Jesus Wants to Ruin Your Money.

Nate Schlomann

[0:00] Good morning Village. You can go ahead and have a seat. My name is Nate and we are once again [0:04] Very glad that you’re here with us this morning this week [0:07] We’re starting our third week in the series Jesus wants to ruin your life [0:11] And what we’ve been talking about is this idea that when we [0:14] Encounter God and see him for all his holiness and all his righteousness it wrecks us [0:19] It wrecks us to a point where our life is ruined in the face of that

[0:22] But the good news is that right then and there God offers us forgiveness and redemption and a new life in him [0:28] And so it’s a good awesome thing that Jesus wants to ruin our life because he wants to replace it with a life [0:35] That’s so much better and so much more than we could ever have imagined that first week [0:39] When Steve shared with us from Isaiah in chapter 6 where Isaiah? [0:44] Encounters God in his holiness and his righteousness and Isaiah says my life was ruined [0:48] And then God immediately comes in and gives him forgiveness

[0:51] Isaiah was changed instantly by that and his response is to say [0:55] Whatever God asked him here I am Lord send me [0:59] And that’s that’s a really cool little picture there because that’s exactly what it’s supposed to be like [1:03] For followers of Jesus, you know [1:05] We’ve been radically saved from amongst our ruin by God and his forgiveness and redemption has come to us through Christ [1:11] And our only response to that to Jesus our King is to say to God whatever it is that you would have me do

[1:17] I’m here send me and so that’s really kind of the vein of where the rest of these messages in this series are coming [1:24] off of unfortunately in the church a lot of times we don’t want to think that following Jesus is really going to [1:30] Ruin our life or in a positive way change for the better [1:33] How we’re gonna live and practically how differently our life is gonna be [1:39] But it’s going to [1:41] last week we talked about relationships and how the relationships that we had are gonna be ruined and God’s gonna replace those with

[1:49] Renewed meaning as we’re living for redemption reconciliation in all the relationships that we have [1:54] This week we’re talking about how Jesus wants to ruin our money [1:57] And I know when most of you got up this morning [2:00] You thought to yourself gee [2:01] I hope that village the executive pastor is preaching and I hope he’s gonna spend the entire time talking about money [2:07] Because we’d love to talk about money at church

[2:10] But we do need to talk about money Jesus talked about money a lot [2:14] 15% of everything he taught in some way had to do with money. That’s more than any other topic [2:18] except for the kingdom of God [2:20] Itself and the reason Jesus talked about money so much because it’s because it has so much to do with our relationship with God [2:27] And that’s what I want us to see this morning [2:29] I want to see this morning that the typical way that we in our culture typically view money and use money

[2:35] It’s completely in need of ruin. I want us to see [2:40] That we need God to come in and change how we view money

[2:45] Now what we’re not talking about this morning, I know in a crowd this size [2:49] There’s probably some of you out there that may feel like you’re on the verge of a financial ruin [2:53] Maybe you’re struggling with debt. You’re facing unemployment

[2:58] Just financial management. That’s not the kind of ruin that we’re talking about this morning [3:02] But I do want you to know if that is you this morning that you can get help and I hope that you feel

[3:09] Safe and comfortable enough to ask for help in those areas from the church [3:12] What you really need to do is in your handout [3:14] There’s a connect card on there and there’s a box where you can check financial peace University [3:19] If you would check that and put that in the offering baskets later on in the service [3:22] Even if you can’t do that particular program someone from the church will reach out to you to help you with those things [3:28] It’s there should be no shame in struggling with finances

[3:31] I hope that you would feel comfortable enough to ask for help and get help in that area, but that’s not [3:37] The primary place that we’re gonna be focusing on this morning [3:41] many of us I think I [3:43] Think that pretty much we’re doing okay with money. I mean it would not might not be geniuses [3:47] We might not you know have [3:49] Investment accounts where we’re just maxing everything out, but we think we’re pretty much doing okay

[3:54] We wouldn’t say that our finances necessarily need to be ruined not in the way that some of the other topics [3:59] We’ve talked about makes sense. We see that our sin certainly needs to be ruined [4:03] We see some of the broken relationships in our life need to be ruined and replaced with reconciliation [4:09] We can see how lots of the old things that we were living for before Christ needed to be ruined [4:15] But our money it doesn’t really need to be ruined maybe we need to be more generous now [4:19] Maybe we need to start give giving more but that’s just a change. It’s not really ruined

[4:26] And this morning I really want us to see that the way our culture views money is desperately in need of ruin and that [4:32] We’re a part of that culture that’s around us [4:34] Jesus insists in the gospel that our money needs to be ruined and that we need to have a whole new [4:40] Approach and look at how we use our finances and the resources that God has given us now [4:46] If you know me at all, you know that talking for 35 to 40 minutes about any one topic is not something that comes naturally [4:51] To me I’m having to cut things today

[4:54] There’s there’s so much to talk about when it comes to money and finances [4:57] This could easily be a five-week series just on its own dealing with money alone [5:02] Let alone stewardship which is kind of how we use all the resources that God has given us our time our abilities our talents [5:08] Not just money. So there’s all kinds of places we could go this morning [5:11] But we’re really gonna try to focus in and talk about how Jesus would change how we use money [5:17] So we’re there’s a lot of topics in the area of stewardship that we could hit on this morning

