Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Sermon: The Master Who Serves

Lectionary: Proper 14(C)

Texts: Luke 12:32-40 

When you return home from a late-night party, do you knock on the door of your home to be let in?

Hold that thought. We’ll come back to it.

Today’s gospel lection is both interesting and difficult. It is at an intersection where literary images and themes converge and diverge. Each part can stand alone, yet its meanings can only be fully appreciated by seeing how it is informed by what came before and how it informs what comes after.

For example, the first few texts about not being afraid belong to an extended section that was not read. The parable in the middle stands alone, yet it can be more powerful when contrasted with the parable of the rich fool from last Sunday, and the theme of things happening unexpectedly are repeated in the following sections.

The last two verses share a motif with the parable, but its emphases and symbolisms change. Locating parallel texts in the other gospel accounts, these verses don’t seem to be part of the original parable.

Finally, ironically, these two parts are quite distinct and separate. Commentaries that follow the lectionary readings either try to force the whole thing together or choose one to comment on and omit the rest. I will be taking the latter option and selecting the parable in the middle.

This parable of the master returning in the middle of the night is another instance where the English translations can get in the way of better interpretation. Until I started reading Ken Bailey’s commentary on this parable[1], the following is the picture I had of it.

The master has gone away some distance to a wedding celebration. The servants/slaves don’t know when their master will return. But they need to remain vigilant and be ready to wait on him when he returns. When the master returns late at night, or even very early in the dark of the morning, he knocks on the door, and the servants rush to greet him. When he enters, instead of being served, he readies himself to serve. To the surprise of the servants/slaves, he tells them to seat themselves and waits on them.

I will now read Bailey’s translation of Luke 12:35-38.

Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning, and be like people who are expecting their master when he withdraws from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, immediately they may open to him.

Blessed are those slaves who coming, the master finds awake.

Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself and cause them to recline [to eat], and come to them and serve them.

If (in the second of third watch), he comes and finds thus, blessed are those slaves.[2]

Did you catch the numerous nuances that are different in Bailey’s translation over nearly all English ones?

I think that the key difference and one that changes the approach to interpretation is the idea that the master is the host of the wedding banquet. If he himself isn’t the groom, then his son or another key family member is the groom. The celebration is taking place at his own estate. It might very well be in the same building, or perhaps a detached one on the same grounds.

The master does not return from the celebration but rather, withdraws from it. The celebration is continuing in the public area of the estate. The master takes a discreet leave away from the party.

He comes to the private area of the estate—the private living and sleeping areas. He knocks at the door to the servants’ quarters. Why?

Bailey describes Middle Eastern custom where only strangers knock at the door. Known individuals announce themselves (loudly) so that the homeowner knows who is outside and knows that it is safe to open the door.

The master, however, knocks on the door and expects the door to be opened. This implies that this is an interior door (or perhaps a separate building in a secure part of the estate) so it would be no stranger knocking. The reason for the master to knock is because he does not want to raise his voice, which would alert the wedding guests that he has withdrawn from them.

The servants were not merely waiting (as in most English translations), but they were expecting the master to come. Perhaps they were expecting him to need mid-celebration spiffing up, perhaps a short respite before returning to the party, or perhaps additional directions in regards the ongoing event. In any case, they were not just spending their time waiting, but they were anticipating their master’s needs should he come to them.

But then, the unexpected occurs. The master, rather than asking the servants to serve him, he begins to take the actions of a servant. He girds himself up so that he can be more mobile. Then he directs his servants to recline at the triclinium. This direction can only mean one thing: the servants will be served dinner as honored individuals.

But where will the food and drink come from? All the prepared food is out at the banquet. There is nothing held back. The food and drink must come from the banquet itself. How the master was able to discreetly pack and cart away enough food to serve all his servants is left up to the imagination. The servants don’t get lesser fare. They receive the abundance of the wedding banquet.

