WEBVTT 00:00:02.049 --> 00:00:07.169 Howdy. Imagine starting a restaurant chain in 00:00:07.169 --> 00:00:12.029 America and making one radical decision. We're 00:00:12.029 --> 00:00:17.070 going to stay closed on Sundays. No football 00:00:17.070 --> 00:00:22.350 crowd, no after church rush, no weekend sales 00:00:22.350 --> 00:00:27.109 for half of that weekend. People laughed at the 00:00:27.109 --> 00:00:30.710 idea. They said it would never work. But Chick 00:00:30.710 --> 00:00:34.030 -fil -A, the Lord's Chicken, if you will, has 00:00:34.030 --> 00:00:38.009 been doing it since 1946. And today it's one 00:00:38.009 --> 00:00:40.829 of the most successful fast food chains in the 00:00:40.829 --> 00:00:44.310 country. How often have you driven past Chick 00:00:44.310 --> 00:00:48.649 -fil -A on a Sunday and wondering, boy, I really 00:00:48.649 --> 00:00:51.369 wish I could get some chicken nuggets. But there's 00:00:51.369 --> 00:00:53.869 one person that still is waiting in the drive 00:00:53.869 --> 00:00:58.189 -thru who apparently did not get the memo. even 00:00:58.189 --> 00:01:00.909 though it's literally written on the sign. But 00:01:00.909 --> 00:01:03.590 it makes us smile, even while we wish we could 00:01:03.590 --> 00:01:07.469 get some waffle fries, because that closed drive 00:01:07.469 --> 00:01:12.150 -thru preaches a sermon every time. Making money 00:01:12.150 --> 00:01:14.709 is not meant to be the driving factor in our 00:01:14.709 --> 00:01:20.090 lives. Our lives determine how we use our money. 00:01:20.790 --> 00:01:23.569 And that's really the question in our readings 00:01:23.569 --> 00:01:28.299 today. Amos shows us people who couldn't wait 00:01:28.299 --> 00:01:31.379 for the Sabbath to be over so that they could 00:01:31.379 --> 00:01:35.159 get back to making money. And Jesus shows us 00:01:35.159 --> 00:01:39.379 a story about money that asks, what are you really 00:01:39.379 --> 00:01:43.099 doing with money? Whom are you really serving? 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:47.760 If we were to spend every Sunday saying, boy, 00:01:47.879 --> 00:01:51.799 I wish we could get done with this Jesus worship 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:55.680 so I could have my Chick -fil -A, Wouldn't we 00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:58.760 be saying, are we really asking the right question? 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:03.299 See, here's the thing. What we have, possessions, 00:02:03.579 --> 00:02:07.200 wealth, they're not evil. But what you do with 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:10.919 it shows where your heart is. And God calls us 00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:15.939 to use what we have for eternity. Let's start 00:02:15.939 --> 00:02:20.120 with Amos. He describes people who sit in worship, 00:02:20.460 --> 00:02:22.240 but they're restless the whole time. They're 00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:23.860 tapping their feet, they're checking the time. 00:02:24.270 --> 00:02:26.550 When will this be over so we can get back to 00:02:26.550 --> 00:02:29.050 business? We've got stuff to do. When will the 00:02:29.050 --> 00:02:31.870 Sabbath end so we can sell more grain and make 00:02:31.870 --> 00:02:36.889 more money? Does that sound familiar? Maybe not 00:02:36.889 --> 00:02:39.069 the part about the grain. I know nothing about 00:02:39.069 --> 00:02:43.150 selling grain. But we know the feeling. You know, 00:02:43.330 --> 00:02:45.930 you ever caught yourself maybe in church and 00:02:45.930 --> 00:02:47.990 you're thinking about your work deadlines or 00:02:47.990 --> 00:02:50.610 the bills or the lunch plans or maybe the money 00:02:50.610 --> 00:02:54.539 that's riding on the game? Money and worry, they 00:02:54.539 --> 00:02:57.900 creep into our minds, even when we're supposed 00:02:57.900 --> 00:03:01.460 to be focused on God. And that's the reality 00:03:01.460 --> 00:03:06.680 check. See, wealth, it's not neutral. It pulls 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:10.560 at us. It tugs at our hearts. It competes for 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:14.240 our loyalty. It determines what we believe to 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:17.659 be important. And this is where Chick -fil -A 00:03:17.659 --> 00:03:21.979 offers a living parable for us. They ask themselves, 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:27.599 what do we really