[5:21] That we’re just not gonna be able to get to so realize that this topic is bigger than that [5:26] But what I’m really trying to do this morning is ask the question if we just have 35 minutes here to talk [5:31] What are the most important things that Jesus shares with us about how our life and the way we use money is gonna change [5:37] After we encounter him and he saves us [5:39] So we’re gonna start in Luke 12 and you can turn there [5:42] But before we kind of read this first parable

[5:44] I want to kind of set the stage by talking about one concept here with money [5:49] And we’re gonna be talking about a couple different concepts this morning on how we view money and how our culture views money [5:54] But the first thing that I kind of want us to wrap our minds around to help us understand [5:58] Why it was that Jesus found it so important to talk about money so often is this idea? [6:04] And that is that money is how we keep score [6:07] Money is how we keep score. I’m not pretending that I’m telling you anything new here

[6:11] Okay, but money in our society is how we keep score whoever has the most is winning [6:15] Whoever has less isn’t doing as well. We use money to buy stuff that makes us successful [6:21] We evaluate how good our stuff is based on how much it’s worth

[6:26] If you have taken out a life insurance policy anytime recently [6:30] You know that we can evaluate just about anything based on money [6:34] We use money to assign value to everything my life has a certain amount of value based on the amount of money that I make [6:40] And it’s sometimes embarrassingly less than others. We really use money to assign value to everything in our society [6:47] Most of us work jobs where we trade time and effort and energy for money [6:52] Most of the time how much something is going to cost is a factor in just about every decision we make

[6:58] Sometimes that factor is how much are we gonna have to give up to do something? [7:02] Sometimes it’s how much are we gonna have to lose the opportunity to make in order to pursue pursue? [7:08] different opportunities [7:09] But money is what we use to keep score in our society and the people who get the most of it and gather the most stuff [7:15] Are successful and again, I’m not gonna drag this point out because you know that we live in a materialistic culture [7:22] But the thing is that really is nothing new

[7:24] Every human society pretty much that has ever existed has been a materialistic culture [7:29] The only difference is now we just have access to more stuff [7:32] And we’re just have more ability to get stuff, but the human heart has always been seeking to accumulate things [7:39] It was the same situation in Jesus’s time and that’s why it was so important for him to address this issue [7:45] The fact that we use money to assign value to everything is a really big deal to God [7:52] Because he’s the person who should have the most value in our life

[7:56] And so if we’re using money to assign value to things how we use our money [8:00] Directly speaks to our hearts and what we really feel about God [8:03] That’s the reason why it was so important to Jesus to tackle this issue of money [8:09] I’m in Luke 12 15 [8:10] We find Jesus telling a parable about a man who was very successful with his money in the way [8:15] The world looks at it and Jesus is about to pretty much tell him he’s ruined

[8:21] Verse 15 and it says and he said to them and this is Jesus take care and be on guard against all covetousness [8:30] For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions [8:34] And he told them a parable saying the land of a rich man produced plentifully and he thought to himself [8:40] What shall I do for I have nowhere to store my crops and he said I will do this [8:44] I will tear down my barns and build larger ones [8:46] And there I will store all my grain and my goods and I will say to my soul soul

[8:51] You have ample goods laid up for many years [8:54] Relax eat drink and be merry [8:56] So right there from verse 15 Jesus wants us to know that the way the world values things is not how life should really be [9:03] Jesus says or not to life does not consist in an abundance of possessions [9:08] And his example of this is someone who appears to be very [9:11] Successful in terms of the way the world keeps score in terms of accumulating a lot of possessions and this guy’s plan pretty much

[9:17] Is he’s got a lot of stuff. He’s feeling pretty good about it. And now his plan is he’s just gonna [9:23] Accumulate it all and have a nice [9:25] Relaxful life for the rest of his time here on earth and Jesus is just about to say that that is not a good idea [9:31] verse 20 [9:32] But God said to him [9:34] Fool this night your soul is required of you and the things you have prepared

[9:39] Whose will they be so is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God [9:45] So Jesus calls this man [9:48] Very successful in the world’s eyes has accumulated a lot of stuff over the course of his life has built a lot of stuff that he’s [9:54] Certainly going to leave to his family and Jesus calls him a fool and the reason that he calls him a fool is because [10:02] None of it’s gonna be there when he’s dead [10:04] It’s all gonna go away and he’s gonna be able to leave some of it to his family

[10:07] But his kids are gonna be dead in a generation and maybe they’ll leave some of it to their kids [10:11] But they’ll be gone in a generation and eventually everything that this guy has worked for [10:16] Has gone so Jesus calls him a fool, but Jesus does offer an alternative don’t miss that [10:23] Don’t miss that Jesus doesn’t just condemn using money to keep score. He does do that, but he doesn’t stop there [10:30] He also says that we should be rich towards God instead there in verse 21 [10:35] What does that mean that we should be rich towards God?

[10:38] see the world uses money to keep score and [10:41] Jesus changes how we keep score that’s critical of what you need to see here [10:45] Jesus changes how we keep score Jesus wants us to keep score in a different way and it’s not by how much stuff we [10:51] Accumulate Jesus says that it’s what we do for eternity that really matters. It’s becoming rich towards God. What does that mean? [10:58] Coming rich towards God basically is a topic that we’ve talked a lot about the last two weeks [11:03] It means caring about the things that God cares about it means being rich in the things of God and scriptures

[11:09] Throughout the New Testament have been very clear that for us in this time [11:13] The way that we care about the things that God cares about is by caring about his mission of reconciliation through Jesus [11:19] Jesus came to seek and save the lost he gave that same mission to us [11:22] That’s how we care about the things that God cares about by being involved in that [11:26] I’m not going to hamper on that point because we have talked about it the last few weeks [11:31] But what we need to see is that while our culture might use money to keep score

