The awkward conversation

Okay friends – it’s time we had that awkward conversation.

In our society today there are few topics that are left as legitimate taboos. In generations gone by there were many things that good people did not discuss in polite company – family matters, health issues, politics and the like – even the great taboo of sexuality has been torn down and now in the church (praise the Lord) we can have a healthy adult discussion about what Christian sexuality looks like. But there is still one topic that is guaranteed to make people squirm uncomfortably when it’s brought up.

There is still one issue that Christians in polite company don’t like to talk about.

There is still one final taboo in the church – money.

Not church finances, or budgetary expenditures, or taxes or anything as external and impersonal as that; I’m talking about my money. Your money. God’s money.

I can hazard a guess that you’re not going to like where this is going – which is a real shame because no one talked about the spiritual implications of wealth and finances more than Jesus did. Conservative estimates peg about 25% of Jesus teaching being related to the issues of money, wealth, possessions or finances. The only thing that Jesus talks about more in the Gospels than these issues is the Kingdom of God – and many of those verses dealing with the Kingdom ALSO have to do with money, wealth, finances and possessions. Jesus talks about these issues more than heaven and hell combined but we in Christian churches are reticent to broach the topic because it makes people feel uncomfortable. Well prepare yourself to feel uncomfortable.

This week we will start our new sermon series (tentatively mapped out for three weeks) on that final taboo – what Jesus has to say to us about money and stewardship today in the 21^st century; and as a preacher I’m not going to apologize for making you feel awkward or uncomfortable. The very first passage that we are going to explore in this series is from Luke 18 and it is about Jesus making someone feel very uncomfortable about an issue of money – so I feel like I’m in good company. That also means though that if you’re already feeling  as uncomfortable as the young man in our chosen text, perhaps Jesus has something to say to you as well.

The first sermon in this series entitled Idolatry: The sadness of the rich. And with that title comes a disclaimer: Many of you will go away from this message sad. I want to warn you about that up front – the question that I will be asking you to ponder though is: “Will it be a holy sadness that provokes change or will that sadness be a despair of hopelessness?”

This sermon and this sermon series will not likely affirm your lifestyle. As a society we are woefully out of touch with what Jesus has to say about our financial priorities. You will not hear during these coming weeks strategies and promises for how to tap into God’s endless fount of financial blessing. I will not be teaching you three easy steps to getting out of debt, saving for your retirement, inflating your stock portfolio or finding financial freedom. I am not qualified to, certified to, endorsed by anyone to, or at all interested in teaching you any of those things – my goal is singular: To teach you the priorities that Jesus set for his followers in areas of faith and finance.

And even if you hear all of what I say and you fully understand the scriptures we look at and manage to apply Jesus commands about money to the letter (which few, if any of us will be able to do apart from complete surrender to the Holy Spirit) I, and Jesus, am offering you no promise or guarantee of wealth, or a life of ease and luxury. The truth of the matter is that following Jesus is more likely to make you poor than it is to make you rich – the blessings for those who follow are real but they infrequently show up on your bank statement.

So if you’re up for it; if you’re ready for the challenge; if you want to know what Jesus says about money and you have the courage to try and walk with us as a church down this narrow road toward obedience – please come to church beginning this Sunday as we tear down the final taboo and open up our hearts and minds to hear the truth. No matter the cost.

Prayerfully hoping that you want to join us on this journey,

Chris