The Gospel and Money - 7 Principles - Part 1 - Jesus is Lord!

GREET EVERYONE-

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Sunday Oct 8th Prayer Sunday

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LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND

Open it to the Gospel of Mark chapter 10 beginning is vs 17,  today as we begin our new series called “living well in a culture of Money” as we unwrap, unpack and Expose what Jesus says are the 7 biblical principals of the Gospel and money.

2023’s overall preaching thyme is “the church” and the church is a gospel centered people, with a gospel centered message, on a gospel centered mission, Gathered in Gospel centered gatherings and led by gospel centered leaders.

All of which God resources out of his abundant resources. So, what God says about how the Gospel and the resources of Money intersect as we live in this culture of money matters for God people to know!

You know the scriptures make reference to money some 2800 time.

The matter of money is important to God becasue money matters.

Ya know AS I serve Jesus as the Lead Pastor as the lead pastor of Stonewater Fellowship, I also have the phenominal past of being the Planting pastor of Stonewater as well. I one of the biggest faith building things in my life has been to be on the front row of seeing God do some phenomenal things along this journey.

And one of those phenomenal things is in the area of resources - and resources in all three areas - Spiritual resources of Prayer - Strength resources of People. Faithful serving people. and and financial resources in the area of Provision!

God is and has been oh so good to us as His church plant and now as His young and growing church.

and we should all praise His name for what he has done -

We should also joyfully anticipate what He is doing and what he Will do which will be equally and more amazing.

TRUTH

Deuteronomy 10:14 ESV

14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.

Psalm 24:1–2 ESV

1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, 2 for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

Haggai 2:8 ESV

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts.

John 1:3 ESV

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Philippians 3:20 ESV

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Colossians 1:16 ESV

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Revelation 4:11 (ESV) “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Mark 10:17–25 ESV

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

PRAY

DESIRE FOR THE SERIES AND SERMON

My prayer for this series is that we would understand form the full counsel of Scripture how the Gospel and money Intersect. That God has given resources to you and to me to advance the Gospel and to flourish as humans. There there is nothing evil about money but there is a purpose and an intent that God has with money.

My prayer for this message is that we would find ourselves in a greater and greater understanding of who Jesus is and what Jesus calls every person to, when He gives faith and calls for people.

ENGAGEMENT

How many of us have ever heard or used the phrase “thats none ya”

Yea - Yall know what that means - it is a response when someone asks about a “private matter”

I love the way people in the deep south say that “it a private matter”

When someone asks you about a “private matter” a lot of times we don’t respond with “well sir that is a private matter” we simply say “that none ya”

And for those of you who are from out of state - a little taxes lingo translation for ya - it means “its none of your business”

which in reality is just a Texans way of saying “it a private matter”

Ya know - one of the things that you have to train your kids to do is to know what is and what is not their business.

And in reality as individual people who live in a culture of freedom and a culture that accentuates the individual.

We find ourselves very autonomous - in nearly everything.

Autonomous - Very interesting word in the english language.

It is an Adjective - and here is what it means:

having the right or power of self-government - undertaken or carried on without outside control existing or capable of existing independently responding, reacting, or developing independently of the whole. Someone or something marked by Autonomy -

SO Autonomous is a person who possesses or operates with Autonomy

A noun - the quality or state of being self-governing especially : the right of self-government self-directing freedom and especially moral independence.

and what we do as western american people is we now attach the word Autonomous to the word freedom - and we have made them synonomous with one another in our culture.

and so in our culture that highlights and celebrates personal self governance - which in our minds equates to personal freedom - we very easily find ourselves in the politeness of our culture training ourselves and others to be autonomous and we draw boundaries around conversations and we develop principles of life that can actually work against us and against the Gospel itself.

TENSION

You see the problem that we have when we take the framing of our lives as Autonomous - in to our relationship with God is there are many times and many different ways that we look at God, we hear Him speak to us through His word and we experience the prompting of His Spirit and we say “That’s none ya” or we might even be very polite about it and say “Well God that is a Private Matter”

And we can so easily say that about a great number of things in our life.

Marriage relationship

Child rearing -

Work Ethic -

Behavioral Sin

Thought Sin

Church stuff like leadership influence - Attendance - Serving -

Here is one - Sharing our faith - doing the work of and evangelist.