[11:35] Jesus is not concerned with money in that way [11:38] All right [11:39] He had different rules for keeping score and he’s saying that it’s what we do for eternity that really matters [11:45] And because of that because it’s what we do for eternity that really matters what we do with our money [11:51] Whether we realize it or not is already ruined because in the world’s eyes what counts is [11:57] cumulative stuff

[11:58] accumulating wealth [12:00] Gathering things up and if none of that’s gonna matter for eternity and it’s what matters for eternity that counts [12:05] Our money is already ruined. Jesus changes how we keep score [12:09] But that doesn’t mean just because Jesus changes how we keep score. It’s no longer by money [12:14] Now it’s by what we do for God’s kingdom [12:17] It doesn’t mean that we don’t use money, right? I mean, we’re still in society. We still have money. We still use it

[12:22] We still use money to assign value to things [12:25] We still use money to decide one option over another [12:28] Money’s a part of our society and Jesus isn’t necessarily condemning that aspect of it. He’s condemning how we use it

[12:37] How we use our money now shows whether we’re interested in the things of God in building riches towards God and building [12:46] legacy for eternity or whether we’re interested in this world, that’s how [12:50] How we use our money shows now and when we understand that Jesus has changed the way we keep score and so [12:58] Now we can kind of have some freedom realizing that how much money we have is not where our value lies [13:02] That’s absolutely true, but a lot of times unfortunately, that’s where we kind of leave that thought okay [13:08] Jesus changed how we keep score. We’re no longer keeping score based on how much money we have

[13:12] So I don’t have to worry about you know feeling like I’m less than another person [13:16] My value doesn’t lie there. That’s absolutely true. But unfortunately what we can do with that then [13:22] Is then I kind of have the attitude [13:24] Okay. Well as long as I’m a good person and I don’t judge others by how much stuff they have [13:28] It doesn’t really matter what I do with my money because Jesus isn’t concerned with money [13:32] That’s not his thing right? That’s not how we keep score

[13:34] So doesn’t really particular Matt particularly matter if I spend all my money on myself

[13:41] That’s not the case at all. Jesus is really keeping us from that because he doesn’t just leave it there [13:46] And this is this is the kind of the point in Jesus’s little dialogue here in verse 21 [13:52] They kind of rubbed some of us the wrong way and that’s Jesus didn’t [13:56] Stop keeping score altogether. He just said the way the world keeping is keeping score is not correct [14:01] What Jesus did was he changed the rules and that’s a very very different thing than not keeping score altogether [14:07] And I think a lot of times we want we want Jesus to just to say okay money doesn’t matter

[14:11] Don’t worry about it. It has no consequences. You can find your value in me [14:15] We do find our value in Jesus, but he never said money doesn’t matter [14:19] He said that we’re supposed to be building riches towards Christ [14:25] When we realize that we’re still expecting [14:28] Still expected to become rich towards God it keeps us from believing that what we do with our money doesn’t matter [14:34] And that’s because now how we use our money and how we use our money to advance the mission of Jesus

[14:39] Is it plays a critical role and whether or not we’re following him and whether or not we’re building riches towards him [14:45] And so that’s kind of where we’re headed this morning. It’s talking about what that looks like [14:49] I know I’ve used a lot of game metaphors here at the beginning a lot of keeping score [14:54] How does Jesus keep score that what’s the game that we’re playing now? [14:58] And I think that’s actually a helpful metaphor and it’s one the Apostle Paul actually used himself [15:04] Look at this verse with me really quick first Corinthians 9 in verse 24. I’ll be up on the screen, too

[15:11] Paul said do you not know that in a race all the runners run but only one receives the prize? [15:18] So run that you may obtain it every athlete exercises self-control in all things [15:23] They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable so I do not run aimlessly [15:28] I do not box as one beating the air [15:31] So according to Jesus’s way of keeping score. It’s not about how much money we have [15:37] All right, it’s about how much or about how much stuff we accumulate

[15:40] It’s about how we use our money and everything that God has given us and that’s kind of the broader aspect of stewardship that [15:46] We’re not really gonna touch on this morning [15:48] How we use everything that God has given us [15:51] To build riches towards God to advance the mission of Jesus to see people who don’t know Jesus [15:58] Reconciled and come to see him [16:00] And that’s a very different thing very different thing than saying money doesn’t matter

[16:04] It actually means that how we use our money matters quite a great deal in how our relationship with God is and how we’re relating to [16:12] The one who gives us everything that we have

[16:16] One very quick point here before we kind of move on to the next parallel that I want us to look at [16:21] As we do need to understand this idea that money is a gift from God [16:24] That’s it’s kind of foundational to where we’re going from here on out. I look at these [16:28] Two verses with me really quick and they’ll be up on the screen [16:31] first Corinthians 4 7 [16:34] Says for he who sees anything for who sees anything different in you

[16:38] What do you have that you did not receive if then you received it? [16:42] Why do you boast as if you did not receive it? [16:44] And then Deuteronomy 8 17 through 18 a [16:48] Says beware lest you say in your heart [16:50] My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth you shall remember the Lord your God [16:55] For it is he who gives you power to get wealth the money is a gift to be used for God’s glory

[17:02] And we’ve seen that it matters what we do with our money and now we’ve really got a [17:05] Got to kind of wrap our minds around this concept that money is a gift [17:09] That’s given us in order to handle money the right way [17:12] We’ve got to understand that ultimately [17:15] It’s God who’s given us any gifts that we even have to be able to earn money money [17:19] That’s the clear message of Scripture and we could go to many other passages to everything

