Well, I know John puts a lot of preparation into our singing portion of the service.
! So it's not by accident we sing, we finish with a song, Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe.
So, on a morning that we're going to talk about money.
Yeah, you know, this is our favorite subject, I'm sure, to talk about money.
And if all of you don't just walk out the back right now, I will be a very happy preacher today.
You know, I feel a little inadequate, to be honest with you, in talking to you about something as significant as how to give.
How to put your money to work.
I feel a little inadequate because, number one, this is a church that I know does a great job at investing in eternity.
Just a look at this past year is a tremendous example of how much you desire and invest in the things that really matter.
If I remember correctly, I think around $46,000 that you gave to the summer youth missions trip.
And in the last month of our time last year, I think there was almost $100,000 that you gave as a church
in contributing to the ministry here and to the ongoing work of the kingdom.
And so, in a lot of respects, I should be the one sitting in the pew.
And many of you should be the ones who are here sharing the significance of how to make much of your money.
I think there's also a bit of an adequacy in my own life, just knowing how much I need,
how much more room there is in my own life to grow in this area.
So, I would encourage us, this morning as we come to the Word of God, the Word of God is the standard.
God has set the principles for us.
That is the authority by which we live.
And so, even though there is room in my own life to grow,
and you can probably teach me a lot in relationship to how to be a better kingdom giver,
we can all sit underneath the authority of the Scripture,
and we can all find in this passage room for us to really grow in our giving to God.
But before we do that, let's go to the Word, the Lord in prayer,
and ask for His help in this very important subject.
God, we praise You this morning that You paid it all.
And because You paid it all, all to You we owe.
And as we sang earlier, my hope is built on nothing less but Jesus' blood and righteousness.
There is security in You.
There is hope in You.
There is certainty in You.
There is confidence for life.
There is the knowledge that You will provide for our needs.
And even though at times we feel overcome by our circumstances,
even though at times we feel overwhelmed by the pressures of this life,
especially as it relates to finances,
God, we know that we can rest in the fact, the promise that You are in control,
that we can trust You with all of our resources,
and that You will help us to be more like Christ.
On Him is the solid rock in which we stand.
All other ground is sinking sand.
And so it is not this morning that we are putting our hope in Christ and in finances,
but that as an expression of our life, our desire, God, is to put our hope in You alone.
So help us this morning as we look at this passage to see the significance of anchoring our hope in the solid rock.
May we grow in this area.
May we shine in this world because they see that our hope is distinctive,
that our hope is in Christ.
May it be attractive.
May it be compelling.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
This is something that you have heard year after year.
This is a series of messages that the pastor has consistently brought to you
in relationship to how can we be better stewards of God's money.
So I really have nothing extra to bring to the table that you haven't already heard.
I just hope that through our time together this morning,
what I can do is just remind us of those simple, basic principles,
the things that God has told us in His Word so that we can be more like Christ,
be reminded of the standard and grow in this area of generosity and kingdom building.
Of course, we know that Jesus had much to say about this significant topic.
Although the crowds that came to hear Him speak were sprinkled with those who were rich
and those who were poor and everything in between,
we find even at the outset of Jesus' ministry,
this is something that He came to correct.
This is an understanding that He desired to help bring some clarity to,
even at the very beginning, the outset of ministry.
He's coming to a group of individuals in that ancient Middle East period of time
that believed that money was an indication that God was actually blessing an individual.
And so Jesus had to shatter that understanding.
He had to help them understand that whether you had money or didn't have money,
that God's favor could be on a life regardless of the economic status of an individual.
And as a matter of fact, those who seemed to be most favored by God
because they had the most in the bank account
were actually those who were furthest away from the kingdom.
He wanted to help correct their understanding of this important principle of money.
The very beginning of ministry on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 6,
familiar passage to you,
Jesus says,
Don't be anxious.
Don't be fearful.
Saying,
What shall we eat?
Or,
What shall we drink?
