As Good As It Gets
1 Timothy 6:6-19
The title of the sermon is the same as the title of a movie starring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear. In the movie, Nicholson plays the role of a character that has an obsessive-compulsive personality. When walking, he avoids stepping on the cracks in the sidewalk. When washing his hands, he always uses a brand new bar of soap. When he locks the door to his apartment from the inside, he always counts and clicks the lock the same number of times each time he locks the door. (Of course, we know that he only needs to click the lock one time to lock it.) He is a man who doesn’t like change of any kind. One day he has a bad day. He is upset, and he goes to his counselor without having an appointment. When the counselor refuses to see him, he turns to everyone in the office waiting room and says, “What if this is as good as it gets?” He is worried that his life may not get any better. If there is no hope that things will get better, then there appear to be two options. One option is discouragement and despair that things won’t ever get any better. Another option is acceptance and perhaps even contentment with the way things are. This may be a good question to ask ourselves: What if this is as good as it gets? Of course, we know that things may change, we have different chapters in our lives. Good things and bad things happen to us and to those that we love. But what if, generally speaking, this is as good as it gets?
The apostle Paul wrote at least two letters to Timothy. In the first letter, he wrote that there is great gain in godliness with contentment. The key word here seems to be contentment. There were some people that Paul knew who were not content with what they had – they wanted more. These people thought that more money would make their lives better and that they would be happier. Paul also writes that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It is important to note that he did not say that money is the root of all evil, but that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
In his first letter to Timothy, Paul writes to address the danger of people’s lives getting out of balance. Those who have become obsessed with getting rich have wandered from the Christian faith. They have caused themselves and others great pain. They thought that more money would solve their problems, and that if they just had enough (which meant more than they currently had), then they would be happy and content. But their search for contentment through riches has not gotten them what they wanted. They have more, but they are still not content. For Paul’s audience, the issue was the love of money. But that is not the only love that can threaten our faith.
Another focus that can threaten our faith is the love of relationships. We may want to be accepted and want to fit in so badly that we may compromise our values and miss out on the very happiness that we are seeking. We may want the approval of others and may want to be liked so much that we will do anything to get it. In the process, we may cause ourselves and other great pain. Everyone wants to be loved, but sometimes it is not worth the price that we have to pay to get the approval of others.
Another focus that can threaten our faith is the love of success. We can give ourselves so completely to being successful in one area of our lives, that we may fail in other areas of our lives. People can be so focused upon their work and career that they may sacrifice the quality of personal relationships. Success at work may mean that the family has to suffer. It can be a challenge to keep things balanced and in perspective. We may also view life as a constant competition – we feel we always need to win and that we will do whatever it takes to win, or to be successful. In the meantime, we may lose other things that we have neglected in our pursuit of success.
Another focus that can threaten our faith is the love of security. We may be afraid to make any changes, to take any risks, or to make any sacrifices, because we are afraid we might fail, or that something bad may happen to us. And so, we never change, we never take any risks, and in our pursuit of security we become very insecure. In trying to protect ourselves, we may miss out on much that we have to offer to others, and much that others have to offer to us.
We all want to be happy. But a better goal may be found in the words of Paul. Our aim could be to have godliness with contentment. That could mean that faith would give balance and perspective to our lives. And it could mean that we would learn to be content with what we have. It doesn’t mean that we don’t have goals and dreams. But it does mean that our faith keeps us from being consumed with money, relationships, success, or security. Faith can remind us to keep all of those things in balance in our lives.
This seems to be the basic message that Paul is trying to give to those who read his letter:
1) Fight the good fight of faith – wrestle and struggle with your desires and dreams, and with your wants and needs.
2) Look beyond today, tomorrow, and even next year, and see the bigger picture. Look far ahead and ask yourself what will really matter in the end.
3) Remember that God created all things and that Jesus gave us the example of a faithful life. Ultimately, the only thing that matters and that lasts is faith in God through Jesus Christ.
Remember the words of Paul: There is great gain in godliness with contentment. That is a good as it gets.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Are We Addicted to Money?
Are We Addicted to Money?
Luke 16:10-13
Some years ago I attended a church management seminar. A part of the seminar focused upon stress- what can cause it, and how to manage it. The seminar leader handed out Biodots during the seminar. These look like small plastic circles and they are smaller than the end of your finger. When placed on the skin the changing color indicates the level of stress that a person is experiencing. Blue indicates that a person is very relaxed, and green indicates that a person is somewhat relaxed. Brown indicates somewhat stressed, and black indicates a person is very stressed. When I was in the seminar the colors of my Biodot were brown and green. While I drove home from the seminar, the colors were green and blue. When I arrived home and started balancing my checkbook, the color was black. This told me that although I was not aware of it, balancing my checkbook was a very stressful and emotional experience for me.
In his book Financial Meltdown in the Mainline? , Loren Mead asks the question: “Are we addicted to money?” This is a good question for us to ask ourselves from time to time. And it is helpful to remember that the question is not just a financial one, but also has to do with our quality of life, and the quality of our spiritual lives. Mead writes that an addict is someone who focuses their attention, emotion, and commitment upon that to which they are addicted. He lists several signs of addiction to money.
One of the signs of addiction to money is discomfort with the wealth that we have. There can be several things that we do or don’t do that indicate that we are uncomfortable with our wealth. For example, we may be slow to admit that we are rich. If we live in the United States, we have more than 90% of all other people in the world. And yet, we are more comfortable believing that we are poor, or at least, that we don’t have enough. Other indicators that we are uncomfortable with what we have are that we resist making wills, or we are unable to establish or keep a budget. These are basic tasks that are related to our financial lives. If we are uncomfortable doing them, then it probably means that we are uncomfortable with how much or how little that we think we have.