[17:24] We have is from God and even our abilities to earn what we’ve earned is from God. And so because of that

[17:31] God’s not really that interested [17:33] Or not impressed with us having the ability to earn lots of money to give to him [17:38] We need to understand that that is what we should do with our money our money should be used for the mission of Jesus [17:43] But God’s not exactly impressed with us having the ability to earn money to give him and that’s real important [17:50] Thing to understand in our relationship here with God and with our the money that he’s given us [17:56] Because the tension here is that while we do use money to further God’s mission

[18:01] And we use our money to show that God is more valuable to us than anything else on this earth [18:06] And we’re gonna hit that point very clearly in a little bit here [18:10] While that is what we use our money for [18:13] Don’t forget Jesus changed the rules and money is not how we keep score and that even applies to us in terms of our [18:19] Giving all right [18:20] God is not keeping score based on how much we give how much we’re able to earn how much we’re able to give back

[18:25] To him all that is from God and all that is to go back to him [18:29] That is not where our value lies our value lies in serving God and advancing his mission [18:35] Money is just a gift and a tool but what God cares about is eternal riches eternal riches and what’s gonna last forever [18:43] So the reason that that I wanted to say that [18:46] Is because there’s a very important caution here for all of us [18:49] And I’m so sure this applies to someone in here that you really need to hear this

[18:54] Do not fall into the trap of thinking that your entire value for the church and the kingdom of God [19:00] Lies in your ability to earn money and give it back [19:03] Do not fall into that trap [19:06] Many people have gone down a road of ruin [19:11] Chasing that lie. Okay your value to the kingdom of God is not entirely in your ability to earn money and give it back [19:18] And unfortunately sometimes people for many different reasons get in the mindset that well

[19:23] They’re really good at earning money and they’re not that good at talking. They’re not that good with people [19:27] And so I really think that my kind of role in the church is to make a lot of money and give a lot and [19:33] That’s that’s the contribution that I play [19:36] Now here hear me real clear on this some of you have the gift of giving [19:40] That’s amazing [19:41] Some of you have the gift to make a lot of money and give a lot of money and that’s an amazing gift in the church

[19:46] But I promise you that that is not your only gift do not sell yourself short on [19:51] Thinking that your entire value in the kingdom is based on how much money you give God is [19:56] Tremendously interested in your life and the relationships that you have and the people that you meet and love towards the kingdom

[20:06] You’re terribly undervaluing undervaluing your time [20:08] If you think the primary role that you have in the church is to earn and give money [20:12] Jesus makes it very clear in this parable

[20:17] That you’re a fool if you give up eternal things [20:20] For what is just temporary and even though our money here is can be used for God’s glory [20:26] There are still eternal things that we will miss out on if we’re not participating in the life of the church if we’re not [20:33] Involved in people’s lives and you still cannot buy riches towards God’s again money is just a gift [20:39] That is a tool that God gives us to use to advance his mission [20:42] But it is not the totality of any of us in terms of our value to the kingdom

[20:47] This is also a caution that you need to have in terms of what you’re willing to give up to get money [20:53] All right, and that’s very important too [20:55] sometimes [20:56] If you are a person who is gifted in earning money [21:00] And that’s a again and a great gift you will be tempted to take every opportunity then that you can to earn money in [21:07] Light of well, I’ll have more to give to the church

[21:09] Sometimes you are sacrificing way more than you realize in working more now. We are supposed to work hard. We are supposed to work [21:17] Diligently and put in a good day’s work, but the what we receive for our work is a gift from God [21:22] Okay, and having that mindset keeps us from chasing after a gift [21:27] If you’re working 80 hours a week consistently every week [21:31] I promise that promise you that you’re sacrificing important eternal riches that you could have towards the mission of Jesus now [21:38] It doesn’t mean that there aren’t seasons of busyness. I’ve had times in my job where I’ve had an 80 hour work

[21:44] I’m not creating a law against working a lot [21:47] But I’m saying if that’s a continual pattern of your life [21:49] There is no doubt that you are missing out on the riches towards God that are available [21:55] By being a part of his church community and serving him. So be very careful what you’re willing to give up for more money [22:02] That is just as important as where your money goes

[22:08] All right from here [22:08] I want to take a little more practical turn and talk about what we do with the money that God gives us and that’s really [22:15] Going to be kind of the focus from here on out. What do we do with the money that God gives us? [22:19] How would God have us use that money turn to Matthew 6? [22:23] Verse 19 and we’re gonna look in another saying of Jesus here

[22:30] It’s pretty pretty popular passage you’ve probably heard this one [22:34] But but read with me. I do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth [22:38] Where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourself [22:44] Treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal [22:50] For where your treasure is there your heart will be also [22:54] So we have some of the same themes from the last parable here. Jesus is again changing the way we keep score

[22:59] It’s not about treasures here on earth. It’s about laying up treasures in heaven [23:03] So we’ve got kind of that dynamic going on [23:06] but then Jesus touches on something very important at the end of this passage that we really need to see in terms of a [23:11] Principle of why money is so important to Jesus why he talked about it so much and how it affects us [23:17] Look there again in verse 21 for where your treasure is [23:20] There your heart will be also notice that it doesn’t say where your heart is there your treasure will go

