Howdy. Imagine starting a restaurant chain in
America and making one radical decision. We're
going to stay closed on Sundays. No football
crowd, no after church rush, no weekend sales
for half of that weekend. People laughed at the
idea. They said it would never work. But Chick
-fil -A, the Lord's Chicken, if you will, has
been doing it since 1946. And today it's one
of the most successful fast food chains in the
country. How often have you driven past Chick
-fil -A on a Sunday and wondering, boy, I really
wish I could get some chicken nuggets. But there's
one person that still is waiting in the drive
-thru who apparently did not get the memo. even
though it's literally written on the sign. But
it makes us smile, even while we wish we could
get some waffle fries, because that closed drive
-thru preaches a sermon every time. Making money
is not meant to be the driving factor in our
lives. Our lives determine how we use our money.
And that's really the question in our readings
today. Amos shows us people who couldn't wait
for the Sabbath to be over so that they could
get back to making money. And Jesus shows us
a story about money that asks, what are you really
doing with money? Whom are you really serving?
If we were to spend every Sunday saying, boy,
I wish we could get done with this Jesus worship
so I could have my Chick -fil -A, Wouldn't we
be saying, are we really asking the right question?
See, here's the thing. What we have, possessions,
wealth, they're not evil. But what you do with
it shows where your heart is. And God calls us
to use what we have for eternity. Let's start
with Amos. He describes people who sit in worship,
but they're restless the whole time. They're
tapping their feet, they're checking the time.
When will this be over so we can get back to
business? We've got stuff to do. When will the
Sabbath end so we can sell more grain and make
more money? Does that sound familiar? Maybe not
the part about the grain. I know nothing about
selling grain. But we know the feeling. You know,
you ever caught yourself maybe in church and
you're thinking about your work deadlines or
the bills or the lunch plans or maybe the money
that's riding on the game? Money and worry, they
creep into our minds, even when we're supposed
to be focused on God. And that's the reality
check. See, wealth, it's not neutral. It pulls
at us. It tugs at our hearts. It competes for
our loyalty. It determines what we believe to
be important. And this is where Chick -fil -A
offers a living parable for us. They ask themselves,
what do we really serve? Profit or purpose? And
many of you may have pulled into a Chick -fil
-A on a Friday afternoon and the line was wrapped
around the building twice. God has completely
taken care of them without needing to panic about
their day off. If they can afford to turn down
Sunday sales and still be packed every other
day of the week, it tells you something. Being
driven by purpose instead of the short -term
profits of the day doesn't need to destroy us.
Jesus said in Luke, you cannot serve both God
and money, but if God is happy to take care of
us, then why do we still make poor decisions
that destroy us from the inside out? If wealth
reveals the heart, then the way that we use it
matters. And this is where scripture gives us
a powerful contrast. See, notice the contrast
between Amos and Jesus' parable. In Amos, the
wealthy, they were using their power to crush
the poor and gain what they could and their expense,
but they cared nothing for what God would desire
of His people and how they should treat one another.
They would rig scales, use weights. that would
end up making it look like they were selling
more than they were, and they would sell leftovers
as if it were the first, the premium grain, and
they'd squeeze every penny out of people who
had nothing. And God says, I will not forget
their deeds, because judgment was coming. And
that's one way to use wealth, selfishly, unjustly,
short -sightedly. But in Luke, Jesus tells a
strange story. It's strange because it treats
a manager who is inept at his job and wasteful
with what he has. It treats him as a model to
follow, and it even talks about using unworthy
wealth with what you do. But let's just be clear.
Jesus is trying to show a contrast. He's never
afraid to take someone that was seen as unclean
or unworthy and use them to make a point about
how terrible the leaders were in his day. See,
we may be okay with Samaritans and tax collectors
today, well, kind of, but they were just as terrible
in his day as the manager. So as much as he may
even be talking about if you can even use unworthy
wealth, then he's trying to make a point of,
then why not also do even better with what is
good and right? You see, this manager, he was
about to be fired. So he shrewdly calls in his
master's clients and he reduces their debts.
He's dishonest. Yes. But the point Jesus is making
is that he's thinking ahead. He uses what little
he has left to secure relationships for the future
and make sure he even has a future at all. But
if a corrupt manager can use money corruptly
and still care for other people and provide for
his own future, then the point is, why weren't
the people in Jesus' day who wanted to do good
able to do the same in regard to people and their
future with God? Jesus is presenting the question,
if even worldly people know how to prepare for
the future with how they spend money, then shouldn't
God's people be even wiser in spending money
for their future? We must use money now in ways
that echo into eternity, both for people and
for God's kingdom. See, here's the contrast.
Amos' people, the Israel... They chased the short
-term gain and brought God's judgment, and yet
the manager, who is not acting at all like God's
people, for all of his faults, at least he was
looking ahead and doing something that could
be praiseworthy. See, here's the challenge for
us. Will we use what we have in this life as
if this life is all there is? Or will we use
what we have to invest in things that last forever?
See, think about Chick -fil -A. You know the
running joke that there is. Every worker is smiling
and saying, my pleasure, my pleasure. I'd love
more ketchup, my pleasure. You didn't give me
a straw, my pleasure. So, I mean, how many times?
There's even this music video that jokes about
it. It's like, okay, it's getting a little creepy,
you guys. But you know, That doesn't happen by
accident. There's training. It's a culture. That's
a long -term investment in people, not just food.
