By: Rev L Nguyen
Season of Creation IV
Readings: Amos 6:1a,4-7; 1 Timothy 6:6-19; Luke 16: 19-31
Today is our fourth and final Sunday in the season of Creation. And while over these past few weeks we have been focusing much on farewells and arrivals the importance of this season has been noted each week. The theme of this “To hope and act with Creation”, remains relevant as it highlights the interdependence, the interconnectedness of all life and the need to “sacrifice” for a thriving future for all the world.
No matter how rich or poor you are we all only have this one planet which can sustain human life. The health of our planet is a shared concern that transcends economic status, as environmental degradation and its consequences affect everyone, regardless of their wealth or poverty. The Earth and its resources and atmosphere are essential for all life, making collective action and shared responsibility crucial for its preservation.
As Christians we know the call to action when it comes to the welfare of others is not new. And our Gospel reading this morning is a very strong clarion call to notice and respond now to the poor and struggling ones. One writer says “As much as we would like to spiritualize the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, it is very difficult to explain away its central message, especially given what Luke has to say about money and possessions elsewhere in his Gospel. (1)
In this story, God’s eternal judgment has everything to do with how we use wealth in this life and whether we attend to those less fortunate in our midst. Is your temptation to explain away a story like this? Perhaps to remove its blatant depiction of how God will ultimately vindicate the cause of the poor? Or to say, hey I’m doing what I can?
As I reflected for this morning, I imagined that most if not all of you are in a variety of wonderful ways doing good works with you time and your resources. Sure, we might need to refresh the donation amount set for our Automatic Payments.
But I know there is a heart of care beating strongly in the heart of this parish. It has been for years. I believe that this parable along with our other readings IS TO be an invitation to a meditation into what wealth and poverty look like today, locally and beyond, FOR TODAY.
WEALTH AND POVERTY – THE GREAT DIVIDE – NOW AND THEN. HOWEVER, there’s no point for me to cite CURRENT statistics of the haves and have nots. We’ve heard them before in church. We’ve had speakers come and share their stories of lives with challenges, sometimes beyond our imagining.
And perhaps this is part of our challenge. We “know” the problems, the trials, we read about them, see them on the news and we’re not sure what more to do. You may be suffering compassion fatigue when it comes to stretching your dollars farther for others when they’re not stretching the way they use to do for yourself.
We know a HORRENDUS divide between rich, and poor exists. AND We may ALREADY BE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO SHARE. What else to do? Could we skip this gospel and move on? We know the feast of St Frances is next week and we could divert our attention with animals! And birds! … well, no, we’re not skipping ahead.
We follow the lectionary for a reason, IN OUR READINGS
• there is truth and calling,
• learning and wisdom,
• there is hope and God’s love woven in to all that we read.
• Even in the “hard readings” our task is to tease out the mystery and wonder for our time.
AND THE THREE READINGS TODAY ARE WELL RELATED ONE TO ANOTHER perhaps a practical reading of them will bring about spirited action –
Amos proclaims that those who live in comfort and wealth, without grief over the destruction of God’s people, will be the first to go into exile. Amos denounces those who, in their comfort, ignore the suffering and destruction of God’s people. (3). That’s straightforward.
Timothy warns against seeking to accumulate wealth for its own sake. (3) Again, fair enough, we know this, yes?
In Luke, there is no question, God is “on the side” of the poor.
God calls us to put our trust in God, and that wealth is to be shared and distributed equitably.
For those of us who are among the wealthy (which pretty much includes anyone who has internet access to read this) … God’s word is direct and challenging – the poor need our faith, our generosity and our voice which challenges the wealthy to share. (3)
Again, while we know this, this is also the point where we may get stuck … “What can we do?” Surprisingly, what can do is to be optimistic (not silly but hopeful). We can be the prophetic voice that trusts in God’s purposes over human wisdom or systems. (3)
The wealth of the world is desperately unevenly distributed and the gap between rich and poor continues to widen. Millions of people live on less than $2 a day – some on less than $1 – and struggle just to put food on the table or a roof over their children’s heads.
A question for us today is, do we believe that this dire poverty is solvable? If we do then it requires the will to put pressure on leaders, lawmakers, and corporate heads, and the optimism and faith to embrace and live the economics of God’s reign.
As one writer suggests, our world-economic systems need to change, and this change can be created through pockets of people who live differently and who support those who live differently – programs of social entrepreneurship, micro-lending, bartering and ethical consumerism all make big differences when small contributions are combined.
I’m not saying give away all your belongings and join a commune, though you could if you’d like, what I’m suggesting is that if we are to not discard this story of Lazarus, that we need to be faithful, to use our God given talents and persist in justice and caring for others.