[23:26] Jesus says where your treasure is there your heart will be how we use money [23:31] Changes our heart [23:33] All right [23:33] This principle is a key reason why Jesus talks so much about money because he knows that what we do with our money is [23:38] Going to have a direct relationship on our relationship with him [23:42] That’s why he’s so concerned about it if we use money to assign value to things and we all do every day

[23:49] Then what we do with our money says a great deal about how we assign value to Jesus [23:55] Because of that money has the power to change our hearts. It really does [24:00] I’m not talking about a renewed heart of salvation. Okay, that only comes from God [24:04] Only God can change our hearts towards him and save us and that has to happen [24:09] Just to start out with for us to even have a desire to use our money to advance [24:13] The kingdom and use it towards the mission of Jesus

[24:16] but once that happens what we do with our money is going to have a great impact on [24:22] how our relationship with Jesus grows and where it goes or [24:25] Negatively if we don’t do much with our money to impact the mission of Jesus [24:30] That’s gonna have a very negative effect on where our relationship with Jesus grows

[24:36] Now this is a very radical way of [24:39] Thinking about money in terms of how our culture thinks about it. Generally our culture would absolutely say, you know where your heart is [24:45] That’s the things you’re gonna spend money towards [24:48] We kind of need to find out what your passions are find out where your hearts really at and that’s what you should do [24:54] That’s what you should pursue and Jesus is absolutely saying here be careful because your heart is deceptive [24:59] All right

[25:00] Your heart is manipulative and it will trick you and you need to look at the truth and what the truth is and you need [25:05] To put your treasure there and your heart is gonna follow. This is a very very important promise from Jesus

[25:14] And the reason is it’s because you’re trying you’re trying to you’re trying to change your heart [25:19] But your treasure isn’t there if if you’re not doing it that way if you’re just sitting around and you’re just saying and actually [25:25] I see people I see this happen all the time [25:28] And it happens to me too [25:30] Well think you know, I hear the truth from God, right? I hear God’s Word. I know that it’s true [25:35] I believe that it’s true. It just doesn’t seem to be happening in my life

[25:38] Why is that and a lot of times the reason is because we’re just trying to change our hearts, but we’re not putting our treasure anywhere [25:44] We’re not actually taking that step out in faith to say okay God, I know that your word is true [25:49] I’m gonna do this even if necessarily I don’t feel like it yet [25:52] And then God is always faithful to come back and to begin to work on our hearts [25:56] It’s a dynamic that God has all throughout scripture, but it’s especially true of our money [26:02] And so where we put our money in our treasure is where God will take our hearts

[26:08] Just wants to say there’s a definite relationship between the choices we make in our sanctification [26:14] So where we choose to spend all our stuff and treasure is bigger than just money [26:17] Okay, but we’re focusing on a money [26:19] But treasure really is our time our abilities our talents everything that we have where we choose to spend that [26:26] Affects whether or not our relationship with Jesus grows [26:29] So we have to be proactive about that. We have to proactively think okay

[26:33] What am I gonna do with my money that’s gonna show that my treasure is not here on this earth, but it’s with God [26:39] It’s with building his kingdom [26:41] We definitely sometimes like to play a little game here because remember I said treasure is more than just money [26:47] It absolutely is treasure is all the things that God gives us that can be used to build his kingdom [26:51] Because of that we like to play a little game sometimes with words like treasure and we like to make treasure what it means [26:57] To us. Okay, so our treasure is our family and so

[27:02] Which it should be part of but if our treasure is my treasure really it’s just my family [27:07] I don’t care about money. I don’t care about stuff my treasure my family [27:10] So I’m raising my children to follow Jesus and that’s how I accomplish this verse [27:14] Or you could say my treasure really is my time again. I’m not materialistic [27:18] I don’t care that much about money my treasure is my time and I devote my time to the mission of Jesus [27:23] You should

[27:25] But we can’t kind of get off [27:28] Devoting all of our treasure to the mission of Jesus by picking and choosing which treasures we find really important [27:33] The fact is we still live in a culture again [27:37] That assigns value to things based on money and we’re a part of that [27:41] Even if we pretend that we don’t want to be or we pretend that money doesn’t really have an effect on us [27:46] It absolutely does we all make decisions based on how much does it cost that is?

[27:52] Factor that runs throughout our life on the different things that we do so we cannot because we’re a part of this culture [27:58] And frankly almost every human culture that’s ever existed [28:00] We cannot get away from money being an important part of our treasure on top of all that [28:05] If we did want to say that our treasure is not in money, and so that’s why doesn’t necessarily matter where we put our money [28:13] It doesn’t really make a lot of sense because if our treasure is not in money we shouldn’t be [28:18] We shouldn’t feel too bad about letting a lot of it go towards the mission of Jesus

[28:21] So obviously we’re trying to hold on to something if that is our attitude

[28:28] This kind of comes full circle because Jesus is saying [28:33] Where you put your money where you put your treasure is where your heart’s gonna go [28:36] but then at the same time whether or not you’re willing to put your money in your treasure there is a [28:43] Determining factor of where your heart really is [28:45] Basically Jesus has us coming and going here [28:47] If we really care about him

[28:50] We’ll put our money where we want that to go towards the mission of Jesus and in order to if we’re gonna if we’re hesitant [28:56] To do that it means that we don’t really love or follow him [29:00] Look at the last part of this parable in Matthew 6 24. That’s really gonna help us flesh that out [29:06] This is right after Jesus just talked about

[29:09] Where our treasure is our heart will follow then he says this [29:13] No one can serve two masters [29:15] For either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other [29:20] You cannot serve God and money [29:23] See God does not want our divided affection notice that this doesn’t say you shouldn’t serve God and money [29:30] It says you can’t