Our hospitality practices in our home- How gospel centered and out reaching it is or is not.

Our prayer life -

Our Bible Focus, Kingdom focus and Jesus focus.

and I think the two biggies are money and sex.

There are lots of areas that form time to time and in differing ways we have said to God - “That’s a Private matter”

Let me encourage you this morning - Because I know the very first moment a church leader begins talking about money they might as well begin talking about our sex life - Our response is way to easily “that’s none ya bidness”

Here is what I want to encourage you to do - Let’s ask God to keep our ears open to what he has to say - Because here is what I know - God loves us and He wants what is eternally best for us - an His desire for us it for us all too allow Him to speak to us, and change us through His word and by the power of His spirit, about one of the most guarded things in our life. Money -

When I say all of us I mean you and me - Please remember that any sermon teaching that I bring to you God is teaching me through first and foremost.

BACKGROUND -

A little back story on Mark 10

Jesus is on His way back into Jerusalem for the last time. He is on the other side of the Jordan river in an area called Perea-

He has spoken the two parables on prayer -

One on the persistence of prayer by illustrating a woman making appeal after appeal to a judge who finally relents and

and the second parable on prayer was contrasting the pride of a pharisee and the humility of a tax collector -

While he was there He has had a conflict with the Local Pharisees on the whole subject of Divorce -

Jesus then talks about how a person disposition must be to enter into the kingdom of God -

Jesus said “it must be like a child”

What is interesting is that in three of the four Autobiographies of Jesus - Matthew Mark and Luke -

Jesus talks about the disposition of entering into the kingdom of God like a child - When He says “the kingdom of God belongs to people that come to Jesus like the abandon of a child”

and the Very next subject that Jesus addresses is the heart condition of some one who is wealthy and opening us up to the truth of what money can do to anyone.

UNPACKING

VS17

The narrative begins with “as He was setting out on His journey” This is Jesus beginning his final trip across the Jordan river from the area of Perea to walk into Jerusalem for the last and final time - Jesus is beginning his immediate way to the Cross.

We are a couple of months away from the Cross and the resurrection and three months or so away from Jesus assertion into heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Which launched the most powerful Spiritual event in all of human history - The Launch of the assembly of the called out ones - Better known as the Church.

What happens is a Ruler - a man - in some of your bibles it may indicate this was a Young man -

He was rich - which means - he had money and he had possessions.

This rich man come running up to Jesus and Kneels before Jesus

Now immediately you get the picture of humility as He has taken a posture of Humility.

Here is what this Man who was a ruler and possibly Young and what will become know as Rich Asks Jesus -

He addresses Jesus - “Good teacher” and then He asks...

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Here is what is interesting about what this man has just asked Jesus, and it is a common understatement of this mans question.

many times we think about this as a question of possession -

What must I do to get something? What must I do to receive something I currently do not have?

Here is what is interesting - That is not what this man was asking -

The question was not about getting something or receiving something -

The question was about identity?

The question was about becoming something he was not?

Here is what he was asking - and it is so important to understand the question so we can understand the answer Jesus gave.

This is what this rich young ruler had Just asked Jesus:

What must I do to become an heir to the kingdom of God? What must I do to become a Child of God so that I can be an heir to the kingdom?

The severity of that question is what prompts the severity of Jesus response.

VS18

This is interesting and often over read into. Jesus does not begin by answering the question.

Jesus begins b responding to the way this man addressed Jesus -

Jesus says to him “why do you call me good?”

Jesus is asking a question - He is not stating anything about his goodness or lack there of.

Jesus then makes a statement - This again is a statement that is many time over thought.

Jesus says :”no one is good except God alone”

Here is what Jesus has Just done - The young man has addressed Jesus “Good teacher” this is a Jewish man - a man of means and influence and this man knows tora - he know the scriptures - He is learned - He is not a unknowing man.

Here is what Jesus has just tested in this man -

When Jesus says “why do you call me good no one is good except God alone”

Jesus by implication is asking this man - Are you calling me God?

In other words - Do i have the authority in your life to answer your question in such a way that you will obey what I say.

and Jesus then delays the conflict becasue this is Jesus were talking about and He knew that there was some “none ya” in this mans heart and life.

VS19

Jesus then answers the question: What must you do to be an adopted child of God, to become an heir of the kingdom - to have your station and your identity changed from rebel to heir?

Jesus response is almost a captain obvious kind of answer -

He says to the man -

You know the commandments - then Jesus lists off some of the commandments -

Do not murder - DO not Commit adultery - DO not steal - Do not bear false witness - Do not defraud - Honor your father and mother.

So here is what is interesting about the lists - In marks Gospel Jesus adds this “do not defraud” part and in Matthews Gospel Matthew says “love your neighbor as yourself”

Not defrauding people and loving your neighbor as yourself - Same thing -

and in general here is what Jesus has said -

“BE GOOD” “Be like God and Be good”

and many many many a person has taken this passage of text and others to imply that what Christianity is is a moral religion -

and in many ways what we have done and what the world sees is what is called moral theism - That we think about sex - What we think about marriage - What we think about Politics - What we think about money.

Don’t get me wrong - There is an Ethic that Jesus brings to his people.

But when thats all were doing and putting out there and living for - We are missing the boat.

VS20

Jesus has just said to this man who has asked “what do I have to do to become a child of God and as a child an heir?

Jesus says “be good” and just two sentences before in this conversation Jesus has said the “Only person good is God” -

and Here is what the rich young ruler says in VS20 -

ME TOO! I’m GOOD -

and not only am I good i have been good for a long time -

He addressees Jesus again - Teacher - ALL these things you have just tole me that I must do I have done them since I was a little boy -

Here is what This young person has just said to the creator of all things -

I am just as good as you are and I have earned the right to become a child of God and therefore an heir to the kingdom and live and rein with God forever and ever!

VS21

the Scripture says that “jesus looking at him”

What I often think of when we read that passage of text and I imagine my self in the conversation or as an observer like a little brother watching a big brother get in trouble.

Is like the look you mom or dad or teacher looks at you when you say something so outlandishly silly -

But here is what the Scripture says -

Jesus look at this prideful arrogant young man - A person that was and is and has relied on His own works and his own righteousness to earn and gain what He through was a relationship with God that would entitle him to the greatest of gifts -

jesus loved him -

And it was out of the love that Jesus had for this young man that Jesus - The Love that The creator of all things - The one whom the whole earth belongs to and everyone in it - has for all of his creation - becasue in the very moment of this conversation Love was speaking to this rich man.

Jesus says: I love you and I know what is missing - “ Jesus actually says “you lack one thing”

Here is what is interesting - Jesus did not say “you lack one more thing”

Jesus did not say - The Commandments plus -

Jesus did not say “Add this to the recipe for eternal life” -

Here is what is also funny - Jesus didn't argue with him - This guy has just said “I'm good” i have kept them all since I was young” and Jesus didn't say “no you didn’t”

Here is what Jesus says “you still lack ONE THING - Just ONE thing -

This is what Jesus says to this guy -

Go -

Sell everything you have - Matthew says”sell all you possess” Sell all your possessions”

Give to the poor - Luke’s Gospel says “Distribute to the poor”

Notice that it is only implied that this man give it all to the poor - There is no verbiage here that says “give it all to the poor” there is a command to “give to the poor”

How much is undefined - But there is an implication that it is everything to the poor -

Jesus then makes a promise -

If you do this - If you sell what you have all that you posses and give to the poor - who cannot pay you back -

You will have treasure in heaven -

You will make a deposit that lasts forever!

Jesus then says something completely unbelievable

Jesus then says - And come Follow me”

Follow me were words that Jesus only spoke as an invitation to 14 people recorded for us in these autobiographies.

12 of His disciples - The person who needed to go bury His father first and this guy.

Here is what Jesus has just said: Come and be my disciple -

This position has the greatest eternal potential

What this guy missed out on was being an apostle.

Jesus invitation was to get rid of all the thing in His life that stood in the way -

All of the things in Jesus life that this man would respond NONE YA when asked all of the idols in his heart and Jesus said “I love you - get rid of all of that and come follow me, be with me, love me and noting else”

Come follow me becasue I love you and the life I have for you is so much more beautiful than the life you can design for yourself.

This is what Jesus had opened up to this young man.

VS22

The scriptures now describe for us the disposition of the man once he heard the words of Jesus - once he heard the invitation of love from Jesus.

