Life As An Investment
Sermon
Living The Easter Faith
Sermons For The Easter Season
Let us pray: Gracious and eternal Father, we come before you
this day seeking to make the most of the gifts which you have
given us in life. Lord, as we now hear your word, may we learn
how it is that we may serve you with all that we are. Lord, in
these moments, grant us wisdom, understanding and peace. In
Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
During the 1992 presidential campaign, one of the slogans
which we heard frequently was "invest and grow." The meaning of
this phrase of course is that the government will make
investments through tax dollars which will revitalize the economy
of the nation.
While driving home from a hospital visit on election day, I
heard a commentator on the radio suggest that the guiding
principle for our lives should not be government investment, but
rather "invest in yourself." From his perspective, this is the
only way that an individual can improve his or her personal
economic well-being.
So no matter which political persuasion you adhere to, it does
appear that the principle of "investment" will be one of the
leading ideas of the 1990s. And rightly so, I think. For it is
through the spending of our time, talents, and money in ways that
lead to future productivity and growth that nations, churches,
and individual lives are improved and made more meaningful and
enjoyable.
It is quite natural then that Jesus would give a lesson on
what a businessman might call "investment principles." This is
the subject of Jesus' well-known teaching called the "Parable of
the Talents."
43
This is the story. Jesus tells of a man who goes away on a
long trip. While he is away, the man entrusts to his three
servants different amounts of money.
The word used here is "talent," which meant in Jesus' time a
specific weight of silver or gold. Each talent might have been
worth about $1,000 in today's dollars. The modern use of the word
"talent" with regard to skill or ability originated with this
parable.
So the rich man gives the first servant five talents, the
second servant two talents, and the third servant one talent. We
are told that each servant is given an amount which is
proportionate to his ability to handle the responsibility.
Apparently the man knew the ability of his servants very well.
The first servant invested his money and doubled his investment.
The second servant did the same with the lesser amount with which
he had been entrusted.
However, the third servant proved his predicted incompetence
to his master. Instead of investing his money like the others, he
buried his treasure in the ground. This would be the equivalent
of stuffing money in a mattress at home. This servant therefore
did not even make the easy money that could be made by simply
giving the money to the bankers.
When the master comes home, he of course expresses his
happiness with the servants who had doubled his money. He said to
them those words that we would all want to hear from our
superiors, "Well done, good and trustworthy slave. You have been
trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many
things; enter into the joy of your master." These workers had
earned a promotion in the company through their wise stewardship
of the master's resources.
However, the master also expresses his extreme displeasure
with the servant who buried the money in the ground. His one
talent was taken away from him and given to the man who had the
10 talents.
The master's closing words, in effect, are these: "The person
who has succeeded will always be given more; but he who
44
has not invested what he has will have what he has been given
taken away from him."
Steven Jobs is the man who founded the enormously successful
company called Apple Computer. Jobs decided that Mr. John Sculley
was the man needed to help him fulfill his dream of building a
completely different kind of computer company, one which would
make computers available to every person in the world.
However, Mr. Sculley was comfortably and safely entrenched as
president of the Pepsico Corporation, the makers of the soft
drink Pepsi. In this position, John Sculley had achieved
everything that a man could want -- power, prestige, public
recognition, an enormous salary and a secure future.
The thought of a career change requiring a move to the West
Coast frightened him. He was concerned about losing pensions and
deferred compensation and the adjustment to living in California
-- in other words, "the pragmatic stuff that preoccupies the
middle-aged." He says that "I was overly concerned with what
would happen next week and the week after next."
John Sculley knew that he was safe and happy at Pepsico. But
he also knew that he had grown to dislike the competitive nature
of the business. He also knew how bored he was.
Steven Jobs at Apple Computer sensed this. And so he finally
confronted his new friend with this pointed question. He said to
John, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared
water or do you want a chance to change the world?"