[29:32] God has got to be number one if he’s gonna be in the place where he deserves to be and this passage is so [29:37] critical that we really look at what this says because this passage says if we have any part of our lives that shows that what [29:44] We’re serving is not God but anything other than him and in this culture. That’s often money in the accumulation of stuff [29:50] Then we don’t really love him and we’re not really following him [29:53] So that’s a big deal to make sure that we’re really dealing with how are [29:59] We accomplishing this how are we really making it clear to the world that we’re serving God and not money

[30:06] This kind of stark contrast is one of the reasons why money has such [30:11] Impact on our hearts and such an ability for Jesus to take it and use it to teach us [30:15] Okay, because you just can say something like you either love God or you love money it’s one or the other and [30:22] One last principle that we really need to see about money [30:25] And this is again why it’s cut so quickly to our hearts and that is that money doesn’t lie [30:31] Now that might not seem like something that really makes a lot of sense to hear from church

[30:36] You know from a church stage money doesn’t lie. That might not seem quite right [30:40] I didn’t say that the pursuit of money doesn’t lie [30:42] It does I didn’t say that the desire to get more money doesn’t lie or that riches don’t lie to you [30:48] Giving you a false sense of security those things all lie, but money is just numbers [30:54] All right money is just numbers and it doesn’t lie [30:57] That’s money’s kind of secret power when it comes to talking about our real desires and passions

[31:03] And loyalties money doesn’t lie. You can’t fool yourself nearly as easily with money as you can with other things [31:10] Either there or it’s not you’re spending this amount you’re spending that amount [31:14] Your heart will try to deceive you very quickly, but money is numbers and when you look at it honestly it doesn’t lie [31:22] You can’t negotiate and explain away and rationalize your money

[31:28] Here’s what I mean by that I mean do you love Jesus more than anything else in your life sure you say absolutely I do [31:36] Does your money show that can you demonstrably show yes [31:40] I care about Jesus and the mission of Jesus more than other things [31:43] If someone was to look at your checking account and where your money goes [31:47] How much goes to your cable bill how much goes to your cell phone bill how much goes to the gadgets that we have the clothes? [31:54] That we wear

[31:55] Compared to the mission of Jesus [31:57] If those things are the same [31:59] You can’t we can’t honestly rationalize that we care more about Jesus than the stuff of this world [32:04] That’s why money cuts so quickly to who we are in the way we’re living and that’s that’s hard [32:09] I know that that’s hard because it it hits where all of us are but money doesn’t lie [32:15] It is what it is and if we’re gonna use money

[32:18] To show to the world that Jesus matters more to us than all the things of this world that Jesus has changed the rules [32:25] And now it is about eternity [32:26] It’s no longer about accumulating stuff in this life if we’re gonna use money in that way [32:31] We’re gonna have to actually use it to demonstrably show that Jesus matters more to us [32:38] In Matthew 6 24 we can’t can’t even get away with thinking about anything other than money because Jesus just cuts right to it [32:44] He doesn’t even say they’re treasure or anything like that. He just says money

[32:49] Do we care about money or Jesus? [32:53] All this boils down to one bottom line [32:56] If you want to follow Jesus, you’re gonna have to truly give over control of your money [33:01] You’re gonna have to hold it loosely [33:02] You’re gonna have to use it to advance his mission and demonstrate to the world [33:07] That God matters more to you than all the things of this world

[33:11] How do we do that? That’s really the question that we’re gonna camp out in for the rest of our time [33:15] How do we use our money to demonstrably show that God matters more to us than the things of this world what we can’t do [33:23] So we can’t accomplish that merely by agreeing with thoughts about money. Oh, we absolutely it doesn’t matter [33:29] You can sit in here talks about money. You can agree with what the scriptures say about money [33:35] Absolutely does not matter that you agree with what God says about money again money doesn’t lie [33:40] It’s just numbers the only thing that’s gonna demonstrate to the world that you care more about God and his mission

[33:46] Than you do your stuff is what you actually take out of your pocket and do with your money [33:52] What we do with our money is the only thing that can prove to the world that Jesus does [33:59] Matter more to us. So that’s kind of where this practically leads us and I want to spend some time [34:06] answering questions that I have gotten [34:08] Things that people have asked me about when it comes to what should we as Christians do with our money? [34:14] So that’s what we’re gonna do a little bit here

[34:17] What should we do with our money the first thing and we won’t spend a lot of time on this at all [34:22] Just because we don’t have time and because again, this would be a topic of a whole other [34:26] Series, but the first thing is that we should be wise [34:29] We should be wise with our money and this has a lot to do with our spending and our saving and we should be people [34:36] That are not in a lot of debt. We should be having a financial plan with our money. We should be being responsible not purchasing things [34:45] Necessarily that we don’t need if that comes at a sacrifice of pursuing the mission of Jesus

[34:49] That doesn’t mean we don’t have entertainment. That doesn’t mean we don’t have stuff [34:52] I’ve got a big flat-screen TV in my house our purchases like that though coming in the way [34:59] Of you pursuing the mission of Jesus. Are you sacrificing eternal things for being very heavily involved? [35:07] Are you sacrificing things that aren’t eternal for being very heavily involved in the mission of Jesus? [35:12] So that’s step one and and if you need help in wisdom, we just don’t have time to that would again would be a whole [35:17] Other sermon but seek out resources like that Financial Peace University

