The Treasure Principle Matthew 6:19-24
When you go to a doctor for your annual check-up, he or she will often begin to poke, prod, and press various places, all the while asking, “Does this hurt? How about this?”
If you cry out in pain, one of two things has happened. Either the doctor has pushed too hard, without the right sensitivity. Or, more likely, there’s something wrong, and the doctor will say, “We’d better do some more tests. It’s not supposed to hurt there!”
So it is when pastors preach on financial responsibility, and certain members cry out in discomfort, criticizing the message and the messenger. Either the pastor has pushed too hard, or perhaps there’s something wrong. In that case, I say, “My friend, we’re in need of the Great Physician because it’s not supposed to hurt there.”
Money is...
I. An Opportunity for Investment vv. 19-20
A wealthy elder in a church we once served used to quote the phrase, “You can’t outgive God.” His remark is reminiscent of another generous steward who, when asked if he was not in danger of “beggaring” himself through multiple gifts, replied, “Not at all. I shovel out and God shovels in, and He uses a bigger shovel than I do. And God started the shoveling first.”
II. A Spiritual Indicator vv. 21-23
It started simply for Danielle Shea, a Quinnipiac University student. When her tuition money from her parents arrived, she kept the money but dropped out of school. Her scheme worked until it was time for graduation. To keep her parents from discovering her dishonesty, she went a step further. She called in a bomb threat to the school in the hopes of stopping the graduation ceremony. Police arrested her and filed charges.
Shea was “corrupted with the lusts of deceit,” and was led deeper and deeper into the deception.
III. A Dangerous Idol v. 24
Arnaud Marts published a provocative book entitled The Generosity of Americans (Prentice Hall, 1966), in which he reminded us that Americans give away more than $11 billion a year for the public good. With considerable beauty and detail, he shared an experience with the late H. W. Hoover, president of the Hoover Suction Sweeping Company of North Canton, Ohio. Hoover desired to discuss several matters with Marts. The industrialist went on to say he was born just a mile east of his factory and that life had been good to him. He wanted to register appreciation in his will and wondered if giving a hospital would be appropriate. Marts agreed to explore the idea. During the second conversation, the financial consultant pointed out that North Canton and Canton were only a few miles apart, that they had two fine hospitals, and that he might want to consider giving a YMCA to the community. He accepted the challenge and gave it while he was still alive.
To express its gratitude, the community published one copy of a We Thank You book. On its pages were the signatures of every person in the community—all two-thousand of them—except four who refused to sign. When this was presented to Mr. Hoover, he was too overcome to articulate his feelings. As the old man grew older and had more free time on his hands, he would go over to the lobby of the YMCA and watch men and boys come and go.