July 27, 2008
Sermon Series
“The Content Of Our Character: Living Into The Way Of Christ."

Today’s focus: Sustainable Stewardship
1 Corinthians 3:5-15

Rev. Allen V. Harris


Sermon Series:
Began with: Lifelong Learning
Moved to: Value Vulnerability
Today looking at: Sustainable Stewardship

What we are up against:
-- disposable culture
-- planned obsolescence
-- short-sightedness (absence of consequential thinking)
-- selfishness
-- greed

Metaphor: A Road Trip (a very long road trip… with children… in 1920…)
- Travel this week with my nephew, his wife, and their infant
- Even that metaphor is called into question w/the problems of petroleum dependency… Perhaps A Long Hiking Expedition might be better.

What is Stewardship?

What is Sustainability?

Three Arenas Of Sustainable Stewardship:
1. Sustainable Stewardship Of Our Household
What is enough? Budgets ~ Discipline ~ Perspective
vs. “Prosperity Gospel”

2. Sustainable Stewardship Of Our Earth
What is enough? Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle
vs. “Consumer Culture”

3. Sustainable Stewardship Of Our Faith
What is enough?
Theology of Abundance vs. Theology of Scarcity
Genesis 1 is a story of abundance, “an orgy of fruitfulness” in Walter Brueggemann’s words; Psalm 104 is a hymn of affirmation of Genesis 1
Pharaoh introduces the idea of scarcity; and has the power to promote its deadly consequences
Sabbath is a regular reminder that God has provided – and intends – for there to be “enough”

Three Threads Connection All Three: On this ultimate “road trip” of life, we need:
- Attentive Actions: Behave more as if our children depended upon it (i.e. Consider every action’s effect upon the seventh generation) and less as if our egos needed it.
* Iroquois Chief: “We cannot simply think of our survival; each new generation is responsible to ensure the survival of the seventh generation. The prophecy given to us, tells us that what we do today will affect the seventh generation and because of this we must bear in mind our responsibility to them today and always.”

- Honest Humility: Be honest about our power(s) and place in God’s creation)
* Archbishop Oscar Romero once said: We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.

- Cooperation & Collaboration: Never do anything alone that can better be done with the help of others
> example from my study leave: “collaboration” was underlying theme of City of God Conference (Discipleship? YES! Isolation? NO!)
* Suzanne Morse, Director, Pew Partnership for Civic Change, wrote “The ability to work together comes when citizens realize for themselves that working together is not only better, it’s the only real option for creating change.”

Conclusion: A Faithful Christian embodies Sustainable Stewardship!

There, I’ve said it!


Rev. Allen V. Harris
Franklin Circle Christian Church
www.FranklinCircleChurch.org


 

Copyright 2008 -- The Rev. Allen V. Harris

Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113-3096