Sunday 07/31/22 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Are We Earthly Minded or Heavenly Minded?”
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 107:1-9, 43
New Testament Scripture: Colossians 3:1-11
Gospel Lesson: Luke 12:13-21
So, I distinctly remember as a little
boy getting the Sears and the JCPenney’s Christmas catalogues in the mail. I
also remember going into department stores around Christmas, and periodically
peering through the windows of departments stores around Christmas. I would
look at the catalogues, through the store windows, and in the stores themselves
with wild amazement. What amazing treasure or treasures could I pine after this
year? What should I ask my parents, what I should I ask Santa Claus for?
I remember some Christmas Eve’s as a child
not being able to sleep, because of my excitement for Christmas morning. On
Christmas morning I was going to get stuff. This was largely my focus, as I shuffled
past the nativity scene to look at the gifts under the Christmas Tree. In fact,
not until I was a teenager, did I really ever begin to appreciate that Jesus
was reason we celebrate the holiday of Christmas. The problem that I had, and that
many of us still struggle with, is that I was too “earthly minded and not
heavenly minded”. When I was a little kid, I was not really concerned with
Jesus on Christmas, but was more concerned over the RC car that I wanted.
What I have learned more and more as I
have gotten older though, is that the things of this earth are fleeting. Do not
miss here me. We need food, we need clothing, a roof over our heads, and it is
very helpful to have some possessions. Many of us would prefer a working
vehicle, a certain amount money, etc. Yet, we live in a culture where the pursuit
of possessions seems to be central to the lives of many people. The things we
buy, the things we pine for or lust after. Will these things ultimately bring
us happiness and contentment?
My answer to this, is yes, maybe for a
little while. Many of the things that I was excited to potentially get for
Christmas broke, I got bored of, or just sat in the toy chest. There was another
toy, and another, and another. We live an infomercial society, where we are constantly
being told that we can buy or have the ability to create happiness. Yet, do
possessions and wealth in and of themself provide happiness, inner peace, and
the hope of God in Jesus Christ?
I think that we all need to have the
basics to live, but what if we would get as much of or anything we wanted,
would that make us happy and content in the long term? Some people worry about
having enough money, there health, the future, etc. Will these things bring us
happiness and contentment? I have meet people with very little that have
happiness, peace, and contentment. I have met people with very much, that do
not have many earthly and financial things to worry about, but are still not
happy, content, or at peace. Maybe some of us are just doomed to never truly be
happy, content, or at peace?
No one is perfectly happy, content,
and or at peace all the time, but the argument that I am making this morning, is
that possessions will make us happy in the moment, or for a little while. They
then might go in the toy chest with all the others. We might get excited when
we get a new, or a new to us car. The fresh smell, being oriented with all the
features. Are we as excited about the car in a few months though? I know people
that practice what is called “retail therapy”. Bad week at work? Well Friday, you
are going to hit the mall, and you will have swiped your credit card some many
times it will have smoke coming off of it.
On some level we all can be guilty of
this sort of sin. The desire for pleasure, relaxing, accumulating, but will
this make us truly happy and content? In my limited and younger experience, I
have learned that my happiness and contentment come from God, the people I
love, my family, and my church. If I were to get a new shirt, I might feel
sharp and more confident on Sunday morning, but that shirt will not make me
happy?
In our reading for this morning from
Psalm 107:1-9,43, we hear once again in 107:1:
1 O give thanks to the Lord,
for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever (Ps. 107:1, NRSV).
Do we actively give thanks to the Lord enough?
We live in the United States of America, in the richest country in the history
of planet earth. There is no question that we still have hunger, poverty, and
suffering in this country, but I would tend to think considering the great
amount material wealth and possessions in this country, that we would be the
happiest country in the world. I mean with all that we have in this country, we
surely should have the happiest people, right? In doing a little research for
this morning, I wanted to find out how happy people in America are. I mean if
we are not the happiest country on earth, certainly we have to be top three,
right? Well, I found an article from Forbes that lists the twenty happiest
countries in the world.
