Just Money
Gate Pa – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings:
Hebrew Scripture: Jeremiah
8:19 – 9:1
Psalm: Psalm 79:1-9
Epistle: 1
Timothy 2:1-10
Gospel: Luke 16:1-13
What I want to say:
Explore gospel reading
link it to:
living wage concept
upcoming local body elections
What I want to happen:
People to think carefully about who to vote for and why
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
I wonder what thinking listened to this mornings reading?
problematic reading
people
struggling with this one for long time.
Jesus seems advocating for dishonesty and cunning – bending
rules
struggle make anything of it.
struggle to fit this into what think Jesus should be on about
honesty
problem is that world Jesus lived in and our world are so
very different
think said
that before, more than once
our world – money is important for its own sake
having lots
money is desirable -> buy more
2. The story
servant here – dishonest (KJV unjust) – seen as bad thing
when
caught – not entirely sure what accused of
several
versions say “wasting his master’s property”
so not necessarily dishonest
engineers his masters debtors to be forgiven debt – costing
master money
us
– outrageous behaviour
dishonest
wrong
struggle
that Jesus seems to be stand up for him
3. Jesus world
world Jesus lived in
honour was important
used money gain more honour
having money mattered little if did
not accrue you more honour
use your money wisely
people
become your clients and in your debt
money
owed less important
than
feeling goodwill and sense obligation to you
seems to be this is real issue here
servant acting unjustly
master might
have more money
losing out
on goodwill front
losing out
on the honour front
fires manager
needs
account first
then servant – manager gets cunning
visits all masters debtors and reduces their debt
he ensures people obliged to him
è what will the master think
of this and do?
o discuss
remember – point money is gain honour
manager’s actions gain master honour –>
shown to be
merciful and generous and just
people hold
him high esteem
people
obliged to him
as aside – loose him honour to confess lost control of
manager and reinstate original debt.
big thing is – this is how the money should have been used in
the first place
that makes no sense to us at all
4. Jesus goes on_
“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.”
This is about heaven – leads into
next week’s reading
couple things about Luke
1.
get sense that Luke thinks people get wealthy through unjust means
constant theme is wealthy justly returning
wealth to poor
2.
God has a preference for the poor
put it another way
poor get first go into heaven
(doesn’t seem to be any need
confess Jesus as Lord or Saviour – just get there cos poor)
rich, - do get to heaven (not assured)
poor welcome
you – or not
leads on to final two parts todays reading
be
trustworthy – use money for proper purpose – communal purpose
ensure
all have enough
can’t be slave of two masters – either focussed on God or on
money.
5. Living wage campaign
Synod – last
week we endorse the living wage concept
due
time pressure felt unable to deal with this properly
set
it aside for a year – dissapointing
+Justin –
said take cut stipend pay living wage lowest paid
ACC – in
principle yes – but has to come out current wage budget
means top
end need paid less
imagine if that happened
highest paid land – including politicians took pay cuts those
lowest paid organisations receive living wage
-
seems to me in line with today’s reading
-
point money is how used build community
-
Brian McLaren – “Everything must Change” - economists
suggesting pay chief executives and top management pegged to certain percentage
above lowest paid in organisation
-
only
way receive pay increase – if lowest paid get increase first.
6. elections –
said pew
sheet – time local body elections
wonder how this
reading will help us sift through candidates
as you read
their material - what look for based on this reading?
how will
help us vote?
Comments