Sermon. 1st August 2010 - Luke 12:13-21

1st August, 2010
Luke 12:13-21
May I speak in the name of the God who loves us, Father, Son & Holy Spirit.

"If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is" and
"is that renewal Christ is all, and in all"

The writer of the letter to the Colossians was urging those young Christians to keep their focus; to keep their focus very simple; and to let go of habits and ways of life that were unhelpful, if not downright dangerous, and in some cases idolatrous.
The link between greed and idolatry is a clear one. When we accumulate stuff of whatever kind, thing, money, prestige, - beyond our need, we are in danger of putting that "stuff´ in the place of God, and that is idolatry. And it's not that idolatry hurts God - God is much greater than our petty obsessions; it is that it hurts us - it hurts our integrity, our capacity to be compassionate and whole human beings - and that hurts God, because God, as we heard in that wonderful passage from Hosea, loves us so much, treating us "like those who lift infants to their cheeks."
So we need to keep our focus. And in our modern Westernised world that is very difficult. At no time in human history have we been so subject to distraction. During my holidays I read a book entitled, "Now is the winter of our disconnect." Its author tells the story of the six month experiment she and her three teenage children undertook, in which they refrained from the use of modern technology in their home - at home no TV or DVD's; no computer or computer games, no iPods or CD's; no mobile phones; no 'internet'. They could use these things at work, at school and at friends places, but not at home.
The consequences? - there were many, including improved school grades; one child who poured their efforts into playing the saxophone; the restitution of conversation around the family dinner table and of countless other human interactions; and much improved patterns of sleep. It is a fascinating study and I recommend it to anyone who is battling the complexities of raising children and grandchildren in our era. But the thing that stood our most clearly for me, was that this family's 'letting go' of the constant distractions served up by media, allowed them a space in which to focus - to "seek the things that are above", in Christian language. 'Letting go' and 'focus' belong together.
These are many things in our lives to distract us. Very few of them are bad in and of themselves. Many of them are very good. But a reliance on any of them, can become idolatrous. This is not a modern problem, as Jesus' parable makes clear; but the more things there are to acquire, the harder it is to keep our focus on what is essential. The harder it is to "let go".
Jesus says, be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. The story he then tells focuses in a straightforward way on material possessions - grain and barns to put it in. And we can translate that into our own currency readily enough - how many cars, TVs, refrigerators, computers and so on and so forth do we actually need?; perhaps more importantly how many can our fragile earth actually sustain before we realise that we have sold our souls and our planet, and we cannot actually eat money or take it with us when we die? For the material greed we face in our own era is not just personal, but corporate. As a species in many places, humanity has allowed itself to be seduced by consumerism.
So what is to be done? I know that a few people around the parish were disturbed by one of the artworks produced by a youngster for the latest exhibition at St Luke's. It's been returned to the school, along with some of the others for an exhibition at the school, so in case you didn't see it or can't remember it, it featured a soft drink can, in the familiar red and white colours of the most notable soft drink on them all, produced by the multi-national company that bears its name, you know who I mean. Instead of the brand name, but in the same font the young artist had painted the words "Jesus Christ."
Some of you I know wondered whether it was sacrilegious - somehow demeaning the name of Christ, by equating it with a brand of soft drink, produced by one of the world's most oppressive companies.
This was not I believe the young person's intention. Rather they were saying, "Jesus Christ is greater even than this huge idol of consumerism. Indeed Jesus Christ is the only force capable of taking on the power of these huge greed-driven multinationals - let's focus on Him"
And indeed that is where our focus needs to be. Only with our eyes on Christ can we begin to "let go". For in our day, it is not just that over - production and advertising invite us to consume ever more; we are being constantly manipulated to listen to our emotions, to our wants and fears; and to cling to things, as a way to be safe. Now some of these things are not material in the obvious sense - they may be much more intangible; like our position or career path; or perhaps a desire to be liked by others even if that means compromising on things we know to be right or true; such things are part of our human need for affirmation, and like other possessions are not bad in themselves - but if they distract us from a focus on Christ, they too can be idolatrous. And of course, they offer no ultimate security at all.
We all know that greed can make us sick - too many lollies and we turn green and bilious. Apply the same maxim to our society, and we can see the consequences of selling our souls to the soft drinks and IT companies all around us. And churches are certainly not immune. We have all come across congregations whose attachment to their historic wealth, to buildings, fittings and fixtures, perhaps a fine organ, does not allow them the lightness of being to respond to the ministry needs of the communities in which they are set. And we who sit this morning in such comfort, might like to reflect on what is actually needed for a Christian community - some water, some bread, some wine, a Bible, perhaps a little oil. Nothing else - in material terms; but much more in terms of faith and a willingness to share our wealth with those in need.
And it's not just material possessions that churches cling to. We cling as well to our particular patterns of worship, our shades of Theology, our strategic plans and mission objectives - and forget the one who said 'take no thought for tomorrow." It is so very easy to become distracted - and to lose our focus on "Christ who is all and in all."
"People" said the Little Prince in the fairytale by Antoine de StExuperay" rush about in express trains, but they do not know what they are looking for. They raise ten thousand roses in the same garden, and they still do not know what they are looking for. Yet what they are looking for could be found in a single rose."
It is a matter of focus; of being aware that the multiplication of possessions of whatever kind is not the purpose of our life, but that rather we are learning all through our life how to let go of different kinds of possessions, tangible and intangible, in order to be open to God in Christ.
Sadly too many of us sometimes, and probably all of us some of the time, sell our souls short for one possession or another. As Solzhenitsyn said "People - exhaust themselves in the senseless pursuit of material things, and die without realising their spiritual greatness."
But it does not have to be so. Any and every one of us can choose to create a little more 'soul-space', by choosing a little less of something we have convinced ourselves we cannot do without. And as we "let go" of what is non-essential, we will find that "the things that are above" come into much sharper focus. It is a matter of focussing in spite of distraction on what is truly worthwhile - as the fisherman in this final story does.
'A wealthy American banker was standing on the pier of a coastal village in Mexico when a small boat with one fisherman aboard docked. Inside the boat were a few large tuna fish. The banker complemented the fisherman on his catch, the asked, "how long were you out?' 'Oh, an hour or two," the fisherman replied. 'Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?' 'I've enough here to meet the immediate needs of my family.' 'But what do you do with the rest of your time?' 'I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children take a siesta in the afternoon, and stroll into the village in the evening to sip a little wine, play my guitar and chat with my friends. Believe me, I have a full life," said the fisherman. The banker wasn't impressed. 'You should spend more time fishing,' he said. 'Then with the proceeds you could by a bigger boat. With the proceeds from that you could by several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Then you could open up your own processing factory and cannery. You would need to leave this village and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles, and eventually to New York, from where you would run your expanding business.' 'How long would all this take? the fisherman asked. 'About twenty years,' the banker replied. 'And what then?' asked the fisherman. 'When the time is right you could float your company on the stock market, sell your stock to the public and make millions.' 'Then what?' asked the fisherman. 'Then you could retire and move to a small coastal village, where you could sleep late, fish a little, play with your children, take a siesta in the afternoon, stroll into the village in the evening and have some fun with your friends.' 'What do you think I'm doing right now?' asked the fisherman.