November 13, 2022 – Stewardship Sunday                            Text:  Luke 12:13-21

Dear Friends in Christ,

    Almost everyone in the world from Alaska to Australia, from Siberia to South African observe a general festival of thanksgiving.  In Bible times both Pentecost and Succoth were such festivals.  The idea did not originate with the Pilgrims.  We mark the completion of seedtime and harvest.  In reality, we usually spend the weekend overeating, oversitting and overspending.  Prayerfully, we remember our many blessings.  We have a total dependence upon God.  It is Stewardship Sunday, and this question is posed . . . 

“DO YOU HAVE A LASTING BLESSING?”

    Stewardship Sundays are usually on one of three topics – our talent, our time, our treasure.  Looking at sermons of the past on this day they have usually been on time and talent with a little treasure thrown in.  That is my fault.  I don’t like people telling me what do with my treasure so I have shied away from preaching on it.  But that is ridiculous as this is a biblical topic.   When we sent the letter out earlier this year on the state of the church’s finances you brothers and sisters are so amazing you thanked us for it.  You want to know.  It’s your church.  We are in this together.  This sermon like the letter is not an “open your pocketbooks” more Law sermon.  It is a reminder of what good fortune we have been blessed with.  It is that reminder that all good gifts come from God.  It is that reminder that what we have is temporary in one way but what the Lord provides is eternal.  

    Only about half of you who are in the pews this morning will stay for our meeting today.    I don’t need to reiterate the challenges we faced at the end of last year and beginning of this year.  It has made…well 2022…a good exercise in frugality.  But as always, along the way the gracious hand of our Lord has been a constant.  We approached a few tipping points and then boom….thank you Lord!  

    Do you know the most surprising part of the pandemic for those of us in the clergy?  The offerings given.  Never expected it.  75-80% of LCMS churches saw higher offerings in 2020.  Studies have been done as to why, but the main reason…God is good.  Most churches have seen the opposite in 2022.  Why?  Because people are scared.  Why did people build bomb shelters in the 1950’s or why did those who lived through the Depression horde food?  Fear.  It paralyzes us.  As I said earlier in a sermon and it has borne itself out in our giving, $5 gas scared us.  You then add on the cost of energy, food, sundry items and we all start to look inward instead of outward.  Why can’t we in the 21st century figure out a way to have new cars on the lots?  Cars are being made, we all know that.  When life doesn’t make sense where do we go?

    God’s Word.  It is really that simple.  Today’s text has been called “The Parable of the Rich Fool.”  However, he wasn’t a fool for being rich.  He was probably a great farmer or good business manager.  The man was a fool because of the wrong conclusions he drew from being rich.  His riches were foolishness because they were wrongly used.

    His biggest problem was that he his didn’t realize his riches had no lasting value.  “Fool!  This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (v. 20)  He had a temporary blessing.  Sooner or later, it would be taken away.

    Look at all the pronouns in this text they are almost all “I” and “my”.  It is the same way we speak.  My house, my car, my money, my clothes.  Are they really ours?  Does the farmer cause the seed to germinate and the rain to fall and the sun to shine?  That all comes from the hand of God.  God entrusts us with many things, but they are really His because He provided them.

    Do you have a lasting blessing?  Today people are not buried in a shroud.  It is usually a nice suit or dress.  In earlier times a shroud was used.  But it lacks one thing – pockets.  The reason?  We take nothing with us when we go, even as we brought nothing with us when we came.  Jesus came into the world with no home, no fancy clothes, no comfortable bed.  Still, on the Last Day, every knee will bow before Him.  Why?  Because he was poor?  No, because He faithfully carried out the Father’s will to save us.

    You see the Lord knows you are sacred.  He made you.  You are the crown of His creation.  He provides you with the greatest riches.  Your fear is replaced with hope.  Your inward cocoon now sees outward possibilities.  He unfolds your tight fists with percentage giving.  It is all made possible through His love and grace.  A Calvary Cross.  An empty tomb.  A promise to always be with us.  What is there to be frightened of?  Read your history.  Really, everything in His hands.  We have a priceless inheritance with Christ in heaven.  I can’t wait for that lasting blessing to be an eternal joy.  Are you there, with me?  I look forward to seeing you.

    Today is again a reminder that we are all rich.  In a way the world doesn’t understand.  May God grant us such a faith in Him, that our hearts and eyes will be fixed where true joys are to be found.  That we will be grateful stewards of the material things entrusted to us and use them for God’s glory and the welfare of others. 

                            Amen.