Another sign of our addition to money is our anxiety about money. We worry about making it to the next paycheck, even though we have made it for the last 5, 10, or 20 years. We answer the question “How much is enough?” with “Just a little bit more.” We wonder how we can make more money, or get more money. We spend time and energy working longer hours at work. We worry about the checkbook, the credit cards, and the mortgage. Let’s face it, it is important for us to manage our resources wisely, but there is the danger of becoming consumed with worry about money. It can keep us from being fully alive and living with joy.
Another sign of our addiction to money is that we are never satisfied. We want more money for ourselves and we are envious of other people’s money. It may be difficult for us to appreciate the wealth and success of other people. We may think that if someone else is wealthy or successful, that it takes something about from us. Money can be a source of tension and conflict at home, at work, at church, and in the community. We may be worried that there will never be enough.
Are we addicted to money? The answer is yes, most of us probably struggle with the addiction. And, if we see it as a spiritual issue, then our best response is to repent, or turn around. Instead of depending upon money and wealth to give us meaning and joy, we can turn and depend upon God and one another for meaning and joy in our lives. Instead of spending more time and energy to make more money, we can invest time in being servants to our families and our neighbors. It means that life is more than how much we make, or how much we have. It means that life is found in our relationships with God and one another.
Once there was a cartoon on the editorial page of the local paper. It was a cartoon strip with several frames. One man was talking and this is what he said: ”When the stock market dropped, I had a moment of understanding. I realized that my values had become skewed. I had been measuring my life in terms of material gain. I saw that all of that could be swept away in an instant. What I was going to have to do was restructure my life to seek and appreciate things of a deeper, spiritual nature. But then, luckily, the stock market went back up!”
When things are going well, it is more difficult to pay attention to spiritual issues. But a financial crisis can lead to a spiritual crisis. We may need to be reminded to turn from our reliance upon our wealth and ourselves, to reliance upon God. We may need to be reminded that we are not in control. That doesn’t mean that we don’t plan, budget, and use our money wisely. But it does mean that we don’t invest too much emotion, attention, and commitment to money. If we have can do that, then the next time we balance our checkbooks, or pay our bills, it may be that the Biodot will be green (somewhat relaxed), or maybe even blue (completely relaxed).
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Who, or what are we serving?
Luke 16:10-13
Some years ago I attended a church management seminar. A part of the seminar focused upon stress- what can cause it, and how to manage it. The seminar leader handed out Biodots during the seminar. These look like small plastic circles and they are smaller than the end of your finger. When placed on the skin the changing color indicates the level of stress that a person is experiencing. Blue indicates that a person is very relaxed, and green indicates that a person is somewhat relaxed. Brown indicates somewhat stressed, and black indicates a person is very stressed. When I was in the seminar the colors of my Biodot were brown and green. While I drove home from the seminar, the colors were green and blue. When I arrived home and started balancing my checkbook, the color was black. This told me that although I was not aware of it, balancing my checkbook was a very stressful and emotional experience for me.
In his book Financial Meltdown in the Mainline? , Loren Mead asks the question: “Are we addicted to money?” This is a good question for us to ask ourselves from time to time. And it is helpful to remember that the question is not just a financial one, but also has to do with our quality of life, and the quality of our spiritual lives. Mead writes that an addict is someone who focuses their attention, emotion, and commitment upon that to which they are addicted. He lists several signs of addiction to money.
One of the signs of addiction to money is discomfort with the wealth that we have. There can be several things that we do or don’t do that indicate that we are uncomfortable with our wealth. For example, we may be slow to admit that we are rich. If we live in the United States, we have more than 90% of all other people in the world. And yet, we are more comfortable believing that we are poor, or at least, that we don’t have enough. Other indicators that we are uncomfortable with what we have are that we resist making wills, or we are unable to establish or keep a budget. These are basic tasks that are related to our financial lives. If we are uncomfortable doing them, then it probably means that we are uncomfortable with how much or how little that we think we have.
Another sign of our addition to money is our anxiety about money. We worry about making it to the next paycheck, even though we have made it for the last 5, 10, or 20 years. We answer the question “How much is enough?” with “Just a little bit more.” We wonder how we can make more money, or get more money. We spend time and energy working longer hours at work. We worry about the checkbook, the credit cards, and the mortgage. Let’s face it, it is important for us to manage our resources wisely, but there is the danger of becoming consumed with worry about money. It can keep us from being fully alive and living with joy.
Another sign of our addiction to money is that we are never satisfied. We want more money for ourselves and we are envious of other people’s money. It may be difficult for us to appreciate the wealth and success of other people. We may think that if someone else is wealthy or successful, that it takes something about from us. Money can be a source of tension and conflict at home, at work, at church, and in the community. We may be worried that there will never be enough.
Are we addicted to money? The answer is yes, most of us probably struggle with the addiction. And, if we see it as a spiritual issue, then our best response is to repent, or turn around. Instead of depending upon money and wealth to give us meaning and joy, we can turn and depend upon God and one another for meaning and joy in our lives. Instead of spending more time and energy to make more money, we can invest time in being servants to our families and our neighbors. It means that life is more than how much we make, or how much we have. It means that life is found in our relationships with God and one another.
Once there was a cartoon on the editorial page of the local paper. It was a cartoon strip with several frames. One man was talking and this is what he said: ”When the stock market dropped, I had a moment of understanding. I realized that my values had become skewed. I had been measuring my life in terms of material gain. I saw that all of that could be swept away in an instant. What I was going to have to do was restructure my life to seek and appreciate things of a deeper, spiritual nature. But then, luckily, the stock market went back up!”
When things are going well, it is more difficult to pay attention to spiritual issues. But a financial crisis can lead to a spiritual crisis. We may need to be reminded to turn from our reliance upon our wealth and ourselves, to reliance upon God. We may need to be reminded that we are not in control. That doesn’t mean that we don’t plan, budget, and use our money wisely. But it does mean that we don’t invest too much emotion, attention, and commitment to money. If we have can do that, then the next time we balance our checkbooks, or pay our bills, it may be that the Biodot will be green (somewhat relaxed), or maybe even blue (completely relaxed).
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Who, or what are we serving?
Lost and Found
Lost and Found
Luke 15:1-10
A few years ago I was at King’s Dominion in Virginia by the Log Flume ride. While I was standing there, I noticed a young couple. They caught my attention because they looked very worried and were looking around, walking in different directions, gesturing, and then began talking with a security guard. It became obvious that there was a serious problem. Within a few minutes I noticed the mother again and saw a little girl, 8 or 9 years old, clinging to her mom and sobbing. It was obvious that she was lost and had been found. Both she and her parents appeared to be relieved and happy. Something like that can be a parent’s worst nightmare, and it is something that a parent and a child don’t forget.
Jesus said that God is like a shepherd who searches for lost sheep, like a woman who searches for a lost coin, and like a parent who searches for a lost child. This is good news for us, because sometimes we get lost. Sometimes we get distracted, go in other directions, and wander away from God. There are life crises that may test our faith- a divorce, a lost job, or a death. We make mistakes, poor choices (the Bible calls those sins), and we are reminded that we have wandered away. We may just be too busy for God, and our lives out of balance. None of us is perfect and we all need to be found. Our faith needs to be renewed.
We live with tensions and contradictions. We wrestle with being self-centered and God-centered. We are both judgmental and gracious. There are times when we are at our best, with the best motives and good deeds. And at times we are short-sighted and fail to do the good that we could do. The good news is that God is always searching for us, and calling us to have faith. There is nothing that we may do that is so bad that will keep God from loving us and calling us.
Jesus told the stories of the lost sheep and the lost coin for those who are away from God. They are stories for those who need to be forgiven, for those who need a new start and a clean slate. They are also stories for those who need to forgive, who need to find a way to be gracious to those who have done them wrong. Sometimes we divide people into saints and sinners. That was true with the religious leaders in Jesus’ day. They thought they were better than most other people. They made the religious rules, and if anyone broke them, it meant that they were not holy. The religious leaders thought they were saints, but they were ungracious and judgmental.
One of the themes of the teachings of Jesus is that God is more gracious with us than we are with each other. God doesn’t hate sinners. He doesn’t discriminate, or write anybody off. There is hope for everyone. There is always a chance that each person with respond to God’s grace, God’s undeserved, unconditional love. That is the way that God sees people, and it is the way we can see them too.
God is like a shepherd, who searches for one lost sheep. God is like a woman who searches for a lost coin. God is like a parent, who searches for a lost child. God is a gracious and loving God. Like the words of a famous hymns say: “I once was lost, but now am found…”, those can be the words for each one of us. God is gracious and loving with all of us, and calls us to be gracious with one another. God doesn’t give up on anyone, and neither should we. God is always searching for those who are lost.
Luke 15:1-10
A few years ago I was at King’s Dominion in Virginia by the Log Flume ride. While I was standing there, I noticed a young couple. They caught my attention because they looked very worried and were looking around, walking in different directions, gesturing, and then began talking with a security guard. It became obvious that there was a serious problem. Within a few minutes I noticed the mother again and saw a little girl, 8 or 9 years old, clinging to her mom and sobbing. It was obvious that she was lost and had been found. Both she and her parents appeared to be relieved and happy. Something like that can be a parent’s worst nightmare, and it is something that a parent and a child don’t forget.
Jesus said that God is like a shepherd who searches for lost sheep, like a woman who searches for a lost coin, and like a parent who searches for a lost child. This is good news for us, because sometimes we get lost. Sometimes we get distracted, go in other directions, and wander away from God. There are life crises that may test our faith- a divorce, a lost job, or a death. We make mistakes, poor choices (the Bible calls those sins), and we are reminded that we have wandered away. We may just be too busy for God, and our lives out of balance. None of us is perfect and we all need to be found. Our faith needs to be renewed.
We live with tensions and contradictions. We wrestle with being self-centered and God-centered. We are both judgmental and gracious. There are times when we are at our best, with the best motives and good deeds. And at times we are short-sighted and fail to do the good that we could do. The good news is that God is always searching for us, and calling us to have faith. There is nothing that we may do that is so bad that will keep God from loving us and calling us.
Jesus told the stories of the lost sheep and the lost coin for those who are away from God. They are stories for those who need to be forgiven, for those who need a new start and a clean slate. They are also stories for those who need to forgive, who need to find a way to be gracious to those who have done them wrong. Sometimes we divide people into saints and sinners. That was true with the religious leaders in Jesus’ day. They thought they were better than most other people. They made the religious rules, and if anyone broke them, it meant that they were not holy. The religious leaders thought they were saints, but they were ungracious and judgmental.
One of the themes of the teachings of Jesus is that God is more gracious with us than we are with each other. God doesn’t hate sinners. He doesn’t discriminate, or write anybody off. There is hope for everyone. There is always a chance that each person with respond to God’s grace, God’s undeserved, unconditional love. That is the way that God sees people, and it is the way we can see them too.
God is like a shepherd, who searches for one lost sheep. God is like a woman who searches for a lost coin. God is like a parent, who searches for a lost child. God is a gracious and loving God. Like the words of a famous hymns say: “I once was lost, but now am found…”, those can be the words for each one of us. God is gracious and loving with all of us, and calls us to be gracious with one another. God doesn’t give up on anyone, and neither should we. God is always searching for those who are lost.
Friday, September 3, 2010
How to Be a Disciple
How to Be a Disciple
Luke 14:25-33
At the point of this reading in the Gospel of Luke, the Jesus movement is going great. People are being healed. A woman who was crippled for 18 years is healed. A man who was seriously ill with swollen legs (make your own diagnosis), is also healed. Jesus is also telling the good news that everyone is invited to God’s banquet. All are welcome – the poor, the homeless, the powerless, and the marginal in society. Large crowds are following Jesus. And why not? He is telling them and showing them what good things God can do for them.
