Be Faithful in Little Things

September 19, 2010 | Author Shane Galbraith

.

Today’s Prayer for Peace – Belarus

Direct link to download today’s audio message http://jcoc.no-ip.org/media/JoplinCOC-09-19-2010.mp3

http://jcoc.no-ip.org/media/JoplinCOC-09-19-2010.mp3

Message: Patsy Lay

Be Faithful in Little Things

Heritage Day
Ordinary Time (Proper 20)

Announcements
Wednesday, Sept. 22
Mid-Week Renewal of the Spirit – 6:00 PM

Sept. 25-26 – Congregational Retreat
The retreat will begin Friday evening around 5:30 PM at the campgrounds. Classes will be taught by Vivian Davidson.
Come enjoy the fun, fellowship, discipleship instruction and worship. Registration forms are available through Mark Shank or Steve Hicks.

Sunday, Sept. 26 (Service will be at the Ozark Retreat Center)
Theme: Be Generous and Ready to Share
Presider: Dave Peterson
Speaker: Bob Casino
Musician: Diana Martin
Morning Devotions: Don and Ann Thompson
Deacon in Charge: Dave Peterson

Saturday, Oct. 16
Mission Center Conference – 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM at the
Community of Christ Chapel for Peace, 909 W. Battlefield Rd.,
Springfield, MO. Guest speaker will be Apostle Rick Maupin.
There will be mixers and fellowship on Friday evening for youth
and young adults.

Birthdays & Anniversaries, Sept. 19 – 25
21 Matthew Burgess 23 Buffy Peterson
24 Lillian Denton 24 Peggy O’Neal
25 Ben & Emily Peterson’s Anniversary
Administration Teams. Sept. 12 – 25
Daytime: Margo Peterson and Emma Kingore
Evenings: Phil Cannon and Ben Jones

Scriptures: Jeremiah 8:18—9:1; Psalm 79:1–9; I Timothy 2:1–7; Luke 16:1–13

Exploring the Scriptures

The parable of the dishonest manager is difficult for today’s disciple to understand. Those who heard this parable from Jesus would have understood the social customs behind the story, customs that we have forgotten. It was common in those days for stewards of financial management to intertwine their own finances with those of their master, often for personal gain. Loans given in the master’s name often included a portion of the steward’s money as well, plus usury fees for recording and collecting the debt. A steward facing expulsion from his position decided to ingratiate himself to the debtors so they would take him into their homes in gratitude. He had identified the future he wanted, and he set about using his wealth and skills to achieve it. He told each debtor to decrease the amount owed—a relief to the debtors. Jesus’ hearers would have understood that the amount reduced was the steward’s portion of the loan and his commission, either appropriately or inappropriately added to the original debt. The manager praised the steward for benefitting the debtors at the price of his own financial security, and, in the process, righting injustices embedded in the usury fees.

Further interpretation focuses on verse 8, which provides commentary on the parable. Jesus challenged the disciples to learn astuteness from the worldly-wise to apply to the kingdom of God. Thus the lesson is to use the wealth of the world to gain rather than lose the future you desire: the kingdom of God. In other words, to gain the kingdom, use your wealth for the benefit of others, even at the risk of your own financial security. That is a radical understanding, but consistent with Luke’s presentation of other parables on wealth and justice.

This understanding is supported by the additional sayings on wealth found in verses 10–13. Within God’s kingdom, being faithful and honest in little things is as important as handling large issues with integrity. You cannot choose both the wealth of the world and the wealth of God’s kingdom. They are mutually exclusive. In all arenas of life, the choices we make pave the path toward the future we choose: a path that leads either to kingdom living or to worldly gain.

Central Ideas

1. The wealth and blessings of God are for the benefit of all, not ourselves.

2. Identify the future you want for yourself and your family. Then put your resources and efforts toward obtaining that future above all else.

3. Jesus points us toward a future grounded in the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of worldly wealth, fame, or power.

4. The choices we make, no matter how small, matter in the kingdom of God.