[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 20C

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-------- Original message --------
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org> 
Date:09/17/2016  6:48 PM  (GMT-05:00) 
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org> 
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 20C 

Dear Friends,

 

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “May Your Heart Be Broken by the Things that Break the Heart of God” (Dr. Bob Pierce*) and deals with the Gospel (Luke 16:1-13).  Here it is:

 

On Dec. 20, 2015, I told you one of my favorite stories about my Ecunet friend who was working for Meals on Wheels.  She had a four-year-old daughter who was just at that delightful age when kids cheerfully accept all sorts of make-believe.  Occasionally, my friend would take her daughter on her afternoon rounds to cheer up her clients. The little girl was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day my friend noticed that her daughter was staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As she braced herself for the inevitable barrage of questions, the child merely turned and whispered, “The tooth fairy will never believe this!”  That’s how most people feel when they hear this parable in which Jesus praises the dishonest manager.  How could he?  Let’s look at the parable in greater detail so it makes sense to us.

 

Jesus tells the story of a person who worked for a rich man and did a really incompetent job of managing his property.  When the owner discovered what was happening, he fired the manager, who made some really shady deals to cover his own financial skin.  We heard how reduced the amount owed by each of his debtors.  The person who owed 100 jugs of olive oil had his debt reduced to fifty jugs, and the person who owed 100 containers of wheat had his debt reduced to 50 containers.  The manager did this to build good will and possible retirement money for himself, since he lost his job.  What’s in this rather strange parable for us as we try to faithfully live our lives today?  Lots- two life lessons and one caution.

 

LIFE LESSON #1: As the dishonest manager was totally committed to ensuring enough money for his retirement, so God expects us to be totally committed to ensuring gain for the kingdom.  Our culture expects us to be cool, restrained about religion.  One of the worst things our culture can say about someone is that he or she is a “religious fanatic,” yet that is exactly what God expects us to be.  As the dishonest manager was passionately committed to his own gain, so Jesus expects us to be passionately committed to him. 

 

LIFE LESSON #2: As the dishonest manager recognized the seriousness of the situation and thought outside the box, so God expects the same from us- but for the growth of God’s Kingdom.  If there is a task God wants you or St. Paul’s to accomplish, never look at it and say that it can’t be done.  Instead, do what the dishonest manager did and figure out how to do it.

 

CAUTION: Many of us are care deeply about something (or many things), but they are the wrong things.  Remember Jesus’ reminder: “You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13b).  Money and material things make wonderful tools for the Lord, but terrible masters.  When we put God first in our lives, everything else flows into place.  Anything else in the center makes our lives as confused and devastated as the city of Saginaw with all this violence.

 

Do you remember the story of the ten-year-old boy was failing math?  His parents tried everything from tutors to hypnosis, but to no avail. Finally, at the insistence of a family friend, they decided to enroll their son in a private Catholic school. After the first day, the boy's parents were surprised when he walked in after school with a stern, focused and very determined expression on his face, and went right past them straight to his room, where he quietly closed the door. For nearly two hours he toiled away in his room - with math books strewn about his desk and the surrounding floor. He emerged long enough to eat, and after quickly cleaning his plate, went straight back to his room, closed the door, and worked feverishly at his studies until bedtime. This pattern continued ceaselessly until it was time for the first quarter report card. The boy walked in with his report card -- unopened -- laid it on the dinner table and went straight to his room. Cautiously, his mother opened it, and to her amazement, she saw a bright red "A" under the subject of MATH. Overjoyed, she and her husband rushed into their son's room, thrilled at his remarkable progress. "Was it the nuns that did it?," the father asked. The boy only shook his head and said, "No." "Was it the one-on-one tutoring? The peer-mentoring?" "No." "The textbooks? The teachers? The curriculum?" "Nope," said the son. "On that first day, when I walked in the front door and saw that guy they nailed to the 'plus sign,' I just knew they meant business!"  (jokeswarehouse.com)  Why did I close with this story?  Because it illustrates the point of the parable- take God and God’s Kingdom seriously.  Just as the dishonest manager did- think outside the box.  Be creative in doing God’s work.  Stay focused.  Put time and energy into God’s work. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.”  He showed how much He cares.  How about you?  Show you care.

 

(*Dr. Bob Pierce- the founder of World Vision)

 

For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .

 

Blessed preaching,

Judy Boli

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Saginaw, Michigan

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