“The Worry of Two Bosses-   Mt 6:24-33  3/7/2010  (Communion Homily on Missions Sunday)

²⁴ "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Mt. 6:24)

            I can remember my first job out of college.  I worked for Dunlop Sports Company- and started out ordering raw materials.  As low man on the totem pole, and a rookie at that, I had a number of different bosses.  I soon found out, if you have multiple bosses, and they are at odds with each other, you cannot make them all happy.  I had one fellow who was in charge of inventory- he was the vice president of production.  He was always telling me that the company had little money to have any extra materials on hand.  Another fellow was the plant manager, and he was in charge of making sure the plant’s production stayed going- he always wanted me to have lots extra in case of a shipping problem.    These two people didn’t like each other at all, and I was in the middle.  It wasn’t pretty.   Yesterday I was in the car and one person wanted it warmer and the other wanted it cooler.  Unfortunately we didn’t have individual controls.  Two bosses meant trouble.
            Jesus said you cannot have two masters.  The word “master” could be literally translated “lords”  (Kuriois). In other words, Jesus cannot be Lord of your life and at the same time money cannot be lord of your life.  The illusion is that we can serve money and Jesus, but money corrupts our service of Jesus.  The known and immediate reason Judas was willing to betray Jesus was for 40 pieces of silver.  But when Judas experienced remorse, the money was worthless and he threw it back at the high priests and rulers.  If you ever sacrifice your faith so you can make more money, you will regret it in the end.  If you ever sacrifice your kids for your money- you will regret that in the end as well.  Yet our culture expects this.  The sacrifice at the altar of work and money is the sacrifice of family and faith.  Lee Iacocca, former president of Chrysler- who helped revise that company with the mini-van, said that no one had on their tomb stone “I wish I could have just worked a little more.” 
            In recession times we are seeing hard working, loyal, sacrificing employees who are let go because the funds are not there to support them.  Money is a tough master to serve.  But the other side of this is that now is a perfect time to get our priorities right.  Now, when we see how evil greed is- is the time to renounce greed as our master.  Now, when we see how temporary and fleeting are the things of this world- to get our hearts set on what will last forever.   If your God is money, then in a recession or a depression your God is hard to find.  Have you ever wondered why high buildings do not have a 13^th floor?   Otis Elevator estimates that 85% of buildings with over 15 floors do not have a label for the 13^th floor.  It might be labeled 12-B.  Why is that?  Many buildings will have mechanical work on the 13^th floor.  Rumor is the government keeps its top secret files on the 13^th floor (Wikipedia).  Many people are superstitious and refuse to stay in a hotel on the 13^th floor or to buy an apartment or office on the 13^th floor.  But it became clear during the Great Depression so many would go to the 13^th floor and jump off that they quit making the 13^th floor.  Suicide went up 21% as unemployment hit close to 30% and the government was in danger of failing. A few weeks ago a man flew his plane into the IRS building because he couldn’t stand giving them what he perceived as his money.  But Jesus is asking us which bank do we want to put our money in.   If you had $10,000 to put in the bank in mid 2008 would you rather put it in Lehman Brothers- an investment firm about to go belly up- or in say the Mellon Bank of NY- dubbed the safest bank in the country.  This is what Jesus is asking us- are we putting out treasure here where the treasure is sure to be ruined within 100 years, or are we putting it where it will never rust or be stolen?   We should use our money in ways that make eternal differences.   Jesus never distinguished between giving to missions and giving to the poor.  We are called to give to both- meeting the physical and spiritual needs of others.  It is well known that 10% of our world own 85% of the world’s wealth; while the bottom 50% own 1%.  When we choose to splurge but then say we don’t have enough to give to missions, something is wrong with that.  When Jesus came, he showed compassion on those who were hurting spiritually from legalism and deadness in faith, and those who were hurting physically- the deaf, blind, and lame.  Can you imagine someone speaking about their retirement.  “When I retire I’m going to live in such a great house.”  He’s always talking about his retirement house.  So finally you decide to go look at it. What you find is a run down fishing shack- windows broken, roof leaking, grass overgrown.  Would we think the man really believed he would retire there one day?   We say we believe we are going to heaven, but we are putting all our money in our temporary hotel here.  We say we believe that heaven is not just a crutch- but a real place, but we put all our eggs in the basket of this life.  You have heard it said, “You can’t take it with you.”  Jesus was saying, it is possible to bank on heaven.  He said where your treasure is there will your heart be also.
            Ironically, right after saying not to let money be our co-master, Jesus says to not worry about it.   Jesus, from a physical standpoint had a lot to worry about.  He had no home, he had no suitcase, he had no savings account or life insurance or investments.  Yet he had no worries.  If Jesus was my adult child, I might tell him that he needs to get a better job that would grant him more security and would be more upwardly mobile.  But Jesus didn’t worry, and Jesus changed the world.  Jesus was a lot more focused on helping the poor than he was on having security.  Jesus did not despise wealth.  He did not say to not take a vacation or send flowers.  But He did say to use our wealth not just for selfish gain.   Our generosity is a sign of our living not here, but living for others.  
            On this missions month, we can focus on what we do not have, or we can focus on how we might glorify God.   One boss will tell you to clinch your fist, but the other Lord will tell you to open your hand and your heart to others.  One boss will tell you that people are always asking.  The other will tell you the need is great and you have more than 90% of the world.  One boss would have you worry and try to be secure on a sinking ship.  The Lord would have you soar above the worries of this life in generosity and trust in God.