[35:22] That we have that we’ll be doing in January, but we’ll have other things before then if you need one-on-one help [35:27] But seek out help with wisdom. There’s a lot of resources [35:30] the first step on what we do with our money is really starting by being wise with it, but [35:35] Where we really want to talk about this morning is [35:38] How do we actually use that money to go out and the impact the mission of Jesus? [35:43] Next thing is we’ve got to be people that give generously

[35:46] We’ve got to be people that give generously and this really starts with preparing to be people that give generously [35:51] We have to get our lives in a situation where we’re able to give and that does kind of go right back to the whole [35:58] Being wise point number one, you know if we’re in debt [36:01] We’re not able to give if we’re struggling with our finances [36:04] We’re not able to give so we need to prepare ourselves to be able to give generously so that we’re able to use our money [36:10] To show that Jesus matters more than all the things of this world. So once we’re on that track and

[36:17] Preparing to give generously the question is and I get this more than any other question. How much should we give? [36:25] It’s probably definitely the most frequently asked question that I get and the answer is not a simple answer [36:31] so we’re gonna spend a little bit of time talking about this, but [36:34] Principle is relatively simple. We need to give whatever it takes to [36:39] Demonstrate that Jesus matters more to us than the stuff of this world [36:43] That’s absolutely the message of the New Testament and that is a hard message because

[36:49] We have to do some wrestling with our own souls and we have to be very honest with ourselves [36:53] About what that is in order to be able to do that, but we do have to do that work [36:59] I mentioned before that if if you’re giving it’s just a line item in your budget if what you give to the mission of [37:05] Jesus is just a line item right there next to the cable bill and the cell phone bill [37:09] How is that showing that Jesus matters more to you than anything else in the world [37:13] In order for us really to be able to show to the world

[37:18] That Jesus is king and my serving him comes before everything else [37:23] There’s got to be some sacrifice involved in our giving giving has to hurt a little bit in terms of we’ve got to miss [37:30] What’s going out? I [37:33] Think a quote from CS Lewis really helped me wrap my minds around [37:36] What giving for a New Testament believer should look like [37:40] Read this real quick as I read it. I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give

[37:47] I’m afraid that the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare [37:51] In other words if our expenditure on comforts luxuries amusements [37:56] Etc is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own [38:00] We are probably giving away too little if our giving does not at all pinch or hamper us [38:05] I should say it is too small there ought to be things [38:08] We really should like to do and cannot because our commitment to giving excludes them. I

[38:15] Can’t really say any better than that our standard is to prove to the world [38:19] That we are building riches towards God and to proactively do that [38:23] We’ve got to be willing to take our money and use it to show to the world that God matters more to us and that means [38:30] Giving towards the mission of Jesus in a sacrificial way in a way that we’re gonna miss that we’re gonna be able to think to ourselves [38:36] I could have done this with that money, but I didn’t because Jesus matters more

[38:43] One when you’re talking about the the idea of how much should we give a question that I always get is what about the tithe [38:50] You know aren’t we doesn’t the scripture call us to give 10% to the church [38:54] Honestly as an executive pastor, I wish I could just say yes [38:57] Absolutely the scripture commands that you need to give 10% to the church [39:01] It’s not quite that simple and again [39:04] This is a whole other it could be a whole other sermon

[39:06] But that is an Old Testament law where part of actually a lot of other laws related to giving where Israel [39:12] Israelites were commanded to give a tenth of their increase [39:17] Back [39:19] But like all Old Testament laws are no longer applicable to us today because of the work of Jesus and again [39:24] That’s a that’s a big whole other sermon [39:27] but it just it would be a

[39:30] Disservice to the grace of Christ and what he did on the cross if we made that law still applicable to us today [39:36] however [39:37] If that is any kind of comfort for you [39:40] and if you’re sighing then you really don’t get the message of Jesus and what he has said in the scriptures because [39:45] His message that we’re supposed to give in a sacrificial way [39:50] Give that demonstrates that Jesus matters more to us is going to end up being

[39:54] At the end of the day a lot more than 10% of a lot of us have if we’re honest with our finances [40:00] And we’re honest with the resources that God has given us [40:04] Truth of the matter is we could give 10% of our money, and I know by the way. That’s a lot [40:08] I know in this culture that is weird to give away 10% of what God gives you [40:13] But we can do that in this culture and still have 90% of our income and hardly be sacrificing [40:18] Anything truly for the mission of Jesus that’s the reality of where a lot of us are with what God has blessed us with

[40:25] Now the reason why it may not feel like that is because of lifestyles. We’ve become accustomed to [40:30] But if we’re honest with our finances [40:33] We’re honest with what God has given us a lot of us 90% of what we have is still not really [40:38] sacrificing much if [40:41] Anything other than new gadgets for the mission of Jesus all right and that truthfully in itself is hardly a sacrifice now [40:48] There are some among us, and this is why the New Testament

[40:52] Giving is not a law there are some for whom 5% is a real struggle to give 5% of everything you have when you’re hardly [40:58] Making ends meet when that is a real struggle and can demonstrate to the world that you believe Jesus matters more [41:05] But for a lot of us [41:08] It takes a lot more than that we’ve got to figure out. How can we give in such a way? [41:13] That we’re demonstrating that Jesus Jesus matters more to us now like I said [41:18] And we’re gonna get a little more specific here just by way of example

