Responsibility
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
This week's gospel text can be a difficult one to approach -- while the final verse, in which Jesus declares that we cannot serve both God and wealth, seems straightforward, the preceding parable of the Shrewd Manager seems quite confusing... particularly since the manager's boss commends him for his dishonesty. In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Ron Love notes that perhaps the key verse of the lection is when Jesus says that "Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much." Ron points out that this is an important lesson for Christian behavior, for what Jesus is doing here is teaching us that we are called to act responsibly in all matters before us -- both great and small. When we act responsibly, people will benefit and be blessed by our self-sacrificing behavior. But all too often, like the manager, we think of ourselves as shrewd for exploiting the short-term advantages we can gain from cutting corners -- while ignoring the much more consequential matter of how that can tarnish our integrity. As Jesus distills it, life is a test of our fitness for responsibility -- so can God trust us with the true riches of the kingdom?
Team member Mary Austin offers some additional reflections that tie together Jesus' observation that we cannot serve both God wealth with the Jeremiah passage. Noting that the current economic downturn is causing many to reevaluate their consumption-based lifestyle (and even contemplate the future of the traditional "American dream"), Mary wonders if we might -- like Jeremiah -- see the word of God speaking to us in the signs of the times.
Responsibility
by Ron Love
Luke 16:1-13
THE WORLD
Responsibility -- it's something we all seek at our places of employment, in the community, as members of civic organizations, and in the church. Many contend that the desire to hold a position of responsibility originates from an ambitious desire for power, prestige, and financial reimbursement. This is true for some, but not for everyone. There are other reasons why people like to be placed in positions of responsibility. They might have ideas that they would like to have implemented; perhaps they have issues that they would like to see resolved. Some people want to be in a position that can provide guidance and direction; they feel a special call to the task assigned them. Perhaps most importantly, they feel a sense of personal satisfaction for having made a positive contribution.
The issue, however, is that whatever their motivation, those individuals who seek responsibility must act responsibly. And this extends well beyond the area where they are called into leadership, but must be reflected in all aspects of their lives. When one defines character, being a responsible person is one of the key components. This is not a selective attribute, but is indicative of the entire aspect of integrity. In fact, if one employs a pick-and-choose attitude about the things one will preside over studiously, can that individual be considered a responsible person? I would think not.
Reading the daily paper and watching the evening news demonstrates to us just how irresponsible some supposedly responsible people can be. For example, the Washington Post reported this past week that Capitol Hill employees, who act as advisers to Senators and Congressmen, owe $9.3 million in overdue taxes -- at the same time some in Congress are urging that government workers who owe money to the IRS should be fired. These "responsible" leaders who are to guide us out of the greatest recession since the 1920s certainly are not good stewards of their own budgets. Are we to consider them worthy of the responsibility of overseeing the national budget even though they display fiscal irresponsibility in their own financial affairs? If they cannot manage a little, how can they manage a lot? The discrepancy is real and the crossover of behavior is real.
If we truly want to be responsible individuals, then this attribute must permeate all aspects of our lives.
THE WORD
One of the main themes in this week's gospel text featuring the parable of the Shrewd Manager is the importance of acting responsibly. This message becomes most apparent in verses 10-13, in which Jesus follows up the parable with an important and thought-provoking explication: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." In the well-known closing verse of this lection, he outlines exactly what that means in terms of our priorities when he states that "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
Good stewardship means judiciously presiding over all things that are entrusted to us. It is to give equal credence to both the seemingly unimportant as well as the very important. And from the verses that precede verse 10, it becomes clear that also means stewardship is not to be engaged in for self-gratification, but for the well-being of all persons.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
While preparing your sermon, the following outline may be helpful:
I. Discuss the meaning of responsibility. Share stories -- both from the news and ones that you are personally familiar with -- that demonstrate good and poor actions. Discuss how good, responsible decisions benefit all individuals involved. Demonstrate how a person who acts irresponsibly, seeking that which is only for his/her own benefit, demeans other individuals in the process. Further, discuss how responsible behavior is a Christian virtue.
II. Dialogue with the congregation on the meaning of the parable of the Shrewd Manager. Lift up specific passages and examine how they apply to us today. Make reference to other biblical personalities and how their responsible behavior was godlike. Also, discuss how their actions came with no personal gain except the satisfaction of being a faithful servant. Contrast biblical personalities who displayed godly behavior with those who opposed the teachings of God. Show how those who engaged in self-serving behavior ruined lives and destroyed nations.
III. In conclusion, emphasize that we must act responsibly on all matters set before us. We cannot live a dual life where in one area we are admired for our thoughtful leadership while in others we can only be looked upon with disdain. Emphasize Jesus' teaching that we must be responsible over all things, both the seemingly insignificant and the most significant.
ANOTHER VIEW
by Mary Austin
Jeremiah 8:18--9:3
In this week's Old Testament lectionary we see Jeremiah speaking to the people of Israel in times turbulent enough that we can recognize our own struggles in his words. Prophesying to Judah, the Southern Kingdom, his words reflect the reality of both the sixth century BCE and the twenty-first century CE. In the tradition of the prophets of ancient Israel, Jeremiah sees the signs of the times as a message from God. During the time of his ministry, the holy city of Jerusalem fell to a foreign power and the way of life that Israel had known came to an end, with part of the population was carried off to Babylon in exile. For Israel, this was a disaster to be remembered forever, a break in the nation's spirit like the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the assassination of President Kennedy, or the events of 9/11 have been for America.
