Messages, Meditations, and Musings on the Life of Faith by Rev. Dr. Scott E. Olson, Interim Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Preston, MN

Sunday, August 17, 2014

"Fruitful Living: Growing in Faithfulness" - Sermon for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Fruitful Living: Growing in Faithfulness
Pentecost 10 (Summer Series)
August 17, 2014
Grace, Mankato, MN
Luke 16.1-13

A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty "Hi Ho Silver!" “The Lone Ranger”. "Hi Ho Silver, away!" With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early west. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. “The Lone Ranger” rides again!

Indeed, there were many Saturdays that I would “return to those thrilling days of yesteryear,” watching “The Lone Ranger” on TV. The show would teach a young mind many lessons, including the importance of justice and standing up for right, especially the vulnerable, even if it means a threat to your own personal safety. But, as I think about “The Lone Ranger” and other shows, they also taught me about faithfulness. The back story on “The Lone Ranger” is that as a young boy, the Lone Ranger saves Tonto’s life and as adults, Tonto does that same, nursing the Lone Ranger back to health as the lone survivor of a group of Texas Rangers who have been ambushed. The Lone Ranger isn’t “lone” because he’s alone; it’s because he was the last one left. In fact, Tonto gives the Lone Ranger the nickname “Kemo Sabe,” which can be translated “trusty or faithful friend.”

Jesus presents us with a curious story today about faithfulness, one that has caused the spilling of much ink over the centuries. We know that parables are designed to stretch and interpret us more than we interpret them, but this one threatens to pull us apart. The message seems to say that as Jesus’ followers we are to act shrewdly in a crisis. But then the sayings Luke adds on throw the story in a different direction, focusing on faithfulness in a different way. There is something about the Christian life that we need to be faithful in small things in order to be able to handle the big things, faithful in the ordinary in order to handle the valuable, and faithful with another’s possessions to be able to handle our own.

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to think about this while attending a Stewardship conference at Luther Seminary. The overall theme was building a year-round stewardship program rather than once a year pledge campaign. I came away thinking we are on the right track, but also with a deeply troubling question: Has the word stewardship become so identified with asking for money that we shouldn’t use it any longer? Now, I hate to throw away perfectly good theological words and would rather redeem them, if possible. This is especially true with the word stewardship since the business world has adopted the word stewardship and attempts to practice it faithfully.

Now, you know that I’m not afraid to talk about money in church, largely because Jesus talks about it so much. He has a lot to say about money and how we use it. And what I’m about to say might make you wish I was talking about money, but instead I want to talk about is what it means for us to be stewards of everything God has given to us, including our money. God doesn’t want our money because it already belongs to God; God wants us to use what is given to us faithfully. For example, think about Mark and Rachel and Alyssa and Adam who have now become stewards of Max and Henry. They (and you) have agreed to be faithful stewards of these children. God, who is faithful and just, invites us into a relationship with God and with others. And God wants us to know that our relationship with our stuff, including money affects all of our other relationships.

We have learned in this sermon series that the fruit of the Spirit come because we, who live in the Spirit through God’s love in Jesus, seek to be led by the Spirit in our daily living. We’ve also learned that part of growing in the fruit comes from practicing, and that includes faithfulness. One way we do this each week is by eating at the table of Holy Communion for we come to the table by faith, for faith. Also this week, I want you to think about what God has given you to steward. What has God called you to care for and how might God be calling you to be faithful in its care and use, particularly your relationships? OK, Kemo Sabes? Hi Ho Silver, away! Amen.

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