How are you? How is your week going? I pray that you are walking with the Lord by faith and in prayer!
Our work culture is driven by efficiency. When I worked at Starbucks, we would always try to figure out ways that we can minimize waste and maximize productivity.
This concept of efficiency dictates our schedules as well. We don’t want to waste our time, our energy, or our money. If we know that a certain task or event is a waste, then we will do our best to get rid of it.
The question that Jesus asked us this past Sunday through the Parable of the Dishonest Manager is this: Why are we shrewd for the things of this world when we cannot take them with us when we die?
Looking at it from an eternal perspective, the wealth of this earth is a waste if we use it for ourselves. Jesus calls us to look at our earthly wealth in the light of eternity. When we take a step back and look at it from this perspective, we will stop using it for our worldly gain. Instead, we will use it for eternal purposes: to love God and to love our neighbor.
“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” -Luke 16:13
For complacent Christians like me, we want to serve both. We want to live for our glory and pleasure with our money and somehow also live for God with our money. Better yet, we want to use our money for ourselves first, and then we want to give God our leftovers.
But Jesus is clear. There are only two options. You must surrender all, or you are surrendering nothing.
How can we do this? How can we surrender all? How can we serve God and not money?
The only way to do this is for us to love God more than we love money. And the only way for us to love God more is to know and to trust in God’s love for us first. Christ is the ultimate Master who became a Servant for us.
He served us by leaving the riches of heaven to be on this earth. He served us by becoming absolutely poor for us in His life and in His death. He served us by surrendering it all on the cross to save us.
This is love. This is God’s love for you. Once we understand and trust in this gospel truth, it changes everything.
New Life, be reminded of His sacrifice for you. Delight in His love for you. And through this, may you surrender all for the sake of His name and for the good of your neighbor.
See you all on Sunday for Lord’s Day Worship! Parents, this is just a reminder of our meeting after Fellowship on Sunday, regarding our Childcare Program.
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
Photo credit: https://kingsransomfoundation.org/what-a-waste/