Or,
What shall we wear?
For the Gentiles seek after these things.
This is not only an important topic for us today,
this is a differentiating topic.
This is a distinguishing component of the Christian life.
This sets you apart from the world.
Where is your confidence?
Where is your hope?
Is your hope in your 401k,
your savings account,
all of those things that you are putting your confidence in for the future?
Or,
Is your hope in God?
Is it on the solid rock upon which we stand?
That all other ground is sinking sand?
The world looks at money in one way,
and Jesus sought to bring a different perspective.
A heavenly one.
What we do with our money can either enhance our testimony,
increase our joy,
bring delight to God,
and maximize our future reward.
Or,
it can distract our focus from what really matters,
lead to anxiety,
dissatisfaction,
and ineffectiveness in the Christian life.
So it really raises this important question,
what will we do with our money?
And how can we put our money to work?
Even the world understands that there are opportunities in relationship to money.
Just this past week,
there was an article that I read that said that eight of the world's wealthiest men
are richer than three and a half billion people combined in the world.
That's a staggering figure.
Eight people,
as this one article said,
that can fit into a minivan,
own more than the sum total of individuals who can fit on,
let me get the figure correct.
Oh,
I lost it.
Here we go.
50 million school buses.
Think of that.
Eight men
that fit into one minivan
have more than the sum total
of all the people that can fit on 50 million school buses.
That is mind-boggling.
And of course,
the world has their ideas
of how to resolve the issue.
This distribution of wealth
that needs to happen.
And all of these ideas
that certainly the world is broken
and we need to fix it somehow.
And of course,
Jesus has his ideas as well.
And the Apostle Paul,
in working through this issue,
wants us to understand
that having wealth is not the problem.
It's what we do
with the opportunities that wealth affords us.
What will we do to make much
of the gifts that God has entrusted to us?
How can we put it to work in this world?
It's a plan that involves deliberate investment,
but one that has a guaranteed result.
And that's what I want to look at this morning
from 1 Timothy chapter 6.
So turn with me, if you would,
to 1 Timothy chapter 6.
And we'll look at just these three verses.
And I want us to see that in three verses,
there are two commands and one promise.
And as we look at this together this morning,
I want us to understand
that Paul is interested in helping Timothy,
as a pastor to the church of Ephesus,
to coach and to encourage
and to command the people
in relationship to this important area of life.
So 1 Timothy chapter 6,
if you're a guest with us this morning,
it's on page 993
in the Pew Bible in front of you.
1 Timothy chapter 6,
actually beginning in verse 17.
It says,
As for the rich in this present age,
charge them not to be haughty
or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches,
but on God,
who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
They are to do good,
to be rich in good works,
to be generous and ready to share,
thus storing up treasures for themselves
as a good foundation for the future,
so that they may take hold of that
which is truly life.
Paul begins encouraging Timothy
with some strong language.
He tells Timothy to charge
the rich of the present age.
We see that his encouragement to Timothy
is a non-negotiable.
I want you, Timothy, as a pastor,
to elevate this to the area of urgency
that it belongs.
I want you to help the people
who are rich in your church,
rich in that culture,
to understand the significance
of the opportunities that they have
and that this is a non-negotiable in life.
This is not optional.
This is something that is commanded
by the Apostle Paul
and coming from the Lord himself
to us this morning.
Something that we need to know.
Something that will encourage
and help us in relationship
to using the money
that God has given to us
in a way that honors God
and magnifies his testimony
in the world.
Now, Timothy, you all know,
joined the Apostle Paul
in ministry early on in life.
There was some real suffering
and persecution that took place
in Timothy's hometown
as Paul was there.
And yet, his mother and grandmother
entrusted Timothy to Paul's care.
And so, Timothy was really,
in a lot of ways,
a real son,
not just a spiritual son
to the Apostle Paul,
but in many ways,
nurtured and encouraged
and raised by the Apostle Paul himself.