But as Jesus sees the large crowds gathering, he begins to change the focus of his teaching. He talks about what it means to be one of his disciples. We can assume that he wants to have more than just 12 disciples. He chose those twelve and now he seems to be encouraging people to choose him and become his disciples. Of course, there are requirements for disciples. Not just anyone can be a disciple. Jesus gives a list of the qualifications.
1.Whoever does not hate their family, cannot be a disciple of Jesus.
What a shocking statement. I have always interpreted this statement and others, as hyperbole, that is, an exaggeration to get people’s attention and to make a point. Another interpretation is that “hate” was not as strong a word in the days of Jesus as it is today. The Contemporary English Version of the Bible interprets this passage by having Jesus say, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must love me more than their family.” This interpretation highlights the issue of priorities. What is most important? – God, family, country?
In the days of Jesus, becoming a disciple of Jesus usually meant alienation from family, tradition, and roots. That is not as true in the United States, but it is still true in other parts of the world. In fact, we like to think that Christianity and faith can strengthen families and family relationships. This is especially true when faith is a joint venture, a shared journey in a family.
2.Whoever does not take up their cross and follow Jesus, cannot be his disciple.
Jesus sees cross-taking and/or cross bearing as a voluntary decision. He calls people to be servants, and to make sacrifices for the Kingdom of God. He says that those who are his disciples will be givers, rather than takers. They will be outward focused, rather than being concerned only about themselves. Jesus was the model for cross-taking as he gave his life for the sake of all people by dying on a cross.
3.Whoever does not give away everything that they own, cannot be a disciple of Jesus.
Now here is a way to shrink the large crowds. If you start talking about money and possessions, people will turn you off, and go on to the next attraction, or back to their normal routines. This is another statement that we can interpret as hyperbole, or exaggeration. Another way of saying could be “Being a disciple of Jesus is more important than our possessions, and more important than our own comfort and prosperity. “ We probably have not given away everything that we own. We worry about having enough to pay the bills, or having enough for the future. But to be a disciple of Jesus means that we remember that everything we have is given to us by God, and is to be managed and used for God’s purposes, rather than our own.
We might note that there is a difference between being a follower of Jesus and being a disciple of Jesus. We can say that a follower is someone who doesn’t reflect, or commit seriously, or finish what they have started. Most of the people in the large crowds around Jesus were followers. They were looking for miracles and easy blessings. On the other hand, we can say that disciples are those who make deliberate, reflective decisions. They commit to an uncertain journey, and place their ultimate trust in Jesus. It is easier to be a follower, than to be a disciple. It is easier to receive blessings, than it is to make sacrifices. It is easier to attend church than it is to be a disciple.
To be a disciple means that nothing is more important than our devotion to Jesus Christ. No other relationships, including family relationships are more important. Our own comfort and fulfillment is not more important than being a disciple of Jesus. And our possessions, and our net worth are not more important than being disciples. If we are truly disciples, then all that we have and all that we are is committed to Jesus Christ.
To be a disciple means letting go of all that seeks to own us, so that we may go where God leads us, and do what God has for us to do.
Luke 14:25-33
At the point of this reading in the Gospel of Luke, the Jesus movement is going great. People are being healed. A woman who was crippled for 18 years is healed. A man who was seriously ill with swollen legs (make your own diagnosis), is also healed. Jesus is also telling the good news that everyone is invited to God’s banquet. All are welcome – the poor, the homeless, the powerless, and the marginal in society. Large crowds are following Jesus. And why not? He is telling them and showing them what good things God can do for them.
But as Jesus sees the large crowds gathering, he begins to change the focus of his teaching. He talks about what it means to be one of his disciples. We can assume that he wants to have more than just 12 disciples. He chose those twelve and now he seems to be encouraging people to choose him and become his disciples. Of course, there are requirements for disciples. Not just anyone can be a disciple. Jesus gives a list of the qualifications.
1.Whoever does not hate their family, cannot be a disciple of Jesus.
What a shocking statement. I have always interpreted this statement and others, as hyperbole, that is, an exaggeration to get people’s attention and to make a point. Another interpretation is that “hate” was not as strong a word in the days of Jesus as it is today. The Contemporary English Version of the Bible interprets this passage by having Jesus say, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must love me more than their family.” This interpretation highlights the issue of priorities. What is most important? – God, family, country?
In the days of Jesus, becoming a disciple of Jesus usually meant alienation from family, tradition, and roots. That is not as true in the United States, but it is still true in other parts of the world. In fact, we like to think that Christianity and faith can strengthen families and family relationships. This is especially true when faith is a joint venture, a shared journey in a family.
2.Whoever does not take up their cross and follow Jesus, cannot be his disciple.
Jesus sees cross-taking and/or cross bearing as a voluntary decision. He calls people to be servants, and to make sacrifices for the Kingdom of God. He says that those who are his disciples will be givers, rather than takers. They will be outward focused, rather than being concerned only about themselves. Jesus was the model for cross-taking as he gave his life for the sake of all people by dying on a cross.
3.Whoever does not give away everything that they own, cannot be a disciple of Jesus.
Now here is a way to shrink the large crowds. If you start talking about money and possessions, people will turn you off, and go on to the next attraction, or back to their normal routines. This is another statement that we can interpret as hyperbole, or exaggeration. Another way of saying could be “Being a disciple of Jesus is more important than our possessions, and more important than our own comfort and prosperity. “ We probably have not given away everything that we own. We worry about having enough to pay the bills, or having enough for the future. But to be a disciple of Jesus means that we remember that everything we have is given to us by God, and is to be managed and used for God’s purposes, rather than our own.
We might note that there is a difference between being a follower of Jesus and being a disciple of Jesus. We can say that a follower is someone who doesn’t reflect, or commit seriously, or finish what they have started. Most of the people in the large crowds around Jesus were followers. They were looking for miracles and easy blessings. On the other hand, we can say that disciples are those who make deliberate, reflective decisions. They commit to an uncertain journey, and place their ultimate trust in Jesus. It is easier to be a follower, than to be a disciple. It is easier to receive blessings, than it is to make sacrifices. It is easier to attend church than it is to be a disciple.
To be a disciple means that nothing is more important than our devotion to Jesus Christ. No other relationships, including family relationships are more important. Our own comfort and fulfillment is not more important than being a disciple of Jesus. And our possessions, and our net worth are not more important than being disciples. If we are truly disciples, then all that we have and all that we are is committed to Jesus Christ.
To be a disciple means letting go of all that seeks to own us, so that we may go where God leads us, and do what God has for us to do.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Dressed For Action
Dressed For Action
Luke 12:32-40
This Scripture passage reminds me of an episode from the old “Dick Van Dyke Show”. The show involved the sit-com adventures of Rob and Laure Petrie, played by Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. The episode that I remember best is the one about the birth of their son Richie. In this episode they are expecting his arrival any minute. They are both nervous and waiting for a sign that they need to go to the hospital. It is bedtime and they are both lying in bed with the lights out. Then Laura makes a sound or says something that gives Rob the impression that is it time to go. His eyes pop open, he reaches behind his head for his hat, and in one swift move, he sits up, puts his hat on his head, and throws off the covers. It is then that we see that he is fully dressed, including sport coat, tie, and shoes. He steps out of the bed, grabs a suitcase, which has been strategically placed next to the bed, and is almost out the door before Laura can get his attention and tell him that it is not time to go yet. It is not time, but Rob is ready to go at a moment’s notice. He is dressed for action.
In the Scripture passage, Jesus tells his disciples to be dressed for action and to have their lamps lit. He says “You don’t know when the master of the house will return, so you need to always be ready.” Luke wrote this account when there were no high expectations that Jesus would return. He wrote about 40 years after the resurrection of Jesus, and about 10 years after the fall of Jerusalem. The times were fairly stable, much like the times in the world today. There is no threat of World War 3, nor is there a threat that there is a major world crisis on the horizon. The world is relatively quiet.
Jesus’ words today warn people to not be complacent, or to take too much for granted. He gives a wake-up call, or a reality check, to help people to remember what is ultimately important and what really matters. Sometimes we get a reality check in our personal lives. We, or someone we know, may get bad news from test results, or a tragedy may occur that touches our lives, or we may lose our jobs. Such events can cause us to ask ourselves what is really important.
A few years ago, Ben Stein wrote an article about his best friend, who was prominent English psychiatrist. His friend was 57 years old when he committed suicide in 2000. “The good doctor, probably as smart a man as I have known, was tormented by the stock market…There were other big factors in his suicide, but his perceived failures as an investor and speculator were an immense factor in putting him into a suicidal depression…We are not how much money we make. We are fathers, mothers, spouses, children, friends, lovers…Our money is a very small part of us. How much we made in the market is an even smaller part. Few obituaries talk about the investments the loved one made or how they did. No eulogist talks about whether the decedent got into Microsoft early or sold GE too soon.”
Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid, for your Father wants to give you the Kingdom. Sell what you have and give it to the poor. Make for yourselves purses that never wear out…Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” In other words Jesus was saying that we should make investments that last forever. If we measure our value by our net worth, and if our portfolios or bank accounts define who we are, then we miss out on the gift of the kingdom of God. We are not dressed for action, or ready for the Master to return.
Ben Cohen is the co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. As a result of the sale of the business, he became a very wealthy man. He has used some of his wealth to found an investment fund that buys companies in low income neighborhoods, where he can increase wages and other employee benefits. The first company that the fund bought was Sun and Earth, a maker of cleaning products. Since the company was purchased, wages are up as much as 23%, and the employees of the company have company-sponsored health insurance for the first time.
We may not have the financial resources to buy companies that benefit employees, but we can be generous with what we have. We can look beyond ourselves and share what we have with others. As someone has said, “In order to be generous, we need to recognize our selfishness.” We need to get in touch with reality. It is easy to settle for the status quo when everything is going well.
Jesus’ words call us to evaluate our lives, and see if we are ready for the Master to return. We can ask ourselves two questions. 1. Where is your treasure, what is really important to you? Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 2. Are you ready for the Master to return? If you knew that now was the time, would you be ready to put on your hat, jump out of bed, grab the suitcase, and be ready to go? As Jesus said, ”Blessed are those servants who are ready and awake when their master returns.”
Luke 12:32-40
This Scripture passage reminds me of an episode from the old “Dick Van Dyke Show”. The show involved the sit-com adventures of Rob and Laure Petrie, played by Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. The episode that I remember best is the one about the birth of their son Richie. In this episode they are expecting his arrival any minute. They are both nervous and waiting for a sign that they need to go to the hospital. It is bedtime and they are both lying in bed with the lights out. Then Laura makes a sound or says something that gives Rob the impression that is it time to go. His eyes pop open, he reaches behind his head for his hat, and in one swift move, he sits up, puts his hat on his head, and throws off the covers. It is then that we see that he is fully dressed, including sport coat, tie, and shoes. He steps out of the bed, grabs a suitcase, which has been strategically placed next to the bed, and is almost out the door before Laura can get his attention and tell him that it is not time to go yet. It is not time, but Rob is ready to go at a moment’s notice. He is dressed for action.
In the Scripture passage, Jesus tells his disciples to be dressed for action and to have their lamps lit. He says “You don’t know when the master of the house will return, so you need to always be ready.” Luke wrote this account when there were no high expectations that Jesus would return. He wrote about 40 years after the resurrection of Jesus, and about 10 years after the fall of Jerusalem. The times were fairly stable, much like the times in the world today. There is no threat of World War 3, nor is there a threat that there is a major world crisis on the horizon. The world is relatively quiet.