serve? Profit or purpose? And 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.400 many of you may have pulled into a Chick -fil 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.879 -A on a Friday afternoon and the line was wrapped 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:36.439 around the building twice. God has completely 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:39.879 taken care of them without needing to panic about 00:03:39.879 --> 00:03:43.740 their day off. If they can afford to turn down 00:03:43.740 --> 00:03:46.259 Sunday sales and still be packed every other 00:03:46.259 --> 00:03:50.240 day of the week, it tells you something. Being 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:53.099 driven by purpose instead of the short -term 00:03:53.099 --> 00:03:57.439 profits of the day doesn't need to destroy us. 00:03:58.060 --> 00:04:00.219 Jesus said in Luke, you cannot serve both God 00:04:00.219 --> 00:04:04.259 and money, but if God is happy to take care of 00:04:04.259 --> 00:04:07.539 us, then why do we still make poor decisions 00:04:07.539 --> 00:04:13.539 that destroy us from the inside out? If wealth 00:04:13.539 --> 00:04:17.620 reveals the heart, then the way that we use it 00:04:17.620 --> 00:04:20.769 matters. And this is where scripture gives us 00:04:20.769 --> 00:04:24.750 a powerful contrast. See, notice the contrast 00:04:24.750 --> 00:04:29.089 between Amos and Jesus' parable. In Amos, the 00:04:29.089 --> 00:04:31.230 wealthy, they were using their power to crush 00:04:31.230 --> 00:04:35.790 the poor and gain what they could and their expense, 00:04:36.029 --> 00:04:39.470 but they cared nothing for what God would desire 00:04:39.470 --> 00:04:43.110 of His people and how they should treat one another. 00:04:44.009 --> 00:04:48.930 They would rig scales, use weights. that would 00:04:48.930 --> 00:04:50.949 end up making it look like they were selling 00:04:50.949 --> 00:04:54.509 more than they were, and they would sell leftovers 00:04:54.509 --> 00:04:58.009 as if it were the first, the premium grain, and 00:04:58.009 --> 00:05:00.189 they'd squeeze every penny out of people who 00:05:00.189 --> 00:05:03.889 had nothing. And God says, I will not forget 00:05:03.889 --> 00:05:07.889 their deeds, because judgment was coming. And 00:05:07.889 --> 00:05:11.889 that's one way to use wealth, selfishly, unjustly, 00:05:12.269 --> 00:05:16.899 short -sightedly. But in Luke, Jesus tells a 00:05:16.899 --> 00:05:20.540 strange story. It's strange because it treats 00:05:20.540 --> 00:05:24.699 a manager who is inept at his job and wasteful 00:05:24.699 --> 00:05:28.680 with what he has. It treats him as a model to 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:32.360 follow, and it even talks about using unworthy 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:36.600 wealth with what you do. But let's just be clear. 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:42.069 Jesus is trying to show a contrast. He's never 00:05:42.069 --> 00:05:45.009 afraid to take someone that was seen as unclean 00:05:45.009 --> 00:05:48.410 or unworthy and use them to make a point about 00:05:48.410 --> 00:05:52.009 how terrible the leaders were in his day. See, 00:05:52.029 --> 00:05:55.290 we may be okay with Samaritans and tax collectors 00:05:55.290 --> 00:05:59.829 today, well, kind of, but they were just as terrible 00:05:59.829 --> 00:06:03.209 in his day as the manager. So as much as he may 00:06:03.209 --> 00:06:06.649 even be talking about if you can even use unworthy 00:06:06.649 --> 00:06:10.170 wealth, then he's trying to make a point of, 00:06:10.569 --> 00:06:13.790 then why not also do even better with what is 00:06:13.790 --> 00:06:18.149 good and right? You see, this manager, he was 00:06:18.149 --> 00:06:21.990 about to be fired. So he shrewdly calls in his 00:06:21.990 --> 00:06:24.949 master's clients and he reduces their debts. 