And here, Timothy is in
the city of Ephesus
helping to provide some
pastoral leadership
over this city.
Now, this was a city
that was kind of at the crossroads
of the Roman Empire.
This was a prominent
and affluent city
in many ways.
And one look at the city
from Acts chapter 19,
you'll get an idea
of how wealthy they were.
Remember that once
they were converted to Christ,
they had this massive bonfire
of all of these books
of sorcery and witchcraft
that they had owned
and they wanted to get rid of.
Remember that?
Well, it says that
when they brought their books
and counted the pieces
of them,
they found that they was worth
50,000 pieces of silver.
Now, looking at commentaries,
we find that one piece of silver
would have been equivalent
to 150 salaries for the year.
And to kind of equate that
to our day and age,
that would have been
somewhere around
$7.8 million worth of books
that they burned
in that bonfire.
So, we can understand
why Paul would be talking
about the rich of that age.
This was an affluent community.
A group of individuals
who had great opportunity
to use their wealth
in a way that was
pleasing to the Lord.
This was not just
a friendly suggestion.
This was a command,
a charge.
Now, I want us to understand
that this not only relates
to the city of Ephesus,
but this relates to you.
There are three little
bullet points right there,
and I just want to lead you
through quickly,
helping you understand
how this relates
to our specific situation,
where we live
in this present day.
I want to take a look
at the world situation.
I want to understand
where we fit in this picture,
and I want to see
that this is relevant
to us this morning.
First, just a quick look
at the world situation.
Almost one billion people
are living on just a dollar a day.
Can you imagine?
One billion people
living on a dollar a day.
Nearly half of the world's
population are living
on two and a half dollars a day.
And 80% of the population
is living on $10 a day.
And in case you're thinking,
well, you've got to apply
the going rate of that culture
and then understand
how that factors in,
maybe this will bring
this to light for us.
There are some 22,000 children
who die every single day
because of malnutrition.
That's how far the dollar
has gone.
It's not feeding tummies.
It's not meeting
even the basic needs of life.
60% of the people
around the world
have no access
to clean water.
Even the things
that we take for granted
from day to day,
60% of the world
doesn't even have access
to clean water.
So how rich are you?
Well, if you're making
more than $10 a day,
you're richer than 80%
of the world.
You're in the top 20%,
the upper echelon
of society.
And if you make a minimum wage,
$8.15
here in 2017,
you make in one hour
what most of the world
doesn't even make
in an entire day.
If your household income,
combined income,
is $50,000 or more,
you make five and a half times
more than the typical person.
And if your household income
is $80,000 or more,
you make eight and a half times,
almost nine times more
than the person
who lives in this world.
So is this relevant to us?
You better believe it.
And it's relevant
not only because
we are part of the puzzle here.
We fit in the category
of those who are wealthy.
But it's relevant
to any of us
who have experienced
a measure of anxiety
thinking about the future
in terms of
how we're going to make it.
Like if you come
to the end of a month
and you wonder
how you're going to get by,
that the pressures
of finances
are weighing down
on your shoulders,
then this passage
is for you.
If you have ever been
disappointed
by a financial investment
and your heart
has been in angst
over the money
that you have lost,
well,
this passage
is for you.
If you're wondering
how to make ends meet
from day to day
and you're worried
about how your 401k
will benefit you
at your retirement age,
then this passage
is for you.
Maybe you're stressed
about your current
employment situation
or lack thereof.
If that's your situation today,
then this passage
is for you.
So let's look
at some of the obstacles.
What are some of the things
that get in the way
of God helping us
to make the most
of our money?
What stands in the way?
And that is our first point
for this morning.
There are some obstacles.
The obstacles
to a good investment.
And if you can move
to the next group of slides,
that would be great.
Good.
I think you already did that.
First,
I want us to see here
in verse 17.
It says,
Charge them not
to be haughty.
Charge them not
to be haughty.
