, let’s look at this story a little bit more closely. The manager was dishonest. He was squandering the property of the rich man. We do not know what was going on. Perhaps he was embezzling or perhaps he was simply a bad manager. I always assumed, as I read this story, that the manager was also cheating the poor, yet there seems to be no evidence of it. All we really know is that there was something wrong and that he was not being a very good manager. The rich man did not even know what was going on. He had heard rumors of poor management and called the manager to show the accounts. He must have given the manager some time to get ready for the audit, because the manager was able to do something to make things right.

The rich man was only concerned about the bottom line and whether his accounts were in good order, so the manager decided to make the books look right. He was fired anyway, so he decided to do something that would put him in good standing with the community and make friends for his future. He knew that he was unable to support himself without a job, so he did whatever was necessary to make use of his limited time and resources. He did not cut the debts out of the goodness of his heart but rather hoped that they would feel indebted to him when it was all over. The reductions were not necessarily equal, or even fair. He negotiated with the debtors to make the debts more manageable. In the end the manager made a good accounting before the rich man, the rumors were put to rest, and the rich man commended the manager for his shrewdness.

Jesus finished this parable with the lesson, “I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents.” I suppose this is why I am bothered by this passage: how could Jesus tell the people to use money to make friends? The Jews were a people of faith, called to trust God and believe that He would provide all they needed. They were called to an attitude of mutual care for one another. Those who had much were expected to share with those who did not have enough. Any money beyond that which was necessary to meet their daily needs was considered “unrighteous mammon.”

The word describing the manager is translated “dishonest” in many versions, but it can also be 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 debtors. Jesus was not encouraging dishonesty but was inducing His listeners to make the best use of their resources. The manager’s right use of the unrighteous mammon put him in right relationship with the rich man and with the people. The manager is not an example of good or godly living that we should follow. He was an unrighteous man doing dishonest things with mammon.

As we consider this story, however, we are reminded that we are just like him. We are unrighteous people doing dishonest things with mammon. We are not good stewards of the resources God has given to us. We are wasteful and greedy. We fail to use every good gift of God to build up His kingdom and take care of those who do not have enough. God calls us to account. We are put in charge of earthly wealth for a time. Will we use that wealth in a way that makes us right with one another?

This is ultimately a matter of the heart, and God knows our hearts better than we do.

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.

Why do you go to church? There are as many answers to that question as people who attend. First and foremost, we go to worship God, but that is a simplistic answer. We are reminded that we can, and should, worship God anywhere. Yet, church attendance is an important part of our life of faith. We go to church to gather with other believers, to raise our voices in praise to our God. Many people feel incomplete if they don’t get a regular dose of Word and Sacrament. We want to be renewed and refilled so they can face the world. It is a place of calm in the storms of life. We want to fellowship with like-minded people. For many the gathering of God’s people gives us a place to find peace in the midst of our storms and healing for our dis-ease. For one moment a week we can set aside the problems and worries of the world and focus on something else.

Other reasons are less spiritual or religious. I once read a blog from a person who went to church because she lost track of the days of the week without spending time with God each Sunday. Some people go to church to network with other professionals or to get customers for their business. Some go to make family happy or because it is “what you do.” Some think that they can use church attendance will guarantee a trip to heaven.

Recent studies suggest that about 40% attend at least once a month, about half that number attend weekly. The number of people who attend church rarely or never is about 57%. Church attendance has gone down since the turn of the century. There are as many reasons why people do not bother to go to church. Sadly, the number of people who identify as Christian has gone down significantly in the last twenty-five years. However, there are many Christians who have stopped going to church. I recently read about a Christian author who is “on a break from church.” Unfortunately, some people do not attend because they have to work. Others work so much during the week that Sunday is the only time they can rest or get things done. Others are busy with sports or leisure activities. All too many think that the church is full of hypocrites, people who aren’t there for the right reasons. Why bother when the other Christians are there to sell themselves or are there out of duty?

This brings us back to the question of our motivation and our hearts. Whether you are a church goer or not, why? This is not a question that will determine the status of our salvation, for our faith is never dependent on the things we do nor do not do. God doesn’t have a checklist for us to complete so we can go to heaven. However, as Christians we are called to examine ourselves to determine the state of our hearts. If we go to church, are we there with our whole hearts? Are we more focused on what will happen after than on the worship? Do we sing half-heartedly or nod off during the sermon? Do we rush right out to get to the restaurant for lunch before the crowds? If our motivation is wrong, we will not give God the praise He deserves. He wants more than our bodies. He wants our hearts.

