Well here's the nitty-gritty. We can do justice in the church without too much controversy or guilt even. We can justify not having fairly traded tea and coffee on the grounds of taste. We can do peace in the church too without much guilt attached and support weapons of mass destruction (as ong as we're in charge of them) or sing military songs and talk as if it is a priritual battle and wonder about our armed forces and find grounds to support or protest against them without too much life change going on.
And then there is money. Ah, a little more difficult. One of the letters to Timothy wrestles with it as well as other places. Where are our role models for money management? How do we balance our comforts and security (such as it is) and pensions (such as they might be) with ethics, and balance in the world? What about investing it ethically, paying more for what we know is made more fairly, having the high ideals of that but in reality running into the pound stores and supermarket brands for as much as we can afford knowing they can't possibly be made without the hint of slavery in some distant country.
So can we solve all of that in one sermon? Where do you start? Money and God. Always seemed a difficult combination. Shall we talk of fairtrade coffee? Much easier.
The passage this week from The Message:
1 Timothy 6:6-19 (The Message)
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.
But if it's only money these leaders are after, they'll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.
Running Hard
But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.
I'm charging you before the life-giving God and before Christ, who took his stand before Pontius Pilate and didn't give an inch: Keep this command to the letter, and don't slack off. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way. He'll show up right on time, his arrival guaranteed by the Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High King, High God. He's the only one death can't touch, his light so bright no one can get close. He's never been seen by human eyes—human eyes can't take him in! Honor to him, and eternal rule! Oh, yes.
Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.
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