That is the first obstacle
to making the most
of your money.
Money can make us haughty.
That's just another word
for proud.
Charge them
not to be haughty.
Paul's first concern
is the unity
of the church.
His focus
is how the church
relates together
and how the church
represents Christ.
When we use our money
in the wrong way,
we tarnish
the reputation
of God.
We corrupt
the beauty
of the gospel
in this world.
Money has the potential
of creating
huge divisions
and factions
and separations
within the church.
This is not
just a tangential issue.
This is a central one.
It's something
that we see
throughout the New Testament.
We see it's something
that's addressed
consistently
throughout
the New Testament.
Jesus deals with it.
The church
of Jerusalem
deals with it.
The church
of Corinth
is dealt
with this issue.
The Jerusalem Council
in commissioning
Paul and Barnabas
to ministry
makes sure,
Paul,
that you
don't forget
the poor.
The writer
of the Hebrews
commands it.
Paul commends
the church
of Philippi
for their
investment
into his ministry.
This is a
significant issue
in the church
that causes
incredible
division
or at least
it can
cause
incredible
division.
Those who are proud,
those who are haughty.
How does that look?
What form
does that take?
Well,
any number of things.
It can relate
to the company
that people keep.
It can relate
to the small groups
or the little
cliques
that they're willing
to associate with.
Somebody maybe
doesn't smell right.
Maybe they don't
talk right.
Maybe they don't
dress right.
Maybe they don't
seem to have
the right education
or the right
etiquette.
They just don't
know how to do
church the right
way.
They don't come
from the right
part of town.
They don't seem
to have the right
hygiene.
They certainly
don't dress
in the distinguished
way they should
be dressing
when they come
to church.
Maybe they don't
come from the
most prominent
job.
So it's hard
to make a
connection with them
because there
doesn't seem
to be any
overlap or
any common
ground with
them.
And so instead
of engaging
them in
conversation,
there is
distance that
happens.
That's natural.
I understand
that when it
comes to
comfort.
But those
who are
interested in
loving God
and loving
their neighbor
will be those
who will engage
the individuals
who are right
around them.
The Bible
talks about
the exclusiveness
and prejudice
that can happen
for those
who are
haughty
and those
who are
proud.
James really
concentrates on
this in chapter
two.
He uses an
example of a
man who comes
into the church
with fine clothes
and gold rings
and then obviously
this poor man
who walks in
and there is
this distinctiveness
in how they treat
these two
individuals.
The one,
he says,
hey,
come sit next
to me.
I want you to
have the place
of honor.
You're wealthy.
Let's make this
connection.
But then the one
who is poor,
he says,
hey,
you go stand
over there.
You can be in
the room,
but go have a
seat in the
corner over there
or if you want
to,
you can sit
here at my
feet.
Pride does
a great deal
of harm in
the church.
Church that was
intended to be
this beautiful
picture of the
unity of Christ
and the unity
of the people
that God has
connected in
Christ.
I wonder this
morning if we
need to ask
ourselves this
question.
What ministries
or activities
do I avoid
because it
either makes me
uncomfortable
or takes too
much work?
That may be
an indication
that pride
is something
that God
needs to help
you overcome.
Like for
example,
on a Saturday
morning you
might say,
I don't really
want to go to
the homeless
people and
hand out oatmeal
because it
makes me feel
so uncomfortable.
Or maybe you
would say,
I don't want to
serve in the
nursery, that is
way too much
work and I
might get stuck
there.
Just as a
side note,
for at least
eight years
when I was
in high school
and college,
I got stuck
in the fours
and fives
ministry.
Every single
Sunday for
four years.
Some of those
kids still
look to me
as a significant
example and
mentor and
help in their
life.
Let me tell
you, it
might be hard
work, but
it's worth
it.
The investment
that you make
in the hearts
and lives of
children,
partnering with
parents, helping
to lead them
along may be
the very best
ministry you
could ever do
because it will
have the most
traction and
will have the
most fruit.