We need to get creative. We know we are pulling our socks up to keep this parish and its buildings going and so we need to so in the living out of our faith in the care of others and all creation. And you know, age is no barrier, for our elders your telling of the stories of what’s worked previously, what hasn’t worked, your insights and knowledge, your prayers our taonga, our treasure. For those of you who are out on the front lines, you need to come in for rest and refreshment, our elders are here for you, listening and encouraging, praying for you, often with a muffin and a cup of tea.
And if you don’t believe dire poverty is solvable, stay at our table, we need you, to keep the conversation real, for God’s grace to work through ALL of us. We alone may not be able to fix the big issues of poverty, but with God’s help, we can make a difference.
But first we must resist complacency or perhaps even worse, active disinterest – “not my problem”; “not my fault”. You are certainly part of the solution and inaction can be more costly than a wrong decision.
We are to love as God loves us. To love God’s creation and each person, lovingly made in God’s image. It is in this divine love that we must pay attention now. It is believed at this point the chasm between us can be closed. We have the memo, we are not to wait for the world to come, but today, in our time. As Christians we are the first and the last lines of resistance and all the lines in between of persistence. Persistence for finding ways to care for all creation. To address the issues, not ignore or say, “not my problem”.
We are to stay present, optimistic in God’s presence, God’s grace, God’s healing and God’s equipping of us to be the people we need to be.
Let us have our faith! And let us not ignore the Parable of Lazarus, For we do so at our own peril! Hear it for the clarion call that it is. All creation is waiting.
If you would like more conversation to join us this for coffee and conversation or be in touch this week.
God be with you. Shalom.
- https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-26-3/commentary-on-luke-1619-31-5
- https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-26-3/commentary-on-luke-1619-31-2
- John Van de Laar –Notes for Sunday 28 September 2025
- https://learn.lincoln.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Homily-28-September-2025-Creationtide.pdf
Additional Quotes/Questions/Link for Sunday’s Sermon 28 Sept 2025.
“Systems of inequity and injustice are sustained because individuals don’t know how to contribute to change.
• When it comes to addressing poverty, the quest is to offer those who suffer dignity, hope and networks that can enable them to move out of their poverty and into sustainable livelihoods.
• For followers of Christ that may mean befriending someone who is poor, or partnering as a community with a less advantaged community.
• It may mean offering time and abilities to work in shelters, or projects that make a difference. It may mean being more careful about how we use our money, and investing in projects that uplift and support the poor.
• It may mean simply learning to resist the urge to buy more than we need, and it may mean working to change any laws or practices that disadvantage the poor, the weak and the marginalised. (3)
Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, states:
• “The opposite of poverty is justice.” Yes, justice, not wealth or riches. Our global neighbours, made in the image of God, increasingly suffer in this life because we do not put our belief into practice.
• The rich man thought he could warn his five brothers of their impending torment, but Abraham points out that the words of Moses and the prophets had not worked, so nor would the sending of Lazarus, bringing a further warning.
• In short, through the Law of Moses, God spoke about loving God and neighbour and being a people of justice.
• Through the prophets, God spoke again because he could see the chasm growing between rich and poor.
• Amos is just one example of a prophet who spoke to warn God’s people: “woe to you who are complacent” suggests that failing to act on behalf of the poor and marginalised is a sin against God and neighbour (Amos 6:1).
• Still, those who had the power to act failed in their social responsibility having neglected the needs of the poor. In the afterlife, their accrued wealth was worthless. (4)
• The Apostle Paul warns “the rich” in 1 Timothy 6 to not put their hope in wealth, but to do good. Good includes seeking justice for the poor. God really does care for the wellbeing of all his people, regardless of where they are born. For those of us with plenty, or who enjoy justice, we must “do good” and act to renew our commitment to loving God and neighbour in very tangible ways. Beyond wealth inequality, we must not be complacent to the impact of global warming, which disproportionately impacts the world’s poorest populations, pushing millions into poverty and increasing inequality. Whilst erratic weather conditions may cause us inconvenience or a little discomfort to us, entire communities across the globe suffer with lack of clean water, food shortages and health crises. This is an injustice. Whilst this may feel like an overwhelming task, we’re reminded of the words of the Psalmist: “Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob” (Psalm 146).
• His Conversation Questions
- How important is the reality of global injustice to you? How will your rating affect your ability to bring about change?
- What can you practically do, in your power, to change the impact of global warming on your global neighbours?
- Is there anything else from the passage not already discussed that speaks to you? What is it?
- What will you do this week in your Monday-to-Saturday ministry in response to what you have heard today? #everydayfaith Prayer Spend some time in prayer, responding to what you have heard today and listening to what God might be saying to you. (4)
Check out the info at this address: https://www.oxfam.org.nz/news-media/worlds-top-1-own-more-wealth-than-95-of-humanity/