God and money

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,  but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!  "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.- Matthew 6:19‭-‬24 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

How should we relate to money? Jesus speaks more about money than sex, hell, etc. It is addressed in the majority of His parables. God cares about how we handle money, how we spend it, save it, budget it. Money can be a powerful force in your life whether for good or evil.

How to invest money

They didn't have banking institutions in Jesus day. They held wealth in possessions. It was a cloak, grain stores, and precious metals/gems. Today's day is different. We get paid by direct deposit and hold money in the bank and retirement accounts. We might not even use cash anymore. But God's wisdom still applies. You cannot take any of these things with you. To handle your money as if there is only this life is foolishness.

So then what is the wise way to handle money? We are to lay up heavenly treasure. What is this treasure? Is it a heavenly dwelling? Some perfect place? It is not. Our treasure is Jesus. He will be our joy and satisfaction. What does this mean? It means that we will treasure what Jesus treasures. We will make his kingdom first. Sharing the gospel. Our financial advisors tell us to invest for what should happen in 30 years. Jesus tells us to plan for 30,000 years... And off into eternity. It is wise to save. But our priority should be for eternity, not here and now.

Should all rich Christians just sell all their possessions and become poor? No, let's look at Paul's letter.

"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."- 1 Timothy 6:17‭-‬19 ESV

To be rich is a blessing and they are called to be humble and to spend this wealth in good works. Their riches are to be shared in light of heaven. Luke speaks of how to handle our money for God

He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.  And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'  And the manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.  I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.'  So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  He said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.  And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. - Luke 16:1‭-‬9 ESV

When we need money and resources for good works, do not hem and haw. Those who have money need to put their treasure in heaven. It is good to give them the opportunity to support missions and invest in the kingdom.

How money reveals

If you look at your checkbook (monthly expenses), it reveals a lot about you. Consider when you say that you don't have time for something, it's not true. It is a question of value. We don't value what activity or person. We will make time for what is important. We will save money, but for what? What will we splurge on? Food, clothes, comfort?

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.- 2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV

What will we cheerful spend money on? Most especially if it is not to advance the kingdom of God. This will show us what we treasure more than Jesus. It reveals our true priorities.

HW: go over your finances (with wife) and consider what they say about your priorities

How to be a steward of money and not a slave to it

Our eyes direct us. If our eyes are fixed on money and earthly things, then they are dark. If we only consider money in decision making, then we are overlooking our spiritual gifts, our families, and our strengths. This is the slave mentality. There are many who think they are serving God, but they are serving money. So then what is the remedy? We need each other to help us see this sin in our lives. We need the church to point out our blindspots in regards to handling money.

HW: take the assessment for above and share it with someone who will help you stay accountable and investing in kingdom priorities.