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The
Church, Money and You Gospel:Matthew
18:15-20
This morning I want to talk to you about the Church and money and you. Now I am well aware that there are still a number of people who feel that money has no place in the pulpit, that clergy ought not to preach about money. Indeed, there are people who refuse to come to church if they know or suspect that we are going to talk about money. Now this has always mystified me because, quite frankly, our Lord never hesitated to talk about money - and his hearers never seemed to have much hesitancy about listening. I wonder if you've ever taken a close look at the so-called "Sermon on the Mount?" There are in this single sermon by Jesus no less than ten pronouncements about money--three of which The Book of Common Prayer uses for offertory sentences. What I want to do this morning is to take three of his sayings in this sermon and use them in answer to what seems to me to be the crucial question here. What does Jesus say about money? We're convinced that he does not hesitate to talk about money. All right, what does he have to say? I. FIRST, JESUS SAYS THAT YOU AND I BELONG NOT JUST TO THIS WORLD, BUT TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. "Make yourselves money bags that never wear out ... make sure your treasure is safe in heaven." The world blithely says, "You can't take it with you." Jesus says (in a more traditional translation), "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." Which is right? During the Annual Fund Campaign time we usually hear talk about returning to God His material blessings to us, and we may quite rightly ask the question: What do you mean, return to God? How does my giving to the Church become a gift to God? Why don't they admit they need money for fuel and program and salaries? Tell us what it is, shake us down and leave out all the pious nonsense about returning a portion to God. Well, here's the reason right here in "The Sermon on the Mount." As far as Jesus is concerned giving to the work of God's Church is much more than supporting a charity. It has eternal dimensions. It has to do with what kind of person you are. It has to do with God and His eternal Kingdom. It has to do with your place in that Kingdom, because no matter what the world says--no matter what your sophisticated common sense says--Jesus says, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth . . . lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." II. NEXT, JESUS SAYS THAT HOW YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY REVEALS WHAT YOU TRULY VALUE. "Your heart will always be where your treasure is." Now this seems logical enough until we really look into it. We would say it just the opposite. Where your heart is--where your interest lies--there will your money follow. In my first parish I once made known my own pledge (if for no other reason than to convince the people that clergymen do pledge to the support of their own parish). Do you know what the answer was from many quarters? "Why of course, you're close to the operation. This is your life, why shouldn't you give and give liberally?" Where your heart is-- where your interest is--there is your money also. Quite logical. III. FINALLY, JESUS WARNS THAT WE'RE ALL IN DANGER OF BEING HYPOCRITES WHERE MONEY IS CONCERNED Jesus tells us that, "No man can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and mammon." Now the derivation of the word "mammon" here is obscure, but its meaning is quite plain. It means riches, treasure, property, material success. You cannot serve God and money. Now in a scientific age, the simple law of physics that two things cannot occupy the same place at the same time should be obvious enough--but it is not. I grow mightily weary of all the screaming and breast beating about prayers in school and Bible reading in school and how the government is undermining our God-fearing heritage. Do you know what this God-fearing nation spent on its God-centered heritage last year? It spent less that one half of one percent of its' income on God. It spent twice as much on TV; twice as much on cosmetics; four times as much on tobacco; eight times as much on alcoholic beverages; ten times as much on recreation; a total of twenty-six times as much on recreation, TV, cosmetics, tobacco and alcohol, as it spent on God's work. Is it any wonder the world laughs when we call for a return to religious values and for prayers in the public schools? Think about how ludicrous we sound, calling for more religion in everyday life when our actual behavior says clearly that we don't care enough about it to pay for its minimal support. You cannot serve God and mammon. America puts 98% of its funds into success, convenience, and comfort; only one and a half percent into the work and worship of this God whom we claim to honor above all else. Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and riches." Three thoughts
then, from "The Sermon on the Mount":
These three thoughts about the Church and Money and You are not from the National Church Office or the parish Stewardship Committee or from your Interim Rector. They come directly from the lips of our Lord, whom you and I claim to love with all our hearts and souls and minds and strength. What you decide to do about using your money in a way that reflects your faith-commitment is up to you--you can change your financial priorities if you want to. In closing, let me simply remind you that Jesus grew up in a culture that values stories. One well-known story he must have heard as a child concerns the simple village priest, Nazridin, who was a constant object of humor. Especially the young people saw him as a ridiculous figure and sought ways to expose him as a bumbling fraud. One day three young men came up with a plan. They would each take a sparrow, cup it in their hands and approach old Nazridin in the market place, in the midst of a crowd, and challenge him to tell them what they held between their hands. He would have no idea, but even if he guessed, they would ask him if the birds were dead or alive. Should he say, "dead," they'd release the sparrow to fly away. If he said, "alive" they'd just squeeze their hands together and that would be that. Well, the day of their planned confrontation arrived. They gathered around Nazridin. "Ho, great prophet! You know everything; understand all mysteries. Tell us, what do we hold in our hands?" The entire crowd stopped to listen. Nazridin noticed the tiny feather floating down from one pair of hands. He said, "You are holding three birds." A gasp was heard as everyone sensed that the answer had been correct. Then the young man played the trump card: "Ah yes, but are the birds dead or alive?" To this Nazridin smiled and softly replied before walking away, "The answer to that question is in your hands." Just so, the answer to the question of how you deal with money--whether it serves God's purposes or your own--is in your hands. Copyright Calvary Episcopal Church 2002 Gospel:
Matthew 18:15-20 |
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