Jesus’ words today warn people to not be complacent, or to take too much for granted. He gives a wake-up call, or a reality check, to help people to remember what is ultimately important and what really matters. Sometimes we get a reality check in our personal lives. We, or someone we know, may get bad news from test results, or a tragedy may occur that touches our lives, or we may lose our jobs. Such events can cause us to ask ourselves what is really important.
A few years ago, Ben Stein wrote an article about his best friend, who was prominent English psychiatrist. His friend was 57 years old when he committed suicide in 2000. “The good doctor, probably as smart a man as I have known, was tormented by the stock market…There were other big factors in his suicide, but his perceived failures as an investor and speculator were an immense factor in putting him into a suicidal depression…We are not how much money we make. We are fathers, mothers, spouses, children, friends, lovers…Our money is a very small part of us. How much we made in the market is an even smaller part. Few obituaries talk about the investments the loved one made or how they did. No eulogist talks about whether the decedent got into Microsoft early or sold GE too soon.”
Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid, for your Father wants to give you the Kingdom. Sell what you have and give it to the poor. Make for yourselves purses that never wear out…Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” In other words Jesus was saying that we should make investments that last forever. If we measure our value by our net worth, and if our portfolios or bank accounts define who we are, then we miss out on the gift of the kingdom of God. We are not dressed for action, or ready for the Master to return.
Ben Cohen is the co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. As a result of the sale of the business, he became a very wealthy man. He has used some of his wealth to found an investment fund that buys companies in low income neighborhoods, where he can increase wages and other employee benefits. The first company that the fund bought was Sun and Earth, a maker of cleaning products. Since the company was purchased, wages are up as much as 23%, and the employees of the company have company-sponsored health insurance for the first time.
We may not have the financial resources to buy companies that benefit employees, but we can be generous with what we have. We can look beyond ourselves and share what we have with others. As someone has said, “In order to be generous, we need to recognize our selfishness.” We need to get in touch with reality. It is easy to settle for the status quo when everything is going well.
Jesus’ words call us to evaluate our lives, and see if we are ready for the Master to return. We can ask ourselves two questions. 1. Where is your treasure, what is really important to you? Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 2. Are you ready for the Master to return? If you knew that now was the time, would you be ready to put on your hat, jump out of bed, grab the suitcase, and be ready to go? As Jesus said, ”Blessed are those servants who are ready and awake when their master returns.”
Saturday, August 7, 2010
You Can't Take It With You
You Can’t Take It With You
Luke 12:13-21
How much money would it take to make you happy? Let’s say you are on a TV game show and you have already won $2,000. But on the show they offer you a chance to win $10,000. The catch is that in order to try to win the $10,000, you no longer would keep the $2,000 that you have already won. Would you take the risk of ending up with nothing to try and win $10,000?
In his speeches and conversations with people, Jesus often talked about money and possessions. In fact, 16 of his 38 parables deal with money and possessions. 1 of 10 verses in the Gospels deals with money. In the entire Bible there are roughly 500 verses about prayer, approximately 500 verses about faith, and over 2,000 verses about money. These numbers show that Jesus talked often about money and that he knew that money was important to the people in his times, just as it is important to us in our times.
In Luke 12:13ff, a man comes to Jesus with a problem. The problem is with the division of the family estate. The problem and the response of Jesus to it, raise several issues regarding money and possessions. One issue is competition and conflicts between people, in this case two brothers, regarding what belongs to whom. A second issue is greed. Jesus gives a warning about it. The third issue is about wealth and poverty. Jesus says that it is possible to be materially wealthy and spiritually poor.
The first issue of conflict is raised by the man’s request of Jesus. “Tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me. “ He asks Jesus to be a judge and to tell his brother to give him his share of the family estate. It is all too common for family members to have disagreements and conflict over inheritance when a loved one dies. It can test the love and patience within a family. The conflicts are not always resolved with family relationships intact. We all have a sense of what is fair and just. You might say we have this noble sense of what is right. We might not think it is fair when someone buys a new house, a new car, a boat, or expensive clothes. And children seem to learn early to complain when someone else gets more than they do. They can learn early to say that it’s not fair.
But Jesus doesn’t attempt to resolve the family conflict in this story. He knows that family relationships can be a good place to learn that life is not fair. Families can give us the opportunities to learn what it means to be gracious and what it means to live together in harmony. Jesus also knows that sometimes there are no winners in family conflicts. So he doesn’t directly address the issue of family conflict, but draws attention to another issue.
The second issue raised in this story is the problem of greed. He gives a warning to this man and to everyone within the sound of his voice. Jesus says, ”Take care. Be on guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” In other words, Jesus says that a good life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot of money and things. He says that there is more to life than just accumulating possessions.
The issue of greed is an important one in our society. We can all acknowledge that we live in a consumer society. We like to buy things. We are rarely satisfied. We think about things that we “need”, when we usually have everything that we need. But there are many things that we want. Somewhere I read that people have realized that money can’t buy happiness, so now they are trying credit cards.
Leo Tolstoy wrote a story entitled “How Much Land Does a Man Need?”. In the story, a man has a chance to buy all the land he could walk around in a one day trip for a thousand rubles. (Let’s say that was $1000.) In the story, the man walked as far as he could, and then a little farther. As he rushed to return to his starting point at the end of the day, the man collapsed and died. As the story ends, Tolstoy answers the question of how much land a man needs: “Six feet from his head to his heal was all he needed.”
The third issue in this Scripture lesson is poverty. Jesus tells the story of a rich farmer who had a bumper crop one year. So the farmer decided to build bigger barns to store the surplus. It sounds like a good business idea, a good investment. But Jesus goes on to say that this man would die soon after building the barns and his wealth would belong to someone else. The problem the man had was that while it may have been a good business move to build bigger barns, it was a bad life idea. The problem was that the farmer was selfish and tried to protect himself by hoarding his crop. He was only concerned about himself.
