I Don't Like Luke's Parables

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Today, I preached the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. This was the final of 3 Lucan parables I've preached this month. I had no real agenda here. Just knew that I needed three sermons this month & knew that I hadn't preached from the gospels for a bit. So I fairly randomly picked 3 parables in the 2nd half of Luke's gospel, trusting that God would speak His word for us at this time.

As soon as I began preparing for the first sermon from the parable of the Soils, I thought to myself, "Oh no, what have I gotten into?" I felt the demand of the text to discourage our desire to judge soils and instead to sow seeds. Are there people, I asked, that we would just as soon not sow seeds to? The sermon went well, I guess, though I felt angst in preaching it.

Two weeks ago, I preached the Good Samaritan. Jesus turns everything upside down in this parable, and I felt the need to follow suit. Who are the people in our lives whose help would shock us? Jesus calls us, however, to go into the world and depend on the hospitality of strangers. It's a hard calling, especially for people like me who enjoy being self-sufficient.

Then today, I preached the aforementioned Rich Man and Lazarus. Simply put, I don't like this story. It was much easier to preach back in the day when people preached these passages as stand-alone nuggets. This text used to make for a great sermon about what happens after death. If you pay attention to Luke's gospel and the movement of his material, you notice that this story is about many things -- the afterlife being least among them. This passage is about interpretation of the law: Do material blessings signify righteous living? The Pharisees say, "Yes!" Jesus says, "No!"

I don't like this understanding of the parable or of Luke's gospel in general. I live a comfortable life and have everything I need. There are times when I get anxious about finances. I wonder how retirement will come together. I worry that we won't be able to travel to see family as much as we would like. But if I step back from these things, I have to admit that my anxiety is entirely self-induced. God provides for me richly. Why do I worry?

Truth be told, I should actually worry more that I may be using my "wealth" selfishly rather than with generosity for those around me. I look at some of the generous souls here in the College Church and think to myself, "What do these folks need to learn from me? They are already living out the demands of the gospel!" There are some great hearts here.

God is good, and I rejoice that He provides. But I also admit my concerns about materialism and wonder if the decline of the church in the US isn't connected to our abundance. Hm, maybe I should think twice before preaching from Luke again....

Comments

Tannon said…
No you shouldn't think twice. You hit the nail on the head. Some very quiet, thought provoking moments on Sunday. I think this is an area in which many of us struggle.
October 26, 2009 at 9:03 PM
Anonymous said…
I have thought many times before, what Americans think and see as blessings (big houses, luxuries such as cell phone, cable, abundance of material things, etc) are really a hindrance in our lives. We truly don't experience God because we have everything we think we need. Whereas, in countries without all the "blessings", they experience God daily in big ways.
October 27, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Anonymous said…
I really enjoyed your sermon that Sunday. God was not only speaking to you, saying sow seeds and don't judge others, but he was telling me to quit judging my own "soil quality," and just grow. -Amber
November 2, 2009 at 9:31 PM
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