August 3 – Sermon
Merciful God, please fill our hearts with the passion to share whatever resources You have placed in our hands with people near and far. Please make us rich in Christ, inspiring us to be generous people. Please encourage us to minister to those in need. For we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
How much stuff is enough? What size house is big enough?
How much money is enough? How much food is enough? How much of anything is enough?
If some is good, is more always better?
The answer is certainly NO. Money and possessions and the things of this world can easily become false Gods to which we submit our lives. Jesus told the parable in our Gospel about the man who was obsessed with money. Apparently, two brothers were fighting over the inheritance—(probably the younger brother was angry because the older brother got everything.) Things got ugly quickly. Instead of remembering the loved one who died, the focus fell on the stuff he left behind. Instead of memories, there was coveting. Instead of mourning, there was fighting. Instead of love, there was greed.
Jesus didn’t want any part of it. Who made me a judge or arbitrator over you? Fight if you want, but don’t expect me to help with that. There’s greater importance than money and possessions. Which is what the parable Jesus told is about.
The parable continues about a man who got such a great harvest, he had to build more and bigger barns! He had to protect it, make sure it didn’t slip away and he was successful — nothing happened to his stuff. But something happened to him. He died. While taking care of his stuff he neglected the care of his soul.
Physical blessings in and of themselves are not bad. They are all gifts from God. The danger is that these physical blessings not only capture our eyes but capture our hearts as well and when they do, they become false Gods who take your soul.
This man who asked Jesus for help called Jesus teacher. Which in one sense, was correct. But of course Jesus was/is so much more than that! Jesus isn’t just a teacher, just a judge, or an arbitrator, He came to give up everything—including His very life for people like us. He came to TAKE our judgment and GIVE His full inheritance to all who believe. He didn’t come to arbitrate between us, or to split his inheritance between us and then let us fight over it! Jesus’ inheritance is all or nothing.
God the Father said to the Son: Go, give them Your inheritance. They have nothing. They are poor miserable sinners. Save them. Jesus didn’t say: I’m not going to do that…It’s all mine! You gave it to ME! Jesus came and was born, lived and died for the likes of us.
The inheritance Jesus offers is forgiveness, life, and salvation—all of which have eternal benefits. It isn’t divided into smaller and smaller parts when more people come – it never runs out, never grows smaller.
So how much is enough?
What is the worth of God’s Word?
How much value does the church have?
Prayer, absolution, Christian fellowship, God’s way of life—how important are these things to you?
There are two ways to answer these questions. There’s the right way, and then there’s the way of cultural Christians. How much church—worship time is enough? An hour a week seems the status quo.
How about God’s Word? A few minutes a day should cover it. Prayer? A quick one liner before meals seems to be plenty. Bible Study? I learned it all in confirmation.
We are more like the man in the parable, addressing our soul on the basis of what we have, rather than on what we have in Jesus. It really comes down to faith and trust. It means we live in our inheritance more and more each day. It means we are thankful for the forgiveness Jesus won for us.
Children often think they know better than Mom and Dad, but rarely is that true. Your parents have experienced all the mistakes you’re going to make, and all the stupid things you’re going to do. But we—like children, often think we know better than God – how to run this world and our own lives – but we don’t. God knows about life in this world because He came and lived among us. He went through everything we go through! True wisdom is when we listen and follow Him so when all you have in this world is taken away, or left behind, you will have lost nothing. For your true riches, are safe and secure with your Savior in heaven.
But how easily satan causes us to forget the one who matters and fixate on what doesn’t. Paul tells the church in Colossi: Set your minds, and your hearts, focus your eyes, on things that are above. On things that matter, not the things that don’t. On the life that will last forever, not the life that will end. In your baptism you were raised with Christ. In your baptism you died to sin – died to its control, died to its influence. There is nothing worth comparing to the comfort we have in Holy Baptism, in the words and promises of God, in Jesus.
Remember that next time you’re tempted to lust after someone outside your marriage. Remember the next time you’re tempted to dump the 5th commandment because of your wrath and anger. The next time you’re tempted to throw away the 8th commandment by being jealous and resentful of someone else. The next time you’re tempted to trample the 4th commandment by stomping on your parents or your employer, or anyone else in authority. The next time you covet and argue about and grab for the things of this world, like the man in the Gospel today. How sad it is when we choose sin over celebrating the victory in Jesus. Don’t throw away the resurrected life Jesus gave us in our baptism.
So our request today – and everyday – should be this:
Savior, feed me and help me feed others.
Savior, raise my heart and mind to things above, and help me to encourage others. My I never forget the riches You have given me in baptism; riches that cannot be taken away.
Heavenly Father, shift our values and make us rich in Christ…make us a generous people. Amen.