Jesus often taught that in order to be spiritually rich, people should share what they have with others. He told one man to sell all that he had and give it to the poor. He told others to welcome strangers, the poor, the homeless, and to help those in need. He watched a widow put two coins in the temple treasury, and said that she was faithful because her giving involved risk and faith. The farmer in this story could be called a poor rich man. He was rich in terms of this world’s goods, but he was poor in faith.
Life and money are both gifts from God. In this story, the farmer lost both his life and his money. The message is that if we only find meaning and security in what we have, that is, in our possessions, we are foolish. People who are obsessed with money and possessions live lonely lives. But Jesus says that there is more to life that what we own, or how much money we have. Jesus says that the quality of our lives is measured by how much we give to others. If we are generous in sharing what we have, then we will be rich in faith. After all, we can’t take it with us.
Luke 12:13-21
How much money would it take to make you happy? Let’s say you are on a TV game show and you have already won $2,000. But on the show they offer you a chance to win $10,000. The catch is that in order to try to win the $10,000, you no longer would keep the $2,000 that you have already won. Would you take the risk of ending up with nothing to try and win $10,000?
In his speeches and conversations with people, Jesus often talked about money and possessions. In fact, 16 of his 38 parables deal with money and possessions. 1 of 10 verses in the Gospels deals with money. In the entire Bible there are roughly 500 verses about prayer, approximately 500 verses about faith, and over 2,000 verses about money. These numbers show that Jesus talked often about money and that he knew that money was important to the people in his times, just as it is important to us in our times.
In Luke 12:13ff, a man comes to Jesus with a problem. The problem is with the division of the family estate. The problem and the response of Jesus to it, raise several issues regarding money and possessions. One issue is competition and conflicts between people, in this case two brothers, regarding what belongs to whom. A second issue is greed. Jesus gives a warning about it. The third issue is about wealth and poverty. Jesus says that it is possible to be materially wealthy and spiritually poor.
The first issue of conflict is raised by the man’s request of Jesus. “Tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me. “ He asks Jesus to be a judge and to tell his brother to give him his share of the family estate. It is all too common for family members to have disagreements and conflict over inheritance when a loved one dies. It can test the love and patience within a family. The conflicts are not always resolved with family relationships intact. We all have a sense of what is fair and just. You might say we have this noble sense of what is right. We might not think it is fair when someone buys a new house, a new car, a boat, or expensive clothes. And children seem to learn early to complain when someone else gets more than they do. They can learn early to say that it’s not fair.
But Jesus doesn’t attempt to resolve the family conflict in this story. He knows that family relationships can be a good place to learn that life is not fair. Families can give us the opportunities to learn what it means to be gracious and what it means to live together in harmony. Jesus also knows that sometimes there are no winners in family conflicts. So he doesn’t directly address the issue of family conflict, but draws attention to another issue.
The second issue raised in this story is the problem of greed. He gives a warning to this man and to everyone within the sound of his voice. Jesus says, ”Take care. Be on guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” In other words, Jesus says that a good life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot of money and things. He says that there is more to life than just accumulating possessions.
The issue of greed is an important one in our society. We can all acknowledge that we live in a consumer society. We like to buy things. We are rarely satisfied. We think about things that we “need”, when we usually have everything that we need. But there are many things that we want. Somewhere I read that people have realized that money can’t buy happiness, so now they are trying credit cards.
Leo Tolstoy wrote a story entitled “How Much Land Does a Man Need?”. In the story, a man has a chance to buy all the land he could walk around in a one day trip for a thousand rubles. (Let’s say that was $1000.) In the story, the man walked as far as he could, and then a little farther. As he rushed to return to his starting point at the end of the day, the man collapsed and died. As the story ends, Tolstoy answers the question of how much land a man needs: “Six feet from his head to his heal was all he needed.”
The third issue in this Scripture lesson is poverty. Jesus tells the story of a rich farmer who had a bumper crop one year. So the farmer decided to build bigger barns to store the surplus. It sounds like a good business idea, a good investment. But Jesus goes on to say that this man would die soon after building the barns and his wealth would belong to someone else. The problem the man had was that while it may have been a good business move to build bigger barns, it was a bad life idea. The problem was that the farmer was selfish and tried to protect himself by hoarding his crop. He was only concerned about himself.
Jesus often taught that in order to be spiritually rich, people should share what they have with others. He told one man to sell all that he had and give it to the poor. He told others to welcome strangers, the poor, the homeless, and to help those in need. He watched a widow put two coins in the temple treasury, and said that she was faithful because her giving involved risk and faith. The farmer in this story could be called a poor rich man. He was rich in terms of this world’s goods, but he was poor in faith.
Life and money are both gifts from God. In this story, the farmer lost both his life and his money. The message is that if we only find meaning and security in what we have, that is, in our possessions, we are foolish. People who are obsessed with money and possessions live lonely lives. But Jesus says that there is more to life that what we own, or how much money we have. Jesus says that the quality of our lives is measured by how much we give to others. If we are generous in sharing what we have, then we will be rich in faith. After all, we can’t take it with us.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Teach Us To Pray
Teach Us to Pray
Luke 11:1-13
There are times when we all will admit that prayer is not easy. In fact, it can often be very difficult. We sometimes, perhaps often, struggle to find the right words to say. And there are times when we say a prayer, and nothing happens, and we give up. We may also wonder whether our prayers are answered. Even if we knew that the answer was “No”, it would help us sometimes. And through all of this, we may begin to wonder if God even cares about us.
One day the disciples of Jesus had a request for him. “Teach us to pray.” they asked. His answer came is several different ways. He taught them what to pray with a model prayer. He told them to keep on praying. He also gave them a great promise related to prayer. And he told them that God really does care about them and wanted to hear their prayers.
The model prayer that Jesus gives to his disciples is the Lord’s Prayer, the best-known prayer in human history. There are two versions of the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible; this one is in Luke’s Gospel and the second is in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 6:9-13). The two versions are very similar, with Matthew’s version being a little longer than Luke’s version. Matthew’s version is the best known, and the one that is usually recited in public worship.
