November 11, 2007
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The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church Pr. Per Inge Vik Text:
Lk 20:27-38
Because this is Stewardship Sunday, let me start by telling a funny story with some connection to the day. A painter that worked on church restoration had once done extensive work repainting the interior of an old church. After the task was accomplished, he sent an invoice. The invoice was specified in this way: “Extended the sky
and added several new stars,
4,35 kr
Varnished the wife of Potifar:
45 øre The Faithful Steward who was “quite worn out”, then we have arrived at the Stewardship Sunday of the church year. To be a human being on the earth, is to be a steward. Either we are good stewards, or else we are bad ones. We need to be conscious about this, we own nothing by ourselves. As we sing in a Norwegian hymn: “Nothing is ours, everything is yours, everything is ours in you.” A wise Dane (Jacob Paludan) has said: “On good days in the middle of life one can feel like the host of a wide estate. Later it seems more shrunken and one realizes that after all one only lives in the house of the steward.” Yes, exactly, we live in the house of the steward! We have everything on mortgage. In Greek, the word for steward is oikonomos. Our word economist comes from that. So to have a good economy, in reality means to have good stewardship. How can we be good stewards? Paul says that Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy (1Cor.4:2). That we are not greedy and spend time, economic means and other things that have been given to us, just for our own enjoyment. To be a happy giver is good stewardship, that is, to be found trustworthy. Furthermore to take care of one’s own health, and to protect creation and share the resources belong in the picture, too. Also how we take care of our relationships belongs with being found trustworthy. To be a faithful spouse is good stewardship. That we take care of our closest ones. To be parents is also a task of stewardship that is honorable. Children are “God’s Loan”, as the old ones said. They are with us as long as they need our care. And then, before we realize, they are flown away from the nest. Concerning the text we read here, we are amazed by how Jesus interprets old Bible verses, and lifts them up in a new and clear light. In this case, the story about the thorn bush, where Moses calls God the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus reminds us that Moses does so long after the three patriarchs died. Jesus interprets the whole story as a testimony about resurrection. Here it is revealed that God is not a god for the dead, but for the living. He is the God of life and the living. It is possible for a person to live physically, without being alive in this deeper meaning. We have to be awakened to the life Jesus talks about here. He who himself rose from the grave, still speaks his creating word! It is the power in this word that wakes up people to faith, and gives us a share in the kingdom of God. The mission of the church is nothing less than this: To call people into life. Wake to conversion and faith in Him who rose from the dead, and inspire people to live a holy life here on this earth, as faithful stewards. God who created everything by his mighty word, he is the God of life. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the apostles, Martin Luther, parents and Sunday school teachers that pointed at Jesus for us through their lives and their words, all those who helped us to a life of faith and discipleship, they all are alive for God. They live in his realm. One more time we are amazed by the wisdom in Jesus’ word. He puts in their place those who come with hair-splitting questions trying to stump him, in this case, the Sadducees. According to the gospels, Jesus debates more often with two other groups, that is the Pharisees and the scribes. Theologically these and Jesus are much closer to each other than are the Sadducees, though. The Sadducees were the aristocratic party among the Jews at that time. What was the most typical with them, was exactly what Luke points at here, that they didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead. All the High priests were Sadducees. So the Sadducee party had a lot of power over the temple service. Compared to their number, they had a great influence at that time—as long as it lasted. After the temple was laid in ruins by the Romans in 70 AD, we do not hear more about them. The Sadducees disappear from history. Rabbinic Judaism continues the heritage from the Pharisees. Having said that, I have to add that what has continued the heritage from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the strongest way is the Christian faith. Christianity has been spread, and has made a wider influence in the world than Judaism. Our Master accomplished that, by his deed of salvation for a fallen human kind, and later by his still powerful and mighty word, administered by his church on earth. It is told in a legend about something that happened in heaven after Christ’s ascension. The legend depicts a meeting between Jesus and the Arch angel Gabriel. Gabriel wonders, “what plans have you put into work so that your mission on earth can be fulfilled?” And Jesus answers: “I have left 11 persons. They are given the mission, and are to be responsible that the plan is carried through.” But Gabriel is not satisfied, so he tries another question, “but if they should fail, what plans do you have then?” And Jesus answer, “then I have no other plan.” Fragile tools they were. But the world mission went on through the countries, out to the tribes of the earth. And it still does. Because it is the word of life that is preached, because the powers of resurrection are let loose, that is why is has such a penetrating force It is great to take part in bringing the message of life’s victory over death, further. In our fragility the powers of resurrection are at work. The Biblical thought about stewardship teaches us that our whole life is a loan from God. Only God owns life. He is the source of life, its Creator, Lord and Sustainer. Our life on earth lasts as long as He decides. We are only stewards of life. But the faithful steward was “quite worn out” . Let that remind us that we need to be renewed, by Jesus cleansing away our sins . He renews us by his Spirit, lets us have some rest, and gain new energy. He reminds us about the mission of stewardship, that we are to live a holy life and use our resources to the honor of Him who is the God of the Living, Father Son and Holy Spirit. He was, is and shall always be one true God from eternity to eternity. (The congregation answers: Amen!) |
The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church · 924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 · (612)874-0716 |