If we, like Jeremiah, were to see national events and trends as signs from God, what might we see? What word from the Creator might be found in the oil spill in the Gulf? What message from the Liberator of All would be contained in the unceasing violence in Palestine and Israel, the Congo, or Somalia? What is the Holy One saying to us in the continuing rebuilding of Haiti, and the struggles of the people there for food, shelter, and safety?
On a personal level, many people have taken the recession as an inspiration to cut back on spending, to cook at home instead of eating out, to reconnect with neighbors, and to find entertainment in projects and making things rather than buying trips and experiences. Savings rates are up, smaller homes are back in style, and excess is again unfashionable. As individuals, we are trying to live more thoughtfully and frugally, taking our individual pinched finances as a nudge to reevaluate where our money goes, and how much happiness it brings us along the way. Watching our spending reveals what we really need -- and what we buy to alleviate boredom, impress someone else, or just because we can.
Are there also are lessons to be learned on a larger, community level?
A recent column by David Brooks notes that some people are seeing the changing economy as a call to new values. He cites the example of David Platt, pastor of a suburban church in Alabama, who has come to see wealth and the Christian gospel as being at odds with each other. In his recent book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, Platt calls out megachurches for being more like corporations than churches -- suggesting that entertainment, child care, programs, coffee, and parking are all ways that churches compete for their share of the "church market."
As Brooks says in the column: "Jesus, Platt notes, made it hard on his followers. He created a minichurch, not a mega one. Today, however, building budgets dwarf charitable budgets, and Jesus is portrayed as a genial suburban dude. When we gather in the church building to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves."
In reflecting on this, Brooks notes that "The tension between good and plenty, God and mammon, became the central tension in American life... explaining why America is at once so religious and so materialist." According to Brooks, Pastor Platt doesn't believe that the two can live together comfortably. Says Platt: "The American dream radically differs from the call of Jesus and the essence of the gospel."
As people of faith, God's call to us is inevitably to focus on others, to seek justice and wholeness, food and shelter, for those who need it. The American gospel of prosperity as a sign of God's favor is contrary to Jesus' call to attend to the least and the lost. If these tough economic times find us more lost and more like the least of these than we ever wanted to be, perhaps the recession is a modern prophet calling us to reexamine our lives.
Jeremiah weeps over the injustices found in Israel, and his weeping mirrors God's own distress. In the same way, we find ourselves weeping over the poverty, hunger, and uncertainty around us. If we want something to do with our pain, Pastor Platt has a suggestion. He invites his readers to live on an income of no more than $50,000 a year, and to give anything else away. Such a radical change of lifestyle may require going cold turkey from our comfortable lives and starting with a year in a poorer part of the world.
Brooks comments that "Platt's arguments are old, but they emerge at a post-excess moment, when attitudes toward material life are up for grabs."
Is God speaking to us through the events of our time? If so, what is God telling us about how we live as individuals, and as a community of faith? The arguments are indeed old -- as ancient as the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures, as old as God's call to us to live differently from the world around us, as timeless as the invitation to trust in God for all that we need.
ILLUSTRATIONS
The French statesman Leon Blum (1872-1950) said, "Life does not give itself to who tries to keep all its advantages at once. I have often thought morality may perhaps consist solely in the courage of making a choice."
In the parable of the Shrewd Manager, Jesus discusses the meaning of making courageous choices. Jesus put it in terms of acting responsibly -- a courageous person makes decisions not based on self-benefit, but on the good of the community. A courageous person acts responsibly in matters both great and small.
* * *
Where Does the Money Go?
According to the US Department of Labor, here is how much the average American household spends on different things each year:
Entertainment: $2,698
Contributions to charity: $1,821
Reading material: $118
Transportation: $8,758 (about $2,500 on gasoline)
Tobacco: $373
Housing: $16,920
Healthcare: $2,858
Insurance: $5,336
Alcohol: $457
Food: $6,113
Meanwhile the average, per capita annual income in the following countries is:
Afghanistan: $466
Bangladesh: $494
Benin: $767
Burundi: $137
Cambodia: $769
Pakistan: $1010
How can we expect these people to accept our Jesus when our lifestyle is so different from theirs? When they look at us what do they believe that we worship?
* * *
Here are some other examples of American Mammon:
Cost of the average wedding in the USA is now $19,581 (Modern Bride magazine)
Cost of owning a dog -- the first year is $1260 (ASPCA)
Cost of a four-year college degree on average -- private school: $156,112 (if tuition doesn't increase during the four years)
Cost of a four-year college degree on average -- state school: $77,552 (if tuition doesn't increase)
* * *
Writing for investopedia.com, Amy Bell identifies these as the six most outrageously priced consumer products in American culture:
1. Movie theater popcorn: Markup is about 1275% and it's really bad for you if you get that fake butter.
2. Greeting cards: Markup is about 100-200%. It's just folded cardboard you know.
3. College textbooks: Their average price has increased 186% since 1986 and now constitutes 26% of the total cost of college. No wonder some students now rent these expensive tomes.
4. Bottled water: 46% comes from municipal taps.
5. Printer ink: The average price is 71 cents per ml. Compare that to blood at 41 cents per ml; milk at about 5 cents per ml; and gasoline at about 7 cents per ml on average. Remember what they say about drugs? "The first one is free."
6. Designer apparel: Is that $25 pair of blue jeans really worth $200 if there's a designer's label on the hip pocket?
Why do companies charge so much for these items? Well, there's a lot of talk and rationalizing -- but what it mostly boils down to is "they can." They charge that much because we will pay it. Some of these things we have convinced ourselves we have to have, and some we just want -- but either way, we line up for the chance to buy this stuff.
* * *
The 2010 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book is out already. Noted as the most expensive catalog in the world, it features more decadence than you could fit in the Jolly Green Giant's Christmas stocking and begs the question: What's the reason for the season?