Think about
that.
But sometimes
we want the
upfront ministries,
we want the
adult ministries,
we want the
things that are
fun and exciting
and I get
that.
But there are
times where
God is asking
us to overcome
some of those
obstacles of
pride perhaps in
our life to do
what's difficult
so that we can
really magnify
the testimony of
Christ in this
world.
Or maybe
greeting the
guests on a
Sunday morning
is a little
awkward for you
because you may
have met them
a couple of
weeks ago but
you kind of
forget their
name.
Oh the
things that we
can do to
save face,
to keep
ourselves from
embarrassment
because of
pride in our
hearts when we
could actually be
useful for the
Lord in
significant ways.
Pride is a
way, it is an
obstacle, it gets
in the way of us
being able to
use money in a
way that pleases
the Lord.
But it doesn't
stop there.
He talks about
being haughty but
here also in
verse 17 he
says, don't be
haughty or set
their hopes on
the uncertainty
of riches.
The second
obstacle is that
money can
misdirect our
hope.
And it was of
the Lord that
we sang, my
hope is built
on nothing less
but Jesus'
blood and
righteousness.
When our
hope is founded
in Christ alone,
it sets a
testimony to the
world of where
our confidence
is.
It's not Christ
plus something
else, it's
Christ alone.
And money can
misdirect our
hope.
Biblical hope
is not the
possibility of
wishful thinking
that something
might happen.
Biblical hope
is where do you
put your
confidence?
Where is your
security?
Where have you
placed your
hope for the
future?
And there's a
significance here
in the grammar.
The Apostle Paul
uses a word that
helps to describe
something that has
happened in the
past but it has
ripple effects into
the future.
That our hope has
been placed in
Christ and because
it's there, it
will have real
and tangible
results for the
future of your
life.
In each season
of life it's
easy to get
distracted, isn't
it?
The pressures of
life weigh down
on you, the
financial burdens
you experience
never seem to go
away.
Maybe you're a
college student,
you're barely
making ends meet,
trying to pay the
monthly bills,
trying to put some
food in your
stomach and to
have a couple
extra bucks so
that you can do
some things with
your friends.
Or maybe you're a
young married couple
and now there's the
burden of a new
home or a new
car or now
purchasing all of
those things that
are so necessary
for raising
children.
There are the
new pressures of
family and medical
insurance and all
of those things that
are bombarding you
and you say,
well, I will use
my money sometime
in the future when
I get established.
That pushes you
into middle age.
And you have an
established job, you
don't have to jockey
for a position
anymore.
But now the
expenses that were
smaller when your
kids were little,
now they begin to
expand as kids are
getting married, as
now you're helping
them purchase cars
and you're helping
them with various
school activities or
you're sending them
to college.
Pressures continue to
weigh you down.
Or perhaps you're
nearing retirement and
all of the investment
that you have wanted
to do in the past,
you realize you've got
some catching up to
do.
There are regular
trips to the doctor,
still helping out with
the kids periodically
as they have left
the home, but now
the financial burdens
are still considerable.
The stock market
hasn't been as
favorable to you as
you had hoped.
And the looming
pressures of
retirement age are
weighing down.
Perhaps you are
retired.
There's no more
income.
What used to be
coming in month
after month is no
longer there.
The pressures of
life weigh you
down.
At each season of
life, the money
that has flowed
through your hands
seems to evaporate.
And the result of
our focus is
diverted from hope
to God, to hope
in the security of
things.
That's the danger.
That's the obstacle
that keeps us from
making much of the
money that God has
entrusted to us.
The Apostle Paul is
calling them to
something greater.
He says,
Don't put your
hope in the
uncertainty of
riches, but on
God, who richly
provides us with
everything to
enjoy.
Now, this little
phrase is packed
full of promise.
That God richly
provides.
He gives lavishly.
He gives liberally.