Compare that, though, to the people that Amos
is speaking to who were cutting corners and cheating
customers. One is about trust and service, and
the other is about exploitation. And it reveals
who people are through how they behave. And that's
the invitation that's being given. Don't waste
your wealth on what fades. Use it for what lasts.
See, how do we live this way? Where do we find
the strength to use wealth for eternal purposes
instead of temporary gains? Let's be honest.
We don't always do that. There are times when
we realize that we could squeeze a little bit
more out of somebody and so we do There are times
whenever we realize that we could get away with
something and we jump at it It's legal. No one
will catch it. Everybody's doing it and we still
do But here's the good news Is that when God
speaks even through Amos with the people who
are sinning the way they are He isn't only pointing
out failure He saw the greed, He saw the impatience,
He saw the exploitation in Israel's heart, but
He spoke because He wanted them to turn back
to Him. Even when they had to learn things the
hard way in the exile, God's desire was still
that His people would know Him. And the same
is true for us with Jesus. He tells a parable
about a manager who wasn't being wise, but notice
Jesus isn't closing the door to people. He's
opening it because he wants the listeners who
are ready to hear to take the opportunity to
change. And that's the grace of God for us today.
He speaks to us not to condemn us. He's not trying
to leave us where we are, but to give us the
chance to turn, to change, to redirect. our lives,
and our resources toward what will truly last.
But how do we actually do this? Let's be honest.
Money is powerful. It can grip us tight. What
frees us from its hold? And yes, we know the
answer. We're here in church. The answer is supposed
to be Jesus, right? But how is the answer Jesus?
Doesn't that seem a little trite? How do we become
something different because of Jesus and who
He is and what He has done? See, Paul says it
this way, though He was rich, Jesus, yet for
your sake He became poor so that you, through
His poverty, might become rich. See, Jesus gave
up the wealth of heaven to walk among us in poverty.
poverty so much because of being a carpenter's
son per se, but because of being a mortal human
instead of just staying immortal in heaven. He
laid down his life to give us eternal riches,
forgiveness, grace, eternal life. That's the
treasure that no moth or rust can destroy. But
it's more than just looking to Jesus to be an
example. I mean, He is a really perfect example,
but it's more than just trying to be better because
He was better. When we know that our future is
secure in Christ, and it is, knowing that God
is caring for us now, but also saving us from
death and our sinfulness for the life hereafter,
we don't have to cling to money as if it's some
level of security. We can open our hands to what
God is providing because we trust He is providing.
But then how? How do we use what we have for
eternity? And Jesus shows us three ways in particular.
Give generously. The manager used his resources
to secure a future. We too can give generously.
And not just to the church. We don't want this
to turn into a give us your money now and you'll
be blessed for eternity kind of a thing. But
even more importantly, blessing others, relieving
needs, advancing goodness for others. Every act
of generosity is a seed planted for eternity
because we have opportunities to show what grace
is. and to speak words of comfort. But second,
invest in people. See, money can buy things,
but only love changes lives. Hear that again.
Money can buy things, but only love changes lives.
It's people who are eternal. Investing in people
might look like mentoring a student, helping
a neighbor, encouraging someone in a hard time.
And that's where the return is eternal. Because
of what you've done in the lives of those that
we wish to know Christ Jesus. And stewardship.
Be faithful in the little things. Stewardship
is not always big and dramatic. It's about honesty
in business. It's about careful budgeting. It's
about keeping promises to help. It's about showing
kindness when in need. The tiny actions can echo
forever. And that's where Chick -fil -A comes
back in. We've seen it whenever we've been there
and a worker brings our food to the table, offers
to refill our drink, and we're sitting there
like, am I supposed to tip you? You're not supposed
to tip them. Is it a tiny thing? Yes. But it's
memorable. And that's what Jesus means when he
calls us to be faithful in the little things.
It's not always about the grand gestures. It's
about the daily ways we use what we have to bless
others. In Amos, the people couldn't wait for
Sabbath to be over so they could chase more money.
But in our world, the temptation isn't much different.
But then we see the Chick -fil -A sign. closed
on Sundays. Because purpose matters more than
profit. And we hear Jesus saying, where your
treasure is there, your heart will be also. So
the question is simple. Where's your treasure?
Because one day you'll look back from eternity
and realize that every act of generosity, every
dollar that you gave, every sacrifice you made
in faith, none of it was wasted. It will become
part of someone's eternal story. So don't just
use wealth for today. Use what you have for eternity.
For things that you know will matter. Because
kingdom's stewardship, it's not flashy. It's
not measured by how much we can accumulate, but
by how much we entrust to God. And when we do,
our hearts shift. Our treasure shifts. You know
what's funny? People don't necessarily rave about
Chick -fil -A because the chicken is life -changing.
It's good. It's not that good. Chick -fil -A
sauce? Maybe. But what people remember is how
they were treated. The kindness, the faithfulness,
and the little things. And that's the point.
Money fades. Products fade. But love lasts. And
in Christ, love lasts forever. So where's your
treasure? Where's your heart? In Christ you have
the chance to turn, to change, and to live differently.
And when you use what you have for eternity,
God multiplies it into a return that never fades.
May we use our wealth not just for today, but
for people and for eternal purposes. Thanks be
to God.