* There's the Special Neiman Marcus edition of the Jaguar XJL, only $105,000.
* You can have a life-size statue of yourself built out of Legos for only $60,000. Add your spouse for another $60K.
* Or put a weatherproof outdoor Pantel television on your patio for only $26,000.
* A Cartier extra-large Roadster Steel Chronograph is $8,575. (A chronograph is an expensive watch.)
* Or you can scrimmage with the Harlem Globetrotters for the bargain price of $120,000.
* * *
In January 2009, after receiving about $45 billion in taxpayer-financed bailouts, Citigroup took delivery of a new $50 million jet complete with leather seats. They defended their decision by saying that they were selling some of their old jets and this one would actually save them money because it was more fuel-efficient.
But anyone who has had to weigh the cost of a fuel-efficient car over the amount they will save on gas mileage knows that rationale is a thin one. Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine, offered this advice: "Put it on sale."
Securities attorney Jacob Zamansky added, "They just don't get it."
* * *
"The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of evolutionary spirit. Greed in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, [for] knowledge, has marked the upward surge of humankind, and greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much."
Thus spake Gordon Gecko, the appropriately named lizard of Oliver Stone's now classic movie Wall Street. Gecko, played with sleazy, ruthless charisma by Michael Douglas, is the success story we are supposed to love to hate, the Wall Street money manipulator who makes millions not by producing something but by simply taking it away from other people -- the classic example of the idolater worshiping at Mammon's altar.
But someone didn't get the joke. Douglas reports that MBA students who have seen clips from the movie in ethics classes shake his hand and tell him, "You're the man!"
And now Gordon Gecko is back. Twenty-two years after the first movie, the sequel to Wall Street is about to hit the big screen just as Gecko is released from prison. What will he be up to this time, and will our future business leaders get the joke?
We may not know for another 22 years.
* * *
One day a church was burglarized, and when the robber opened the bank bag he found $70,000 -- in pledge cards. One can only imagine his disappointment.
That burglar learned a lesson the unjust manager knew very well: that you can't steal commitment. Neither can unprincipled people in the marketplace steal our commitment to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
* * *
There's a homely old fable about a $1 bill and a $20 bill that meet each other in the teller's drawer at the bank. "Where have you been?" the $1 bill asks the $20.
"Oh, I've been to places you've never dreamed of," says Jackson's head to Washington's. "Fancy restaurants, casinos, shopping malls -- every week brings something different. How about you?"
"Oh, my life isn't nearly as exciting as yours," admits the one, dejectedly. "Every week it's the same old thing: church, church, church!"
Why is it that the work of God so often takes second place -- not only in terms of money, but also in terms of time? As hard as the children of light work and as generously as they give, there always seem to be "children of this age" who are working harder and contributing more -- sacrificing their offerings at the altar of self-interest.
* * *
The prophet Jeremiah, overcome with grief and empathy for the suffering of his people, asks why there is no healing in the land. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why has the health of my poor people not been restored?
Well, there may not be any healing in Gilead -- but there is in Memphis.
That's where the Heartsong Church has placed on their lawn a big sign welcoming the new Muslim community center and mosque that is being built just down the street. In fact, when construction went slower than planned and the Muslims needed a place to worship, the Heartsong Church opened their doors and made their hall available. And last month the Muslims issued an invitation to the Christians to join them for the feast that celebrated the end of Ramadan, and they did!
Christians and Muslims living, sharing, feasting together. There is a balm in Memphis -- and it is called Christian love and charity.
* * *
Singer Wyclef Jean has an affinity for his birth nation. Haiti is his native country, and his mother still resides there -- and he is so interested in its future that he filed papers to run for president of Haiti. However, the law requires that all candidates must have lived in Haiti for the past five years. So, as he has not met the residence requirement, Haitian courts have disqualified him and his candidacy has ended.
Jeremiah expresses his grief for his people and their suffering. But what separates Jeremiah from Wyclef Jean is that Jeremiah did not leave his people to achieve fame and fortune in another country while his people remained island-bound in poverty. Wyclef Jean may have been moved with pity and sorrow, but for years it was only from afar. Jeremiah, on the other hand, remained in solidarity with his kinsmen in the land of Judah. If our witness and demonstration of concern is to be authentic, then we cannot dwell upon the hills but we must join our people in the valleys of life.
* * *
Do you still change your oil every 3,000 miles? A report by the California Integrated Waste Management Board now recommends changing one's automotive oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles. With improvements in the oil itself and more efficient engines in cars made in the last seven or eight years, anything less than that is unnecessary. But why do we still insist on the 3,000 mile change? Because, according to Kristen Huff, vice president at Blackstone, "They do what their dad did with his '55 Chevy." Also, according to Chris Martin, a spokesman for Honda, we still change oil at 3,000 miles because "the Jiffy Lubes of the world have done a good job convincing people." Writing in the New York Times, Alina Tugend notes that she continues with the every 3,000-mile routine because "childhood habits are hard to undo. But sometimes, we need to throw away our parents' good advice."
In his letter to Timothy, after recounting the blessings of Jesus, Paul said that "I am telling you the truth, I am not lying." Emphatic words. But they needed to be, for he was asking people to give up the ways of their fathers. Traditions and beliefs that they held since childhood had now been "modernized" with the Resurrection.
When we witness for Jesus Christ, we must be mindful of how difficult it is for people to reorient their lives. Witnessing requires patience and persistence.
* * *
It was recently reported that the average teenager sends 92 Twitter messages a day. No matter how fast they are on the thumb, this still has to be a time-consuming process. And such a large number of messages mean that they have a lot to say, when even the most trivial must seem relevant and important.