He gives graciously.
He gives abundantly.
All of these things
that are couched
within this term.
Do we trust the
rich provisions of
God?
Does our confidence
in Him show to
the world that He
is a God who is
faithful to care for
our needs?
And not just a
little bit, but
abundantly,
overflowing.
That He cares for
our needs richly,
but He also cares
for our needs
individually.
Notice it says
that He provides
for us.
He knows your
unique situation.
He cares about
the circumstances
that you face.
He knows the
pressures before you
even ask Him for
help.
He cares about you
individually.
He doesn't just
provide us with a
few things, but He
says He provides us
with everything.
It's the word for
all.
It's all-encompassing
that God has given
all things for us
to enjoy.
He does not skimp
on His kids.
We do not have a
God who just
piddles away a
little bit of His
resources for us,
but He gives us
all things for
our enjoyment.
He wants us to
delight in His
provision because He
wants us to
delight in Him.
But more than
anything, the
provision that God
has given to us
is provision through
His Son, Jesus
Christ.
Just keep your
finger here in 1
Timothy chapter 6,
and I want just
briefly to turn with
me to Romans
chapter 8.
I want you to see
what God has given
to us through
Christ.
Familiar verse,
Romans chapter 8,
verse 31.
If you're visiting
with us, it's on
page 944.
Romans says in
verse 31 of
chapter 8,
what then shall
we say to these
things?
If God is for us,
who can be against
us?
He who did not
spare, notice that
word, it's integral
here, he did not
spare his own Son,
but gave him up for
us all.
How will he not
also with him
graciously give us
all things?
grace?
I want you to think
about the seriousness
of our discontentment.
The seriousness of
our discontentment is
to say, God may have
given us the best in
Christ, but it's not
enough.
That's what we say
when we become anxious
about the things that
God has seemed to
withhold.
when he has given
us Christ, he's given
his best, he's given
us his all, and he
promises to meet all
the other things.
If he can give us the
supreme things in
Christ, he can give us
the secondary things of
this world.
But let's move to the
next part of this
passage.
In chapter, in verse
17 of 1 Timothy
chapter 6, we saw the
obstacles to our
investment.
Now in verse 18, we're
going to see some
opportunities.
Some opportunities.
I need to move through
this a little bit more
quickly.
Here's what it says.
They are to do good,
to be rich in good
works, to be generous
and ready to share,
thus storing up
treasures for
themselves as a good
foundation for the
future.
There are two
commands in this
little verse that
both orient themselves
around good works.
first we can see
that money can be a
means of blessing
others.
Paul almost repeats
himself in this
verse.
He wants to stress
the significance of
the goodness that we
can be about, the
opportunity that comes
to us in using the
wealth that he has
distributed to us to
bless others, to do
good works for others.
Here in this first
little phrase, they
are to do good, is a
compound word that is
good works.
It's the agathos
ergon.
The second here, be
rich in good works, is
also good works, but
it's kalas ergon.
And you might say, who
cares about these
things?
Well, what I want you
to see is that there
are, there's a
distinction between the
two.
The first concentrates
on the goodness as it
relates to benevolence,
and blessing, and
helping, and distributing,
and meeting needs.
It has as its focus the
welfare of other
people.
When you are involved
in doing good works in
this way, you are
interested in enhancing
your surroundings, and
helping, and enabling
the people who are
around you.
Paul starts with this
general do good, and
then he moves to the
more specific features of
this statement in the
next command.
To do good always
involves using our
wealth in a positive
way.
And here, agathos is
something that involves
benevolence and care for
the individuals around
us.
It asks this question,
how can I use my money
to bless the world
around me?
How can I use the
world?
How can I use my money
to bless the world
around me?
Now, the church of
Corinth is an example of
this kind of giving
through the exhortation
of the Apostle Paul.
We find in 2 Corinthians
chapter 9 that they did
give, and as a result of
their giving in chapter 9,
we see so many things that
trickle out of that.
