SERMON ~ 11/11/2012 ~ It's Not About Money

11/11/2012 ~ Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost ~ Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Proper 27) ~ Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17; Psalm 127; 1 Kings 17:8-16; Psalm 146; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 ~ Stewardship Sunday ~ Veterans Day.

It’s Not About Money

“...Jesus sat down opposite the collection box at the Temple, and watched people putting money into it.  Many rich people put in large sums.  But a poor widow came and put in two small coins, worth a very small amount.’” — Mark 12:41-42.

A couple of Presidential election cycles back, 1992 to be precise— and I find this hard to believe but if you count this year as one Presidential election cycle and then count back, 1992 is six Presidential election cycles in the past— six!  Where did time go when I wasn’t looking?  So, six Presidential election cycles back, this slogan was made famous: “It’s the economy, stupid.”

Of course, those were not the actual words the campaign used.  Those were simply the words which became famous.  The words actually used by the campaign were slightly different.

The words on the sign in the Clinton campaign headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas— Bill Clinton’s first campaign being the one I’m referencing here— the words were a tad more simple, perhaps even more direct: “The economy, stupid.”  Notice, it’s not “It’s the...” but just “The economy, stupid.”  And, taken a different way, sometimes it feels like the economy is stupid, doesn’t it.  Or, at least it does not make any sense to most of us at all, ever.  Perhaps the economy makes no sense because for us the economy seems stupid.  You see, the economy is, by far, too complex for most of us to understand.  And maybe that’s the real problem.

How complex is the economy?  It is so complex, the Nobel Prize Committee... hold it!  How complex is the economy?   (The pastor gestures at the congregation inviting a response and the congregation does respond with “How complex is the economy?” but you cannot really hear that on the audio of this sermon.)  O.K.  Thank you!  It is so complex, the Nobel Prize Committee gives out awards to academics who can actually explain something, anything about the economy.  (Slight pause.)

I think one of the big mistakes made when people refer to the passage from Mark about the widow and the contribution to the treasury of the Temple is we start with the presumption that it is, in one sense, about the economy.  Or at least we make a presumption that it is about our economy, the economic means and methods of the individual.

In short, we make the mistake that this passage is about money.  Indeed, there is a second mistake people make when addressing this passage.  Some insist it’s about giving money to the church.

The fact that money is mentioned is probably why the Revised Common Lectionary Committee— yes, the assigned lections are drawn up by a committee— that money is mentioned is probably why the Revised Common Lectionary Committee assigns readings which mention money at this juncture in the year.  They are very aware most churches are engaged in the budget making process right now.

So, in a real sense, they— the committee— make a similar mistake.  Since churches are looking at financial issues, they put in a reading which, on the surface, appears to be about money.

After all, these readings which mention money must be about money, right?  No.  Not right.  And therefore, what is really happening is the lectionary committee is leaving it up to the local pastor to make a connection between money and the reading since the churches probably needs to be talking about money right now.  Well, me, the local pastor, I am not going to tell you this is about money.  This passage is not about money.  Case closed.  (Slight pause.)

And these words in that Gospel we know as Mark: “...Jesus sat down opposite the collection box at the Temple, and watched people putting money into it.  Many rich people put in large sums.  But a poor widow came and put in two small coins, worth a very small amount.’”  (Slight pause.)

As I just said, this story is not about money.  Rather, it recalls the idea that if we do anything that place apart from our relationship with God we are on dangerous ground.  Indeed, anything we do which takes place apart from a relationship with one another is dangerous ground.

The fact that our culture seems to take this story as being about money makes a claim that our culture, we, actually believe money is about relationship.  Money is not about relationship.  On the other hand, how often have you heard someone say, ‘Hey!  Put your money where your mouth is’?

What should seem obvious, just based on that old saying, is our culture uses money in place of relationship, as a measure of relationship and even to replace what true relationship might be, what true relationship might mean.  Please do not misunderstand me.  I would never say money is unimportant.  I am saying money is misused.  (Slight pause.)  Relationship, relationship, relationship— that’s the important part.  (Slight pause.)

Now, when I said earlier that (quote:) ‘It’s the economy stupid’ was not really the sign in the Clinton election office, similarly, there is something often quoted that our culture thinks Scripture says.  But it cannot be found in Scripture.  Here’s what our culture thinks Scripture says: ‘Money is the root of all evil.’  Go ahead, find that somewhere in the Bible.  If you find it, that’s a really bad translation.

What you will really find is this (quote): “Love of money is the root of all evil.”  See the difference?  Not money— love of money.

And, yes, when we love money we have transformed it from merely being a tool into a weapon of destruction.  When we love money we use it not as the tool for the good it can do but as a cudgel, a club for inflicting our will on others.

Therefore and to reiterate: this passage is not about money and equally is not about harming people.  This passage is about helping people.  It is about helping people toward a full relationship with God and each other.  (Slight pause.)

In a couple moments you will be invited to make a pledge to the church.  Making a pledge, especially in this church, is not about money.

Money is simply a tool.  Some of us have that tool.  Some of us do not.  In the case of this church, we use that tool— money— whatever money we get— to help people however and whenever we can.  We recognize it as a tool.  We make every effort to not use it as a weapon, as a cudgel.  (Slight pause.)

In any case, perhaps the real message to take away from this reading is, you— each of you is more important than money, way more important.  You, each of you alone and all of us together, make this a church.  And we are a church.

We are not a historical preservation society.  We are a community of faith.  And as a community of faith, we strive to do what we are called by God to do.  WE strive to help people.  And, yes, we are a church who has been know to use the tool called money in ways which we, at least, hope are positive.

All of which is to say, when we do have this ceremony later, please keep this in mind: pledge what you can.  But love God and love neighbor.  That is a pledge we can all make and, given the grace God offers, that is a pledge we can all keep.  Amen.

11/11/2012
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, NY

ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Congregational Response and Benediction.  This is an précis of what was said: “I saw this aphorism on Facebook yesterday (quote): ‘You can make a wish or you could make it happen.’  Wishing makes nothing happen.  Together, in relationship with one another, we can make all kinds of things happen.  And maybe, just maybe, with some of what we do give to the church in that tool called money next year we can make some wishes come true by helping people.  What is the short version of this sentiment?  We’re all in this together.  Hold hands.  Move forward.  Don’t look back.”

BENEDICTION: Let us lay aside anxious toil.  Let us give our lives over to the One who grants life.  Let us be open to the possibility that the whole of our being should rest in the will and wisdom of God and that the whole of our being should rest in the ways of love taught by God.  In short, let us trust God.  And may the face of God shine upon us; may the peace of Christ  be among us; may the fire of the Spirit burn within us this day and forevermore.  Amen.