Proper 21: September 30, 2007

Amos 6:1a, 4-7

Psalm 146

1 Timothy 6:6-19

Luke 16:19-31

What will it take to inspire the powerful to do the right thing? Last Sunday's parable demonstrated that creating a crisis often gets us off the couch. If we pay close attention to the realities of our world, we know that we are in a crisis of poverty, an environmental crisis, and a crisis of war and violence. But for most of us, it's only a crisis if it affects our way of life and living. The greatest luxury the rich and powerful have is the luxury to look the other way.

In the eighth chapter, Amos attacked the evil practices of dishonest merchants. This week, in the sixth chapter, he attacks the wealthy elite, describing not only their lavish lifestyles but also their oppressive indifference. Our relationship to wealth, our addiction to it, our responsibility to those who have none of it, and our call to Christian stewardship continue to be themes this week. 1 Timothy tells us that money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Today we might speak not of the love of money but of an addiction to money. Like most things, money and power are tools that can be used for good or evil.

One of the side effects of an addiction to money is gross self-centeredness that allows us the luxury to lie on our couches feeling good about our life while others lie in the streets. From the perspective of the couch, the world is a pretty peaceful and prosperous place. Why change anything?

A few years ago, a small rural congregation decided to write a mission statement for itself. After much conversation about their mission and ministry they proudly published their new statement declaring: We take care of our own! To declare this as your mission is to declare yourself out of mission. The couch perspective does not belong solely to the wealthy.

The parable of the rich man (traditionally called Dives, Latin for "rich man") and Lazarus reviews this couch perspective for us. Several verses have been omitted between the Gospel readings for the previous Sunday and this one. Luke 16:13 ends with the proclamation "You cannot serve God and wealth." Verse 14 tells us that the Pharisees were listening to all that Jesus was saying. Luke also describes them as "lovers of money" and reports that they mocked Jesus' teaching. Jesus' response to their ridicule was to observe that their outward appearances did not match their inward desires. While people may not see the difference, God does (16:15). Verses 16-18 are sayings about the law and about divorce that appear to interrupt the flow of these teachings about our relationship to wealth. This interruption can cause us to forget that the Pharisees are standing there and that they are the primary ones for whom the parable of Lazarus is told.

The Pharisees' love of money does come within a theological framework that justifies their position. Deuteronomy 28 affirms that obedience to God will result in blessings on the battlefield, in the marketplace, down on the farm, and within the family. Scriptural arguments can be made that prosperity, wealth, is a sign of God's favor (Craddock, Luke, 192). Other parts of the scripture certainly call for a different point of view (Deut 15:7-11; Lev 19:9-10; Isa 58:6-7). Jesus interprets God's will from these and other texts about our care of the poor and the obligation of the whole community to care for all its people. Here and elsewhere in the Gospel accounts, Jesus and the Pharisees disagree on the interpretation of scripture.

Jesus' perspective is not from the couch of the prosperity gospel but from the viewpoint of the couch-less. This parable teaches us that God will ultimately establish justice for all. The mighty will be toppled from their thrones and the lowly lifted up--if not in this world, then in the next; if not in this kingdom, then in the kingdom yet to come.

The most jolting part of the parable is in the desperate plea of Dives to have word sent to his family to tell them God was serious about desiring mercy, not sacrifice.

Already done, Abraham replies, haven't you read Amos?

Maybe Dives and his brothers thought the prophets were just crazy guys causing trouble. They apparently don't have much credibility in the Dives household. But, he pleads, if someone rises from the dead and tells them to repent, that will really make a difference!

I doubt it, Abraham replies with a deadly calm that seeps from the story even now.

The mighty acts of God are mighty enough. The divine drama doesn't need to be digitally enhanced for anyone's benefit. The Word of the Lord! MWA

COPYRIGHT 2007 Lutheran School of Theology and Mission
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning