THE GOSPEL OF WEALTH

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-23; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 19:1-10

Text: To those whom much is given, of them will much be required.

Luke 12:48

INTRODUCTION

One of the books I read at Chautauqua last summer was “How the Scots Invented the Modern World” by Arthur Herman. My hunch is that it was written in response to a previous best seller by Thomas Cahill: “How the Irish Saved Civilization.” Recognizing that the Scots and the Irish relish their competition and rarely agree on anything, I found these two volumes to be insightful and thought provoking, but also prone toward a bit of nationalistic pride and hyperbole.

Even so, history shows that the people of both Scotland and Northern Ireland played a major role in establishing our Reformed Tradition, the Presbyterian Church, Capitalism, the Industrial Revolution and the Protestant Work Ethic. And looking back over the long line of Scottish leaders who have shaped our American way of life and modern-day society, there is one personality who stands out as a paradoxical symbol of relentless accumulation with one hand and generous philanthropy with the other – a man named Andrew Carnegie.

Born into a working class family in Dumferline, Scotland, Carnegie was twelve when his parents brought him to America where they settled in Pittsburgh during the mid-nineteenth century (1848). The town was a magnet for Scots who found work in the coalmines, iron foundries and lumber mills that transformed that region into the industrial workshop of the nation.

At thirteen, Andrew became a bobbin boy in a textile factory, working for a dollar twenty a week. He was mentored by several businessmen who saw great promise in this energetic and intelligent lad, and by and age of 23, now employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad and an investor in the Pullman sleeping car, Carnegie was already worth $400,000.

Two years later, he joined Henry Bessemer in building blast furnaces for the booming steel industry, and by 1892, the Carnegie Steel Company, later United States Steel, the ancestor of the modern industrial corporation, was out-producing most of the competition in the world. The bloody Homestead strike that year, where 9 people died, was a black mark on Carnegie’s reputation and career. But nine years later, he sold the whole company to J. P. Morgan for $480 million.

Now the point of the story is this: Andrew Carnegie, who made a fortune, had written a book in 1898 entitled “The Gospel of Wealth,” which summed up his personal philosophy. He foresaw “a new industrial world,” a world “without war or physical violence, through which the genius of invention and the miracle of mass production” would bring forth wealth so abundant that it “could be made available to all (people).

In keep with that philosophy, Carnegie said that “the man who dies rich dies disgraced” and he proceeded to give almost all of his wealth away – nearly half a billion dollars – to support education, world peace, public libraries (more than 2,800 of them), medical research, recreation and, as our Director of Music Ministry knows, Carnegie built more than 7000 pipe organs for churches throughout the world and an exquisite concert hall in New York City which bears his name to this day. (Excerpts and information taken from “How the Scots Invented the Modern World,” by Arthur Herman, Crown Publishers, 2001, pages 340-344, and from “The World Book Encyclopedia, “Andrew Carnegie”).

Now if you are wondering why I have called your attention to this Scotsman who lived more than a century ago and died in 1919, let me tell you the reason. Carnegie, who had his faults like the rest of us (but a lot more money), was also a Presbyterian whose family belonged to the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. And Carnegie believed that because God has blessed him abundantly, he had the responsibility and the opportunity to share those blessings with others.

His book, “The Gospel of Wealth,” made a clear and compelling case for the text of our sermon today: To those whom much is given, of them will much be required (Luke 12:48). And remember – Carnegie gave his fortune away in the midst of a world war, financial crises in America and an era in which the rich were getting richer and the poor were being left behind…a time, my friends, somewhat similar to our situation today. Back then, Carnegie could have hunkered down and held on to his money. But he didn’t, because he believed that everything he had received was a gift from God, and it was intended to be shared with those who were in need.

And that is the same decision God is calling all of us to make today, as you and I consider what we will pledge in support of the life and work of this church.

II.

When all is said and done, there is only one question which needs to be answered during the Annual Giving Campaign, and the question is this: How much should we give?

As you have heard, Andrew Carnegie decided to give nearly all of his wealth away, but that is not so with every Scotsman. When the collection plate came back one Sunday in a small English church outside London, the minister noticed that among the banknotes and pound sterling, there were three thin shillings in the plate. He pointed to the coins and said with a smile, “There must be a Scotsman in the congregation this morning.” From the last pew, a voice spoke out with a distinct accent, “Nay sir, not just one – there are three of us back here today!”

How much should we give? According to the gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, a rich young man came to Jesus asking about salvation. Jesus told him to keep the commandments and the man said, “I have observed them…what do I still lack?” So our Lord looked him in the eye and replied, “Go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven – then come and follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:16-22). You see, Jesus asked him to give 100%, but he wouldn’t do it.

Turning to the gospel of Mark, chapter 12, verse 41, Jesus sat down opposite the treasury (in the temple)…and watched many people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two copper coins, which made a penny. Jesus called His disciples together and said to them, “This woman has put in more than all the rest. For they gave out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had” (Mark 12:41-44). Jesus didn’t ask her to do it, but she gave 100% - and became one of the best-known stewards in all of scripture.

You say, “Preacher, I’m ready to step up and be counted, but 100% sounds a little steep. What else does the Bible tell us about how much we should give?”

Well, if you turn to the gospel of Luke, chapter 19, you will meet Zacchaeus, a tax collector in Jericho who encountered Jesus on the city street and invited Him to dinner. While the religious leaders murmured, He has gone to be the guest of a sinner, Jesus and Zacchaeus talked together and something happened.

Here was a man whose reputation was worse than and I.R.S. agent with an attitude, and he came out of his house a different person with gratitude in his heart and promised, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything (which he had), then I restore it fourfold! (Luke 19:1-10). Talk about a conversion experience! Zacchaeus gave 50% of his net worth to people who had next to zero, and went around town paying back everyone the debts he owed…and then some.

How much should we give? If 100% sounds too steep, and if 50% is more than you bargained for, then I put before you once again, the biblical tithe of 10% of your income or your total assets or your stock portfolio…or a 10% increase over what you pledged last year.

A man in Missouri did that. He was young and just starting out in business. His salary was $10,000 a year, but he felt convicted to tithe. So he went to see his pastor, and as they knelt down together in the study, the young man promised to give 10% of his annual income to the Lord through the church.

As time passed, that young man prospered, and his income increased to $50,000 and then to $100,000 a year. In keeping with his promise, that businessman titled what he made.

Then, a company in California called and offered him the position of Chief Executive Officer at twice what he was making in Missouri. He took the job, moved out west, but still sent his annual gift to the church back home.

Years later, that man, much older, got in touch with the pastor, who was near retirement, and asked if he could see him while on a business trip to St. Louis. They met in the pastor’s study, talked about old times and then the businessperson said that he had achieved success beyond his greatest dreams. His annual income had increased to half a million dollars a year. “God has blessed me with more than I could have ever asked for” he said, “but I don’t see how I can go on giving this much money to the church. So I’ve come to find out if I can be released from the promise I made many years ago to tithe.”

The pastor, who was very wise and loved that man very much, thought for a moment and then replied, “I don’t think it would be good to ask God to release you from your pledge. But if you want to get down on your knees with me again, I’ll pray that the Lord will make it possible for you to keep your promise to Him by shrinking your income back to $10,000 a year.”

The businessman smiled, shook the pastor’s hand and said, “I don’t think that will be necessary now. I know what to do.” And from that day forward until the businessman died, he kept his promise and so did God. God blessed him in abundance, and helped him share his blessings with others.

CONCLUSION

So I ask you again, in the midst of this Annual Giving Campaign, the one question that only you, in the presence of God, can answer: How much should we give?

Andrew Carnegie, who had everything according to this world’s standards of success, and that poor widow in the gospel of Mark who had next to nothing but felt richly blessed, they were willing to give 100%. Zacchaeus, after his encounter with Jesus, was converted and then convicted to promise 50%. And that businessperson, throughout his life, remained loyal to Christ and the church he loved by tithing 10% to the work of the Lord.

Now, if you and I compare ourselves to the rest of the people on this planet, we in America have the highest percentage of financial resources in the world – more than almost anyone else. I read in last week’s Time Magazine that this year, in America, we are going to spend $6.9 billion just on Halloween. That’s more than the gross national product of most nations on earth. We have been blessed, my friends, and according to the gospel, The Gospel of Wealth, Jesus said, To those whom much is given, of them (which means “of us”) will much be required.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The sermon distribution fund has been established by the Session of First Presbyterian Church to enable friends and groups to make contributions for the printing of the Sunday sermons. Sermon leaflets will be printed from time to time, as they are requested and as funds are available. Please designate your gift for Sermon Distribution Fund. Thank you for your support.