15th Sunday after the Trinity Old Testament: 1 Kings 17:8-16 Epistle: Galatians 5:2-6:10 Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34 “No one can serve two masters…” Jesus didn’t tell us no one can try to serve two masters. We have all done this before whether at work or in our personal lives. Maybe you are trying to juggle a client and your boss hoping to keep them both happy. Or maybe at home you are trying to please your wife and your mother all at the same time. We know that this never ends well. In fact you might find that instead of making anyone happy, you have stressed yourself lost your client and your job or worse yet you upset your wife and anger your mommy and are left to endure the wrath of two unhappy women (nothing personal here at all as I love my wife and my mother). The trying to please two masters usually leaves us in conflict and turmoil with ourselves and our masters. Now, I don’t know who or what is your first master. It might be NFL football or tractor pulls; it could be work or it could be leisure. Maybe your master is working out or maybe it’s eating out. You might serve your belly or your addiction. Maybe you serve a mistress or maybe you serve your retirement plan. The reality no matter what your master looks like her name is still the same; she is known as the world. The two masters Jesus is talking about are God and money. Money represents all of the things of the world that we serve instead of serving God. Money becomes our master when it interferes with our relationship with God. When the pull of the lake house keeps us from church for weeks on end; it has become your master. When NFL football games cause you to skip out on the sacrament of the altar because you need to set your fantasy football roster; it has become your master. When you forsake your wedding vows to pursue the lust of your heart, you have a new master. A life of worldly pursuits is a life that bears fruits of anxiety and worry; always trying to answer these questions, “What shall we eat?” or “what shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” This life is marked by hatred and spite for God. Life serving God is a life of righteousness. It is a life that is not tethered to the things of this world. Life with God as master is centered on God’s gift to us in Word and Sacrament and not focused on our gifts to God in praise. Life with God as our Master is a life marked by the cross both upon the forehead and the heart marking us as ones redeemed by Christ the Crucified. Life serving God as Master is a life of swimming in the waters of Holy Baptism. Life with God as Master is a not a life without sin but a life with forgiveness and reconciliation. Life serving God is a life of plenty in the midst of nothing like the widow of Zarephath. Life serving God can be a life without worry, without anxiety about what we will eat or drink or wear. Life in service to God is marked by the fruits of love for our neighbor, bearing burdens of those in need, clothing the needy, and offering alms to the poor. Life in service to God as master is marked by obedience to the Ten Commandments and treasures stored not in trophy cases here on earth but instead treasures stored in heaven. A man cannot serve two masters…one will destroy him through worry and anxiousness about the world, the other will bring him life and more. Amen.
Posted on: Sun, 08 Sep 2013 11:15:38 +0000
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