8th Sunday after Pentecost - Sermon and Video
2025 Proper 13C – Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-26; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21
O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.
People sought out Jesus for many reasons. Nicodemus needed answers. The crowds wanted good preaching and sound Biblical teaching. Some wanted to see a spectacle of some kind, perhaps an exorcism or a dramatic miracle. His mother wanted him to fix the shortage of wine problem at a wedding reception. Others wanted an argument, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees. Many people were desperate for help that only a prophet like Jesus could give. Here I am thinking of the nameless masses that sought mental and physical healing from Jesus. I also think of the Roman Centurion, a gentile, who wants his beloved slave to be healed. Others wanted “in” on this new version of God’s Kingdom. James and John requested to be put in positions of power in Jesus’ coming kingdom. Today, we hear a frustrated man that wants Jesus to intervene in the dissolution of an inheritance. “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” My guess is that the one making the request is a younger brother who may be getting nothing because of where he falls in the order of birth.
Jesus’ response is telling. He is neither a judge nor an arbitrator for such things. As the cross and resurrection will reveal, Jesus is a mediator. As Paul tells Timothy “5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5) Hebrews 9:15 declares the same. “15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”
As the mediator between the Father and us, Jesus wants to address human tendencies in thought and behavior which interfere with his mediation. Jesus does redeem us from our sins through his death on the cross. Holy Baptism connects us with His salvation. In Holy Baptism, the gift of Christ’s forgiveness is placed upon us. Jesus rightly wants us to continue to grow in the faith that the Holy Spirit creates within us through Baptism.
While the promises of Holy Baptism are always with us, we can turn away from God and therefore turn away from the gift of Holy Baptism. Jesus warns us. “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Coveting can take on a life of its own. Coveting can shape a life so that God’s grace is no longer acknowledged or desired. The parable of the Rich Fool serves as a warning to the spiritual dangers of pursuing wealth for one’s sake only. When the blessings of wealth and the supposed independence that it brings become the sole goal of a life; when the acquisition of wealth becomes the means to self-centered living; as far as God is concerned, there is a problem. When we are sitting by the pool, resting secure in the awareness that we have no needs and all our comforts and desires are fulfilled upon request by the servants, and feeling quite pleased with ourselves because we are only thinking about ourselves; that is a problem. When concern about our sinful nature and the need of God’s Word of law and Gospel has long been pushed far, far away, because all that matters is here, now, and my material comfort, the rich man is in for a shocking surprise when he has his heart attack and suddenly stands before Jesus. Because he turned his back on God and God’s grace; because he refused to love the Lord and love his neighbor too; Jesus’ mediation ceased to be a benefit to him.
In the crowd that was gathered around Jesus that day, there were probably a few that wanted friendship with Jesus so that they could exploit him as a means to wealth and power. After hearing this parable, they know that that fanciful notion has reached its end.
A good question to ask is “What do you want of Jesus?” We are told that we can bring any concern we have to the Lord. Jesus himself says, “ask, and it will be give to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) So, what do you want of the Lord?
As we offer our list of pressing concerns, let’s also ask that he keep our priorities and the ordering of our life in line with His teachings. The Apostle Paul offers good counsel to us: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2)
The apostle offers a more inclusive list of thoughts and desires that, if left unchecked and allowed to grow, can lead to a life that excludes God and God’s promises. The Apostle says that we need to put them to death. In other words, repent of these thoughts and feelings, turn them over to God and seek His forgiveness, so that you can remain with the Lord.
All the things that Paul lists: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, lying. All these things, if allowed to fester, grow, and control our lives, lead us away from God and God’s promises. And, quite frankly, it leads us away from people who love us. Any of these things destroy families and wreck friendships.
The only way to escape their grip and control is to conscientiously return to the Lord. As Paul says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” The Lord gives us life. His cross frees us from enslavement to sin. We embrace God’s freedom so that we can live joyously with all the blessings that God endows us with.
What do you want of Jesus? You want his love, forgiveness, guidance, and peace.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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