By a show of hands, how many of us think that
the United States is one of the three happiest countries in the world? How
about the top ten? How about the top fifteen? Would you be surprised to the know
that even though the United States, the richest country in the history of the
world, is not even on the top fifteen for the happiness of its people?
So according to this article, where does the
level of happiness in the United States rank in the top twenty? The answer is,
at number sixteen. A little shocking for some of us to hear, maybe. Russia came
in and number eighty, by the way, and that was not so shocking for me to hear.
So, what fifteen countries have happier people
than us here in the United States? Let me read them to you:
World’s 20 Happiest Countries
1.
Finland
2.
Denmark
3.
Iceland
4.
Switzerland
5.
Netherlands
6.
Luxembourg
7.
Sweden
8.
Norway
9.
Israel
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
12. Australia
13. Ireland
14. Germany
15. Canada
16. United States
17. United Kingdom
18. Czech Republic
19. Belgium
20. France
(https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2022/03/18/ranked-the-20-happiest-countries-in-the-world-in-2022/?sh=1d65ab8c35d5).
Of the top fifteen countries that are
listed in the way of happiness, these are all countries that have a fair amount
of wealth, but nothing like the wealth of the United States. So, what is my
point? My point is, is that the bible tells us that happiness and contentment come
from more than just wealth and possessions. We need some of these to live, yes,
but will they in and of themselves always make us happy? I say no, and my guess
is many of you say no to. How do I know this? I know this because almost
everyone that I have ever met that has moved, was amazed at how much stuff they
had accumulated when they had to box it all up and move it. I have heard people
say, “Where did all this stuff come from!”
What
does scripture have to say about all of this? In looking at our reading for
this morning from the Apostle Paul’s letter the Colossians 3:1-11, it says
starting in 3:1 once again:
3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory (Col. 3:1-4, NRSV).
People need food, clothing, housing,
and some possession, but possessions in and of themselves, I do not believe
make us happy. In fact, the Hollywood actor Jim Carey said this about wealth:
“I think everybody should get rich and
famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the
answer” (https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1151805-i-think-everybody-should-get-rich-and-famous-and-do#:~:text=%E2%80%9CI%20think%20everybody%20should%20get%20rich%20and%20famous%20and%20do,that%20it's%20not%20the%20answer.%E2%80%9D).
A man that passed on to glory in his 90’s told me
when I told him this quote, “I would be willing to test that theory, Pastor
Paul!” So how much wealth is enough? How many possessions are enough? We all
need the basic things to live, but will wealth and possessions in and of
themselves, make us happy? The scripture tells us to look to God, to our
family, our friends, and our church community. We find joy in being with each
other, in being in God’s presence, and it is amazing to have this.
Given this, the Apostle Paul continues
on in Colossian 3:1-11, picking up in 3:5 saying, once again:
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! (Col. 3:5-11, NRSV).
The
Apostle Paul says that things and the pleasures of this earth have a draw and
an appeal, but that they cannot create long term happiness. A new gift, a new
thing, a little money, etc., will not create abiding and long-term happiness in
our hearts and our souls. If we got everything we ever wanted materially right
now, would that truly make us happy in the long term?
This idea of being “Earthly Minded or
Heavenly Minded” is continued this morning in our gospel of Luke 12:13-21
reading. In picking up in Luke 12:13 it begins, once again, saying of an
inheritance debate:
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Lk. 12:13-15, NRSV).
As a pastor, I have seen families fight among themselves
over money and possessions after the death of a loved one. Maybe
they need the money, or maybe it is just because they want what they want. Jesus
then goes on to tell us the parable to story of the “Rich Fool”. Picking up in
Luke 12:16, it says once again;
16 Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God” (Lk. 12:16-21, NRSV).
How much is enough? How much will make us happy? What is
happiness? Does it come from things of this world, or from God and each other?
You can decide for yourself if you want, but the Apostle Paul this morning
tell us to be “Heavenly Minded not Earthly Minded”.
