God and money (2)

Whose holding who?

RECAP

last week Caitlin preached on STEWARDSHIP.

very practical - have a budget.

Start of month:

money isn’t the problem. You and I are.

Timothy.

6:9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Some people have obmitted words from this and present it as :

MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL.

Thats not what the bible says...

It says the LOVE OF MONEY is the ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVILS

Its a big difference.

One statement, the false one puts MONEY as the problem.

The biblcal one, THE LOVE OF MONEY, puts the motive, feeling, attutitude, about Money as the problem.

The false one points to money the external as the thing that is EVIL

The bible points within … our view, our regard, our love … adoration of Money as the leading to evil things…

This is what I want to say today God does not say or see MONEY, MAKING MONEY, WEALTH, HAVING A LOT OF IT as bad or evil. Nor is money instrisively good. it is A NEUTRAL … IT JUST IS.

Potential for great good.

And for Evil.

Money Is not the issue, LOVING IT IS.

God is more okay with growth, prosperity, and stuff then we all are..

Mindset

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We are not meant to think like the culture around us thinks. We are meant to take on GODS thoughts and make that our thinking.

Look at our view ...

Religious/legalistic mindset about Money = poverty, skepticism

Worldy mindset about = greedy, fearful.

Gods Kingdom = freedom from being held ransom by money, and freedom to prosper in a right manner

Mark 10:17–31 (CSB)

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. 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.”

He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.”

Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

The disciples were astonished at his words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 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.”

They were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?”

Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

Peter began to tell him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, who will not receive a hundred times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Some people will read this and think it means you are meant to sell all your stuff and give it away and if you dont do that you are in wrong… I don’t believe thats what it is saying.

It is a specific instruction, to a specific person, dealing with a specific issue...

The point is not you should do that.

The POINT is would you?

if God asked you too let something go … some of the stuff… would you be willing to for the sake of obedience to him?

That is how we know if money/posessions have a hold of us or if we have a hold of it like we are meant to...

are we willing to give it up for Him...

When we get the revelation and true understanding of Gods love for us. And his power. And glory.

It should change everything for us right?

So stuff is just stuff - it is a neurtral.

But money and material wealth - mammom.

Where are you putting you trust in?

What we put our trust in is often what we become a slave too?

A worldy mindset of wealth, finances and posessions = GREED and earthly status

A relgious mindset = spiritual attachment. Either POVERTY view of Godliness, or the other one that says oh look at me I am blessed therefore must be spiritual.

We are faced everyday with opportunity to realign our mindset and demonstrate

gift card

This man is like many people - WHAT MUST I DO? HOW CAN I EARN ETERNAL LIFE?

truth is none can

How you hear Jesus’s voice in this reveals a lot about how you view Gods view of you?

Jesus isn’t scolding. Jesus isn’t rebuking. Jesus isn’t talking

He is inviting...

2. The mans greatest comfort had become his greatest hurdle to experiencing freedom

money

luke 19… Zacchaeus

3. Jesus reveals the core of this guys issue. attachment to stuff

4. Jesus reassures multpilication In this world and eternity

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, who will not receive a hundred times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

give it up

savings - but God comes through

financially.

spiritually.

freedom.