TIME FOR AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT?

Luke 12:22-34

Dr. Wm. J. Maxwell

First Presbyterian Church, Newport, RI

November 5, 2006

I knew it was coming … you knew it was coming … we all knew it was coming. It comes, after all, every first or second Sunday of November. I’m talking about Stewardship Sunday and sermons given on the subject of stewardship.

There are, of course, different kinds of sermons on the subject of stewardship. There can be the general thematic sermon - the call to be a steward or manager of our “time, talent and treasure.” This may be a well-worn phrase, but it still has meaning. There is nothing wrong with that.

Another sermon might be more focused: a sermon on finances, but yet still general, such as in terms of the use of credit cards, or the responsibility in paying our bills, or the danger of borrowing too much or how to get out of debt. Still another might be even more focused, such as a sermon on what the Bible says about tithing.

In any event, I find responses to stewardship sermons to be rather interesting. People in the pew seem to get rather nervous when the pastor starts to approach them in his “stewardship car.” It’s like, if the pastor gets too close to you in his stewardship car … closer and closer … the air bag in your pew will suddenly go off!

Well, maybe it’s because I’ve been doing this for a while, but I really do want to get to the heart of the matter of stewardship this morning. As your pastor, I do expect you to remember that we are stewards or managers, not owners, of all that God has given us and this includes “time, talent and treasure.”

But this morning, I want to speak especially about money – quite frankly because this is a month when we invite people to be prayerful as to what they sense the Lord would have them give in 2007 and then to pledge accordingly. No, we don’t have “Pledge Police” knocking on the doors of those who fail to come through on their pledge. On some occasions, unforeseen events come into play that restrict the full or partial completion of that pledge. A sudden loss of a job or income or health problems are all understandable.

But pledges do help the Elders as they seek to put together a budget for the new year, one that coincides with the congregation’s intent to give. And, of course, it is in the actual act of giving that we participate in the work of the Kingdom, both in partnership with God and with one another as brothers and sisters in the family of God here at First Presbyterian Church.

Now, do you feel like your air bag is about to go off yet? If you do … or even if you don’t … I really believe that the bottom line of giving for the work of Christ’s kingdom has to do with heart and attitude, and for some, it may be time for an “attitude adjustment!”

I think you know what I’m talking about here. For example, Pat and I have found an interesting scenario develop when we go through a check-out line together. Occasionally, we will find a cashier with an attitude that says to us, quite frankly: “What are you doing here? Don’t you realize that you’re taking up my time!” You know what I mean, don’t you? It’s like finding inconvenience in the Convenience Store. And you are the inconvenience!

So, these are the times when we will try to be extra friendly (to show them what the alternative looks like) or we will very sincerely ask if they’re okay or if they are having a bad day. When we ask them this, they have to look at themselves and ask, “Gee, am I really having a bad day?” Most of them aren’t, they’re just acting that way. So, in this non-threatening way, they may come to the conclusion that they need to make an attitude adjustment.

On the other hand, if they are having a bad day and they tell us, this gives us an opportunity to minister in Jesus’ name to a person dozens and dozens of people don’t really care about.

***

In our passage before us this morning, Jesus is clearly calling for an attitude adjustment. It seems that Jesus was never afraid to address the hard, challenging or even sensitive issues of life, and money is obviously one of them!

In this teaching, Jesus clearly wants us to be Kingdom-focused people and a people who use what He has given us with the right attitude of mind and heart. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” He knows that not every one has the right attitude of mind and heart when it comes to giving money for the sake of the advancement of the Kingdom. And in our passage for this morning, He identifies two major reasons why people may not give very much.

THE FIRST REASON

WE MAY NOT GIVE VERY MUCH

IS BECAUSE OUR PRIORITIES ARE MIXED UP.

In our passage, sometimes Jesus hints at this and at other times, He comes right out and says it directly. “Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (v.23). “Do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things …” (vv.29,30). “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys” (v.34).