That question penetrated deep into the heart and mind of John
Sculley. It changed the course of his life. He therefore went to
Apple Computer and helped it to grow into one of the most
successful corporations in the world. Mr. Sculley's life was
changed because he took the risk and decided to invest in himself
and others, and to grow.1
In the parable, Jesus had aimed his teaching at the religious
establishment of the day, those scribes and Pharisees
45
who did not want to see any growth or change in religion and
faith. They were content to maintain the status quo, to keep
things comfortable for themselves, not wanting to allow
themselves or others to exhibit any spiritual growth.
Clearly then the message here is that we must be willing to
invest and grow personally and spiritually. We must be people who
are willing to take risks and open ourselves up to the creative
movement of God's Holy Spirit in our lives. Unless we are able to
do so, we will become stale and unproductive in our faith in
Christ and service to his church and to his people.
It has been said that some persons do not know what is
happening, while others watch what is happening. Other people
wish that things would happen. There are still other people who
hinder things from happening. And finally, there are those who
make things happen.
This morning, as we consider this matter of investing and
growing, we should ask ourselves: "Which category do you and I
fall into?"
I am sure that you have heard of Helen Keller, that remarkable
woman who was born blind and deaf. She became famous for her
determination to learn to speak and read. She became a world-
famous writer and lecturer as an advocate for handicapped
persons.
Ms. Keller once said: "I long to accomplish a great and noble
task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish tasks as if they were
great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty
shoves of its heroes, but also by the combined tiny pushes of
each honest worker."2
These inspiring words from a truly great woman should
encourage us to really want to make things happen. The things
that we make happen do not have to be great in the eyes of
humans. But that which we do to help build a better local
community would and will indeed be considered important and
significant by God our Father in heaven who knows all that we
have done in his service.
So it is. To invest in yourself and others and to grow in
faith is to make things happen in your life and in the lives of
others. This is the key to making your life worth living.
46
There is another passage from the Bible which deals with this
matter of life as an investment. It contains advice that Paul
gave to the church at Galatia, words that have been called an
"agriculture of the spirit."
In the sixth chapter of Paul's letter to the Galatians, he
states what some might find to be a very hard truth. Yet despite
the seriousness of his statement, it does represent what we might
call the law of life. Paul is speaking here of a natural law
which is ingrained in the very structure of the universe. The
literal translation of Paul's words is this: "Do not be deceived;
God is not mocked ...."
In other words, you may fool yourself and fool others into
thinking that there are not consequences for your actions. But
the truth is that God will not be fooled.
Paul then goes on to say, "For you reap whatever you may sow.
If you sow to your own flesh you will reap corruption from the
flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life
from the Spirit. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us
work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family
of faith."
Paul is saying that in the end, life holds the scales in an
even balance. In the final analysis, there is a sort of Christian
karma; we get exactly what we deserve in life, exactly what we
have earned.
For example, if a person allows the dark and sinful side of
his personality to control him, that person can expect nothing
but a harvest of trouble. This is what Paul means when he speaks
of "sowing to the flesh."
But on the other hand, if a person keeps walking in the way of
the Spirit, then there will be rich rewards. We may have to wait
a long time, and sometimes it may seem to be a terribly long time
-- but in the end, God will repay the person who is persistent in
faith and good works, the person who had invested in himself, in
others, and in the service of Christ.
Paul then encourages us to think of life as an investment
rather than a gamble. The natural law created by God imposes a
discipline upon us that encourages us to shape our lives in ways
that are useful and productive.
47
I would guess that many of you in this congregation are
gardeners, people whose gardens are evidence of the "green
thumbs" in this church. But as all good gardeners know, there is
really nothing mysterious about a "green thumb."
Having a green thumb is simply the practice of faithfully, you
might say "religiously," cultivating and nurturing the seeds. If
a good seed is planted in fertile ground and receives the right
amount of sunlight and water, the gardener does not need to worry
about the results. According to the laws of nature, the plant
will flourish.
In the Bible, the image of a garden appears in many places.
Two instances of special significance are the Garden of Eden and
the Garden of Gethsemane. In both instances, the gardens
represent places where God and humans meet, symbolizing an
unbroken fellowship between the Father and his children.3
Do you not think, my friends, that life itself is much like
cultivating a garden? As Lawrence Crumb suggests, we might say
that there is a "garden of the human heart." "It is a place where
the flowers of truth and goodness can blossom in all of their
beauty if properly tended or where the weeds of sin can take over
as a result of accidental or deliberate neglect."4
Why do once-promising marriages end in divorce? Why do
friendships grow faint over the years? Why do persons fall away
from the church and their faith in God?
The reason is simple. Our relationships with God and other
people fail because they have not been nurtured and cared for
well enough. Marriages and friendships involve an investment of
time; they require sacrifice, hard work, and cultivation.
So it is also with the life of faith. We need to regularly
worship and study the Bible. We must spend time in prayer talking
to God our Father in heaven if our faith is to grow and develop
into a source of strength and peace in living.
The garden of the human heart is a place where one can
encounter God in perfect fellowship, but it is also where
serpents of doubt and despair can rise up. It is a place where
agonizing struggles and decisions take place, but it is also
where angels
48
come to minister to us when we need the touch of God's loving
hand upon our lives.5
My friends in Christ, we are indeed called by God to invest in
faith and to grow in love. In order to find peace and happiness
in living, we must be people who are willing to make things
happen in our individual lives, in our families, and in this
church. In the new age which was inaugurated by the life and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are called to see as an
investment in our Lord and in his people.
Let our prayer this day then be that we be people who can grow
in faith and love in all that we do. May God bless you all on
your journey of faith.
Benediction: Gracious and eternal God, we have heard your word
and praised your name. As we go from this place may we grow in
faith and service in your name.
Go now to serve God and your neighbor in all that you do. May
the peace of the Lord be with you always, Amen.
1-John Sculley, Odyssey (New York: Harper & Row, 1987), p. 90.
2-J. J. Turner quoting Helen Keller in Pulpit Helps.
3-Lawrence N. Crumb, "God's Place in the Garden," The Living
Church, April 12, 1992, p. 10.
4-Ibid.
5-Ibid.
this day seeking to make the most of the gifts which you have
given us in life. Lord, as we now hear your word, may we learn
how it is that we may serve you with all that we are. Lord, in
these moments, grant us wisdom, understanding and peace. In
Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
During the 1992 presidential campaign, one of the slogans
which we heard frequently was "invest and grow." The meaning of
this phrase of course is that the government will make
investments through tax dollars which will revitalize the economy
of the nation.
While driving home from a hospital visit on election day, I
heard a commentator on the radio suggest that the guiding
principle for our lives should not be government investment, but
rather "invest in yourself." From his perspective, this is the
only way that an individual can improve his or her personal
economic well-being.
So no matter which political persuasion you adhere to, it does
appear that the principle of "investment" will be one of the
leading ideas of the 1990s. And rightly so, I think. For it is
through the spending of our time, talents, and money in ways that
lead to future productivity and growth that nations, churches,
and individual lives are improved and made more meaningful and
enjoyable.
It is quite natural then that Jesus would give a lesson on
what a businessman might call "investment principles." This is
the subject of Jesus' well-known teaching called the "Parable of
the Talents."
43
This is the story. Jesus tells of a man who goes away on a
long trip. While he is away, the man entrusts to his three
servants different amounts of money.
The word used here is "talent," which meant in Jesus' time a
specific weight of silver or gold. Each talent might have been
worth about $1,000 in today's dollars. The modern use of the word
"talent" with regard to skill or ability originated with this
parable.
So the rich man gives the first servant five talents, the
second servant two talents, and the third servant one talent. We
are told that each servant is given an amount which is
proportionate to his ability to handle the responsibility.
Apparently the man knew the ability of his servants very well.
The first servant invested his money and doubled his investment.
The second servant did the same with the lesser amount with which
he had been entrusted.
However, the third servant proved his predicted incompetence
to his master. Instead of investing his money like the others, he
buried his treasure in the ground. This would be the equivalent
of stuffing money in a mattress at home. This servant therefore
did not even make the easy money that could be made by simply
giving the money to the bankers.