In this week's lectionary reading Paul urges Timothy and his followers to be constantly in prayer, and that is to be praying for "everyone." Not to discredit the youthful enthusiasm for Twitter and other forms of instant messaging, but one could only hope that they are also equally involved in intercessory prayer.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: God calls us to worship.
People: We come to bring our praises to God.
Leader: God calls us to responsibility.
People: We come to learn from our faithful God.
Leader: God calls us to responsibility in all our lives.
People: As God's image, we will strive to be responsible.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty"
found in:
UMH: 64
H82: 362
PH: 138
AAHH: 329
NNBH: 1
NCH: 277
CH: 4
LBW: 165
Renew: 204
"O God, Our Help in Ages Past"
found in:
UMH: 117
H82: 680
AAHH: 170
NNBH: 46
NCH: 25
CH: 67
LBW: 320
"O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee"
found in:
UMH: 430
H82: 659, 660
PH: 357
NNBH: 445
NCH: 503
CH: 602
LBW: 492
"Make Me a Captive, Lord"
found in:
UMH: 421
PH: 378
"Trust and Obey"
found in:
UMH: 467
AAHH: 380
NNBH: 322
CH: 556
"O Zion, Haste"
found in:
UMH: 573
H82: 539
NNBH: 422
LBW: 397
"How Shall They Hear the Word of God"
found in:
UMH: 649
"I Want to Be Ready"
found in:
UMH: 722
NCH: 616
"God, You Are My God"
found in:
CCB: 60
"Open Our Eyes, Lord"
found in:
CCB: 77
Renew: 91
"Find Us Faithful" by Steve Green
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who is always faithful: Grant us the grace to truly reflect your image by making us responsible in all our actions; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come into your presence, O God, and celebrate your great faithfulness to us and to all your creation. As your Spirit fills us during this time of worship, may we be empowered to act with responsibility so that we reflect you image more clearly. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways in which our irresponsibility dulls our reflection of God's faithfulness.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have given your good creation for us to watch over as your stewards, and we have misused it for our own selfish purposes. We have polluted the air, the water, and the ground of your good earth. We have poisoned the earth and ourselves. You have given us the gift of community, but we have sinned against one another and divided the peoples of the earth into armed camps. We have not been reflections of your faithfulness, but have instead been reflections of our own irresponsibility. Forgive us and call us once more to being your responsible people who truly reflect your faithfulness. Amen.
Leader: God is faithful and with joy welcomes you to once again take your place as God's responsible stewards of creation and of each other.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship and adore you, our faithful God, for you are the Rock of Ages who shelters us and preserves us.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have given your good creation for us to watch over as your stewards, and we have misused it for our own selfish purposes. We have polluted the air, the water, and the ground of your good earth. We have poisoned the earth and ourselves. You have given us the gift of community, but we have sinned against one another and divided the peoples of the earth into armed camps. We have not been reflections of your faithfulness, but have instead been reflections of our own irresponsibility. Forgive us, and call us once more to being your responsible people who truly reflect your faithfulness.
We offer our thanksgivings to you for all the ways in which you have acted in faithful caring toward us. We thank you for your Spirit that dwells within us and among us, calling us to wholeness and you. We thank you for those who have been responsible in their dealings with us so that we learned about your faithfulness.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for each other and for all your creation. We pray for those who have not found the world or those around them to be responsible co-habitants of this earth. Many have suffered from violence and abuse; many have been deserted and forsaken. As you move among them, may our love and care be part of your healing presence.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Visuals
pictures of people doing the "right" thing: picking up trash, helping each other, and the like
Children's Sermon Starter
Ask the children what the job of a firefighter is. What about a lifeguard at the pool or beach? Talk about what would happen if these people didn't do their job. When they do their job, they are being responsible. Our job is to love God and to treat each other with kindness and justice. Talk about how we can do that each day.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Responsibility
Luke 16:1-13
Objects: rolls of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and a $20 bill
Good morning, boys and girls! Today we are going to talk about responsibility. Is there anyone here that knows what the word "responsibility" means? (let them answer) Responsibility means that you keep your promises and do the things that you are supposed to do. If you are supposed to walk the dog and you do it, then you are a responsible person. If you do your homework and turn it in on time, then you are a responsible person. If you do these things only some of the time, then you are not always responsible. If you never do them when you are asked, then you are irresponsible and cannot be trusted. The older we get, the more responsible we are supposed to be. But that does not always happen.
Money can teach us how to be responsible. Here is a roll of pennies. How many pennies are in this roll? (let them answer) There are fifty pennies in a roll. This is a roll of nickels. How many nickels are in a roll? (let them answer) There are forty nickels in a roll. Forty nickels are worth $2, and fifty pennies are worth 50¢. There are fifty dimes in a roll, but it is worth $5. In this roll of quarters there are forty coins, but it is worth $10. We could have one $20 bill, and it would be two times as much money as a roll of forty quarters.
Has anyone ever given you a $20 bill? (let them answer) This is a lot of responsibility, and maybe it is too much for you now. Has anyone given you a roll of quarters, dimes, nickels, or pennies? (let them answer) Probably not! When we are learning about money and its value, we start very slowly. At first, we give children pennies, then nickels, then dimes, and finally quarters. Once in a while we give you $1 or $2 to spend, but not $20. You learn slowly so that you become responsible with your money. Twenty dollars would buy a lot of candy and soda, but that is too much candy or soda. We must learn first how much one candy bar costs, or one soda. This is the responsible way.
