Here is a typed sermon from 1989 which talks about the end times and using our gifts. The gospel text is listed as Luke 19:26. We are nearing the end of year C in the Revised Common Lectionary!
I was able to use Google’s OCR to get the text of this sermon.
RECEIVING WITH FEAR OR FAITH? - 27 Pent C - 11/19/89
Luke 19:26 “1 …To everyone who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” These are your words, sanctify us… Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace….
THE END IS COMING! In the church we are not marching on the sidewalks with placards that announce this—we are a bit more subtle. We are reading biblical texts before the last Sunday of the church year that remind us that the Lord will return and that this world will end. The question of today’s gospel text seems to be: to be: ‘How will we face the end, with fear or with faith?
It is likely that we will face the end in the same way that we have approached all of life. Both approaches to life, of fear and faith, are pictured in the story of the stewards. A look at this story may help us to see ourselves and our approach to life and to the end of this life.
As Luke tells this story, a nobleman goes off to another city to receive kingly power. Before he leaves, he gives to each of ten servants a gold coin (pound or mina), perhaps about $20. He tells them to trade with this gold coin until he returns. What might this coin have represented for Jesus, or for Luke, and for us? One common understanding is that the coin represents the word of God. The gospel certainly is a treasure which has been entrusted to us to be used. For Luke, the nobleman represents Christ, who has promised to return as king in glory and has also promised to call us to account for our use of that word.
As the story continues, we learn that the coin was received in very different ways by the servants to whom it was entrusted. Some received it in faith, and put it to work; one received it in fear, and hid it. Those who were good stewards of the coin were rewarded greatly—the one who hid the coin in fear lost even what he had. In giving account of his fear, he tries to build a good case for himself, not being a risky investor, he played it safe—thinking that surely the master would understand that and be sympathetic. Such was not the case. The assumption that it couldn’t hurt to play it safe and venture nothing—was a poor assumption. This servant did not know his master well—he feared and lost the treasure which had been entrusted to him.
I think this parable is addressed to all those who, like myself, can identify with the third servant. To every one of us who wavers on the fence between fear and faith, fear and faith, God nudges us toward faith. God has confidence in us–why else would God entrust us with such a us treasure as the Gospel? The stories of the two stewards who have used this gift wisely are really assurances to us that the gospel brings great returns: 500% & 1,000%—greater returns than other investments we have ever known. The Gospel was meant to be shared…tell your neighbor of God’s love and have faith that God will bring a return on that investment.
If we receive all of God’s gifts faithfully, joy will result. To serve God in fear fills our service with drudgery and duty, not the joy of looking forward to our Master’s return. To those of us who are fearful (and we are many) God holds before us the examples of the faithful servants. We can know the joy they knew, of saying ‘Lord, here’s what I did with what you gave me?’ God intends for this joy to be ours. We fall far short of that joy when we respond to God in fear. Even as we celebrate our fall stewardship emphasis emphasis and the many commitments which were made in joy, we look with concern on those servants of the Lord in our congregation who said: ‘I don’t know if the Lord will enable me to share his gifts. I don’t know if there will be even enough for myself. I don’t know if I can reach out to others. Will there even be enough gifts for me? I had better play it safe. Surely the Lord will understand. For those of us who are fearful servants there is not much joy. And there is great danger—the warning to us is that we stand to lose even the gift that we have. One of the most satisfying experiences for me as a pastor is having a lay person come up to me and say: “Pastor, I was I was in this situation….and this is what I said (in witness). How could I have said it better? Was this good enough? How would it have been if I had said this?” I know that this steward is not in danger of losing the gift— even as the gift is shared and brings a return in the lives of others, that same gift is growing and bearing fruit in that servant’s life.
How will we face life, and face the end of this life? With fear or with faith? Will we share God’s gifts with open hands and joyful hearts? Will we clench our fists and play it safe, losing even the gift that has been given? These are the things that are on God’s mind today….I hope they will be on our minds and hearts as we return to our homes and our work this week. We have a great calling as stewards of God’s gifts. We also have great promises—not least of which is the joy of hearing God’s commendation: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.”
Now, not in fear, but in faith, receive word and the blessing of God: “The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.”