[41:21] But the whole concept that money doesn’t lie it really does help us out here [41:26] Money doesn’t lie. Where’s our money going if our families bring it in $80,000 a year [41:32] Which is relatively common in the area that we live and we’re giving $100 a month to things that are going towards the mission of Jesus [41:40] Someone might look and say wow $100 that’s awesome [41:43] But that’s not in any way demonstrating that we actually care with what God has given us [41:49] About eternal things and about impacting the mission we have to show and prove that Jesus matters more

[41:57] How do we do this I? [41:59] Am running out of time here a little bit so quickly. How do we get to that point? [42:03] I’ll share with you a couple a couple tips that were given to me [42:07] It really helped me along that journey of figuring out [42:10] How can I give in a way that demonstrates that Jesus matters more? [42:13] And one thing that was said to me was simply

[42:15] sit down [42:18] Start writing out some big numbers and when you find one that finally makes you cringe give that and give it faithfully [42:25] And that is honestly the advice that I took and it helps me greatly in growing my faith [42:29] It’s figuring out you know if I’m and at the time I was a 24 year old newly married [42:35] You know the $20 a week that I was putting in the offering basket. I had to be honest [42:39] Wasn’t missing it it was just a meal for us it really didn’t impact my sacrifice in any way

[42:46] I had to be honest with God and realize what is an amount that I know we can do this, but I’m gonna miss it [42:52] That was what it took for God to change my heart. That was what it took for me to put my treasure [42:58] Where I wanted my heart to go and God absolutely did take that and change my heart [43:03] So that’s my advice to give to you is just start somewhere start faithfully start regularly giving in such a way [43:09] That you miss what you’re giving out because it will absolutely be returned to you, and we’re gonna look at that in just one second [43:16] I don’t want to miss this the very common question and the last one will look at though is where do we give I mean

[43:21] Is everything that we’re talking about here this morning. Just talking about giving to church well [43:26] No, that’s not the only thing that I’m talking about [43:28] I’m talking about everything that we do with our money to advance the mission of Jesus [43:32] Reality is that there are a lot of charities with good needs finding poverty [43:37] Hunger [43:39] disease

[43:39] Those are areas of help that are needed and we as Christians are absolutely called [43:44] To use money as we are able to support those things [43:49] And in doing so advanced the mission of Jesus as people see the hope that is in us and see why we’re doing that [43:55] So that being said and then very very important part of where we give should be the local church [44:00] It should be the primary place that we give and the regular place that we give and the reason for that is the reason [44:05] For our giving the reason for our giving is to demonstrate that Jesus matters most and the way that we do that is to

[44:10] Be a part of his mission a primary way that Jesus’s mission advances on the earth is through the local church [44:16] So it is our responsibility to give primarily and regularly to the local church so that we together as we all are the church [44:23] Can band together and advance that mission out from here now that being said it’s the responsibility [44:29] Of us as the church to make sure that that’s happening [44:32] That’s on each of us to make sure that as we do come together with our resources [44:36] We are advancing the mission of Jesus more and more than we could on our own

[44:42] I want to leave you with one kind of last thought and that’s simply this and we’ll look at another verse, but [44:48] When Jesus ruins our money, it’s absolutely worth it [44:54] This is what Jesus had to say right after he told a rich young man that in order to follow him [44:59] To give up everything all his wealth and riches and follow Jesus. He said this in Luke 18

[45:05] 29 [45:06] Truly I say to you there is one who there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children [45:13] For the sake of the kingdom of God who will not receive many times more in this time and in the age to come eternal life [45:20] So notice that it’s worth it both in this life and the age to come Jesus has changed the rules on [45:27] How we use our money no longer are we [45:30] Ours our value determined by how much stuff we have but rather how we use our money to advance the mission of Jesus

[45:36] Jesus has changed that but in order for us to participate in that we’ve got to actively use our money [45:43] To pursue things that are going towards the mission of Jesus, you know, I heard a [45:47] Message seven years ago on this very topic [45:50] It absolutely changed my life and changed the way that I relate to God and affected my relationship with God and it was on [45:55] And I’ll tell you what I don’t know if anything that I just shared with you had anything to do with that message because [46:00] I can’t remember anything from that message. I don’t remember what his points were. I don’t remember what verses he used

[46:06] I don’t remember any of that. I just remember this one thing [46:09] Was this idea that we needed I needed to use my money to prove [46:15] That Jesus mattered more to me than the stuff of this earth [46:17] And so what I did after that I didn’t just write a little bit bigger check that Sunday morning and put it in the [46:23] Offering basket my wife and I sat down that week and we figured out what amount do we need to give [46:29] together

[46:31] To prove and to show that Jesus means more to us than anything else in our life [46:36] God was so faithful to us after we did that. I mean the journey that he took us through [46:42] Was amazing in that he absolutely took our hearts and put it where we were putting our treasure and grew us and stretched us [46:49] And our faith honestly has not been the same since then [46:52] So if I could leave you with anything [46:55] It’s that listening to this and agreeing with ideas about money

[46:59] Are meaningless to you. You’ve got to take your money and use it. You’ve got to put it towards the mission of Jesus [47:06] Sacrifice so that God’s mission goes forward in this area in this community in this world when you do that [47:12] Faithfully, he will change your hearts and it will [47:16] Absolutely be worth it [47:18] Let’s go ahead and pray real quick [47:21] God I just thank you for this morning. I do pray God that you will just work on us

[47:27] To change how we view money God. I pray that there would be [47:31] Some repentance in our lives in terms of how we have viewed money Lord and how we need to view money [47:38] In order to honor you with it [47:42] God and in order to show to the world what we want and know is true that we love you more than anything else [47:47] God help that to be true with every part of our life and we pray this in Jesus name. Amen