00:06:25.209 --> 00:06:29.649 He's dishonest. Yes. But the point Jesus is making 00:06:29.649 --> 00:06:33.449 is that he's thinking ahead. He uses what little 00:06:33.449 --> 00:06:37.439 he has left to secure relationships for the future 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:41.319 and make sure he even has a future at all. But 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:45.259 if a corrupt manager can use money corruptly 00:06:45.259 --> 00:06:48.740 and still care for other people and provide for 00:06:48.740 --> 00:06:51.879 his own future, then the point is, why weren't 00:06:51.879 --> 00:06:55.699 the people in Jesus' day who wanted to do good 00:06:55.699 --> 00:06:59.660 able to do the same in regard to people and their 00:06:59.660 --> 00:07:03.579 future with God? Jesus is presenting the question, 00:07:03.720 --> 00:07:07.850 if even worldly people know how to prepare for 00:07:07.850 --> 00:07:11.670 the future with how they spend money, then shouldn't 00:07:11.670 --> 00:07:15.329 God's people be even wiser in spending money 00:07:15.329 --> 00:07:20.310 for their future? We must use money now in ways 00:07:20.310 --> 00:07:26.490 that echo into eternity, both for people and 00:07:26.490 --> 00:07:30.250 for God's kingdom. See, here's the contrast. 00:07:32.069 --> 00:07:35.930 Amos' people, the Israel... They chased the short 00:07:35.930 --> 00:07:40.730 -term gain and brought God's judgment, and yet 00:07:40.730 --> 00:07:43.490 the manager, who is not acting at all like God's 00:07:43.490 --> 00:07:47.970 people, for all of his faults, at least he was 00:07:47.970 --> 00:07:50.589 looking ahead and doing something that could 00:07:50.589 --> 00:07:53.370 be praiseworthy. See, here's the challenge for 00:07:53.370 --> 00:07:58.509 us. Will we use what we have in this life as 00:07:58.509 --> 00:08:02.199 if this life is all there is? Or will we use 00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:06.019 what we have to invest in things that last forever? 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:09.420 See, think about Chick -fil -A. You know the 00:08:09.420 --> 00:08:12.860 running joke that there is. Every worker is smiling 00:08:12.860 --> 00:08:15.639 and saying, my pleasure, my pleasure. I'd love 00:08:15.639 --> 00:08:18.220 more ketchup, my pleasure. You didn't give me 00:08:18.220 --> 00:08:22.339 a straw, my pleasure. So, I mean, how many times? 00:08:22.899 --> 00:08:25.259 There's even this music video that jokes about 00:08:25.259 --> 00:08:28.060 it. It's like, okay, it's getting a little creepy, 00:08:28.060 --> 00:08:31.589 you guys. But you know, That doesn't happen by 00:08:31.589 --> 00:08:37.049 accident. There's training. It's a culture. That's 00:08:37.049 --> 00:08:40.429 a long -term investment in people, not just food. 00:08:41.309 --> 00:08:44.769 Compare that, though, to the people that Amos 00:08:44.769 --> 00:08:47.809 is speaking to who were cutting corners and cheating 00:08:47.809 --> 00:08:51.750 customers. One is about trust and service, and 00:08:51.750 --> 00:08:56.110 the other is about exploitation. And it reveals 00:08:56.110 --> 00:09:00.350 who people are through how they behave. And that's 00:09:00.350 --> 00:09:03.450 the invitation that's being given. Don't waste 00:09:03.450 --> 00:09:09.149 your wealth on what fades. Use it for what lasts. 00:09:10.649 --> 00:09:15.929 See, how do we live this way? Where do we find 00:09:15.929 --> 00:09:19.629 the strength to use wealth for eternal purposes 00:09:19.629 --> 00:09:22.909 instead of temporary gains? Let's be honest. 00:09:23.710 --> 00:09:27.000 We don't always do that. There are times when 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:28.759 we realize that we could squeeze a little bit 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:32.620 more out of somebody and so we do There are times 00:09:32.620 --> 00:09:34.460 whenever we realize that we could get away with 00:09:34.460 --> 00:09:38.179 something and we jump at it It's legal. No one 00:09:38.179 --> 00:09:41.320 will catch it. Everybody's doing it and we still 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:45.600 do But here's the good news Is that when God 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:49.360 speaks even through Amos with the people who 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:52.200 are sinning the way they are He isn't only pointing 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:56.240 out failure He saw the greed, He saw the impatience, 00:09:56.340 --> 00:09:59.259 He saw the exploitation in Israel's heart, but 00:09:59.259 --> 00:10:03.620 He spoke because He wanted them to turn back 00:10:03.620 --> 00:10:07.500 to Him. Even when they had to learn things the 00:10:07.500 --> 00:10:11.500 hard way in the exile, God's desire was still 00:10:11.500 --> 00:10:14.659 that His people would know Him. And the same 00:10:14.659 --> 00:10:18.700 is true for us with Jesus. He tells a parable 00:10:18.700 --> 00:10:22.080 about a manager who wasn't being wise, but notice 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:26.139 Jesus isn't closing the door to people. He's 00:10:26.139 --> 00:10:28.779 opening it because he wants the listeners who 00:10:28.779 --> 00:10:31.779 are ready to hear to take the opportunity to 00:10:31.779 --> 00:10:35.720 change. And that's the grace of God for us today. 