In this parable we can see elements of the eschatological wedding and the wedding feast, the Eucharist, and the servanthood of Christ. In the master’s withdrawing from the celebration, we can see echoes of Christ’s incarnation. In the reversal of roles, we see how the kingdom reverses the world’s ideas of power and the powerful.

We can see too, that in fact this parable does have a thread that connects it to the earlier sayings about worry and fear. We don’t need to worry or fear because God will bring the bounties of the kingdom and serve God’s people.

We might also find a contrast between the master of this parable vs. the rich fool. Where the rich fool had no celebration and thought only of himself and hoarding, the master brings a share of the banquet to his servants.

We might also reflect on a thread that connects this parable with the parables of the sower and the seeds. In these parables of growth, one of the key points made is that the kingdom starts out small and unnoticed; it grows without drawing attention to itself until it reaches full growth and maturity when it is finally noticed.

I see an echo to that theme in the quiet withdrawal of the master. He does not announce what he is doing. He does not seek accolades for his generosity. He does not draw attention to his role reversal. He just does what his love for his servants compels him to do.

When we think about church and denominational public relations, advertising, and marketing, I have questions. Questions about whether it is because those are the methods the world promotes, and we’ve just adopted them. Or how much of it is about feeding our own egos.

As Jesus continues to travel up to Jerusalem, then through it, and to Golgotha, he teaches what the kingdom is like and what God is like, he identifies himself with humanity and becomes a servant to all, a servant even to suffer the death of the worst slave and criminal. In return, he offers the kingdom and its banquet to all who would follow his way of love, mercy, and forgiveness.

May we enter into his joy with praise and thanksgiving!

In the name of God who Creates Joy,

In the name of God who Celebrates,

And in the name of God who challenges us to serve, Amen.

Bibliography

Bailey, K. E. (2008). Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Bartlett, D. L., & Brown Taylor, B. (2010). Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 3. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Green, J. B. (1997). New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.

William B. Eerdmans. (2003). Eerdman's Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans.

 



[1] (Bailey, 2008)

[2] (Bailey, 2008)

Sunday, August 03, 2025

Sermon: On Loan from God

Lectionary: Proper 13(C)

Text: Psalm 49:1-12; Luke 12:13-21

https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55520
Parable of the Rich Man,
Rembrandt, 1627
There are certain passages that come up in the lectionary where I wonder if anything more needs to be said. Today’s gospel reading is one of those. In short: greed is bad; be generous instead. Today’s reading also seems rather on the nose with societal goings-on around us that I wonder what more could be said.

It is easy to point fingers at others. It is easy to read this text, think about billionaires and point fingers at their lack of morals and ethics. It is easy to read this text and point fingers at the self-centeredness of the ultra-wealthy and how they seem to have no regard for those just getting by.

None of us sitting here today is among the top one percent in wealth. Most of us must make trade-offs in our budgets and spending. Some of us might consider ourselves comfortable, but not so comfortable that we don’t have worries about finances. Does today’s reading contain anything relevant for us?

Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool in response to a man in the crowd approaching Jesus so that he could settle an inheritance dispute between him and his brother. However, it was more than that. The man, probably the younger brother, had already made up his mind that he was going to get the share of inheritance that the law entitled him to. He was going to exercise his right to have the property divided and given to him. He just wanted a declaration from Jesus that this plan was approved.

It needs to be understood that there was no requirement that an inheritance be divided after the patriarch’s death. Psalm 133:1 praise families who continue to live together: “1 Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one!” (CEB) In Genesis 13, the separation of Abram and Lot, because each family had grown too large to remain together, is seen as a tragedy.

The younger brother who had come to Jesus had already decided that he wanted to separate from his family and take his portion of the family land with him. “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” (Bailey) responds Jesus.[1] First, as was with Martha and Mary, Jesus does not take kindly to demands that are made to him. If Jesus is Lord and Master, making requests and accepting what is provided is appropriate. But not demands. Second, Jesus came to bring people together into his community, not to divide. Those who follow Jesus as Lord and Master ought to come together, not separate.

Jesus is not impressed by this man’s attitude. Jesus’ addressing of him as “Man” is just short of rude.[2]

Jesus continues with a statement of a general principle. “Take heed, and beware of every kind of insatiable desire. For life for a person does not consist in the surpluses of his possessions.” (Bailey)

A couple of things to note here. First, “insatiable desire” implies much more than acquisition and hoarding of possessions. It hints to more intangible things such as power, honor, respect, ambition, and even independence. Second, Jesus is addressing what one does with a surplus. In other words, possessions, tangible and intangible, inherently are not bad or evil. Humans need various things to meet our basic physical, emotional, and social needs. But there comes a point where some can end up with more than is needed. How we respond to a surplus is an indicator of what we truly desire.

The parable Jesus tells lays out one option. When we pause to see its reflection, we can infer the second option, the option that leads to authentic life.

In the parable, the man is already wealthy. He is not condemned for being wealthy. What happens next is that his lands simply produce a bumper crop. Those who farm and garden are quite aware that many things out of their control can affect the harvest. You can work hard and do all the right things to influence the harvest, but the outcome is also determined by things like weather and pests.

This rich man happens to experience a bumper crop for nothing related to his actual work or effort. It is a gift from God. What will he do with it?

He enters a monologue, speaking to himself. The crops, the surplus, everything is his. In his mind he owns it, deserves it, and can do what he wants with it. He has no one to discuss this fortune with. He has no one who celebrates with him. It does not cross his mind that those who worked in the fields might share in it. It is his – all of it.

He decides to tear down his current barns, build larger ones, store up the harvest, and then live an easy life for many years to come. “Relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself,” (Bailey) he muses to himself. This might be a reference to Ecclesiastes 8:15, “15 So I commend enjoyment because there’s nothing better for people to do under the sun but to eat, drink, and be glad. This is what will accompany them in their hard work, during the lifetime that God gives under the sun.” (CEB) What the rich man forgot or fails to realize is that life itself is a gift and a loan from God.

The parable next has God collecting the loan due on the rich man’s life. The man had no time to relax and enjoy what he thought were his possessions. Similarly to the lament of the writer of Ecclesiastes, God asks, “Fool! Who is going to inherit all the things you stored away?”

Jesus ends the parable with a warning. “This is the way it will be for those who hoard things for themselves and aren’t rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21 CEB) Bailey translates this as follows: “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not gathering riches for God.” Two choices are laid out. Each person can live for themselves, pursuing their own glory; or, they can use what they are loaned to build up God’s community.

In our modern society, where ownership is such an entrenched and highly prized principle, it might be difficult for us to let go of it. But for those who follow Christ, everything we have is on loan from God; even our time here on earth. If we take to heart the truth that all God has given to us doesn’t belong to us; if we take to heart that God desires community above all else; and if we take to heart that what God gives is intended to build up his community, would we live differently?

I think that the problem of the man demanding his portion of the inheritance wasn’t primarily about the inheritance, but about him wanting to distance himself from community and live independently from family. The parable could be seen as a warning of what unchecked independence without communal accountability will eventually lead to: a life that becomes completely self-consuming and self-indulgent, uncaring of others and their needs.

Living in community, with people that are different from us, don’t always think alike, are sometimes disagreeable and even unlikeable, can be difficult. But that is how and where we practice unconditional love, forgiveness, and mercy. As we contribute our tangible and intangible possessions in building up God’s community, we are “gathering riches for God” and bringing the kingdom of God as we pray each week, in community, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

In the name of God who Creates,

In the name of God who Gathers,

And in the name of God who discomforts us through imperfect community, amen.

References

Bailey, K. E. (1976, 1980). Poet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes (Combined Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.

Bailey, K. E. (2008). Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Bartlett, D. L., & Brown Taylor, B. (2010). Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 3. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

William B. Eerdmans. (2003). Eerdman's Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans.

 

 



[1] Most translations use “arbitrator” or similar instead of “divider”, softening the intent of Jesus’ words.

[2][2] Some translations use “Friend” or similar instead of “Man”, softening the intent of Jesus’ words.