Even though the numbers seem to indicate it is a modern problem, this isn’t new. Look at the passage from Amos. We don’t know why the people were there, but they were obviously not there in heart and soul. They were anxious for worship to be over, and they did not take their faith into the world. They robbed the poor and cheated the needy. They only cared about themselves. We can’t read the state of someone else’s heart, but we can examine ourselves. Wy do we go to church? What happens when we go out through those church doors into the world? Do we take our faith with us or are we anxious to get on with our lives? God sees the heart and knows when we would rather be elsewhere. Shouldn’t we be honest enough to examine our motivations and then seek God’s help in doing what is right? What happens in our daily lives? Do we take our faith with us or do we keep it hidden and private?

I once did a survey that asked about my spirituality. When do I feel spiritual? Where do I experience the presence of God? How do I describe God? Some of the questions were difficult because they wanted a simple answer to a complex question. For example, the question “How do you describe God?” included the qualifier “One or Three?” I wanted to answer “Yes,” because I do not believe we can understand God as one or the other. He is both. Another question asked whether God was knowable or a mystery. Again, my answer is “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 Adam and Eve in the Garden, and though humankind was cast out because of their sin, God never stopped loving or revealing Himself to mankind. 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 sets 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. He still creates and recreates this world, guiding His people in His ways, and gifting us with all we need to join Him in the work of His Kingdom.

The greatest mystery is why the God who is described by the psalmist would save His people by His by taking on humble human flesh. The Creator and Redeemer of the world gives authority and power to people like you and me to do the work of His Kingdom. It is His Spirit that does the work in our hearts, but He gives us His Spirit and calls us to join Him. It is His Word that brings peace, but He uses our tongues to speak that Word so that others might hear. It is by His blood that we are forgiven, but He has chosen to institute sacraments and rituals using water, bread, wine, and people to share His mercy. He promised us great things and is ever faithful even though we are unable to be faithful to Him. He sent His Son to teach us how to live and how to die so that we might live forever, a mystery we will never truly understand. This should be our greatest motivation, not only to go to church regularly, but also to take our faith into the world.

Not that the world will always listen. I once read a post from an atheist who wrote, “Do not pray for me.” The author thought prayer was a waste of time because he did not believe there is a God. I’ve seen this same request many times over the past few years. They think “I will pray for you,” is a cop-out, a way to avoid doing the hard work by doing an “easy” thing. What does prayer accomplish for a person who is suffering? I question the author’s premise, after all, as a Christian I believe prayer is never a waste of time, even if the person about whom I am praying does not believe. Yet, I can see how some might think that Christians don’t bother to actively take their faith into the world, that they check off the box “Prayed,” and then go their own way. I don’t think that is true, because the people I know with the strongest prayer lives are those who are most likely to step out in faith to help.

Yet, I do understand the unstated fear of those atheists because they believe we aren’t really praying for what they need. Why would we bother praying for someone like him? Those who do not want us to pray suspect that our prayers are what we think God should do for them, or to 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.

We are commanded to pray. That is why we find it so hard when someone rejects our offer for prayer. Prayer is our way of showing our support, of bringing our hopes and concerns before God who is greater than us. It is through prayer that we find some sense of peace. Prayer does not always bring about the answer we want, but we pray in confidence that God has heard and that He will be in the midst of the situation. Most of us want to pray that they will become more like us, because we think we have the solution to the problem.

Yet, as Paul told Timothy, our task is not to pray that God will make them like us. 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 a cult that was causing conflict in families and communities. Rome was fighting because the conflicts were causing strife to the empire. They thought that the Christians were 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.

However, this is the life we are called to live: praying for our enemies without an agenda. True prayer builds God’s grace in our hearts, and we can’t help but love them. We see our “enemies” from a new perspective, from God’s heart. Praying our agendas will keep us divided, will continue the hate. The goal of our prayers should never be to ask God to make them like us, but for us to reveal Him to them so that He will work His plan for their lives. It is important for us to remember that God is working in our lives, too.

As much as we think we are right, our point of view might not be what God intends. We don’t know the whole picture. We know only that God is faithful and that He will be with us. He wants all men to be saved. He hasn’t told us how He will accomplish it. 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.

Jesus said that those who are faithful with little will be faithful with much. Are we living the life we are called to live, or are we more like Beetle Bailey? Are we being faithful with our resources, with our prayers, or are we trying to get our own way? God sees our hearts and knows our motivations. We are reminded by our texts this week that if we are not trustworthy with the things of this world, we can’t be trusted to handle the things of God. Jesus knows the hearts of those who will serve Him well, who are motivated by faith, and who will live to glorify God, not only one hour a week but every minute of every day. 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. He has provided us with many blessings and opportunities to share His abundance in word and deed. He wants everyone to come to the full knowledge of truth, but He will do it in His time and His way. It is up to us to be His mouth, in witness and prayer, living the tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence, so that God can do His work of salvation through us.