00:10:36.940 --> 00:10:40.940 He speaks to us not to condemn us. He's not trying 00:10:40.940 --> 00:10:42.980 to leave us where we are, but to give us the 00:10:42.980 --> 00:10:46.980 chance to turn, to change, to redirect. our lives, 00:10:47.259 --> 00:10:51.120 and our resources toward what will truly last. 00:10:53.080 --> 00:10:56.840 But how do we actually do this? Let's be honest. 00:10:56.899 --> 00:11:02.600 Money is powerful. It can grip us tight. What 00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:06.080 frees us from its hold? And yes, we know the 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:08.840 answer. We're here in church. The answer is supposed 00:11:08.840 --> 00:11:12.480 to be Jesus, right? But how is the answer Jesus? 00:11:12.539 --> 00:11:16.230 Doesn't that seem a little trite? How do we become 00:11:16.230 --> 00:11:19.049 something different because of Jesus and who 00:11:19.049 --> 00:11:22.330 He is and what He has done? See, Paul says it 00:11:22.330 --> 00:11:26.649 this way, though He was rich, Jesus, yet for 00:11:26.649 --> 00:11:30.649 your sake He became poor so that you, through 00:11:30.649 --> 00:11:34.190 His poverty, might become rich. See, Jesus gave 00:11:34.190 --> 00:11:37.509 up the wealth of heaven to walk among us in poverty. 00:11:38.139 --> 00:11:41.200 poverty so much because of being a carpenter's 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:44.279 son per se, but because of being a mortal human 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:48.080 instead of just staying immortal in heaven. He 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:51.879 laid down his life to give us eternal riches, 00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:56.159 forgiveness, grace, eternal life. That's the 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:01.580 treasure that no moth or rust can destroy. But 00:12:01.580 --> 00:12:05.299 it's more than just looking to Jesus to be an 00:12:05.299 --> 00:12:09.639 example. I mean, He is a really perfect example, 00:12:10.360 --> 00:12:13.600 but it's more than just trying to be better because 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:17.059 He was better. When we know that our future is 00:12:17.059 --> 00:12:21.399 secure in Christ, and it is, knowing that God 00:12:21.399 --> 00:12:24.100 is caring for us now, but also saving us from 00:12:24.100 --> 00:12:27.840 death and our sinfulness for the life hereafter, 00:12:28.440 --> 00:12:34.200 we don't have to cling to money as if it's some 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:38.320 level of security. We can open our hands to what 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:43.120 God is providing because we trust He is providing. 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:50.000 But then how? How do we use what we have for 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:53.360 eternity? And Jesus shows us three ways in particular. 00:12:55.059 --> 00:12:59.019 Give generously. The manager used his resources 00:12:59.019 --> 00:13:04.919 to secure a future. We too can give generously. 00:13:05.309 --> 00:13:09.190 And not just to the church. We don't want this 00:13:09.190 --> 00:13:12.429 to turn into a give us your money now and you'll 00:13:12.429 --> 00:13:15.370 be blessed for eternity kind of a thing. But 00:13:15.370 --> 00:13:19.789 even more importantly, blessing others, relieving 00:13:19.789 --> 00:13:25.889 needs, advancing goodness for others. Every act 00:13:25.889 --> 00:13:29.289 of generosity is a seed planted for eternity 00:13:29.289 --> 00:13:33.629 because we have opportunities to show what grace 00:13:33.629 --> 00:13:38.000 is. and to speak words of comfort. But second, 00:13:38.539 --> 00:13:42.580 invest in people. See, money can buy things, 00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:47.120 but only love changes lives. Hear that again. 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:52.539 Money can buy things, but only love changes lives. 