A Life Worth Living
a sermon based on Luke 16:19-31 and 1 Timothy 6:6-19
by Rev. Rick Thompson

      Kenneth Lay was a multi-millionaire who rose to the position of CEO of a powerful energy company, owned several fabulous homes, and had the ear of the President. Lay amassed a fortune before he died—but it was at the expense of those who counted on their ENRON pension to provide them a comfortable retirement.  At the time of Lay’s sudden death, he was under indictment for fraud and other white-collar crimes.  Kenneth Lay died in disgrace.

     Albert Schweitzer had a medical degree and had published a book which, over 100 years later, is still considered a classic in New Testament studies.  In addition to that, Schweitzer was an accomplished organist.  He was already receiving widespread acclaim when, unexpectedly, he gave up his security and certain financial success to go to Africa in service to the poor and medically needy.  He spent the rest of his life there.  Before he died, Schweitzer was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his service to humanity.

     Which one would you say lived a life worth living?  How many of you would agree it was Albert Schweitzer?

     Now, let’s get more to the point.  We could discuss all day the lives of Kenneth Lay and Albert Schweitzer, but where would that get us in the end?

     Isn’t there a more crucial question?  Isn’t this the question posed by our readings today, and especially that letter to Timothy, where Paul urges his young associate to live “the life that really is life?”  Isn’t the question before us this one: “Would you like to live a life worth living?”

     Well, would you?

     I would!  And if you’d like to also, then I suggest we pay some attention to the words we’ve heard in Scripture.

     And what our Scripture readings today teach us is that the life worth living is not a life of self-indulgence, but a life lived with God, a life lived in God for others.

     The ancient Christian leader Tertullian had some blunt words to say about what makes life worth living.  Are you ready for this?  “He who lives only to benefit himself confers on the world a benefit when he dies.”  That’s what Tertullian said.  It’s a warning, isn’t it—a stark warning against living only for oneself, a warning against self-indulgent living, without regard for the needs and well-being of others.  Tertullian said that the world is better off when one who lives selfishly is dead and gone.

     Now I don’t know about you, but that’s not what I want said about me when I’m dead and gone!  I don’t ever expect to be in the same league as Albert Schweitzer, but I do hope that people will be able to say, when I’ve breathed my last, “He lived a life worth living.  The world’s a better place because Rick Thompson spent time in it.”  I hope that’s what people will be able to honestly say about me.

     And my only hope, if that’s my goal, is to live my life in Christ.

     That’s what I read, at least, when I read today’s second reading.

     “Take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession…”—that’s what we hear there.

     Called to eternal life.  Called to life in Christ.  That’s God’s promise, and that’s God’s claim on us.  Do you suppose that might have something to do with living a life worth living?  I think so!

     Who has created this world and provided for the well-being of us and all creatures?  It’s God in Christ—that’s who!

     Who has entered into our humanity, taken upon himself our sin, and died a shameful death in our place?  It’s God in Christ—that’s who!

     Who has risen up from death, destroying death’s power, releasing eternal life into all creation and sharing his victory with us?  It’s God in Christ—that’s who!

     And who will come again, as we’re reminded in the reading, to bring God’s eternal rule of peace and justice and wholeness?  It’s God in Christ—that’s who!

      And what can we say of this Christ?  We read it in our letter: “He is King of kings and Lord of lords…he alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light…to him be honor and eternal dominion.  Amen!”

     This is the one who calls us into an eternal relationship with God.  This is the one who calls us to live a life worth living—and has, himself, lived such a life in abundance!  And did you notice something about Jesus?  He gave, didn’t he.  He gave and gave and gave, until his life was poured out, and he took his life up again in resurrection, and he keeps on giving and giving!

     And in response, we’re urged, “Fight the good fight of faith!” 

     Why?  So we can stay joined to Christ—the one in whom God gives us abundant and eternal life!  As tough as it is to follow Jesus—he does ask us to make some difficult choices, to take some risks, after all—it’s worth it, isn’t it?  Isn’t life in Christ a life worth living?  Knowing we belong to God?  Knowing the joy of following God?  Knowing the promise that we’ll be with God for eternity?  Doesn’t that make the fight of faith a fight worthy fighting?

     And it is a fight, isn’t it!  It certainly was for Jesus!  He battled Satan.  He battled with the religious leaders.  He battled the fickleness and unfaithfulness of his chosen disciples.  He struggled to accept his own impending death.  For Jesus, his life on earth was a fight—a fight he undertook with absolute faith in his heavenly Father—and it was a fight he won! 

     And wouldn’t we say his life—the life of Jesus—was a life worth living?

     So should it be any surprise that life in Christ is described as a “fight” for us?  When we’re surrounded by constant temptation, seduced by wealth and power, constantly encouraged to consume and possess, again and again told that we must indulge ourselves and satisfy our desires, how easy can we expect it to be to follow a Christ who gave and gave and gave?  How easy can we expect it to be to live a life worth living?

     You know, there’s a segment of American Christianity that appeals to our desire to have an easy life, to think that God exists primarily to fulfill our wishes, to make us comfortable and wealthy.  Some call it “The Prosperity Gospel.”  One of the preachers of this message, Joel Osteen, has written a best-seller entitled Your Best Life Now.  No wonder it’s a best-seller; Osteen teaches that God stands ready to fulfill our personal dreams, to fill our garages with expensive vehicles, to fill our cupboards and our bank accounts, to fill us with the things of this world.

     Now, I have to ask, “Is that really what makes life worth living?”  Isn’t that the attitude that’s critized in all of today’s readings—by the prophet Amos, who tries to get the attention of those living self-indulgent lives while there’s decay all around; by the Psalmist, who reminds us of God’s special care for the poor and oppressed; by the second reading, where we hear that “the love of money is the root of all evil” and are urged to live lives of contentment; by the gospel reading, where Jesus tells a story in which the privileged one, who ignores the needs of the poor at his doorstep, pays an eternal price, and the poor man, Lazarus—whose name means “God helps”—is rewarded with eternal life?  Doesn’t God seem to be saying here, loudly and clearly, that a life worth living has nothing to do with how wealthy one is and everything to do with one’s relationship to God?

     And haven’t we already been reminded that God is One who gives…and gives…and gives…and gives…and gives?

     Isn’t it in our giving, our sharing, our serving—our following Christ—that we most fulfill our purpose on earth?  Isn’t that what makes life worth living—to be joined to Christ, and to participate in his pouring out of life for the sake of the world?

     Andrew Carnegie—the one whom many libraries and schools are named after—discovered that giving makes life worth living.  He amassed a huge fortune for his time--$400 million dollars—and he gave 99.5% of it away.  Yes, he still had a lot to live on—but Carnegie knew that it was giving, not having that made life worth living!

     I get a small taste of that when I give.  I enjoy my giving to the church.  And I especially find joy in the occasional gifts I share with our church’s World Hunger Appeal.  I’ve been blessed, and it’s a blessing to be able to share some of my blessings with “Lazarus”—the poor outside my door, the poor across the world.  Lazarus—“God helps”—and, sometimes, that help comes from me, and you, and the people of God, as God uses our hands to do God’s good and saving work.

     Giving. Giving of myself, and giving of my substance.  Like God gives—again, and again, and again.  Isn’t that what makes life worth living?  Knowing abundant life in Christ, and sharing it with others—in word, and in deed—nothing makes me more content.

     Yes, I think life is worth living.  I think life is worth living when it’s lived in Jesus Christ.

     I invite you to think so too—and live a life worth living!

                                                                                                AMEN.