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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2007

THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Luke 16:1-13 (Being faithful in the little things)

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SERMON THEME:

When things do not turn out the way we think they should, we need to remember a simple lesson from our Lord: Those who are faithful in the little things of life will also be faithful in the big things.

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1. Have you noticed that things in life rarely turn out the way we think they should? A couple of examples:

A. A former student of mine had just graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in engineering. And he was applying for a job at a large corporation. The interview went very well -- until the end, when the personnel director asked him: “And what sort of salary package were you looking for?” The young student, thinking he was the perfect engineer for the job (and possessing a superabundance of pride), decided to go for it. He replied in this manner: “Well, I really was thinking of a cash salary in the neighborhood of $85,000 to start, depending on the benefits.” The personnel director responded immediately: “I see. And what would you say to a package that included six weeks of paid vacation, 15 paid holidays, full medical and dental, matching retirement fund, and a new company car every two years, starting with, say, a new red Corvette?” My student sat up and said: “WOW! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” And the personnel director replied: “Of course I’m kidding you. But YOU STARTED IT.” Let’s just say that the interview did not turn out the way my young student thought it would.

B. Or consider this: A young teenaged boy was walking down the street pushing a very old lawnmower. His pastor was out working in the front yard of the church as the boy walked by. “Where are you going with the mower, Billy?” the pastor asked. “I’m going to sell it. I want to buy a bicycle.” The pastor said: “You know. I could USE an old mower like that. Would you sell it to me for, say, $50?” “YOU BET!” the boy replied. So the sale was completed. Later that day, as the boy rode by on his bicycle, he saw the pastor out in the front yard trying to start the mower. “Oh, Father,” the boy said. “I forgot to tell you. You need to CUSS REAL HARD to get that mower started.” The pastor said: “I’ve been in the ministry 25 years, and I think I’ve FORGOTTEN how to cuss.” “Don’t worry,” the boy replied. “You just keep pulling on that cord . . . And it will come back to you.”

2. The fact is: Things very rarely happen the way we think they should. And even our best-made plans are subject to unexpected bumps in the road. A couple of examples from my own life:

A. When I was 18 years old, I had a course set before me. I had just started college, had just started playing college baseball, had just started to work as a weekend police reporter for the afternoon newspaper in my home town, had just started to work in the sports information office at my college, and I was READY TO TACKLE THE WORLD. I was very active in my church -- a Southern Baptist Church -- and I was occasionally teaching my college Sunday School class and leading the music. I was even thinking strongly about the Baptist seminary AFTER college. And I was zooming around town in my 1964 MG Midget sports car -- enjoying my first month in college. My course to the future was set. And then my father died of a massive heart attack at the age of 47. Everything changed. My life switched to fast forward, and I graduated in less than three years and went to work. Over time, everything in my life wound up going in another direction. Nothing happened the way I thought it should.

B. And then, when I was 30, I had a course set before me. I was working as investigative reporter for the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman newspaper, was deeply involved in the investigation that resulted in my book (and the CBS movie based on my book), and I was seeing doors opened before me in the newspaper field. And then the Lord called. Again. I was a lay minister and vestry member in my little Episcopal Church at the time, and the Lord called me to LEAVE BEHIND the newspaper business and follow Him. Nothing happened the way I thought it should.

C. And there are SO MANY other times when my own plans were subject to immediate and irrevocable change . . . And one of those sudden changes brought Dixie and me here to Fargo three weeks ago. Actually, when I look at the places where we have served, I see a number of places I NEVER DREAMED ABOUT, in my wildest dreams. Lubbock, Texas. Marshall, Texas. Houston, Texas. College Station, Texas. And now Fargo.

3. The main point I want to emphasize this morning -- before we look at our Gospel lesson from Luke Chapter 16 -- is this:

In other words, we simply must stay SO FOCUSED on the Lord IN THE LITTLE THINGS OF LIFE, that we are also able to stay focused IN THE BIG THINGS OF LIFE. When all around us is changing, we must remember each day to REACH OUT TO GOD, and REACH OUT THE LEAST OF THE LORD’S CHILDREN. We must remember (and learn) to do this in the little things that come our way each day -- the little choices and decisions which only we know about. It is, after all, in the little things of life that we demonstrate our faith to others . . . And to the Lord, who watches all that we say, think, and do. As someone once told me: We are in TRAINING each day for eternity. And part of our training is to CONCENTRATE on the Lord, and on the least of the Lord’s children, in the little choices, circumstances, and events that come our way each minute of the day. We have opportunities each day to TRAIN OURSELVES to look upward and outward, rather than inward (on our own needs and desires).

4. In our Gospel lesson this morning, we hear a story from the Lord Jesus THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN THE WAY WE THINK IT SHOULD. As a matter of fact, NOTHING in this story seems to go according to plan.

A. We are face-to-face today with the parable of the Unjust Manager -- one of the wonderful parables told by the Lord Jesus to give us a glimpse into the heart of god. (Remember that parables are LITTLE stories with a LARGE message about the Lord). This is a story that is full of surprises.

B. A wealthy landowner turned over his property to a manager who was a thief. And not a very good thief. Word of the thief got back to the owner, who issued a summons. The owner planned to confront his dishonest manager.

C. Fearing for his life, and his livelihood, the manager issued a few summonses of his own. He called the businessmen who owed money to his boss and had them falsify records. A man who owed 100 containers of oil was instructed to rewrite his bill to say he owed only 50 containers. A man who owed 100 containers of grain was asked to rewrite his bill to say he owed only 80 containers. This way, the dishonest manager hoped to land another job when he got fired. And he clearly expected to be fired. He knew he was a crook. And he expected to be punished as a crook.

D. But instead of firing him, the owner COMMENDED HIM for his shrewdness in LOOKING OUT FOR HIMSELF!

What an amazing turn of events! The dishonest manager is actually commended for being creative! For seeking to salvage his life and his livelihood! This story does NOT turn out the way we think it should . . . Until we get to the words of Jesus in summarizing this story: Those who are faithful in little things will also be faithful in the big things. And, in reverse, those who are NOT faithful in the little things will NOT be faithful in the big things.

5. It seems to me that the enduring message of Scripture is that we must be focused, vigilant, and diligent in all we do -- and especially in the little things of life. And our focus, in all things, must be on the Lord FIRST. For only by paying attention to Him can we hope to follow His guidance when things change all around us, and when our own plans go down the tubes. And then we need to LOOK for Him, and His will, in the little things that come our way: In our interactions with friends, family members, neighbors, and associates; in our trips to the office, to the store, to the gym, to the golf course; in our business life AND in our leisure time; in those unexpected events and circumstances that come into our life, day after day.

6. It helps to remember that God is watching over us, in the little things as well as the Big things. And He is constantly showering us with His love, as He attempts to guide us closer and closer to Himself. But we must be paying attention if we expect to see Him, to hear Him, and to follow Him. And God will remember us, in the little things and the big things. AMOS 8:7 quotes God as saying this: Nish’bah Adonai big’on Ya-a-kov imesh’kah la’net-sak

Kolma-asei’chim. “The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will not forget their deeds.” God will not forget us. And let us not forget Him, either. In the little things of life. And in the big things.