When the master comes home, he of course expresses his
happiness with the servants who had doubled his money. He said to
them those words that we would all want to hear from our
superiors, "Well done, good and trustworthy slave. You have been
trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many
things; enter into the joy of your master." These workers had
earned a promotion in the company through their wise stewardship
of the master's resources.
However, the master also expresses his extreme displeasure
with the servant who buried the money in the ground. His one
talent was taken away from him and given to the man who had the
10 talents.
The master's closing words, in effect, are these: "The person
who has succeeded will always be given more; but he who
44
has not invested what he has will have what he has been given
taken away from him."
Steven Jobs is the man who founded the enormously successful
company called Apple Computer. Jobs decided that Mr. John Sculley
was the man needed to help him fulfill his dream of building a
completely different kind of computer company, one which would
make computers available to every person in the world.
However, Mr. Sculley was comfortably and safely entrenched as
president of the Pepsico Corporation, the makers of the soft
drink Pepsi. In this position, John Sculley had achieved
everything that a man could want -- power, prestige, public
recognition, an enormous salary and a secure future.
The thought of a career change requiring a move to the West
Coast frightened him. He was concerned about losing pensions and
deferred compensation and the adjustment to living in California
-- in other words, "the pragmatic stuff that preoccupies the
middle-aged." He says that "I was overly concerned with what
would happen next week and the week after next."
John Sculley knew that he was safe and happy at Pepsico. But
he also knew that he had grown to dislike the competitive nature
of the business. He also knew how bored he was.
Steven Jobs at Apple Computer sensed this. And so he finally
confronted his new friend with this pointed question. He said to
John, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared
water or do you want a chance to change the world?"
That question penetrated deep into the heart and mind of John
Sculley. It changed the course of his life. He therefore went to
Apple Computer and helped it to grow into one of the most
successful corporations in the world. Mr. Sculley's life was
changed because he took the risk and decided to invest in himself
and others, and to grow.1
In the parable, Jesus had aimed his teaching at the religious
establishment of the day, those scribes and Pharisees
45
who did not want to see any growth or change in religion and
faith. They were content to maintain the status quo, to keep
things comfortable for themselves, not wanting to allow
themselves or others to exhibit any spiritual growth.
Clearly then the message here is that we must be willing to
invest and grow personally and spiritually. We must be people who
are willing to take risks and open ourselves up to the creative
movement of God's Holy Spirit in our lives. Unless we are able to
do so, we will become stale and unproductive in our faith in
Christ and service to his church and to his people.
It has been said that some persons do not know what is
happening, while others watch what is happening. Other people
wish that things would happen. There are still other people who
hinder things from happening. And finally, there are those who
make things happen.
This morning, as we consider this matter of investing and
growing, we should ask ourselves: "Which category do you and I
fall into?"
I am sure that you have heard of Helen Keller, that remarkable
woman who was born blind and deaf. She became famous for her
determination to learn to speak and read. She became a world-
famous writer and lecturer as an advocate for handicapped
persons.
Ms. Keller once said: "I long to accomplish a great and noble
task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish tasks as if they were
great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty
shoves of its heroes, but also by the combined tiny pushes of
each honest worker."2
These inspiring words from a truly great woman should
encourage us to really want to make things happen. The things
that we make happen do not have to be great in the eyes of
humans. But that which we do to help build a better local
community would and will indeed be considered important and
significant by God our Father in heaven who knows all that we
have done in his service.
So it is. To invest in yourself and others and to grow in
faith is to make things happen in your life and in the lives of
others. This is the key to making your life worth living.
46
There is another passage from the Bible which deals with this
matter of life as an investment. It contains advice that Paul
gave to the church at Galatia, words that have been called an
"agriculture of the spirit."
