(NIV) Luke 12.13-23 – 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12.13-23

The River of GraceStewardship 2015 - #6

Jamming up the River[ 5 May 2023 5:27 PM ]

11.08.2015 – First UMC St. Cloud

If you don't feel you can give or are not ready to take that step of tithing, please know that you are welcome here just the same.

Introduction: Practically Paralyzed1. Blessed to be a blessing. saved to serve. When you and i fail to see tithing

as part of our own spiritual lives in loving the Lord our God and as part of our loving others as ourselves. The two commands Jesus said are the most important for us as Christians. This leads to "log jams" in God's River of Grace in our lives.

2. Ordinarily it is expedient to break a jam as soon as possible. Once the river begins to fall, the logs settle, and so press the more firmly together. A very slight decrease in the volume of the water-will lock the timber immovably. On the other hand, if the jam happens to form between high banks, sooner or later the river will back up sufficiently behind it to flow over it. Naturally, when this happens, the logs on top are lifted, floated down, and precipitated over the breast of the jam into the stream below, where they either kill the men working at the breaking, or stick upright in the river bottom as a further obstruction. The formation of a jam, then, is a signal for feverish activity, and the man who is "driving" the river never breathes freely until his logs are once more racing down the current.

3. Probably the biggest jam in the history of logging occurred in the Grand River of Michigan in the summer of 1883. It involved over one hundred and fifty million feet of logs. It is a little difficult to convey an idea of an hundred and fifty million feet. Such a mass would weigh, for instance, about thirty-seven million tons. If piled evenly ten feet high in a river bed a hundred feet wide, it would extend about ten miles.

4. .....The men in charge knew that, once this tremendous force should get beyond control, nothing short of a miracle would prevent it from sweeping through everything and scattering abroad over Lake Michigan. That would mean total loss, for salvage would cost more than the lumber was worth....The result would be that all the hundred and fifty million feet of the combined booms would sweep out into Lake Michigan, there to be irretrievably lost.

5. The blow to the State's prosperity can hardly be estimated. Besides a loss of some millions of dollars' worth of sawed lumber—which would mean the failure, not only of many of the mill companies, but also of the bankers holding their paper, and so of firms in other lines of business—thousands of men would be thrown out of employment; and, what was quite as serious, the destruction of the bridges would mean the total severance of all railroad communication between eastern and western Michigan. For a season, industry of every description would be practically paralyzed.

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6. Continuing with our metaphor of God's River of Grace, our failing to use our financial blessings to bless others leads to "jog jams" that cause two issues. First, others are not blessed by God as God intends. Second, (to which Jesus speaks rather bluntly) God's grace in our lives no longer flows as God intends. God's grace (love, mercy, forgiveness, power) becomes practically paralyzed.

The “Big Idea” – Grasping at our money and possessions creates a "log jam" in God's River of Grace.

A. Mine, Mine, Mine The man (person) does not see his resources, his money and possession, or his life as belonging to God, as if to say, "It is all mine, mine, mine..."1. Our text begins with Luke 12.13 – 13 Someone in the crowd said to

him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus sees through the brother’s request, knowing it is really a request to take sides in a quarrel over who gets the more money Luke 12.14 – 14

Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Instead Jesus uses the man's concern for gaining more money to speak to the whole crowd about the meaning of this life from God's perspective. Luke 12.15 – 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

2. The focus of this part of Luke's gospel or "good news" is the story of the land owner who is more concerned with excess riches than striving to live under God's Rule or in God's Kingdom. As Jesus often does, Luke 12.16-18 – 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. The underlying principle here is not that money and possession are bad. Or that some of our money is for our own living and even enjoyment. The underlying principle centers on how you and I grasp at and use our money and possession.

3. Now the man (the human) does not obtain his wealth immorally. This season, he has a fruitful harvest. So, he must decide what to do with the overflow. Here is where he goes off course, or misses the mark – sin! Look back verses 17-19. Five times he speaks about what “I” will do because he believes that his wealth and passions are his and his alone. This is underscored as the man (the human) speaks about “my” crops, “my”

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barns and “my” surplus grain (mine, mine, mine….) He continues in Luke 12.19 – 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ The word we have translated as "myself" is the Greek word ψυχῇ (psoo-khay') that speaks of our inner beings or the center of our existence. Our heart or our soul. This word seems to indicate that the man (human) believes that he is the greatest power acting in his life.a. He is not going share it but will keep it for his private use. Though it is

appropriate to save ahead for the future, the man fails to balance this with giving glory to God for all he has as well as caring for one's neighbor, the poor and the marginalized, for those who do not have access to the world's wealth and resources or even the basic needs for survival.

B. Deeply Concerned So, whether we are comfortable with this or not, Jesus is deeply concerned about how you use your money.1. How you and I spend our money is a very clear reflection of the depth and

quality of our spiritual lives. As humans who are marred (disfigured) by sin, you and I have a pervasive disposition to run after and grasp for things in this life which distract us or even completely block our experience of God's grace. They "jam up the river " of God's grace. Jesus does not use gentle words in hopes that he will not offend us by speaking about our money. He does not speak in metaphors in hopes that we might guess he is speaking about our money. Jesus does not speak about our inner life in hopes that our outer action with our money might also change. No, Jesus says to the man and to many of us, Luke 12.20a – 20 “....You fool!.... This is shock therapy. God calls us "fools."

2. Jesus does this because our very souls are at stake. If we can hear Jesus words honestly, there is no last minute rescue or course correction that brings about a happy ending. Whether we acknowledge and act on that knowledge or not - God is the greatest power acting in our lives and in our world. Luke 12.20b – 20 “....This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ The Christian understanding (which is not always the American understanding) of our lives is that God is the creator and sustainer of our lives (LIFE) and God is the giver of all we possess (OWNER). So, life and possessions are a gift from God to be used 1) for our own needs and also 2) to advance God's purposes (God's agendas) of care and compassion especially for those who have less.

3. Jesus knows how easily you and I can become totally self-absorbed that we no longer take the needs of others and the Rule of God into account. Yes, we say wonderful things but as Jesus has just pointed out, do our actions, especially with our money, reflect this?

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C. Rich Towards God Tithing is one of the main ways you and I live "rich toward God." I would like to spend the rest of our time together answering the top 10 (really only 5) misconceptions about tithing. No "beating around the bush" or hoping you get the point without actually making the point.1. FIRST - "DOESN'T THE CHURCH RECIEVE ITS FUNDING FROM SOME

LARGER ORGANIZATION?" I have heard this many times as people as very surprised that our church is not funded by some larger organization. Now, I have asked the Vatican to share their vast resources with us but they have so far declined. The truth is, the local church has always been funded by, you guessed it, participant in the local church. In fact, the best work we have done as a denomination (whether it is relief work after a natural disaster through the United Methodist Committee on Relief or wiping out cases of malaria in Africa with Imagine No Malaria) comes about because of the giving from participants in the local church.

2. SECOND - "IS THERE REALLY MUCH OF A COST TO RUNNING A LOCAL CHURCH?" Ordinarily, I would not read a rather guilt-producing list such as "How to Run a Church Without Money." This list, though, was given to me by Betty Ruth Goode who, though she is now retired to North Carolina, is a pillar in this church and someone no one would even dare get mad at. She walks so close to God so getting mad at her may have consequences. So, I read you this list to get an idea how we might run this church without money.

HOW TO RUN A CHURCH WITHOUT MONEY(From the Kentucky Annual Conference of the Methodist Church, June 6th,

1963.)Someone figured out how to run a church without money.

1. Let each member come dressed warmly enough to withstand the cold weather and we can eliminate the fuel bill.

2. Let each member bring his own broom and mop and eliminate the custodian.

3. Let each member bring his own fan and eliminate cooling.4. Let each member wear a raincoat and who cares if the roof

leaks.5. Let each member bring a jug of water and eliminate the water bill.6. Let each member bring a candle and we'll turn off the lights.7. Let each member take turns at preaching, baptizing, conducting

funerals and weddings and we will eliminate our expensive pastor.8. Let each member take a year off to sail as a missionary to the

heathen at his own expense of course and we will do away with all this missionary business.

.

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9. Let each member take a year off to help organize and pay for and build new church buildings in nearby cities and we will eliminate our district budget.

10. Of course each member will take turns bringing his own piano to church at his own expense and we will not be buying pianos.

11. Each member will be expected to bring his own hymnal from which to sing.

12. And surely each member will purchase a small tent for his Sunday school class and we will not have to expand our plant.

13. See you in church Sunday, you lucky church member.3. THIRD - "ISN'T TITHING JUST BETWEEN ME AND GOD?" (Said with a

bit of indignation, self-righteousness and with a glare from the eyes.) Two points here. One, we see in Acts 2.44-46 − 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. We are in this together and dependant on each other. Our lives are intertwined not only with God but with the Christians everywhere yet specifically in our local church. This is reflected in our baptism and membership vows that we collectively reaffirm each tome we baptize or welcome someone into our church family. Listen,

As members of this congregation,will you faithfully participate in its ministriesby your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness?

4. FOURTH - "CAN'T I GIVE MY TIME IN PLACE OF MY MONEY?" I know there are some folks who simply feel they are on such tight budgets that giving would mean not providing food for the family or not paying the electric bill. If that is really where you are then don't worry, the rest of us will take care of the financing for now. For the rest of us, the answer is "No." Tithing represent a real act of worship towards 1) trusting God to provide enough for us to live and 2) participating with Jesus (and with other Christians) in God's work in our world. For most of us, this question is simply asking God to be content with only part of our lives loving God with our whole body, mind and spirit while also asking God to let us hold on to money which can so easily become a distraction.

5. FIFTH - "DOESN'T THE CHURCH ONLY WANT MY MONEY?" Absolutely not. Your golf course, sports channel, health club, computer gaming website, sports team and the Coca-Cola corporation want your money. The church wants your life. Romans 12.1 − 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your

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true and proper worship. The church, the Body of Christ, Christ's presence here on earth, wants to see your life transformed through encountering Jesus the Christ and then further transformed in service to the world God loves.

D. Greater Blessing 1. The church, that is you and me, are in one business and one only - seeing

people's lives changed by Jesus Christ. Tithing is a real and necessary way that we participate with God in transforming the world. Tithing has eternal worth.

2. There is even a greater blessing to tithing. We hard Jesus speak this morning from Luke's Gospel about how money (a lot and a little) can distract us from experiencing and participating in the abundant life God has given us as believers in Jesus Christ. Luke 12.13-23 – 15 .....“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Earlier in Luke's Gospel, Jesus tells us, Luke 9.-25 − 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? With Jesus, I do not want you to miss out in this life and in God's eternal new heaven and new earth on the joy of following Jesus because your money and possessions distracted you. Because your money and possessions were jamming up God's River of Grace.

“Action Point” – Tithe

If you don't feel you can give or are not ready to take that step of tithing, please know that you are welcome here just the same.