You Cannot Serve God and Mammon

You Cannot Serve God and Mammon

Scripture Lessons

2 Samuel 22:26-34

Psalm 51:1-12

1 Corinthians 10:6-13

Luke 16:1-13

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Since I was ordained, five years ago this month, I have not preached on stewardship. I’ve been in churches over the years where there was always at least one Sunday where the pastor preached on stewardship and there were multiple Sundays where someone from the church made an appeal to the congregation regarding stewardship. That’s not something we’ve done here at Hope. God knows what we need and He provides it. You are part of that equation. God provides for you and you are wise to steward all that you have with that basic principle in mind. That is to say, the basic principle is that everything you have and ever will have comes from the hand of God.

Now, this morning I’m going to talk about stewardship. Not because we need to setup our budget for next year. Not because we have a capital campaign (although we will have one within the next couple years). The reason is simple…the focus of the gospel lesson from Luke 16 is on stewardship.

This gospel lesson probably left you scratching your head. Is Jesus approving dishonesty? In the parable, “the master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.” Then Jesus said, “I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” It may sound like Jesus is giving approval to dishonest dealing. That can’t be so, since it would contradict the law which Jesus did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. So, there must be another explanation.

Allow me to briefly recount this parable and draw your attention to some pertinent details along the way. First, notice that Jesus was telling this parable to the disciples. They were the audience, not the Pharisees. We have a rich man (the master) and his steward (the manager of his business). Typically, the master would be someone who owned the land and he allowed others to farm the land and pay a portion of their crops to the master. The steward would be the one who oversaw the management of the land and collected the share of the produce. In this case, the man was “wasting [the master’s] possessions.” So, the master advised the manager that he could not longer work for him. The manager reflects on his situation. “What shall I do…I am not strong enough to dig…I am ashamed to beg.” In other words, he cannot work for his living. He needs to figure out a means of receiving a living without work. So, he decided to ingratiate himself with those that he was charged with collecting from. He would give them a discount so that they would remember and take care of him in the future.

Pause for a moment and consider: If the master were hard-hearted, he would not honor these discount deals that his unfaithful manager made. The master would simply renege on the deal. “Sorry, but he’s not the manger anymore and he didn’t have the right to give you a discount.” But the master did not. This dishonest, shrewd manager knew that his master was a generous and giving master. He would not renege on the deal because that’s not the type of master that he is. In fact, the people who received the discount also had confidence in the generosity of the master. They didn’t question the deal, whether it would stand or not. They simply accepted it with confidence that their generous master would approve it.

The point here is that the dishonest manager used what he had available in order to secure his future. Likewise, Jesus commends the disciples (including you) to use what you have available now and use it with heavenly minded goals. It’s not that you have to steward your wealth in order to secure your place in heaven. You have a gracious and generous heavenly Father. He has poured Himself into you in your baptism, washed you clean of your sins, and claimed you for all eternity. That’s complete. So, you’re not working for your heavenly abode. It is already prepared and ready.

Nevertheless, you are called to be faithful with these earthly things that God gives you. You are called to use them wisely. “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much.” So, you are called to faithfulness with both the little and the great that is entrusted to you. “You cannot serve God and Mammon.” Here “Mammon” is the Greek word and better than money. Mammon is actually the name of the false God that represents wealth, so it is more than simply money. It is the worship of money, the idolatry of money. You cannot idolize wealth and worship wealth as though it does anything for you. Everything you have is a gift from God above. There is nothing you possess that is not given by God. That is the reality that all Christians are called to recognize.

So, what are you doing with that which God has entrusted to you? He’s given you good health? How are you using that? He’s given you intelligence? How are you using your brain? He’s given you money? How are you spending your money? All of these are questions that the Christian should consider and act upon. If you examine your stewardship of all that God has given you and find yourself coming up short, there are two things to do. First, turn to the cross, repent, and receive the forgiveness of Christ Jesus. Second, pray that God would work in you to bring about His will in your life.

You have a gracious and merciful heavenly Father. He gives you all that you need and more. He just keeps giving. Enjoy what He has given to you. Enjoy it and enjoy sharing and doing what is God-pleasing with those gifts that He has given to you.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Amen.