- He is Disheartened - Matthew says “sorrowful” and Luke says “sad”

Marks Gospel uses the term Disheartening -

Here is what that term means in the original language of the new testament - Shocked - Appalled - “To experience an emotional state becasue of something that appears to be threatening or alarming!

This rich young man say Appalled that Jesus would stick his nose into such a private matter as this young guys possessions - After this young man works too hard for His money to allow Jesus or anyone else to tell him what to do -

That is Non of Jesus business -

and the rich man went away form Jesus -

Why did he go away form Jesus - Because He had great possessions -

He was rich -

VS23-24-25

Jesus then looks at His disciples and says “how difficult is will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God”

This is a statement - Not a question - Jesus is saying it is hard - It is Hard to enter the kingdom of God -

Why is it hard - Jesus knew then and jesus know know - Because to enter the kingdom of God Jesus, must be king - over everything!

Why did Jesus point this sharp point to those who have wealth?

Because gaining wealth requires something that is counter to the Gospel. Wealth requires one of three things and maybe a combination of all three -

1 A overwhelming desire for comfort, convenience, safety and security - to the point that those are idols in our life - and really have become a measurement of Gods blessing - and that comes with a me first or us first discussion making framework.

2- Compromise at various levels - and various things - some slight and some severe.

3 - Wealth, possessions, money, stuff is more important in small and large ways than people. A great test for that is what happens when you pass a homeless person on the street corner.

All of these things are counter to Christ -

This is why Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

STICKY POINT PRAISE TEAM AND PRAYER TEAM

Loved ones -

A Three things I want to close with this morning -

FIRST

Is the clarity of who Jesus is speaking to this morning.

and I know that there are some of you that will write emails and push back on this both in your heart and possibly in written from -

Because in the context in which we live you don't see your life defined as rich - You don't have plenty - You don't have what you want to have - life and money issues are a struggle.

Here is what you need to know - By global standards we are all rich -

We may spend our money in some ways that others don't -

But if you have a job that pays $20000 a year or more you are richer than 90% of the people on the planet -

IF you were on welfare here in the us - The maximum benefits of a family of 4 would receive 61000 per year in welfare benefits -

You are in the worlds 1% of wealthy -

The worlds average income is 2035 per year.

We are the rich - We live in the Texas Hill country - one of the most affluent areas of Texas -

and we live in a culture of money that promotes money

and advocates the desire for more money

and markets to all of us all the time

- We need more and our life is less of we don't get more!

SECOND

I don’t want anyone to miss understand what God is saying to any of us this morning -

The Scripture by no means commands poverty for all of God’s people - We are not preaching Asceticism.

We by no means are preaching that God requires everyone to possess nothing and to give everything away -

There are people whom God says - Give up everything I have given you, because it is in the way of us and the life I have for you - But that is not everyone -

SO please please please don't miss understand what God is saying to us this morning -

THIRD

Third - We must not miss this - Just like that rich young ruler - We might get everything right - and miss this ONE THING - IF we do not understand this in the context of how much Jesus loves us than we will miss Jesus all together -

The One thing that Jesus is calling us all to is to Himself -

Many many of us have things or activities or possessions or pursuits that are in the way of Jesus and us.

They are in the way of the life that Jesus has for us -

They are in the way of Jesus being who Jesus is supposed to be in our life -

This morning Jesus looks at each one of us and He proclaims - Get rid of all of those things and come follow me -

The Rich young ruler refused to allow Jesus the Authority to tell Him what to do with the things in His life that were in the way -

Funny thing is, that the foolishness of the young man - the Young man believed that those things were HIS and he did not understand that Jesus created all things and Jesus owns all things including all the silver and all the gold.

You see Jesus is LORD - HE is Master overall things - He owns the earth and everything in it.

The this is the first principle of how money and the Gospel are intertwined - Jesus is and must be lord of us and our money — There is no area of our life that we can hold back from Jesus having authority over 0

So ultimately - When we submit our life to Jesus and our money goes with that we no longer have sovereign control over our money and how we spend it -

We must be ready willing and able to to what Jesus commands - If Jesus says Go - sell Give Come and Follow - We must respond knowing and trusting His life he has for us and His great and abounding love He has for us.

Jesus is and we must surrender to Him as Lord.

COMMUNION

PRAYER TEAM!