Trinity 15

 

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

    No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. So who, O Christian, are you going to listen to? Because that's really where “service” starts. It starts by listening. There are so many people and things clamoring for your attention, trying to get your focus, begging you to listen to them. We are bombarded by voices and billboards and music and videos and social media and texts, a relentless barrage of sound and fury. So who, O Christian, are you going to listen to? Because they all want something, they want you to do something, to act in a certain way. There's always people wanting something, wanting you to do something – otherwise they'd not say anything. Vote this way, buy this product (not that product), dress this way, behave like this, be part of this crowd. They're all voices demanding that you follow along.

    And the truth, a blunt truth that we as Americans don't like to hear – you're going to serve someone. You're going to follow someone. We aren't nearly as independent as we think we are – even loving independence means you're happily following in the footsteps of the founding fathers. We're wrapped up in tradition and fashion and trend. And we shouldn't be surprised by this. Even back in Genesis 2 God notes that it is not good for man to be alone – we were created to be with others, to follow their lead, to work along with them. We have to follow, that's just what we do, who we are. And if we do become isolated and alone, we become miserable. So understand as we move into this lesson, you are always following, listening to, serving someone. And there are so many voices out there, and we try to balance who we listen to, and sometimes we do, but when push comes to shove, there's always something that we'll choose over another. Something we have to put over another, elevate over the other thing. We can't serve two at the same time when they both want something different.

    And so Jesus throws down the gauntlet. You cannot serve God and money. I don't quite like the translation there that reads “money”. That's sort of right but it's not full enough. Jesus isn't just talking about cold hard cash, about the Almighty Dollar... it's bigger than that. A lot of older translations just kept the Greek word “mammon” - which I like. Mammon is a great word, and if I were to translate it with a single English Word, I would use a very, very technical and precise word. Stuff. You cannot serve God and “stuff”. Whether it's money, that lets you buy stuff, or power and influence that lets you control stuff, or when you objective people you know and basically turn them into stuff – that's what Jesus is contrasting here. You can serve God – the Creator, the One who made you and redeems you, or you can serve Mammon, stuff, the things God created. Which comes first – the Creator, or the created stuff?

    And the answer for us sinful folk so often is that we choose mammon. We choose stuff. That's basically what all sin is. We serve things, we serve money, we serve stuff – to where we make these things our priority and then run roughshod over God's Word and the rest of His creation. And we do serve mammon. Think of how driven you are, how hounded you are. Maybe by work. And I don't just mean if your boss is on your case – it's worse when you're your own boss and work consumes more and more of your life. Maybe by family, where you've just got to keep doing this and that and making everything just so and you're utterly worn out. Maybe it's your image, what people think of you – putting up pretenses. That's a mammon as well, and it's a harsh one. Oh, being constantly worried about what everyone thinks of you, all the wild and random fears about what other people are saying. That drives so many people most miserably. This is why the Scriptures will talk about us being enslaved to sin – these things become our masters, and they abuse us. Listen to the language Paul uses in our Epistle today – Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression... Caught. Trapped. Bound up in that constant anxiety over what's in it for me, how is this going to impact me, what's going to happen to my stuff.

    There's a lot of varieties of mammon out there in the world, but it's all trying to be your master. That's the sad twist of a fallen, sinful world. All these things, all these fine gifts from our gracious God get warped, and we abuse them, and we're bound to them in dour, fearful ways... and we lose the enjoyment of them, the delight of them. And into this world Jesus speaks words like a thunderbolt – Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life. Pause for a second. Do you understand how bold and brash Jesus is being right here? You can't serve two masters, you can't serve God and mammon – therefore I, Jesus, and going to talk, and you're going to listen to Me, and why? Because I'm God Almighty, I'm the Word of God that called all of creation in to being, and I am going rescue you from this slavery to sin and stuff. You see, the One, Christ Jesus, who is Spiritual is going to restore us folk caught in transgression. He's going to take charge again, become the new head of humanity, and put all things under His feet. This is what Jesus does with His life, death, and resurrection – He takes everything into Himself. Sin – oh, I'll take the weight of that up, all of it, there on the Cross, it's Mine now. Good works – oh, I'll do them all, and I'll do them through you. Don't worry about them, they're Mine. Death – yeah, been there, done that – don't have the T-shirt, though, because I prefer the white robes of Revelation, and because of Me you're going to get one of those in the resurrection too, so don't fret over that.

