“Talking about money makes me uncomfortable.”

I’ve said it. I have heard other ministers say it. I’ve heard good Presbyterians say it.

So, let’s talk about money this morning!

Here’s some free financial advice for the congregation:

“October is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September - April, November, May - March, June, December, - August and February.” 

~Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar.

Little children got up this morning and ran into their parents’ room begging them. “Get up, get up, let’s go to church, IT’S PLEDGE SUNDAY!”

Well, maybe not.

Question:

If ministers preached the same percentage of sermons on money and the stewardship of possessions as Jesus spoke about money, how many Sundays a year would have money as the sermon focus….

22 sermons per year.

Why did Jesus spend so much time on wealth and possessions?

The late William Sloan Coffin puts it well:

“Note that only money is put on a par with God, not knowledge, not family, not reputation, not talent: only money is elevated to divine status.”

“You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Jesus spoke about money and possessions more than any other subject except the Kingdom of God.

But let’s admit it; it’s hard to talk about money because it is so intertwined with who we are and how we live.

Reflect on the following questions:

• When you were a child, did your parents discuss money with you?
• Did you ever hear your parents discussing finances?
• Did you “save” money? (I remember having a little savings account when I was a young boy. My parents opened it for me. Like the thrifty Scot said, “What’s the best thing you can do with money? SAVE it!”
• If you attended church, did you take an offering?
• When did you get your first credit card? (Second graders get them now!)
• In 1950, the Diners Club issued their credit card in the United States.

American Express issued their first credit card in 1958. Bank of America issued the BankAmericard (now Visa) bank credit card later in 1958.

(“The only reason a great many American families don't own an elephant is that they have never been offered an elephant for a dollar down and easy weekly payments.” (From the great literary journal, Mad Magazine!)

I remember the 1964 hit song by The Kingsmen, “Money.”

The best things in life are free

But you can keep them for the birds and bees

Now give me money

That's what I want

That's what I want, yeah

That's what I want

You're lovin' gives me a thrill

But you're lovin' don't pay my bills

Now give me money

That's what I want

That's what I want, yeah

That's what I want

Money don't get everything it's true

What it don't get, I can't use

Now give me money

That's what I want

Well now give me money

Ow, money

Wow, yeah, I wanna be free

Oh I want money

That's what I want

Does money make us free? Only God can make us truly free.

In Matthew 6:19-24 the term, “treasure in heaven” was a common Jewish image for reward at the end of the age. (We are talking eschatology here!)

The identification and location of one’s “treasure” turns out to be a matter of one’s total self – (this is the meaning of “heart” in v. 21…. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Bill Tammeus, Oct. 13, KC Star, “Be A Cheerful Giver,” noted that in his experience religious leaders don’t like to talk to their congregations about giving money because they don’t want to seem like beggars or to appear focused on material things over spiritual matters.

But as we discover in Jesus’ words, how we handle money, possessions, earthly goods - turns out to be a primary indicator of our relationship to God…or as Billy Graham said, “Give me five minutes with a person’s checkbook, and I will tell you where their heart is.”

“We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs.”  ~Gloria Steinem, feminist.

In Philippians 4 we find the apostle Paul describing the gifts from the Christians in Philippi as “a fragrant offering and a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.”

We don’t give out of a sense of guilt, fear or condemnation, and Bill Tammeus is right, we don’t give just to reach a certain budget. We give for “theological” reasons – our hearts have been won by the living God.

We give out of a sense of gratitude for God’s love and goodness.

It is our heart attitude that counts.

“Where our treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

On the question of tithing – that is giving 10% of our income, Jesus refers to tithing when he addresses the heart attitude of the religious leaders in Matthew 23:23 – “You tithe mint, dill, and cumin (tiny herbs) and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the other…”

All of life belongs to God…are we required to give 10% - no…the answer is 100 % - we are mere stewards of all we possess.

New Testament ethics doesn’t speak about legalistic requirements but on living lives in joyful response to the grace of God in Christ.

Today is Pledge Sunday. The decisions made today will shape the future of this congregation.

Peter Gomes, professor at Harvard University and minister of the Memorial Church at Harvard, tells about growing up 50 years ago attending the little Bethel AME church in Plymouth, Massachusetts along with the few other African-American families in Plymouth.  He describes the offering time in that church:

“People would proceed to the communion table at the front of the church to present their monetary gifts before the stewards, who counted the money as the gifts were put down. This would be done during much singing and greeting—greeting people on the way down and on the way back…

Then the music would stop and the stewards would announce what the total was, saying, ‘We need fourteen dollars and forty-four cents, and we’re going to do this again.’

They would do it again and again, calling people forward until the day’s goal had been met—and no one could leave until it had been met or even exceeded. Only then, when there was reason to do so, would we sing the doxology.

These were people who had next to nothing, poor people giving out of their substance and not out of their surplus, giving that which was essential to them, who had enough confidence in themselves, in their church, and in their God to place the material at the disposal of the spiritual, and it worked: the church is still there.” 1

God has given life to us. We give our lives back to God.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Amen.

1From Peter J. Gomes, Strength for the Journey, pp.8-9.