In the sixth chapter of Paul's letter to the Galatians, he
states what some might find to be a very hard truth. Yet despite
the seriousness of his statement, it does represent what we might
call the law of life. Paul is speaking here of a natural law
which is ingrained in the very structure of the universe. The
literal translation of Paul's words is this: "Do not be deceived;
God is not mocked ...."
In other words, you may fool yourself and fool others into
thinking that there are not consequences for your actions. But
the truth is that God will not be fooled.
Paul then goes on to say, "For you reap whatever you may sow.
If you sow to your own flesh you will reap corruption from the
flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life
from the Spirit. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us
work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family
of faith."
Paul is saying that in the end, life holds the scales in an
even balance. In the final analysis, there is a sort of Christian
karma; we get exactly what we deserve in life, exactly what we
have earned.
For example, if a person allows the dark and sinful side of
his personality to control him, that person can expect nothing
but a harvest of trouble. This is what Paul means when he speaks
of "sowing to the flesh."
But on the other hand, if a person keeps walking in the way of
the Spirit, then there will be rich rewards. We may have to wait
a long time, and sometimes it may seem to be a terribly long time
-- but in the end, God will repay the person who is persistent in
faith and good works, the person who had invested in himself, in
others, and in the service of Christ.
Paul then encourages us to think of life as an investment
rather than a gamble. The natural law created by God imposes a
discipline upon us that encourages us to shape our lives in ways
that are useful and productive.
47
I would guess that many of you in this congregation are
gardeners, people whose gardens are evidence of the "green
thumbs" in this church. But as all good gardeners know, there is
really nothing mysterious about a "green thumb."
Having a green thumb is simply the practice of faithfully, you
might say "religiously," cultivating and nurturing the seeds. If
a good seed is planted in fertile ground and receives the right
amount of sunlight and water, the gardener does not need to worry
about the results. According to the laws of nature, the plant
will flourish.
In the Bible, the image of a garden appears in many places.
Two instances of special significance are the Garden of Eden and
the Garden of Gethsemane. In both instances, the gardens
represent places where God and humans meet, symbolizing an
unbroken fellowship between the Father and his children.3
Do you not think, my friends, that life itself is much like
cultivating a garden? As Lawrence Crumb suggests, we might say
that there is a "garden of the human heart." "It is a place where
the flowers of truth and goodness can blossom in all of their
beauty if properly tended or where the weeds of sin can take over
as a result of accidental or deliberate neglect."4
Why do once-promising marriages end in divorce? Why do
friendships grow faint over the years? Why do persons fall away
from the church and their faith in God?
The reason is simple. Our relationships with God and other
people fail because they have not been nurtured and cared for
well enough. Marriages and friendships involve an investment of
time; they require sacrifice, hard work, and cultivation.
So it is also with the life of faith. We need to regularly
worship and study the Bible. We must spend time in prayer talking
to God our Father in heaven if our faith is to grow and develop
into a source of strength and peace in living.
The garden of the human heart is a place where one can
encounter God in perfect fellowship, but it is also where
serpents of doubt and despair can rise up. It is a place where
agonizing struggles and decisions take place, but it is also
where angels
48
come to minister to us when we need the touch of God's loving
hand upon our lives.5
My friends in Christ, we are indeed called by God to invest in
faith and to grow in love. In order to find peace and happiness
in living, we must be people who are willing to make things
happen in our individual lives, in our families, and in this
church. In the new age which was inaugurated by the life and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are called to see as an
investment in our Lord and in his people.
Let our prayer this day then be that we be people who can grow
in faith and love in all that we do. May God bless you all on
your journey of faith.
Benediction: Gracious and eternal God, we have heard your word
and praised your name. As we go from this place may we grow in
faith and service in your name.
Go now to serve God and your neighbor in all that you do. May
the peace of the Lord be with you always, Amen.
1-John Sculley, Odyssey (New York: Harper & Row, 1987), p. 90.
2-J. J. Turner quoting Helen Keller in Pulpit Helps.
3-Lawrence N. Crumb, "God's Place in the Garden," The Living
Church, April 12, 1992, p. 10.
4-Ibid.
5-Ibid.