There was thanks that went
to the church of Corinth for
their contribution.
There was thanks that went
to God for meeting a need.
There was glory that went
to the Lord for the way
that He was able to settle
their hearts and to help
them in crisis.
A connection was made
between two churches, and
hearts were knit together.
There was praying that
happened from the Jerusalem
church to this church of
Corinth, and the testimony
of the gospel was magnified
in the area because of this
sacrificial and beneficial
care.
money can be used as a
means of blessing, but also
money can be used as a
means of bearing fruit.
That's really what this
second aspect of being rich
in good works is all about.
It concentrates on the
intrinsic or inherent nature
of the rightness of this
deed.
It is an overflow or an
expression of what is truly
going inside of the heart.
It's a reflection of what
the work that God is doing
in a life by helping to
bear out good works in the
world.
Is there an abounding work
of God in your life?
It will show up in how you
do good works, how you bless,
and how you help the world
around you.
It is inherently right.
We are told not just to hoard
our money, but to give it
lavishly, to be rich in this
process, to emulate our Savior
who was rich and for our sakes
became poor.
We are, as people who have been
recipients of the grace of God,
to also bestow that grace on the
world around us, to be rich in
good works.
In Matthew 5, 16, Jesus says
this.
He says,
Let your light so shine before
men that they may see your
what?
Your good works.
It's the same word.
That's the word kalas.
That's the word that we find
here.
How does the fruit of the
Spirit show up in your life?
Is it creating righteousness?
Is it creating benevolence to
the world around you?
And that's really now the two
components that Paul focuses on
here in terms of being rich in
good works.
How do we do that?
Well, he gives two examples.
There in verse 18, he says,
Be generous and be ready to
share.
Be generous.
Be ready to share.
Be liberal in your sharing.
Bountiful in your giving.
Willing to contribute to the
needs around you.
And this word, ready to share,
is also closely connected to the
word fellowship, the word
koinonia.
This really is a way for us to
be connected as God's people,
is when we are contributing to
needs.
Maybe the sharing involves your
money, but maybe it also
involves your time.
That instead of spending extra
time that you might do on the
side to build up more income,
maybe instead what you do is you
use those gifts to benefit the
church.
Like, maybe you know how to fix a
car.
Instead of fixing a car for money,
you decide, you know what, we've
got some people in our church that
need their car fixed.
Or maybe you know that there are
individuals in the church who have
issues with their home and it's
breaking down.
Maybe the plumbing or electrical is
going bad and you can say, listen,
I can do that.
I can use my time.
I can use my skills.
And instead of building into me,
I can build into a brother or
sister in Christ.
Maybe you are really gifted in the
area of cooking or baking or you are
a good seamstress and you can use
your gifts and your time to benefit
somebody who's in need.
That's what God has called us to.
But it doesn't end there.
God doesn't just give us the
obstacles.
He doesn't just give us the
opportunities.
But he finishes here with a promise.
He finishes with the outcome.
What does it result in in life?
What is the benefit to me?
We see that here in verse 18.
Thus storing up treasure for
themselves as a good foundation for
the future so that they may take
hold of that which is truly life.
I want us to see two things.
I want us to see that it leads to
eternal reward in heaven.
And secondly, that it leads to
eternal life with God.
God has always called us to a long
view of investment.
He's always called us to a long view
of a future look as it relates to
everything in life.
when it relates to suffering, when it
relates to love, when it relates to
loving our neighbors.
All of these things, including money,
finds its hope in the future.
This guaranteed eternal reward in
heaven.
The motivation is the glory of Christ.
The motivation for us is how does it
show Christ in the world?
And how can I take part in making
much of him where I am?
It's an evidence, secondly then here,
of eternal life.
How does it lead to eternal life?
And you might say, time out.
Wait a second.
Are you telling me that we are saved
by giving?
No, I'm not telling you that at all.