I want to tell you a quick story in closing this morning
about a rich man. This man was a billionaire. He owned houses all over the
world, and had the best of everything. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with a
rare and incurable disease, and it seemed that even his extensive reserves of wealth
could not save him. He was in the hospital, and he had about one-month to live.
The rich man then thought, “They always say that you cannot
take it with you, but what if I can?” So, this wealthy man got all of his lawyers,
leaders, and other business men, and said send an important message to God me!
Explain to God that I want to take all of my wealth with me. So, they sent the
message. The next day, wouldn’t you know it, the Angel Gabriel appeared in dazzling
white in the rich man’s hospital room. The rich man told the Angel Gabriel that
he wanted to bring his wealth to heaven with him. The Angel Gabriel said, “you
mean piles of cash?”. The rich man said, “no in gold bricks?” The Angel Gabriel
said, “Well how many gold bricks?” The rich man said, “I have ordered all my
investment managers and bankers to convert all of my wealth into gold bricks.
There will be a lot of them!” The Angel Gabriel smiled and said, “Well I will
go check with the boss and let you know.” In about five-minutes, the Angel Gabriel
returned, and said, “God said this would be fine”.
Over the next week or two the gold bars were amassed, and
the rich man decided to come home on hospice care. Near his bed, were cases and
cases of gold bars. Finally, the hour had come, the rich man breathed his last
breath, and suddenly he was in this very peaceful, ethereal, and amazing place.
The rich man found himself in a long line of people. It was the longest line
that rich man had ever seen in his life. In fact, the rich man could not even
see the front of the line.
Then the rich man looked back behind him and noticed all of
his cases with gold bricks. God had made it so that the cases of gold bricks
would float behind the rich man and follow him. Others in the line looked
puzzled, as only the rich man had any worldly possessions with him. The rich
man realized that while everyone had a simple white robe on, as did he, he was
the only one with possessions.
Suddenly a voice shouted like a loud speaker, “You! Man
with the cases come forward!” Well, the rich man got out of line, began walking
forward, and the cases of gold bricks floated right behind him. As he walked for
a while, with on lookers puzzled by his cases, he began to make out what looked
like a desk. When he got closer, he
realized that it was a desk. He thought, “Is that Saint Peter, as he saw the
pearly gates behind the desk”. The rich man arrived at the desk, and he ask Saint
Peter, “Why did you call me all the way from the back of the line”. Saint Peter
said to the rich man, “Sir I have been checking people into heaven for almost two-thousand
years, and in all that time I have never seen, not once, someone with any possessions
with then. How did you manage to bring these?” Then the rich man explained his
petition to God, talking to the Angel Gabriel, and etc. Saint Peter then said, “So
Gabe told you that, huh?” The rich man said, “Yes, he did”. Then Saint Peter said
“ok, well put one of these many cases on my desk, so I can see what you are
bringing into heaven”. The rich man complied, and Saint Peter opened one of the
cases. As he did this bright beautiful gold glow shone out. Saint Peter then
said to the rich man, “So all of these many cases are filled with Gold Bars?”
The rich man then said, “Yes they are.” Well at this point Saint Peter laughs hysterically.
The rich many was confused and asked Saint Peter why he was laughing so hard. So,
Saint Peter laughs so hard he has tears on his cheeks. The rich man then asks
Saint Peter a third time why he is laughing so hard, and Saint Peter is now
rolling on the floor he is laughing so hard. The rich man in anger, then shouts
at Saint Peter and demands to know why is laughing too hard.
Saint Peter then stands up, wipes the tears of laugher
away, and says to the rich man, “don’t you know?” The rich man really angry at this
point says, “know what!” Saint Peter said, “all the roads in heaven are paved
with God. We have a lot pots holes on the road through pearly gates. God was going
to create gold bricks and give them to us to fill the holes, but they he changed
his mind and said some hot shot rich guy is going delivering the gold brick to
us. I thought God was joking, but here you are!”
Friends, we need food, we need clothing, we need the basic
things and possessions to live, but does wealth and possession in and of
themselves make us happy. True happiness is in God and in each other. So, are
we “Earthly Minded or Heavenly Minded?” Amen.
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