1 Timothy 6:6–19 ESV

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Luke 16:19–31 ESV

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

You Can’t Take it With You

Oops

“Money is the root of all evil” is not an actual quote from scripture. It’s one of those lines that is close to something in scripture and probably came about because of a mis-remembering of this verse from today’s passage.

“Money is the root of all evil” is not an actual quote from scripture.

1 Timothy 6:10 ESV

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

English Standard Version Chapter 6

For the love of money is a root of iall kinds of evils.

Loving money can cause all sorts of evil, but money itself is neither good nor bad. It is simply a thing.

The evil comes in when we allow it to come between us and other people. We can’t avoid money - that’s just the system by which the world works. And it can be used for great good. But it can also cause wedges between those who have it and those who don’t.

It’s also been used to

If we look at our gospel passage today, we see a story in which two men are separated because one has let his love of money blind him from love of fellow people. It’s the gaps between what people have that drive wedges between them that is the sin, not the mere existence of money.

Ugh

Churches aren’t immune to this, either. There seems to be this weird rivalry or chasm between larger “successful” churches and smaller churches.

Churches aren’t immune to this. There seems to be this weird rivalry or chasm between larger “successful” churches and smaller churches.

Churches of all sizes have their pros and cons. In a large church, you have larger choirs, bigger youth programs, more staff and all those are good things. But it’s harder to get to know everyone and people can get lost in the cracks. In a small church - as you all well know - there are fewer people available to do all the things, less budget for mission trips, more limited staff. But. . . everyone knows each other. If someone goes MIA, everyone is checking in on them. It’s easier to foster a feeling of community.

What does that actually mean, though?

But the haves vs the have nots feeling that permeates our culture seems to have invaded church too. Large church churchgoers often don’t see the full value of small churches and small churches feel slighted and ignored. There is a great deal of collaboration that goes on between small churches with one another and between large churches with one another, but it’s rare to see a large church and a small church work together.

Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year C, Volume 4 Pastoral Perspective

We are called to a life of “godliness combined with contentment” (v. 6). This way of life does not guarantee worldly success. In fact, Timothy is soundly warned to flee from “the love of money [that] is a root of all kinds of evil” (v. 10)—not to flee from money itself, but from the love or desire of riches, because this temptation leads to discontent and is a deep distraction from a life lived with God. The instruction does not exclude the monied among us. Those who are financially rich “in the present age” are called to “be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share” (vv. 17–18) so that they might stay focused on God’s ways.

Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year C, Volume 4 Pastoral Perspective

We are also called by our baptisms to “fight the good fight of the faith” (v. 12). The Greek phrase “fight the good fight” is broader in its implications than we might first imagine. It more accurately reads “contest the good contest.” As one commentator has put it, “Maintaining the faith and living the faith require the energy of a good athlete.”1 A life that enduringly pursues such qualities as “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness” (v. 11) is an athletic life of faith, a life of wholeness and total commitment to the ways of God.

Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year C, Volume 4 Homiletical Perspective

Idolatry’s grip is subtle but choking. In most churches we give rightful attention to our physical plant, the gardens, the carpet, the leaky eaves. That is being a good steward of all with which we have been entrusted. Caring too much about those things is idolatry. Putting new carpet in the sanctuary while letting the food pantry for the hungry go empty is dubious at best. Different folk draw the line in different places.

Aha

It’s not just about money. It’s about any of the things we let come between us. Money, membership rolls, beautiful buildings, programs, any of those things can become idols and drive a wedge between us and other churches, us and the community, even between ourselves and other members of the church.

Money is neither good nor bad. It is simply a tool that can be used for good or harm. This is all about how we use the resources we have.

Look, we are not the biggest church or the fanciest church or the wealthiest church. I know that’s not a news flash. And we are never going to be the biggest church or the fanciest church or the wealthiest church. We’re probably never going to be even top 50% largest churches in Pittsburgh Presbytery. Even combining the two congregations together. But so what? That is totally fine. Because we are learning to use what we do have in ways that are faithful and exciting.

In fact, we have to be careful to remember why we are doing what we are doing here. Because if our goal is to be a big church or a church with lots of programs or a church that looks “successful” by worldly standards, we’re way off base. We’re just buying into the idea that there are churches that matter and those that don’t and it’s based on who has more “stuff”.

Because we are learning to use what we do have in ways that are faithful and exciting.

We are not the biggest church or the fanciest church or the wealthiest church, but that’s ok. Because we are learning to use what we do have in ways that are faithful and exciting.

And,

We figure out what we do have to work with and how that can fit in with bringing God’s Kingdom to earth today. And we have all sorts of things to work with if we are creative. I would be remiss if I didn’t say that our biggest asset is the partnership between these two churches! Especially today, I feel like I have to get that in there!

And let’s not forget that not all big churches ignore little churches or discredit them. Some realize that there is value in small churches and in building up their leadership. It’s through a scholarship from a large church in our Presbytery that I’m going to be able to do the program at the seminary that will be coming alongside us as we continue to find our way in the world.

Yeah!

God knows this isn’t easy. Three years of crossfit and I hit my first squat snatch Friday. I spend 7-8 hours a week at the gym. I hear many people say they don’t have that sort of time to spend working out. And that’s fine if you want to set other priorities, but if your really actually want to succeed at something, you need to set other things aside.

There will be plenty said this afternoon about the collaboration between these churches, but I’m not going to have a ton of time to talk about it then. So here’s what I have to say to you all right now:

If you want to live your life in a way that grows and lasts, you have to put in the time and effort. Living the gospel is a whole life endeavour. You have to make sacrifices.

You are doing great! Especially since the decision to make this all long term, I have seen so much hope. There is a gathering of momentum, can you all feel that too? There is excitement and joy that wasn’t here three years ago when I interviewed for this position.

Keep your eyes on what matters. Don’t let what we have or don’t have get between us and churches and partners who have or don’t have. Continue to seek out ways to partner and build relationships and welcome people and be your rockstar selves no matter how many people are sitting in the pews or how many programs we have going on or how many cracks there are in our plaster.

You matter.

I’ve got your back.

And you’ve got this.

Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year C, Volume 4 Pastoral Perspective

Intellectual assent without an open heart or the introspection of spirit produces empty words and deeds. Any bodily skill without the direction of thought or the fire of our spirit’s will or the feeling of our hearts can be aimlessly narcissistic at best and destructive at worst. Acting on the feelings of the heart without mindful intent and awareness can smother relationship with overcontrol. The spirit’s intuition is useless without the mind’s direction and the heart’s compass. To make “the good confession” and live into the life we are called to by baptism, to “take hold of the eternal life,” “to fight the good fight of the faith” (v. 12), we must be fully engaged—body, mind, spirit, and heart—in following the ways of God.