There is so much more to life than setting one’s heart on the most delectable of foods or the most fashionable of clothing. Our world is absolutely full of people trying to fill up the emptiness inside with expensive trinkets on the outside. But it just doesn’t work. We were meant to find our joy in Christ and find meaning in reaching out, not to ourselves, but to others.

I believe John Templeton discovered this to be true. Born in 1912 in rural Tennessee, Templeton is known today all the world over. This billionaire made millions by investing in stocks. At the beginning of World War II, Templeton bought 100 shares of every stock he could find on Wall Street that sold for $1 or less. As the economy during the war picked up, so did the value of his stocks!

But as his wealth grew, Templeton realized that he needed to keep his priorities in order. He was known for starting Mutual Funds Annual meetings with prayer, not for the sake of self-interest and gain, but for the sake of wisdom, direction and calmness of spirit.

As a Presbyterian and a member of our denomination, he was a trustee on the Board of Princeton Theological Seminary for 42 years, and he served as the chairperson of the board for 12 years.

Desiring to bring benefit to the world in contributing to the cause of religion, he established the Templeton Prize, an award of over $1 million, with such recipients as Billy Graham and Mother Teresa.

Few of us will ever come anywhere near the wealth this man has. But it certainly appears that we have an example here of one who has sought to assess and address his priorities in life. Surely, we can tell the nature of one’s priorities in how much attention and money a person will give to them. This seems to be universally true.

So it is that stewardship season is a gift in itself, being a time to prayerfully assess and address what is truly important to us. It provides us the opportunity to see if our chosen priorities are truly in concert with God’s and with the work of His kingdom.

THE SECOND REASON

WE MAY NOT GIVE VERY MUCH

IS BECAUSE WE DON’T TRUST GOD.

So much of the content of this teaching of Jesus has to do with trusting in God for the provision of our needs. “I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear …who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life … you of little faith! … Your Father knows that you need (these things). But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”

While some do not give for the cause of the kingdom because they want to keep everything to themselves, others, on the other hand, may give very little because they trust God very little. They are tied up in knots, ridden with anxiety and are robbed of the joy of giving and the joy of life.

I was surprised to learn very recently that C.S. Lewis – the Christian apologist and philosopher who has given us such wonderful books as Mere Christianity and The Chronicles of Narnia - apparently struggled with such forces in his life. In the book, Jack’s Life, his stepson and biographer Douglas Gresham writes:

He had secured a good job [at Magdalen College, Oxford] with long-term prospects … He could buy the necessities and an occasional luxury. He still worried about money though because the habit was so ingrained into him … This unreasoning fear of poverty lasted all his life and prevented him from ever really enjoying his position in life.

Another writer adds this commentary:

Lewis’ fear of poverty is shared by many. Ironically, it’s a costly fear to maintain. For Lewis the cost was never being able to enjoy fully ‘his position in life.’ Although he was generous Lewis gave away two-thirds of his income from his books – I can’t help but think that the joy of being generous was diluted by his paranoia of awakening one day to find his resources inadequate.[i]

Dear friends, trusting God means that we acknowledge that God not only knows what we need, but that He also has the resources available to meet those needs. As we give faithfully to others and to the work of God’s kingdom, God faithfully gives and supports us as well.

This is why the apostle Paul not only commends and thanks the Philippian congregation for their generosity in supporting him financially, but he also reminds them at the same time of God’s faithfulness: “I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” [ii]

***

Dear friends, at one time or another, we all need an “attitude adjustment” … often in more ways than one! But so often in regard to our finances.

In a world such as ours, our priorities need to be continually assessed and addressed. And the issue of really trusting God to supply all our needs as we give to the needs of the Kingdom … well, sometimes it’s quite honestly a real emotional roller coaster ride! It has been for me at times and I suspect that it has been for you, too.

But the great thing about all this is that Jesus knows how we wrestle with these issues. And He’s also willing to walk us through these issues, if we will only let Him. For the One who calls us to an attitude adjustment is also the one who speaks in tenderness: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s great pleasure to give you the kingdom.” [iii]