Pentecost 17 year C Sermon Luke 16:1-13
Title slide
The manager in Jesus’ parable this week…
is a liar and a cheat. Eventually his boss catches him out
is a liar and a cheat. Eventually his boss catches him out
…and the dishonest manager gets the boot…
And there’s a moment of decision in Jesus story…
did you notice…as the manager thinks to himself…
did you notice…as the manager thinks to himself…
Word slide
‘what shall I do now?’
Seems to me he’s got some choices…
he could cut and run… and try to find work…
where nobody knows his name and reputation…or…
he could give up in despair….and throw himself in the river
or…he could risk throwing himself on the mercy of his master…by turning things around.
If he moves away… he’d give up on the relationship with his master…if he throws himself in river he’s giving up on life …but if he risks everything trusting in his master’s mercy …trusting he’ll be forgiven… maybe things will work out
he could cut and run… and try to find work…
where nobody knows his name and reputation…or…
he could give up in despair….and throw himself in the river
or…he could risk throwing himself on the mercy of his master…by turning things around.
If he moves away… he’d give up on the relationship with his master…if he throws himself in river he’s giving up on life …but if he risks everything trusting in his master’s mercy …trusting he’ll be forgiven… maybe things will work out
What does he do?
He works hard to turn things around…
He works hard to turn things around…
And how does his master respond? ……… By praising him…..For what? [ask]
That’s right…for his cleverness. [pause]
Garrett slide
Two days ago… embattled Act MP…David Garrett… announced his resignation from the party… this follows revelations that… in 1984…
he stole a dead baby's identity… to obtain a false passport and then swore a false affidavit in court
he stole a dead baby's identity… to obtain a false passport and then swore a false affidavit in court
After a frenzied outcry from voters…
Garrett’s boss Rodney Hide… tells him to hit the road.
Garrett’s boss Rodney Hide… tells him to hit the road.
When Garrett realises his position is untenable…
like the dishonest steward… I imagine…he asked himself
like the dishonest steward… I imagine…he asked himself
slide words
‘what do I do now?’
‘what do I do now?’
Do I catch the next plane to Timbuktu and become a politician there? Do I give up and resign from politics all together…or shall I throw myself on the mercy the voting public…from whom I’ve hidden the truth? [pause]
Well…I guess following politics… is different than following Jesus. And that’s really what I want to talk about today…because it’s likely David Garrett is history politically speaking.
Now…David Garrett and I have very little in common…
especially politically…he leans to the right…I lean to the left…he’s pro-smacking…I’m against it… he’s a brawler… I’m a pacifist…
especially politically…he leans to the right…I lean to the left…he’s pro-smacking…I’m against it… he’s a brawler… I’m a pacifist…
In a political argument we’d disagree on almost everything.
And I have no idea of his true character…
or whether he has repented and reformed…I don’t know him.
or whether he has repented and reformed…I don’t know him.
Cartoon slide
What disturbs me… is the media feeding frenzy…
fuelled by public outrage… around the discovery
of a crime committed twenty six years ago…
and the absence of any public discussion…on the place of forgiveness in politics….
fuelled by public outrage… around the discovery
of a crime committed twenty six years ago…
and the absence of any public discussion…on the place of forgiveness in politics….
Steward slide
It amazes me how once again the lectionary readings for today are so appropriate for our reflection on current events…
because following Jesus is so different…
because following Jesus is so different…
from following politics.[pause]
Jesus story of the dishonest steward makes no political sense at all. And it’s probably the most difficult of his parables to understand…
Why? Because it’s thoroughly counter-intuitive…
and there’s a lot we don’t like about it…first we don’t like the manager… but mostly…we don’t like the outcome when he’s praised for his cleverness.
Shouldn’t the manager get what he deserves…
an end to the relationship with his master?
But perhaps this is precisely Jesus’ point.
Maybe Jesus is saying…listen you Pharisee’s
who’re howling at me for breaking bread with sinners…
the mercy and grace and forgiveness of God… are counter
to your logic…particularly when you believe in just deserts.
Maybe Jesus is saying…listen you Pharisee’s
who’re howling at me for breaking bread with sinners…
the mercy and grace and forgiveness of God… are counter
to your logic…particularly when you believe in just deserts.
Garrett slide
Now Garrett himself has fought for a limit to public mercy…he’s a champion of the three strikes you’re out legislation…in relation to prison release. So it seems even Garret believes there must be an end to mercy at some point in a criminal career…no matter how a person changes.
It may be that Garret will reconsider his position now. [pause]
I’m sure we were all shocked…by the revelation…
of Garrett’s long hidden crimes. But…
was ours a gut reaction… or did we pause to reflect…
on what an gospel oriented Christian response would be?
Did we ask ourselves what Jesus’ would do?
Or what Jesus taught God would do?
Were we even interested in finding out whether David Garrett had changed since his last crime…do we even believe people can change? Or did we yell ‘off with his head’? before we even thought about it. [pause]
Hands slide
of Garrett’s long hidden crimes. But…
was ours a gut reaction… or did we pause to reflect…
on what an gospel oriented Christian response would be?
Did we ask ourselves what Jesus’ would do?
Or what Jesus taught God would do?
Were we even interested in finding out whether David Garrett had changed since his last crime…do we even believe people can change? Or did we yell ‘off with his head’? before we even thought about it. [pause]
Hands slide
What was it Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount? [ask]
Word slide
‘Blessed are the merciful…for they shall obtain mercy.’
Yes that’s it……and I’m grateful that following Jesus is different than following politics…
because not a day goes by…
when I don’t need to trust in God’s mercy myself!
because not a day goes by…
when I don’t need to trust in God’s mercy myself!
I don’t know about you…
but I’m also relieved… to discover there’s a difference…
in my judgmental gut reaction to what David Garrett did…
and my ‘when-I-stop-to-think-about-it-follower-of-Jesus-reaction’ [pause]
but I’m also relieved… to discover there’s a difference…
in my judgmental gut reaction to what David Garrett did…
and my ‘when-I-stop-to-think-about-it-follower-of-Jesus-reaction’ [pause]
You know it’s likely the vast political majority… won’t allow David Garret… to be forgiven …
no matter how much he changes…he’s unlikely to be invited back to the political table…
But that’s not how Jesus’ story of the dishonest manager …ends… is it?
In his moment of decision…he chooses…
to trust in the mercy of his master…and turn things around.
But that’s not how Jesus’ story of the dishonest manager …ends… is it?
In his moment of decision…he chooses…
to trust in the mercy of his master…and turn things around.
And one of my favourite biblical scholars…Walter Brueggemann wrote … ‘if we see the “master” in Jesus’ parable as the trust worthy God… who is the only source of well-being in the world…before this master…we need not cringe in fear or hide’ when we mess up…
we can turn things around…for he has come toward us in Jesus…and when we do turn back… we find a place of forgiveness and grace…is always laid for us…
at our masters table.
we can turn things around…for he has come toward us in Jesus…and when we do turn back… we find a place of forgiveness and grace…is always laid for us…
at our masters table.