Jesus tells us that we need to learn how to use our gifts in a responsible way. This is the reason all of us need to start small. When we do good things with small gifts, we are becoming responsible. We will then be given more responsibility and bigger gifts. When we are really responsible, people will trust us.
The next time you want something and your parents think you should wait a little longer before you have it, then you will know that they want you to be more responsible. But when they give you the responsibility, then you know that they trust you to do a good thing with what you have asked them for and that you are a responsible person.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, September 19, 2010, issue.
Copyright 2010 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
Team member Mary Austin offers some additional reflections that tie together Jesus' observation that we cannot serve both God wealth with the Jeremiah passage. Noting that the current economic downturn is causing many to reevaluate their consumption-based lifestyle (and even contemplate the future of the traditional "American dream"), Mary wonders if we might -- like Jeremiah -- see the word of God speaking to us in the signs of the times.
Responsibility
by Ron Love
Luke 16:1-13
THE WORLD
Responsibility -- it's something we all seek at our places of employment, in the community, as members of civic organizations, and in the church. Many contend that the desire to hold a position of responsibility originates from an ambitious desire for power, prestige, and financial reimbursement. This is true for some, but not for everyone. There are other reasons why people like to be placed in positions of responsibility. They might have ideas that they would like to have implemented; perhaps they have issues that they would like to see resolved. Some people want to be in a position that can provide guidance and direction; they feel a special call to the task assigned them. Perhaps most importantly, they feel a sense of personal satisfaction for having made a positive contribution.
The issue, however, is that whatever their motivation, those individuals who seek responsibility must act responsibly. And this extends well beyond the area where they are called into leadership, but must be reflected in all aspects of their lives. When one defines character, being a responsible person is one of the key components. This is not a selective attribute, but is indicative of the entire aspect of integrity. In fact, if one employs a pick-and-choose attitude about the things one will preside over studiously, can that individual be considered a responsible person? I would think not.
Reading the daily paper and watching the evening news demonstrates to us just how irresponsible some supposedly responsible people can be. For example, the Washington Post reported this past week that Capitol Hill employees, who act as advisers to Senators and Congressmen, owe $9.3 million in overdue taxes -- at the same time some in Congress are urging that government workers who owe money to the IRS should be fired. These "responsible" leaders who are to guide us out of the greatest recession since the 1920s certainly are not good stewards of their own budgets. Are we to consider them worthy of the responsibility of overseeing the national budget even though they display fiscal irresponsibility in their own financial affairs? If they cannot manage a little, how can they manage a lot? The discrepancy is real and the crossover of behavior is real.
If we truly want to be responsible individuals, then this attribute must permeate all aspects of our lives.
THE WORD
One of the main themes in this week's gospel text featuring the parable of the Shrewd Manager is the importance of acting responsibly. This message becomes most apparent in verses 10-13, in which Jesus follows up the parable with an important and thought-provoking explication: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." In the well-known closing verse of this lection, he outlines exactly what that means in terms of our priorities when he states that "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
Good stewardship means judiciously presiding over all things that are entrusted to us. It is to give equal credence to both the seemingly unimportant as well as the very important. And from the verses that precede verse 10, it becomes clear that also means stewardship is not to be engaged in for self-gratification, but for the well-being of all persons.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
While preparing your sermon, the following outline may be helpful:
I. Discuss the meaning of responsibility. Share stories -- both from the news and ones that you are personally familiar with -- that demonstrate good and poor actions. Discuss how good, responsible decisions benefit all individuals involved. Demonstrate how a person who acts irresponsibly, seeking that which is only for his/her own benefit, demeans other individuals in the process. Further, discuss how responsible behavior is a Christian virtue.
II. Dialogue with the congregation on the meaning of the parable of the Shrewd Manager. Lift up specific passages and examine how they apply to us today. Make reference to other biblical personalities and how their responsible behavior was godlike. Also, discuss how their actions came with no personal gain except the satisfaction of being a faithful servant. Contrast biblical personalities who displayed godly behavior with those who opposed the teachings of God. Show how those who engaged in self-serving behavior ruined lives and destroyed nations.
III. In conclusion, emphasize that we must act responsibly on all matters set before us. We cannot live a dual life where in one area we are admired for our thoughtful leadership while in others we can only be looked upon with disdain. Emphasize Jesus' teaching that we must be responsible over all things, both the seemingly insignificant and the most significant.
ANOTHER VIEW
by Mary Austin
Jeremiah 8:18--9:3
In this week's Old Testament lectionary we see Jeremiah speaking to the people of Israel in times turbulent enough that we can recognize our own struggles in his words. Prophesying to Judah, the Southern Kingdom, his words reflect the reality of both the sixth century BCE and the twenty-first century CE. In the tradition of the prophets of ancient Israel, Jeremiah sees the signs of the times as a message from God. During the time of his ministry, the holy city of Jerusalem fell to a foreign power and the way of life that Israel had known came to an end, with part of the population was carried off to Babylon in exile. For Israel, this was a disaster to be remembered forever, a break in the nation's spirit like the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the assassination of President Kennedy, or the events of 9/11 have been for America.
If we, like Jeremiah, were to see national events and trends as signs from God, what might we see? What word from the Creator might be found in the oil spill in the Gulf? What message from the Liberator of All would be contained in the unceasing violence in Palestine and Israel, the Congo, or Somalia? What is the Holy One saying to us in the continuing rebuilding of Haiti, and the struggles of the people there for food, shelter, and safety?
On a personal level, many people have taken the recession as an inspiration to cut back on spending, to cook at home instead of eating out, to reconnect with neighbors, and to find entertainment in projects and making things rather than buying trips and experiences. Savings rates are up, smaller homes are back in style, and excess is again unfashionable. As individuals, we are trying to live more thoughtfully and frugally, taking our individual pinched finances as a nudge to reevaluate where our money goes, and how much happiness it brings us along the way. Watching our spending reveals what we really need -- and what we buy to alleviate boredom, impress someone else, or just because we can.
Are there also are lessons to be learned on a larger, community level?
A recent column by David Brooks notes that some people are seeing the changing economy as a call to new values. He cites the example of David Platt, pastor of a suburban church in Alabama, who has come to see wealth and the Christian gospel as being at odds with each other. In his recent book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, Platt calls out megachurches for being more like corporations than churches -- suggesting that entertainment, child care, programs, coffee, and parking are all ways that churches compete for their share of the "church market."
As Brooks says in the column: "Jesus, Platt notes, made it hard on his followers. He created a minichurch, not a mega one. Today, however, building budgets dwarf charitable budgets, and Jesus is portrayed as a genial suburban dude. When we gather in the church building to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves."
In reflecting on this, Brooks notes that "The tension between good and plenty, God and mammon, became the central tension in American life... explaining why America is at once so religious and so materialist." According to Brooks, Pastor Platt doesn't believe that the two can live together comfortably. Says Platt: "The American dream radically differs from the call of Jesus and the essence of the gospel."
As people of faith, God's call to us is inevitably to focus on others, to seek justice and wholeness, food and shelter, for those who need it. The American gospel of prosperity as a sign of God's favor is contrary to Jesus' call to attend to the least and the lost. If these tough economic times find us more lost and more like the least of these than we ever wanted to be, perhaps the recession is a modern prophet calling us to reexamine our lives.
Jeremiah weeps over the injustices found in Israel, and his weeping mirrors God's own distress. In the same way, we find ourselves weeping over the poverty, hunger, and uncertainty around us. If we want something to do with our pain, Pastor Platt has a suggestion. He invites his readers to live on an income of no more than $50,000 a year, and to give anything else away. Such a radical change of lifestyle may require going cold turkey from our comfortable lives and starting with a year in a poorer part of the world.
Brooks comments that "Platt's arguments are old, but they emerge at a post-excess moment, when attitudes toward material life are up for grabs."
Is God speaking to us through the events of our time? If so, what is God telling us about how we live as individuals, and as a community of faith? The arguments are indeed old -- as ancient as the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures, as old as God's call to us to live differently from the world around us, as timeless as the invitation to trust in God for all that we need.
ILLUSTRATIONS
The French statesman Leon Blum (1872-1950) said, "Life does not give itself to who tries to keep all its advantages at once. I have often thought morality may perhaps consist solely in the courage of making a choice."
In the parable of the Shrewd Manager, Jesus discusses the meaning of making courageous choices. Jesus put it in terms of acting responsibly -- a courageous person makes decisions not based on self-benefit, but on the good of the community. A courageous person acts responsibly in matters both great and small.
* * *
Where Does the Money Go?
According to the US Department of Labor, here is how much the average American household spends on different things each year:
Entertainment: $2,698
Contributions to charity: $1,821
Reading material: $118
Transportation: $8,758 (about $2,500 on gasoline)
Tobacco: $373
Housing: $16,920
Healthcare: $2,858
Insurance: $5,336
Alcohol: $457
Food: $6,113
Meanwhile the average, per capita annual income in the following countries is:
Afghanistan: $466
Bangladesh: $494
Benin: $767
Burundi: $137
Cambodia: $769
Pakistan: $1010
How can we expect these people to accept our Jesus when our lifestyle is so different from theirs? When they look at us what do they believe that we worship?
* * *
Here are some other examples of American Mammon:
Cost of the average wedding in the USA is now $19,581 (Modern Bride magazine)
Cost of owning a dog -- the first year is $1260 (ASPCA)
Cost of a four-year college degree on average -- private school: $156,112 (if tuition doesn't increase during the four years)
Cost of a four-year college degree on average -- state school: $77,552 (if tuition doesn't increase)
* * *
Writing for investopedia.com, Amy Bell identifies these as the six most outrageously priced consumer products in American culture:
1. Movie theater popcorn: Markup is about 1275% and it's really bad for you if you get that fake butter.
2. Greeting cards: Markup is about 100-200%. It's just folded cardboard you know.
3. College textbooks: Their average price has increased 186% since 1986 and now constitutes 26% of the total cost of college. No wonder some students now rent these expensive tomes.
4. Bottled water: 46% comes from municipal taps.
5. Printer ink: The average price is 71 cents per ml. Compare that to blood at 41 cents per ml; milk at about 5 cents per ml; and gasoline at about 7 cents per ml on average. Remember what they say about drugs? "The first one is free."
6. Designer apparel: Is that $25 pair of blue jeans really worth $200 if there's a designer's label on the hip pocket?
Why do companies charge so much for these items? Well, there's a lot of talk and rationalizing -- but what it mostly boils down to is "they can." They charge that much because we will pay it. Some of these things we have convinced ourselves we have to have, and some we just want -- but either way, we line up for the chance to buy this stuff.
* * *
The 2010 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book is out already. Noted as the most expensive catalog in the world, it features more decadence than you could fit in the Jolly Green Giant's Christmas stocking and begs the question: What's the reason for the season?
* There's the Special Neiman Marcus edition of the Jaguar XJL, only $105,000.
* You can have a life-size statue of yourself built out of Legos for only $60,000. Add your spouse for another $60K.
* Or put a weatherproof outdoor Pantel television on your patio for only $26,000.
* A Cartier extra-large Roadster Steel Chronograph is $8,575. (A chronograph is an expensive watch.)
* Or you can scrimmage with the Harlem Globetrotters for the bargain price of $120,000.
* * *
In January 2009, after receiving about $45 billion in taxpayer-financed bailouts, Citigroup took delivery of a new $50 million jet complete with leather seats. They defended their decision by saying that they were selling some of their old jets and this one would actually save them money because it was more fuel-efficient.
But anyone who has had to weigh the cost of a fuel-efficient car over the amount they will save on gas mileage knows that rationale is a thin one. Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine, offered this advice: "Put it on sale."
Securities attorney Jacob Zamansky added, "They just don't get it."
* * *
"The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of evolutionary spirit. Greed in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, [for] knowledge, has marked the upward surge of humankind, and greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much."
Thus spake Gordon Gecko, the appropriately named lizard of Oliver Stone's now classic movie Wall Street. Gecko, played with sleazy, ruthless charisma by Michael Douglas, is the success story we are supposed to love to hate, the Wall Street money manipulator who makes millions not by producing something but by simply taking it away from other people -- the classic example of the idolater worshiping at Mammon's altar.
But someone didn't get the joke. Douglas reports that MBA students who have seen clips from the movie in ethics classes shake his hand and tell him, "You're the man!"
And now Gordon Gecko is back. Twenty-two years after the first movie, the sequel to Wall Street is about to hit the big screen just as Gecko is released from prison. What will he be up to this time, and will our future business leaders get the joke?
We may not know for another 22 years.
* * *
One day a church was burglarized, and when the robber opened the bank bag he found $70,000 -- in pledge cards. One can only imagine his disappointment.
That burglar learned a lesson the unjust manager knew very well: that you can't steal commitment. Neither can unprincipled people in the marketplace steal our commitment to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
* * *
There's a homely old fable about a $1 bill and a $20 bill that meet each other in the teller's drawer at the bank. "Where have you been?" the $1 bill asks the $20.
"Oh, I've been to places you've never dreamed of," says Jackson's head to Washington's. "Fancy restaurants, casinos, shopping malls -- every week brings something different. How about you?"
"Oh, my life isn't nearly as exciting as yours," admits the one, dejectedly. "Every week it's the same old thing: church, church, church!"
Why is it that the work of God so often takes second place -- not only in terms of money, but also in terms of time? As hard as the children of light work and as generously as they give, there always seem to be "children of this age" who are working harder and contributing more -- sacrificing their offerings at the altar of self-interest.
* * *
The prophet Jeremiah, overcome with grief and empathy for the suffering of his people, asks why there is no healing in the land. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why has the health of my poor people not been restored?
Well, there may not be any healing in Gilead -- but there is in Memphis.
That's where the Heartsong Church has placed on their lawn a big sign welcoming the new Muslim community center and mosque that is being built just down the street. In fact, when construction went slower than planned and the Muslims needed a place to worship, the Heartsong Church opened their doors and made their hall available. And last month the Muslims issued an invitation to the Christians to join them for the feast that celebrated the end of Ramadan, and they did!
Christians and Muslims living, sharing, feasting together. There is a balm in Memphis -- and it is called Christian love and charity.
* * *
Singer Wyclef Jean has an affinity for his birth nation. Haiti is his native country, and his mother still resides there -- and he is so interested in its future that he filed papers to run for president of Haiti. However, the law requires that all candidates must have lived in Haiti for the past five years. So, as he has not met the residence requirement, Haitian courts have disqualified him and his candidacy has ended.
Jeremiah expresses his grief for his people and their suffering. But what separates Jeremiah from Wyclef Jean is that Jeremiah did not leave his people to achieve fame and fortune in another country while his people remained island-bound in poverty. Wyclef Jean may have been moved with pity and sorrow, but for years it was only from afar. Jeremiah, on the other hand, remained in solidarity with his kinsmen in the land of Judah. If our witness and demonstration of concern is to be authentic, then we cannot dwell upon the hills but we must join our people in the valleys of life.
* * *
Do you still change your oil every 3,000 miles? A report by the California Integrated Waste Management Board now recommends changing one's automotive oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles. With improvements in the oil itself and more efficient engines in cars made in the last seven or eight years, anything less than that is unnecessary. But why do we still insist on the 3,000 mile change? Because, according to Kristen Huff, vice president at Blackstone, "They do what their dad did with his '55 Chevy." Also, according to Chris Martin, a spokesman for Honda, we still change oil at 3,000 miles because "the Jiffy Lubes of the world have done a good job convincing people." Writing in the New York Times, Alina Tugend notes that she continues with the every 3,000-mile routine because "childhood habits are hard to undo. But sometimes, we need to throw away our parents' good advice."
In his letter to Timothy, after recounting the blessings of Jesus, Paul said that "I am telling you the truth, I am not lying." Emphatic words. But they needed to be, for he was asking people to give up the ways of their fathers. Traditions and beliefs that they held since childhood had now been "modernized" with the Resurrection.
When we witness for Jesus Christ, we must be mindful of how difficult it is for people to reorient their lives. Witnessing requires patience and persistence.
* * *
It was recently reported that the average teenager sends 92 Twitter messages a day. No matter how fast they are on the thumb, this still has to be a time-consuming process. And such a large number of messages mean that they have a lot to say, when even the most trivial must seem relevant and important.
In this week's lectionary reading Paul urges Timothy and his followers to be constantly in prayer, and that is to be praying for "everyone." Not to discredit the youthful enthusiasm for Twitter and other forms of instant messaging, but one could only hope that they are also equally involved in intercessory prayer.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: God calls us to worship.
People: We come to bring our praises to God.
Leader: God calls us to responsibility.
People: We come to learn from our faithful God.
Leader: God calls us to responsibility in all our lives.
People: As God's image, we will strive to be responsible.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty"
found in:
UMH: 64
H82: 362
PH: 138
AAHH: 329
NNBH: 1
NCH: 277
CH: 4
LBW: 165
Renew: 204
"O God, Our Help in Ages Past"
found in:
UMH: 117
H82: 680
AAHH: 170
NNBH: 46
NCH: 25
CH: 67
LBW: 320
"O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee"
found in:
UMH: 430
H82: 659, 660
PH: 357
NNBH: 445
NCH: 503
CH: 602
LBW: 492
"Make Me a Captive, Lord"
found in:
UMH: 421
PH: 378
"Trust and Obey"
found in:
UMH: 467
AAHH: 380
NNBH: 322
CH: 556
"O Zion, Haste"
found in:
UMH: 573
H82: 539
NNBH: 422
LBW: 397
"How Shall They Hear the Word of God"
found in:
UMH: 649
"I Want to Be Ready"
found in:
UMH: 722
NCH: 616
"God, You Are My God"
found in:
CCB: 60
"Open Our Eyes, Lord"
found in:
CCB: 77
Renew: 91
"Find Us Faithful" by Steve Green
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who is always faithful: Grant us the grace to truly reflect your image by making us responsible in all our actions; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come into your presence, O God, and celebrate your great faithfulness to us and to all your creation. As your Spirit fills us during this time of worship, may we be empowered to act with responsibility so that we reflect you image more clearly. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways in which our irresponsibility dulls our reflection of God's faithfulness.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have given your good creation for us to watch over as your stewards, and we have misused it for our own selfish purposes. We have polluted the air, the water, and the ground of your good earth. We have poisoned the earth and ourselves. You have given us the gift of community, but we have sinned against one another and divided the peoples of the earth into armed camps. We have not been reflections of your faithfulness, but have instead been reflections of our own irresponsibility. Forgive us and call us once more to being your responsible people who truly reflect your faithfulness. Amen.
Leader: God is faithful and with joy welcomes you to once again take your place as God's responsible stewards of creation and of each other.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship and adore you, our faithful God, for you are the Rock of Ages who shelters us and preserves us.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. You have given your good creation for us to watch over as your stewards, and we have misused it for our own selfish purposes. We have polluted the air, the water, and the ground of your good earth. We have poisoned the earth and ourselves. You have given us the gift of community, but we have sinned against one another and divided the peoples of the earth into armed camps. We have not been reflections of your faithfulness, but have instead been reflections of our own irresponsibility. Forgive us, and call us once more to being your responsible people who truly reflect your faithfulness.
We offer our thanksgivings to you for all the ways in which you have acted in faithful caring toward us. We thank you for your Spirit that dwells within us and among us, calling us to wholeness and you. We thank you for those who have been responsible in their dealings with us so that we learned about your faithfulness.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for each other and for all your creation. We pray for those who have not found the world or those around them to be responsible co-habitants of this earth. Many have suffered from violence and abuse; many have been deserted and forsaken. As you move among them, may our love and care be part of your healing presence.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Visuals
pictures of people doing the "right" thing: picking up trash, helping each other, and the like
Children's Sermon Starter
Ask the children what the job of a firefighter is. What about a lifeguard at the pool or beach? Talk about what would happen if these people didn't do their job. When they do their job, they are being responsible. Our job is to love God and to treat each other with kindness and justice. Talk about how we can do that each day.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Responsibility
Luke 16:1-13
Objects: rolls of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and a $20 bill
Good morning, boys and girls! Today we are going to talk about responsibility. Is there anyone here that knows what the word "responsibility" means? (let them answer) Responsibility means that you keep your promises and do the things that you are supposed to do. If you are supposed to walk the dog and you do it, then you are a responsible person. If you do your homework and turn it in on time, then you are a responsible person. If you do these things only some of the time, then you are not always responsible. If you never do them when you are asked, then you are irresponsible and cannot be trusted. The older we get, the more responsible we are supposed to be. But that does not always happen.
Money can teach us how to be responsible. Here is a roll of pennies. How many pennies are in this roll? (let them answer) There are fifty pennies in a roll. This is a roll of nickels. How many nickels are in a roll? (let them answer) There are forty nickels in a roll. Forty nickels are worth $2, and fifty pennies are worth 50¢. There are fifty dimes in a roll, but it is worth $5. In this roll of quarters there are forty coins, but it is worth $10. We could have one $20 bill, and it would be two times as much money as a roll of forty quarters.
Has anyone ever given you a $20 bill? (let them answer) This is a lot of responsibility, and maybe it is too much for you now. Has anyone given you a roll of quarters, dimes, nickels, or pennies? (let them answer) Probably not! When we are learning about money and its value, we start very slowly. At first, we give children pennies, then nickels, then dimes, and finally quarters. Once in a while we give you $1 or $2 to spend, but not $20. You learn slowly so that you become responsible with your money. Twenty dollars would buy a lot of candy and soda, but that is too much candy or soda. We must learn first how much one candy bar costs, or one soda. This is the responsible way.
Jesus tells us that we need to learn how to use our gifts in a responsible way. This is the reason all of us need to start small. When we do good things with small gifts, we are becoming responsible. We will then be given more responsibility and bigger gifts. When we are really responsible, people will trust us.
The next time you want something and your parents think you should wait a little longer before you have it, then you will know that they want you to be more responsible. But when they give you the responsibility, then you know that they trust you to do a good thing with what you have asked them for and that you are a responsible person.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, September 19, 2010, issue.
Copyright 2010 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
