Sermon for Proper 20 Yr. C: Those that Shall Endure

Proper 20 Yr. C: Those that Shall Endure

Amos 8:4-7; I Timothy 2:1-7; Luke 16:1-13

The Reverend Paul D. Allick, The Church of the Advent, September 21, 2025

I never cease to be amazed by how ancient some of the collects

are in our Book of Common Prayer. And I am astonished at how

these ancient prayers remain relevant. They are like so many

stories and situations we read of in the Holy Scriptures. Very

different cultural and historical contexts but the same old

humanity.

Today’s collect dates back to 4th century Rome.

“Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love

things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among

things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall

endure.”

It reminds us that on this earthly pilgrimage we are going to face

many tribulations which is why we hold fast to the reality of our

eternal. We are eternal beings living in constant tension with

temporal realities.

Today’s collect was composed when Christians living in Rome

were witnessing their civilization crumble under the Barbarian

invasions. They prayed for the strength to put their full trust in

God in a world that was quickly and violently ending.

I our own day we may look around our world and think, “How

many fires, floods, wars, mass shootings, cold blooded murders,

attempted and completed assassinations of public officials, and

institutional crises can we absorb?"

Some of us may be going through such difficult personal struggles

that we may not have had the energy to even look at the news

this week. We are wondering how long we can endure our

personal predicaments.

Those realizations remind me that I cannot put my full faith and

trust in the events or institutions of this life. I put my full faith and

trust in the mercy of God and his grace manifested in Jesus

Christ. I do not become complacent, not in the least, but I do keep

it all in perspective. I keep it all in the light of eternity.

Holy Scriptures show us that there is nothing new under the sun.

The Prophet Amos was preaching thousands of years ago. Yet,

his message stands for us today.

Amos warns us that when we follow our religion in a rote manner

without it ever penetrating our hearts, tragedy ensues. Amos is

speaking to religious people who meticulously followed the rules

of religion but then went right back out into everyday life and

treated people with contempt. They cheated each other. They

ignored the poor. This was why their religious and civic institutions

soon fell into ruins.

Throughout history, many Christians have discerned that the

answer is to withdraw from the world. This is not God’s call to us.

We are to remain right in the heart of the world and live as the

Ambassadors of Christ.

Paul writes to Timothy that Christians living in the Roman Empire,

should offer prayers for those who are in high positions. Our

mission is to pray for the world and to bring the Good News of

Christ to all people throughout the world which means we must

remain active in it.

We are Ambassadors of Christ proclaiming the Kingdom as it is

among us now and as it will come in eternal life. In that mission

Jesus tells us to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.

I think that this is what Jesus is getting at in this puzzling Gospel

today: We are to use the gifts God has given us wisely. We

cannot be naïve and think that just hiding away and praying will

fulfill our discipleship. We must engage in all of the complexity of

life. We must be pragmatic and shrewd as we use our gifts to

fulfill our ministry of reconciliation.

The manager in the Gospel is in quite a personal crisis. He is

getting fired for squandering his boss’s wealth. He has to be

shrewd to survive. Taking a great risk, he offers mercy to his

boss’s debtors. He forgoes his commission so that when he is out

of work, he will have friends.

Instead of being angry, his boss is thrilled. This manager has

finally done something with his gifts. The manager was not only

squandering the resources of the business, he was also

squandering his own abilities.

We gather at this Altar to find strength and wisdom to live out our

Discipleship in a world which seldom values what we value.

Christians should and will always be countercultural. When we

are not and have not been, we are straying from the Narrow Path.

We come together to combine our resources - spiritual, emotional,

mental, and material. This is the place where we can find a balm

when our souls are wearied.

In our Book of Common Prayer there is another prayer from that

4th Century Rome. It is found in the service of Compline (Night

Prayer). It a perfect prayer for the Christian who goes to bed each

night during tumultuous times, personal or communal.

“Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the hours of

this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and

chances of this life may rest in your eternal changelessness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

(Book of Common Prayer, p.133)

Reference on Collect: Commentary on the American Prayer Book (p.192)

By Marion J. Hatchett

HarperSanFrancisco 1995