The Lord’s Prayer has two basic parts to it. The first part has to do with God’s will and the second part has to do with the needs of the ones who are saying the prayer. The prayer begins with references to God holiness (“Hallowed be your name.”-not Howard as referenced in a joke about God’s name), and then includes a prayer for God’s kingdom to come. (Matthew’s version adds the phrase “Your will be done on earth as in heaven.”) This is the part of the prayer that has to do with God’s will. The second part of the Lord’s Prayer then addresses the needs of the one who is praying. It includes prayers for daily bread, forgiveness, and deliverance from trials. The prayer begins with a reminder for the pray-er about who God is and then turns to the needs of the one who prays. The Lord’s Prayer provides a basic model for those who are looking for content for their prayers.
Jesus also tells his followers that they should be persistent in their prayers. He tells the story of a man who goes to his friend and asks for bread. The friend doesn’t want to give him bread, but Jesus says that he eventually does give him the bread because the man doesn’t give up. He keeps on asking. Jesus says no one should give up on prayer. We could say that we should be like the Energizer Bunny and just keep on praying. According to Jesus, persistent prayer will be rewarded.
There is also a great promise that is related to prayer. Jesus says it this way: “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Of course, we all know that this is not a magical formula that gives us power to get anything that we want. Sometimes we may ask for the wrong things, and so we don’t get them. At other times, we may be impatient, because we don’t get what we want or need as fast as we would like. And there are times when the answers that we get to our prayers are not the answers that we wanted. In that case, we may remember a line from a song sung by Garth Brooks: “Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers.” In the midst of all of that, the promise is still there that if we ask, seek, and knock, that we will receive, find, and the door will be opened. When we remember that promise, it can help us to remember to pray.
Jesus ends this session on prayer by saying that God is like a loving parent. God wants what is best for us. God is always watching over us and wants to give us everything that we need. We don’t pray to a god who makes unreasonable demands, or one who is far away from us. But we pray to God who loves us, is near to us, and wants us to live happy and productive lives. God wants us to draw closer to Him and to each other. Prayer is one of those activities that helps us to love God and one another with all of our hearts. It makes us better people.
Those first disciples made the request for us. “Teach us to pray.” The answer begins with the model prayer, The Lord’s Prayer. But that is only the beginning. We are encouraged to be persistent in our prayers, and not give up. We are told to remember the promise that when we ask, we will receive. And through it all, we are challenged to remember that God loves us, watches over us, and wants the best for us, just like a loving parent wants the best for their children.
Luke 11:1-13
There are times when we all will admit that prayer is not easy. In fact, it can often be very difficult. We sometimes, perhaps often, struggle to find the right words to say. And there are times when we say a prayer, and nothing happens, and we give up. We may also wonder whether our prayers are answered. Even if we knew that the answer was “No”, it would help us sometimes. And through all of this, we may begin to wonder if God even cares about us.
One day the disciples of Jesus had a request for him. “Teach us to pray.” they asked. His answer came is several different ways. He taught them what to pray with a model prayer. He told them to keep on praying. He also gave them a great promise related to prayer. And he told them that God really does care about them and wanted to hear their prayers.
The model prayer that Jesus gives to his disciples is the Lord’s Prayer, the best-known prayer in human history. There are two versions of the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible; this one is in Luke’s Gospel and the second is in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 6:9-13). The two versions are very similar, with Matthew’s version being a little longer than Luke’s version. Matthew’s version is the best known, and the one that is usually recited in public worship.
The Lord’s Prayer has two basic parts to it. The first part has to do with God’s will and the second part has to do with the needs of the ones who are saying the prayer. The prayer begins with references to God holiness (“Hallowed be your name.”-not Howard as referenced in a joke about God’s name), and then includes a prayer for God’s kingdom to come. (Matthew’s version adds the phrase “Your will be done on earth as in heaven.”) This is the part of the prayer that has to do with God’s will. The second part of the Lord’s Prayer then addresses the needs of the one who is praying. It includes prayers for daily bread, forgiveness, and deliverance from trials. The prayer begins with a reminder for the pray-er about who God is and then turns to the needs of the one who prays. The Lord’s Prayer provides a basic model for those who are looking for content for their prayers.
Jesus also tells his followers that they should be persistent in their prayers. He tells the story of a man who goes to his friend and asks for bread. The friend doesn’t want to give him bread, but Jesus says that he eventually does give him the bread because the man doesn’t give up. He keeps on asking. Jesus says no one should give up on prayer. We could say that we should be like the Energizer Bunny and just keep on praying. According to Jesus, persistent prayer will be rewarded.
There is also a great promise that is related to prayer. Jesus says it this way: “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Of course, we all know that this is not a magical formula that gives us power to get anything that we want. Sometimes we may ask for the wrong things, and so we don’t get them. At other times, we may be impatient, because we don’t get what we want or need as fast as we would like. And there are times when the answers that we get to our prayers are not the answers that we wanted. In that case, we may remember a line from a song sung by Garth Brooks: “Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers.” In the midst of all of that, the promise is still there that if we ask, seek, and knock, that we will receive, find, and the door will be opened. When we remember that promise, it can help us to remember to pray.
Jesus ends this session on prayer by saying that God is like a loving parent. God wants what is best for us. God is always watching over us and wants to give us everything that we need. We don’t pray to a god who makes unreasonable demands, or one who is far away from us. But we pray to God who loves us, is near to us, and wants us to live happy and productive lives. God wants us to draw closer to Him and to each other. Prayer is one of those activities that helps us to love God and one another with all of our hearts. It makes us better people.
Those first disciples made the request for us. “Teach us to pray.” The answer begins with the model prayer, The Lord’s Prayer. But that is only the beginning. We are encouraged to be persistent in our prayers, and not give up. We are told to remember the promise that when we ask, we will receive. And through it all, we are challenged to remember that God loves us, watches over us, and wants the best for us, just like a loving parent wants the best for their children.
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