Transforming Your Treasures

Good morning First, I am so excited about this message. This morning I will be talking about money.

You say, Pastor T, you are really excited about teaching about money. Money is vital to life, but money can also cause us to do strange things.

Money can make us do some strange things. When I was a child, that was an old hardware store when my dad would go to get plumbing supplies, or electrical switches, or replace ment fuses.

Do any of you remember that glass replacement fuses?

I remember at the back of the store was a counter, and behind the counter, was shelves made from rough wood, and on the shelves was what appeared to me was thousands of small cardboard boxes.

On the floor in front of the counter was a quarter on the floor. But the quarter was welded to a nail head. The the nail was driven into the old wooden floor.

The owner would then stand and watch as both children and grown men tried to pick up the steadfast quarter. What was funny, he said, was to watch grown men, cover the quarter with their foot, and wait for him to turn around and try to snick down and pick it up. The owner told me one time, a wealthy man from Muncie came in, and owner caught him using his pocket knife trying to pry the quarter out of the floor.

Money can make us do some strange things.

Not only do we do strange things concerning money but, it also can give us a since of security. Some people think, “If I have enough money, I am unstoppable.” But money, is not the place to put your trust. Money comes and money goes. You have heard the old say, money talks. I really don’t know, because all my money only says good buy.

A lot of people put their trust in their money. Jesus understands this miss placed trust. Jesus talked a great deal about money. Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables were concerned with how to handle money and possessions. In the Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses deal directly with the subject of money. The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions.

You cannot read the Bible and not see that money and possessions are important. Jesus teaches us that money is really not as much about money, as it is trust in God.

Trust in God. That is really what giving is all about. Jesus understood that giving is about trusting God. That may be why he talked so much about money. Because where you put your money is why you put your trust. That is why he said,

Trust in God. That is really what giving is all about. Jesus understand that giving is about trusting God. That may be why he talked so much about money. Because where you put your money is why you put your trust. That is why he said,

Luke 12:34 NIV

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus talked about Giving.

34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [1]

Jesus talked about money. Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables were concerned with how to handle money and possessions. In the Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses deal directly with the subject of money. The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions.

Jesus talked about Giving.

Luke 21:1–2 NIV

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.

Let me set the context for this story. Look at this model of the temple. Notice the court of Women. This was a place in the temple where men and women both were permitted to go. In this area, there was thirteen box, with a trumpet like opening. Then as people dropped there money it would rattled and banged around, drawing the attention, until it drops into the box at the bottom.

He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.

Good morning First, I am so excited about this message. This Bible Teaching, I hope will change how you and I think about God, about trust, and about money.

Let me set the context for this story.

The wealthy would move from box to box, dropping money in and watching for the admiration of the on lookers. They would wait for the money to finally drop into the box, and then move on to the next, one, and then on to the next one.

Let me set the context for this story.

Listen to Jesus condemnation of this practice.

Matthew 6:1–3 The Message

“Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks.

Matthew 6:

As we look at these verses what is the contrast. The first is the contrast between rich and poor. The second contrast is the size of the gift.

So the contrast that stands out is between rich and poor, large gift and a small gift.

Jesus contrasted the sacrifice, not the gift.

Luke 21:3–4 NIV

“Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

[1] The Amplified Bible. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987. Print.

At that incredible event money literally spoke, as money was the only speech acknowledged by the auctioneer. It also spoke in other ways, for it eloquently revealed volumes about the heart of the deceased entertainer and the hearts of the competing bidders.

Jesus reminds us of two truths about money:

It will not last!

“Money speaks” is more than a cliché. It is an axiom of the heart. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (). During the last decade Americans spent over $180 billion dollars per year on gambling, fifteen times more than it gave to its churches.2 That is a tragic declaration of the heart of this country. Money speaks!

Aware of this, the Lord chose the temple treasury for his departing shot at his detractors before leaving the temple for good. Money—giving—reveals the state of the heart as few other things can. Thus Jesus chose this setting to contrast the phony righteousness of the religious leaders, who “devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers” (20:47), with true devotion to God as exemplified in the life of one poor widow.

It can impact eternity!

Abindon Preaching Guide 2008 Commodities, Stocks, Bonds, and Inheritance

Jesus said more about money and possessions than he did about prayer, faith, or salvation. Why? Perhaps we find a clue in Jesus’ words, “Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.”

Dynamic Preaching 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

It’s not that I’m embarrassed to talk about money. Jesus, as you may know, talked more about money than any other one subject. He knew what money can do to people. And he knew the proper place of money in our lives.

Hughes, R. Kent. Luke: That You May Know the Truth. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998. Print. Preaching the Word

Rick Warrens sermons and stuff THE GREAT COVER-UP

John D. Rockefeller said many times, "Save 10%, tithe 10%, live on 80%."

Terry's Illustations ILLUSTARTIONS ON MONEY

Jesus talked about money. Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables were concerned with how to handle money and possessions. In the Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses deal directly with the subject of money. The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions.