The internet, which is always right, has reported that Tom Brady, who’s income is estimated to $25 million, has upgraded his yacht from a 2 million dollar 55 foot vessel that he purchased last year to a 77 foot yacht which Forbes estimates the price to be $6 million dollars. When asked why he would spend all that money on a new yacht, he answered, that it will make his family’s weekend trips to the Bahamas more comfortable.

Is that the goal? Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of comfort and leisure? (I mean, happiness)

Blessed to be a Blessing

In the Bible, Jesus tells a story about a man who, because of his income, believes that he can live the easy life - and eat, drink and be merry. He tells this story in response to a question about dividing up an inheritance between two men.

Luke 12:15–21 NIV

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Jesus criticizes this guy for what we would usually consider a good idea - increasing his income and saving it.

But the man with the barns missed a major point in the Kingdom of God. We aren’t blessed simply for our own good. We are blessed to be a blessing!

A few verses after this story, Jesus says this:

Luke 12:29–31 NIV

And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Shift our Focus from Accumulating Wealth to Investing in God’s Kingdom

We are to be kingdom people with a kingdom mindset. Our first priority is to be God’s kingdom and joining God at work around us.

This is why he has given us resources - so that we can leverage them to expand his kingdom!

1 Peter 4:10 NIV

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

In other words, use what God has given you to bless others and grow God’s Kingdom!

Shift our Focus from Accumulating Wealth to Investing in God’s Kingdom

So we want to shift our focus, but how?

Here are 3 ways we can shift our focus to a kingdom investment mindset:

1. It’s About More Than Money

You’ve got something to give. You have resources. “But I don’t have money...”

1 Peter 4:10 NIV

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

Peter says that we are to use, “whatever gift you have recieved to serve others”

1. It’s About More Than Money

In the kingdom of God, financial resources may be one of the least important.

Resources - list them here

Financial/material resources

Intellectual resources - ideas and knowledge

Physical resources - health and hours

Relational resources - friendships

Spiritual resources - wisdom and power

1. It’s About More Than Money

We can shift from wealth accumulation to kingdom investment because it is about more than just money. We all have something to offer others.

2. What We Have isn’t Ours Anyway

Paul put’s it this way:

1 Corinthians 10:26 NIV

for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

or from the Psalmist:

Psalm 89:11 NIV

The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.

Again, Peter reminds us that our gifts are not our own, but that we have recieved them:

1 Peter 4:10 NIV

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

2. What We Have isn’t Ours Anyway

We are what the bible calls “Stewards”. We have care over what doesn’t really belong to us. We get to use it and invest it.

We are kind of like “Investment managers” who help other people’s retirement funds grow and yet still be provided an income to live off of. Likewise, God has given us resources to manage and desires that we use them in a way that expands his kingdom.

Candy Illustration

Let’s not hold a firm grasp on what we have - it isn’t ours anyway. God has given it to us.

2. What We Have isn’t Ours Anyway

We can shift from wealth accumulation to kingdom investment because it is about more than just money and what we have isn’t ours anyway. Since everything we have has come from God, we can use it to bless others!

Blessing Others has a Great ROI (Return On Investment)

We all know the saying, “if it is too good to be true, then it isn’t”. When it comes to Jesus and what he asks of us, we tend to focus on the the sacrifice - how hard it is to do what he tells us to. And for good reason, Jesus says some radical, hard things!

But, sometimes we overlook the benefits of following Jesus. Let’s take a look at what kind of ROI Jesus promises:

Luke 12:32–34 NIV

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Hard stuff: Sell possessions and give to the poor.

ROI: The Kingdom, purse that will not wear out, treasure in heaven that will never fail.

Proverbs 19:17 NIV

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.

Psalm 112:5 NIV

Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.

Blessing Others has a Great ROI (Return On Investment)

2 Corinthians 9:8–11 NIV

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

“There’s more where that came from”

We can shift from Wealth Accumulation to Kingdom Investment because:

(fill this in with bullet points:

It Is About More Than Just Money

It Doesn’t Belong to Us Anyway

Blessing Others has a Great ROI