September 25, 2016

Bridging the Chasm

Pastor:
Passage: Jeremiah 32:1-3,Jeremiah 32:6-15,1 Timothy 6:6-19,Luke 16:19-31

Today’s readings contain some serious warnings about the temptations of wealth. The “haves” have a responsibility to share with the “have-nots.” Our money can be a powerful tool for alleviating suffering in the world, but it can just as easily become a strong force that alienates us from the riches of God’s grace. Jesus’ haunting parable portraying the divergent fates of a rich man and a beggar right outside his door tells us less about the great chasm in the afterlife than about the gulf that separates rich and poor in this world. Surprisingly, both rich and poor in this life need the same thing, and they need it from each other: community.