Proper 21 - Susan homily

“He who dies with the most toys wins”                                   Proper 21, 9/26/10

You’ve probably seen that bumper sticker – and maybe you’ve even felt the sentiment subconsciously while trolling the isles of Best Buy, or “just checking” on the web for the best price for an i-pad or the latest android phone.  For those of us in the congregation who aren’t sure what those things are, just think of the latest tool you could have in your box or workshop– or the thing that would make the work in the kitchen, or of housekeeping so much easier, or TeVo – or a really great hi-def television.

But probably, before this is over, we’ll also have to admit to toys we’d like to have that are a bit bigger; say -- a really, really nice car, (substitute your own fantasy-mobile here), a well-maintained fantastic home and land, or a tony condo in the nicest section of town (with hired help included of course.)  Maybe what you really want is the ability to provide your family and loved ones with the best possible things or experiences imaginable.  But these are still small potatoes compared to the fellow I met recently who sells, and owns, private jets.

“The toys”- what are they for each of us?  What are they for you?  We can dream of the life of the rich man in the story from Luke, feasting sumptuously every day, at the nicest restaurants around, in whatever town we’d most like to live in – or maybe just settling for the meals prepared at home by our own private chef.  Maybe we really can identify with the bumper sticker philosophy – sometimes it really does at least feel like the one who dies with the most toys – the most earthly enjoyment, really does win.

But here’s where Amos, good ole’ Amos, the general prophet of doom steps in to correct our vision.  He issues a warning for those who are “at ease…secure” in our circumstances – like the rich man - with the best mattresses that money can buy, and the luxury to lounge around. Amos gives a warning for those, who buy the best wines, and go to the nicest spas’s.

And it turns out Amos, a prophet after all, is right.

Did you know, that last weekend was referred to as – “Lehman Weekend?” The moniker commemorated September 14, 2008, two years ago - the weekend that kicked off the current, and lingering, financial crisis.  As reported in the New York Times Business section the weekend culminated (quoting)

“In one of the most dramatic days in Wall Street’s history… Merrill Lynch agreed to sell itself on Sunday…to avert a deepening financial crisis, while another prominent securities firm, Lehman Brothers, filed for bankruptcy protection and hurtled toward liquidation after it failed to find a buyer”

Turns out toys break, and as another truism says “the bigger they are the harder they fall.

Another quote, “once-proud financial institutions have been brought to their knees...”

So toys break, we fall hard sometimes, and like the rich man in Jesus’s parable, no matter what we have – death eventually intervenes.

Where does that leave us – today?  In any of the circumstances we find ourselves in - heading off to work, stretching the monthly checks on fixed incomes, or maybe even a bit more wealthy, a bit more at ease – what about us?

Well, now its Paul, speaking to us,“there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world and can take nothing out of it.”  Toys don’t travel.

This letter, from all the way back to the original followers of Christ, resonates forward to us.  He encourages us to “Take hold of the eternal life … of the life that really is life.”  To “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness”

So how will you do this – this week?  What will pursuing righteousness and goodness, love and endurance mean for you?  When you see Lazarus – how do you respond?  Where will you meet up with the chance to “take hold of eternal life – the life that really is life.”