This Gospel lesson that we just heard is interesting because while it offers us a lesson in Christian living, it also gives us an insight into the way our Lord taught. Jesus frequently used parables, made up stories, to clarify or express the principle he wanted to get across to his listeners. And usually, after hearing the story, no explanation was necessary, when you heard the story you got the point, and you would be more apt to remember it. A lot of the parables have a twist to them that pulls you up short and forces you to think about what was just said. So this parable forces the question; Why is this steward, who is so patently dishonest, praised by his master? Surely Jesus isn't telling us that crime well done is praiseworthy? Of course he isn't. The point is rather that we too often exert more effort and use more skill in getting what we want out of our worldly life than we do in furthering our spiritual life. If this Steward had done the job he had been hired for with as much skill and shrewdness as he used in bailing himself out of trouble, he never would have gotten in trouble in the first place. The point of the parable is that we should get the priorities of our life straight, and direct our efforts towards those things that really count. Just as the one thing that was essential for a steward was unquestioned honesty and dedication to the master, so God expects us as Christians to live our lives in a certain way.

           This Christian life is a balanced life. There are some who tell us that as Christians we must do God's will because if we don't we will be condemned to the eternal fires of damnation. Then there are those who teach that since God is perfect love nothing we can do can make any difference to our salvation and therefore we can do whatever we like. The Puritans whom we read about in our history books are an example of the first group, the pessimists, and the second, free and easy sort of Christianity is at the heart of much modern liberal theology that has invaded the church, and is based upon a flawed concept of love. But as is true with most theological issues there is some truth to both positions. Just as is true with any loving parent, God does not take it lightly if we ignore his rules or flaunt our special relationship with him, but at the same time it is true that his love for us is so great that it overcomes all our errors and failures. And I think this is the point that Saint Paul is making in the lesson from first Corinthians. In spite of the fact that all the Israelites passed through the red sea, ate the manna in the desert, and were so clearly under Gods protection, his chosen people, they were condemned by their complacency, their casual acceptance of God's Love. We must not test God, yet his grace is always there for us.

           We are taught that worship, prayer, and a disciplined life in general are the duty of the Christian, but it is certainly much more than duty. The purpose of being a Christian, the reason for living the Christian life is to glorify God, and that essentially should be pure pleasure. Our life should be neither a life of bitter obligation, nor of free amorality, but one that constantly tries to focus on the glory of God. We should see neither a glass half empty or half full, but continually and simply thank God we have water!

           And Today's collect should cause us to reflect on these things and how they are reflected in us. It reminds us of the connection between thought and action. We pray for the spirit to think and do what is right in order that we can live according to God's will. Why do we pray for this? Because " we cannot do anything that is good without thee..." the collect echoing our Lord's own words: "...without me ye can do nothing". (John 15:5). We depend upon God's good will and his Holy Spirit to put good desires and thoughts into us, and then we depend upon that same spirit to give us the strength to put those desires and thoughts into action.

           There are three necessary steps in living the Christian life, in the process of right though and right actions. and each of them is important if we are going to live our lives properly. Firstly we rely upon God through his Holy Spirit to bless us with good and proper desires; the will to be and do good. Secondly we cooperate with the Spirit by affirming these good desires and resisting the evil thoughts that may come to us. And thirdly we cooperate even further by acting upon those good and proper thoughts and desires. Each stage is necessary and important if we are going to live according to God's will. If we deny the godly desires that come to us, refuse to affirm or encourage them or allow evil desires to overcome them, or don't attempt to put these desires into action in our lives, then we fail to glorify god, and fail to do the work of the Christian.

           Our work is to glorify God in our whole lives. And this you see requires action. It is impossible to live the Christian life passively; action is inherent in our faith. And with God's grace we should put as much effort in that Christian Action as we put into all other areas of our lives. The message of the parable of the dishonest steward is that all that we do we should do well, and do for the glory of god. Nor should we be like the ancient Israelites and partake of God's grace without offering anything back.

           There is a proverb that says that the Christian way of washing dishes is to get them clean. There is another that says that even if all you do is wash dishes, wash them to the glory of God. If we can learn to do our daily work to the glory of god, how much more valuable will be those times that we devote purely to his worship and praise? Our worship is hollow and empty if we enter into God's house only through habit or sense of duty. and the rest of our lives are spent to the glory of mammon. Our worship should be the culmination of lives lived to the glory of God and based upon a deep seated desire, triggered by the Spirit himself to recognize and adore God. And the reverse is also true. If our worship is heartfelt and sincere, we will try with all our might to live the rest of our lives as God wishes. But we can only do that with his help, which he freely offers to those who ask. And so we pray:

           Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee; may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. AMEN.