What I am telling you though is that
this is such a distinctive fruit of a
Christian.
This is such a work of the Spirit
that only those who are in Christ
will love this way.
It's an unmistakable mark of a true
believer.
It's the way they meet needs of their
Christian family.
Just write down Matthew chapter 25.
Matthew chapter 25.
I forget where it begins.
I'll look here for a second.
Matthew chapter 25.
Beginning at verse 31.
It says,
When the Son of Man comes in His glory
and all the angels with Him,
He will sit on His glorious throne
and before Him will be gathered
all the nations.
And He will separate the people
one from the other
as a shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats.
And what is the standard?
You might ask.
As He works through this passage,
He demonstrates that those who are
involved in meeting needs,
in helping those who are naked,
in clothing them,
in feeding those who are hungry,
in giving drink to those who are thirsty,
those are the ones that will be put
on the category of sheep
where those who refuse to do that
will be considered goats.
Jesus says here in verse 40,
The King will answer them,
Truly I say to you,
as you did to one of these,
of the least of my brothers,
you did it to me.
The hallmark of a Christian life
is the spiritual fruit
that God will create in your life
to give you a compassion
for the world around you
so that you can work out
this loving your neighbor principle,
not only in the world,
but especially as it relates
to people here in this church,
those who are your brothers
and sisters in Christ.
How is the Spirit
showing up in your life?
And just to close,
you might be asking yourself,
Where do I go from here?
What's the next step?
What do I need to do?
How do I make this process
of loving God in this way
with my money,
of making the most of my money?
The danger at this point
is to give you a number.
The danger at this point
is to give you a percentage
or some dollar amount
to shoot for
or some number of people
that you need to help.
But the target is Christ.
The model, the example,
the supreme example
of all things is found in Him.
He is the target.
So until we measure up
to His example,
we're going to fall
woefully short
of the standard.
So how can our giving
be shared
by the example of the Lord?
How can your giving
demonstrate the hope
that you have in heaven?
How can we shift our focus
onto eternal joys
so that we can magnify
our delight in God?
That is the direction
that we need to go in
and ask God for help
in providing wisdom
and clarity
on how to do that.
unless our giving
looks like Christ
then we've got
some work to do.
Though He was rich
yet for your sake
He became poor
so that you
through His poverty
might become rich.
That is the standard.
May God help us
to measure up
to that standard
through the power
of the Spirit
working within us.
Let's pray.
Lord, we understand
the weightiness
of this subject.
We understand
the sensitivity
of this topic.
We recognize
how much room
we have to grow
in this area.
Oh God, help us
to magnify You
through our giving.
help us to put aside
these obstacles
the pride
that often gets
in the way
and the hoping
in this worldly stuff
that often redirects
our attention
from things
that are truly eternal.
And help us
to see the opportunities
that are right
in front of us
the benevolence
that we can give
to those around us
and how it bears out fruit
the gospel testimony
of a life
that's been changed.
Lord, help us
to be those kinds
of people
so that we can show
the world
that our hope
is in heaven
and not in the things
of this earth.
We pray that You
would be blessed
through the transformation
that will happen
in our lives.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
As we go
and sing,
I want to just
make opportunity
for any of you
who do not know Christ.
Maybe as you're listening
this morning
you say,
you know,
I'm not sure
that I'm that kind
of person.
Maybe the Spirit
isn't really living
inside of me.
We would love
to lead you
to an understanding
of who Christ is
in the gospel.
We encourage you
during this singing time
to come forward.
And if you would like
to be a member
of this church,
be part of this fellowship,
be part of the connection
that we have
in ministering
to one another
and ministering
to the world together,
we would love
just to encourage you
to make that statement
public by coming
forward this morning.
Why don't we stand
and we sing
as we close
this last song.
And I'll talk about you
through this holy chat chat
guitar solo
I think of a better way to end this service than that song.
And I can't think of another truth that is so distant from me.
guitar solo