Luke’s Gospel addresses the real economic and social conditions of our lives. At Chapter 6, v20 he recounts Jesus saying, “Blessed are you who are poor.” Luke sees the poor as those who are dependent on God. They trust that God knows their needs and will provide. Their joy is the hope in God’s promise of eternal life.
By contrast, at v24 Jesus says, “But woe to you who are rich.” The rich feel comfortable in their situation. They look to their wealth to bring them joy. They are self-satisfied that it is by their own efforts and abilities that they have accomplished their feats and accumulated their wealth. They have no need for anyone’s help. They are independent of God and everyone else.
You may have millions in your bank and investment accounts. But are you happy? Do you have peace? No matter how much money you have, do you acknowledge God as the one who gives you the power to obtain wealth (Dt. 8:18) and admit your dependence on Him?
The Old Testament readings for this past Sunday tell us where to find our joy. Jeremiah 17:7-8 tells us, “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord. They are like a tree planted beside a stream.” Psalm 1 similarly says the one who meditates on the law of the Lord finds their joy. He is like a tree planted near water. Trusting God and obeying the commandments is what brings us the peace and happiness we seek – not money.
In gratitude for His blessings, God commands that we put Him first in every area of our lives. In our financial life, that means we give to God first before any other expense. We give from the first fruits. We give sacrificially. Giving sacrificially causes us to be mindful of our dependence on God. Giving sacrificially is using money as a tool to grow closer to God. It deepens our faith and trust in Him rather than in our own abilities.
We all need philanthropy. Philanthropy gives meaning and purpose to our life. It brings us a sense of satisfaction. So give to further the mission of the church and build God’s kingdom here on earth. Give sacrificially. Give joyfully. Try Him in this (Mal 3:10) and see if then you find the sense of peace and happiness that is beyond understanding.
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The Gospel calls us to live life differently. We see an example of that in Luke 5:11 where Jesus calls Peter, James, John, and Andrew to follow Him, to make them fishers of men. They dropped their nets and did just that. They left everything to follow him. They lived their lives differently from that point on. 
This Sunday we celebrated the Presentation of the Lord. We read about it in chapter 2 of Luke’s Gospel where Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem for the presentation, to consecrate their first born to God. Good Jews, they were being obedient to the Mosaic law. 
This past Sunday we read in 1 Corinthians 12: 26 that when one part of our body suffers, all of the body suffers. Am I living that out now. I’m suffering from a sinus infection. My nasal passages are jammed up. My eyes are puffy. And so my entire body drags through the day. This has been going on for three weeks now. I went to see the doctor and he tells me, “Mr Joe, at your age…” He obviously flunked the class on bedside manners in Medical School.
People had high expectations of John as he baptized them. We read in Luke 3:15, “Now the people were filled with expectation.” What are your expectations of God, the church, yourself? What are your hopes for this new year? May I suggest – transformation.