00:13:54.259 --> 00:13:59.350 It's people who are eternal. Investing in people 00:13:59.350 --> 00:14:01.830 might look like mentoring a student, helping 00:14:01.830 --> 00:14:04.769 a neighbor, encouraging someone in a hard time. 00:14:05.669 --> 00:14:09.210 And that's where the return is eternal. Because 00:14:09.210 --> 00:14:12.029 of what you've done in the lives of those that 00:14:12.029 --> 00:14:15.970 we wish to know Christ Jesus. And stewardship. 00:14:16.409 --> 00:14:19.190 Be faithful in the little things. Stewardship 00:14:19.190 --> 00:14:23.169 is not always big and dramatic. It's about honesty 00:14:23.169 --> 00:14:26.419 in business. It's about careful budgeting. It's 00:14:26.419 --> 00:14:30.100 about keeping promises to help. It's about showing 00:14:30.100 --> 00:14:34.860 kindness when in need. The tiny actions can echo 00:14:34.860 --> 00:14:37.879 forever. And that's where Chick -fil -A comes 00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:41.639 back in. We've seen it whenever we've been there 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:45.740 and a worker brings our food to the table, offers 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:47.759 to refill our drink, and we're sitting there 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:52.179 like, am I supposed to tip you? You're not supposed 00:14:52.179 --> 00:14:56.940 to tip them. Is it a tiny thing? Yes. But it's 00:14:56.940 --> 00:15:00.580 memorable. And that's what Jesus means when he 00:15:00.580 --> 00:15:02.379 calls us to be faithful in the little things. 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:05.559 It's not always about the grand gestures. It's 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:07.840 about the daily ways we use what we have to bless 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:11.100 others. In Amos, the people couldn't wait for 00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:13.460 Sabbath to be over so they could chase more money. 00:15:14.440 --> 00:15:17.600 But in our world, the temptation isn't much different. 00:15:19.179 --> 00:15:22.789 But then we see the Chick -fil -A sign. closed 00:15:22.789 --> 00:15:27.269 on Sundays. Because purpose matters more than 00:15:27.269 --> 00:15:30.870 profit. And we hear Jesus saying, where your 00:15:30.870 --> 00:15:34.250 treasure is there, your heart will be also. So 00:15:34.250 --> 00:15:37.269 the question is simple. Where's your treasure? 00:15:38.450 --> 00:15:40.509 Because one day you'll look back from eternity 00:15:40.509 --> 00:15:42.850 and realize that every act of generosity, every 00:15:42.850 --> 00:15:45.450 dollar that you gave, every sacrifice you made 00:15:45.450 --> 00:15:49.789 in faith, none of it was wasted. It will become 00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:54.139 part of someone's eternal story. So don't just 00:15:54.139 --> 00:15:59.279 use wealth for today. Use what you have for eternity. 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:02.200 For things that you know will matter. Because 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:05.440 kingdom's stewardship, it's not flashy. It's 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:08.519 not measured by how much we can accumulate, but 00:16:08.519 --> 00:16:12.580 by how much we entrust to God. And when we do, 00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:18.440 our hearts shift. Our treasure shifts. You know 00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:22.190 what's funny? People don't necessarily rave about 00:16:22.190 --> 00:16:24.629 Chick -fil -A because the chicken is life -changing. 00:16:25.129 --> 00:16:31.289 It's good. It's not that good. Chick -fil -A 00:16:31.289 --> 00:16:35.350 sauce? Maybe. But what people remember is how 00:16:35.350 --> 00:16:39.210 they were treated. The kindness, the faithfulness, 00:16:39.250 --> 00:16:41.350 and the little things. And that's the point. 00:16:42.210 --> 00:16:46.389 Money fades. Products fade. But love lasts. And 00:16:46.389 --> 00:16:50.039 in Christ, love lasts forever. So where's your 00:16:50.039 --> 00:16:53.820 treasure? Where's your heart? In Christ you have 00:16:53.820 --> 00:16:57.659 the chance to turn, to change, and to live differently. 00:16:58.500 --> 00:17:00.460 And when you use what you have for eternity, 00:17:00.580 --> 00:17:04.119 God multiplies it into a return that never fades. 00:17:05.059 --> 00:17:08.019 May we use our wealth not just for today, but 00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:12.579 for people and for eternal purposes. Thanks be 00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:12.920 to God.