Loving God, you continue to show us that you are trustworthy, and you provide all that is needed for your children.  Help us to grow in our trust in you, as we continue to learn from Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.

            Do any of you ever worry about money?... What types of things worry you when you think about money?... [Will there be enough?  Will I have enough for______? If winning the lottery, what to do with it…]  Have you ever worried about having enough to eat and drink?...  Have you ever worried about having clothes to wear?...  Have you ever worried about tomorrow?...

         These are the specific worries that are mentioned by Jesus in today’s gospel, which are pretty basic, all things considered.  I mean, who wouldn’t be concerned about not having enough to eat or drink?  However, as in some of the other biblical passages that talk about worrying, Jesus offers an alternative to worry.  “Strive first for the kingdom of God and [God’s] righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt. 6:33).

         There is a tug-of-war implied in these verses that we have heard today from Matthew.  Are you going to serve God or money?  Or, if you prefer, God or mammon, which is a personification of wealth as an evil master.  The thing is that for those who serve God above all else, there is no need to worry about money.  As many have discovered over the years, when we strive to do what God would have us do, and live according to Jesus’ example and commands, God provides.  When we live as part of a Christian community, and share with one another, and care for one another, God provides.  When we trust God for all that is needed, and come to God in prayer, seeking God’s direction and provision, God provides.  “Strive first for the kingdom of God and [God’s] righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

         A few clarifications, however: God does not promise to make us wealthy and give us everything our heart desires.  Rather, God provides all that is needed. At the same time, God does not step in and provide when we sit back and do nothing.  The provision Jesus speaks about comes when we seek God above all else and live in God’s way.

         As for worry, though, it can be a pretty insidious thing.  Whether it is money that we are worrying about or other things, worry actually separates us from God.  When we worry we turn in on ourselves and think only about ourselves (or maybe the person we are worrying about).  In fact, worry prevents us from trusting God and from living as God would have us live. It is impossible to trust God and to worry at the same time.

         However, as human beings, we have a tendency toward worry – and some are much better worriers than others! That’s why the Bible gives us alternatives to worry such as prayer with thanksgiving or seeking God’s reign, or kingdom, above all else.  We don’t automatically trust God.  Rather, we need to learn how to trust God, and we need to learn that God is trustworthy.

         As we are reminded, though, in today’s gospel, some try to serve two masters, or even to put all of their trust in wealth, and that’s where the worry really takes hold.  When you are building up treasures on earth, as Matthew suggests, whatever you have can get ruined or destroyed or stolen. And so, some might worry about that.

         There are also those strange verses about having a healthy eye or an unhealthy eye.  The unhealthy eye is literally an “evil” eye, which has to do with stinginess and jealousy.  If you are looking at things with an evil eye, you are bound and bent that you are going to keep whatever you have and add to it whatever your neighbour has. This, too, will lead to worry and anxiety if anybody tries to take away what you hold onto so tightly.

         As for trying to serve God and mammon, or God and wealth, at the same time, it simply doesn’t work. The pursuit of wealth is probably the most common false god that people have these days, and when your primary concern is getting more and more and making as much as you can, serving God cannot also be your primary concern.  It is the difference between using money as a tool that God has given us, and viewing money as an end in itself.  As you have probably heard, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10).  This does not mean that money is evil.  This does not even mean that having money is evil.  It is the love of money rather than the love of God that gets us into trouble.

         Now, you should know that I am well aware that you’re not supposed to talk about money in church, and you’re definitely not supposed to tell anybody what to do with their money. I am also aware that some are of the opinion that the church is only after your money.  This was not true of Jesus, and this is not true of those who truly try to be faithful to God’s call and God’s mission.  What is true, however, is that our attitude toward our money changes when we believe in Jesus Christ and serve God above all else.

         As we are reminded in today’s gospel, it is God who provides.  It is God who provides the breath of life and the abilities that we use in order to work and make money.  It is God who provides the raw materials that we need in order to live on this earth.  Ultimately, all that we have and all that we are belongs to God.

         And so, when we believe in Jesus Christ, we are filled with gratitude for all that God has given and are happy to support God’s work in the world with whatever we have.  Rather than worrying about whether we will have enough if we give some away, the Holy Spirit gives us the faith and trust that God has given us what we have now, and that God will continue to provide.  “But strive first for the kingdom of God and [God’s] righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Pentecost 13 (NL summer)                                    Matthew 6:19-34

August 19, 2018

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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