September 21, 2025 "In Between"

15th Sunday after Pentecost

Amos 8:4-7

Psalm 113

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Luke 16:1-13

Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,

 grace and peace to you from the one who is faithful in much. Amen

What is going on with this parable?

 this story that Jesus tells

of a dishonest manager

 whose dishonesty is discovered,

who continues in his dishonesty out of self-interest,

and when that dishonesty is uncovered

is commended by his former employer for his actions

and where Jesus concludes: “for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone they may welcome you into the eternal homes.” 

Really Jesus?

That’s what you want us to do?

Are you the same Jesus

who a couple chapters earlier proclaimed

 “So therefore, none of you can become my disciples if you do not give up all your possessions.” (Luke 14:33)

who even earlier

told his disciples not to strive for food or clothing

 or even worry about it because “it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms.” (Luke 12:32-33).

Well Jesus, which is it?

 Sell everything?

Or make friends by dishonest wealth?

These seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum of dealing with money

 and I think that here with this parable and teaching

Jesus is acknowledging the tension

 that the people of God always live with,

the tension of living in between.

 In between living in the world and its economic systems

 which are designed to profit some at the expense of others

and living as people of God,

God who calls for economies to be used for the common good,

 to provide for all

- that was the lesson of the manna in the wilderness-

God provides enough for all

And be sure to take only what you need,

 if you try to hoard more than your share

 it will rot and stink-

Of course once the Israelites left the wilderness

 and turned to farming and other economic activities

there lay the possibility for inequality

a possibility that was realized and many prophets railed against

as we heard in our first reading from Amos

God is decidedly against dishonest economic practices

That enrich some at the expense of others

and yet that is the possibility that we live with

a conundrum we much navigate

and yet in the law God provided ways to make sure that the poor were still provided for,

even within such a system

like the laws commanding people to leave the edges of the field

and the extra grain that fell while harvesting

 for those without fields to come behind and glean what they needed

 so that they could eat as well.

 it still acknowledges

 that there is a wealth imbalance

 but it provides a way for those with wealth to share

 and those without

 a means to acquire the basics,

and while this may not be the perfect vision of abundant life for all

 that Jesus preaches and begins to usher in with the kingdom of God

these practices acknowledge God as a higher authority than wealth. 

Indeed having told the parable

 Jesus then goes on to relate the practice

 of faithful stewardship with the stuff of the world

which he calls “dishonest wealth”

as preparation for the faithful stewardship of the true riches of the kingdom of God,

 finally noting: “No slave can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

And this proclamation cuts straight to the heart of the issue:

what is money or wealth for?

Is it something you place all your time and energy into acquiring,

 where you place your trust for future security

 and use to acquire social capital?

Or is it a tool to be used for the good of all,

in service of God’s call to create communities of generosity and justice?

 Is it something to be grasped tightly?

Or is it something that is loosely held for a moment

before being put to work?

And if you’re going to put it to work Jesus says,

be smart about it,

 use it to build relationships, and lift up others,

 and always always remember who you are ultimately serving. 

This reading comes at a time

when we are taking time to intentionally think about

how we relate to the money and wealth in our own lives

 and how we are going to put it to work for the good of all in the coming year,

particularly what we intend to give to the ministry of God

 through this congregation.

 As you take time to discern your giving

 I want you to ask yourself

how tightly or loosely am I holding on to this money?

Am I using it in the wisest ways possible?

 When I think about the future,

 where do I place my trust?

 And yes I expect there will be some tension,

 tension between the ways of the world in which we live,

 and the ways of the kingdom in which God calls us to live

 and I trust that the Holy Spirit will guide you

to the wisest amount for you financially and spiritually.

 And then I invite you to fill out a commitment card,

especially if it is not your usual habit,

 there is power in writing something down and sharing it

and remember the commitment card is not binding

- things do change throughout the year-

 but it does help the congregation then consider the same things

when budgeting for the coming year.

 As a council and as a congregation

 we will ask ourselves the same questions,

 how tightly or loosely are we holding on to money?

 are we using it in the wisest ways possible?

Where are we placing our trust for the future?

And I trust that the Holy Spirit will guide us

through the tension of the ways of the world and the ways of God.

I trust this,

we trust this

because the Spirit is sent to us

from the one to whom God entrusted everything

 and who was faithful with it,

 even to death,

 and out of that faithfulness came life everlasting. Amen