    But what about stuff, Pastor, what about Mammon? Oh, well, yeah, that all belongs to Jesus too. He's in charge of it. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Christ Jesus has created you, He has given you life. Your existence. Your being. Do you understand how grand that is, how it is so much more than these temporary things that we get caught up in. Food and drink – important, but it's here today and gone tomorrow. Clothing – quite useful, I'm glad you're all wearing clothes right now... but it does wear out here and we have to get new ones. And that's fine, because the Lord provides all that we need to support this body and life (that was the catechism, by the by).

    And really, all of these things that drive us, they're temporary. They all pass away. Job, money, power, influence, youth, beauty, even family (as we think of it) moves along in the streams of time. Think back ten or twenty years, or think back 40 or 60 if you can, and think of the things that were just so vital, that you were breaking your back over... how much of it isn't even an issue now? And I'm not saying that these things are bad – no, many of them are grand, beautiful even. The lilies of the field were good and gorgeous – but just for a time. But if God so clothes the grass of the field which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith. God gives us gifts now, to enjoy rightly now, to delight in now, to find satisfaction in now... but they're temporary. And if we cling on to them, if we greedily grasp them, if we live in fear and anxiety afraid to let go while forgetting that God continually gives us more and more... we turn these things into idols. They stop being gifts from God and become mere mammon. They become our master, and our longing after them makes us miserable.

    So in a move most profound, Jesus calls you away from listening to and worrying about your stuff, because He wants you to actually be able to enjoy the things, the blessings He gives you – and if you turn any of them into idols, if you have to serve them, it robs them of their goodness, it steals the joy that they should bring. If you constantly worry about how much things cost, you'll never enjoy anything you buy. If you constantly worry about the kids, about mom getting older... you'll miss out on the joy you ought to have with them right now. If you're constantly worried about power, you'll never enjoy going what you're able to do now. So Jesus says no – don't worry about it. Rather – this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. This, right now, what you have, they're wondrous gifts from God. Enjoy them... and tomorrow enjoy tomorrow's gifts.

    And I will note one other thing. When Jesus says “Don't worry” He's not being some hippie telling you to tune out. No – He gives gifts, receive those gifts rightly – and do the work that they require. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. There are going to be hardships and difficulties that come with everything in life, and those difficulties are made much more rough because of sin – don't go biting off trouble you don't need, but also don't ignore the tasks that are given to you. We live, we work, we do stuff – but not as slaves to the work, not as slaves to our stuff, but as forgiven children of God. We receive it all as gift.

    And how does one receive it as gift? Well, by remembering who is our Master – or maybe it's more accurate to say by being constantly reminded by Christ in His Word that He is our Master. That He is our priority. This is why we get that famous line from Jesus here – But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. The first, the priority, the highest priority is Jesus. It's Jesus and His righteousness, the fact that Jesus is King and He rules His kingdom in righteousness – righteousness that rescues and redeems and forgives you. Righteousness that takes away your sin with His death, and righteousness that gives you life. Righteousness that gives you daily bread, righteousness that gives you every blessing of body and soul, righteousness that gives you things that are good for you right now. Righteousness that does not fail. Righteousness that you don't have to butter up or kowtow to or play the game to influence or manipulate. Jesus is righteousness, and unlike all the voices of mammon, He does right by you, not for a day, but for all eternity. Thanks be to God that He has called you out of this miserable darkness and into His kingdom of light. Amen. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +