At the end of a parable demonstrating the obligation of servants, Luke records the Master's observation of those called to ministry: Luke 12: 48 "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." I once got into a little squabble in Seminary (in the seventies) when I took that observation of the Master too seriously. After all, in the modern context, we were training to be professionals and that old denomination was busily pricing the small churches out of market affordability for pastors by setting the minimum wages far beyond their reach.

Times have not changed too much in the last thirty years, every once in a while I hear complaints from people whose pastor's needs take seventy to ninety per cent of the Church finances. While I do believe that pastors should have their basic needs met through the help of their congregation, I am not opposed to allowing tent makers in areas where Christian ministries are on a limited financial edge! I also believe that the commitment of too much of the local budget can be spent for professional enlargement. Over the years I have encouraged churches to consider 25% to 35% of the annual budget to be set apart for ministerial support. In that way a congregation can meet the educational needs of their children and have resources to help missionaries and the local poor and the needy either directly or through specific ministries.

We see here in these two cases from Peter's memory of the Lord's observations, not only the good that can come through the people's response to His financial askings, but also the bad that wicked people can do in the name of the Lord's own church. Several of my commentators remind me of the Old Covenant Church's practice of having the teaching ministry conducted by men who not only earned their living but found the necessary time to study and teach. Paul continued this tradition into the New Testament era while he traveled to the Gentiles. Not only did he earn his own way on the mission field, but even collected offerings to send home to the Church in Jerusalem. He even wondered outloud once about the differences between his circumstance and that of his brethrenin Jerusalem!

Now, please understand, I have no problem with prosperous churches in urban areas or other, in continuing their full time ministries. But, we have to remember that there are places and opportunities that cannot support a full time ministry. In those places we have to relearn to be flexible in our approach. I say all of this to illustrate the point that some things do not change over time, the professionalism of these teachers in Jesus' description is and always has been too much with the churches which have grown and prospered beyond their mission state.

As I look at the description here of the scribes in their special robes, I remember once when I priced the fancy additive distinctions that let the in crowd know your multiple degrees and the schools from whence they were earned. I decided that was far too much to pay for such advertisement. Even a plain black robe was and is still costly enough on a Scottish budget! The plain black protestant robes go back to the Reformation era and that one time investment would and could cover over a poor man's limited wardrobe and the patches to which they were all too often accustomed. Clothing at one time was far more costly than in our present economy. A Hi & Lois cartoon once illustrated the general prosperity. When Hi presented Lois with a sock that needed darning, as the procedure was called, she dropped it into the waste basket with the comment, darn!

The well dressed scribes here, in the equivalent of $2,000 dollar suits, have three charges brought against them by the Lord of all the earth: abuse of position, recognition and commercialization. Here we are stridently warned that these temptations should not mark or mare the spiritual leaders of Christ's Church.

The colonial churches in America once auctioned the pews annually to families to pay for the maintenance of the facilities. The free pews were in the back, which explains the all too American habit of sitting as far back in church as possible, because that was where the obviously humble could afford to sit.

When I served my first congregation, I suddenly discovered that because of the pastoral position in that community, I was entitled to a low number license plate, a seat on the library board and other limited entitlements in that rural community! The big church in the county seat even paid the Pastor's membership at the local country club! How easily we all fall prey to these temptations?

The second sin here is an over-weening concern with titles and social recognition. "The Right Reverend" was a title I once heard demanded by a socially prominent minister. Of course "Doctor" has all of the wrong sound to it as well as the many other variations on this theme. Over the years I have been humbled by the working gentlemen who have chosen to address me as Sir. It is most surprising in this day and age and never expected from adults. Children in school are a different matter. A while back one of my students started calling me Dude, and while that may be a teenage honor, I insisted that until he graduated - He should call me Mr Dude - and so he does! At least in our culture, evangelical pastors do not have to worry about any meaningful social recognition however grudgingly given! And so the public humbling of the church may best for the future witness and work of the church which is no longer seen at the center of the local social calendar.

The third sin here is that of taking financial advantage of the most fragile members of the community. My commentators suggest that the scribes here, who were to earn their own living would and could demand hospitality beyond the biblical limitations of a day or two. Wealthy widows or widows who wanted the pretense of the same were especially vulnerable as rascals in every age have always discovered. I remember a local story of a notorious individual who would make off with wedding rings from the newly widowed women who were persuaded to put those now useless symbols out of sight and mind.

I even heard from one widow whose pastor told her that by virtue of her status, the Lord expected at least fifteen per cent to be given to the church because she no longer had the expenses of a family! Oh, my - we could go on and on about this obvious abuse pointed out by the Lord. Now, I believe it is only in English that the words pray and prey sound alike, however in the contrast between these hapless creatures and their public prayers, the hypocritical preying on their supporters is drastically condemned. as well it should.

Enough of course to this all to human situation that we are to avoid in Christ's Churches. The second report in our passage for today is much more uplifting. First, by way of amplification we should note that as a widow in Israel there were well established ministries to make certain she had enough to eat, a place to sleep and enough clothing to meet her necessary needs. The coins that she gave were known as the "thin coin" in that day or the widow's mites as we know it from older translations. We should understand that these coins to her were a luxury. Somehow she had earned or been given this tiny little extra, which she decided faithfully to return to the Lord who gave it. Of course, the translation does emphasize livelihood, but instead of holding it back for a rainy day, she was willing to trust the Lord for the morrow.

We learn from Mark how touched Jesus is in seeing the great generosity of this offering. In later years, the regular habit of John Wesley was finally reported to the world at large. During the time of his ministry he and his wife agreed upon what they needed to live on and then gave all the extra to the Lord. In this country generous Methodist parsons were the ones who planted a Manse garden in the spring, not knowing who would be there in July to bring in the harvest.

And so it goes down through the whole history of the Lord's Old Covenant and New Covenant churches. The sincere at heart are truly known by the Lord God of Creation - He knows His own and they do indeed know Him. Their spiritual habits are always different from the worldly who have the reward they desire in this life! May we learn from these harsh and gentle lessons to live day by day before the Lord, never minding what the world my think or see. After all, it is the Lord who we are encouraged to obey and please day by day until we go to Him or on that great day, He comes to us! Come quickly Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.