Who’s Money Is It?

         

Remember that bank commercial awhile back that showed various people shouting out, “It’s my money, and I want it now|”.¹   We live in a very materialistic culture in which we demand what we want, when we want it, and in which we have a certain sense of entitlement.   As followers of Jesus, we need to be careful that we don’t get caught up in this false world view.

Last time I mentioned that I preach on money every year.   I do it because it is  important to our discipleship that we develop and live out a world view founded on the Scriptures which often puts us in conflict with the world view of the culture around us.

When it comes to money, one of the foundational principles every disciple must establish is,  who is the rightful owner of the things we  possess.   If we don’t firmly establish and fix that in our minds, we will never have a right perspective on money or  learn money’s proper place in our lives.   The fact is that money is a spiritual issue partly because it is God’s number one competition for the affections of our heart.²

There are at least three important things we must establish in our heart and in our attitude towards ownership of the things we possess..

● God Owns Everything

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,  the world and those who dwell therein, (Ps 24:1)

The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. (Lev 25:23)

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. (Hag 2:8)

For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. (Hag 2:8)

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. (1 Chron 29:11)

When we understand that God is the owner of everything, we establish that we are not, and we understand that every spending decision is a spiritual decision.

● We Are Managers

Though God owns everything, He has entrusted the things we have to use according to His plan and purposes and that includes, spending, giving and enjoying. ³   In the Scriptures, God has given us principles for financial management so that we would know how He, our master, would have us use His resources and He graciously allows us to even enjoy the benefits of some of those resources.

In essence, we need to understand that God owns it, and we manage it.   You bank account is His.  Your car is His.   All that you have is His. 

● Managers Must Give An Account To The Owner

Jesus told the parable of the talents in which the master gives three different servants various amounts of money to manage and then goes on a journey.   After a long time, the master comes back and requires each servant to give an account of how he handled his masters money.⁴

In the same way, just as the CEO of a corporation must give an account to the Board of Directors, or a Bank Manager to his or her superiors, so every follower of Jesus (every person for that matter) must be prepared to give an account to God the rightful owner for the way we have managed His resources.

In a world  often obsessed with materialism, understanding this foundational principle gives a proper perspective on money and possessions and frees us  from bondage to the unbridled materialism of our culture..  It will influence how we use the resources God has entrusted to us and it will bring our hearts joy knowing that we are honouring God.⁵

 (Please feel free to respond to any of my posts.   Join the conversation.)

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¹ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX0fIi3H-es

² Luke 16:13; Matthew 6:21

³ 1 Timothy 6:17

⁴ Matthew 25:14-30

⁵ Luke 16:11-13

　

　

Money And Your Relationship With God

1 Timothy 6:6-19

Every year at the church where I Pastor (www.parkwaybiblechurch.ca) in Toronto, I preach on money.  Yesterday I preached part one of a two part series called “Money Myths.”  A money myth is a belief about money that appears correct but is contrary to God’s principles.   Though many pastors hesitate to preach on money, I do it every year because I believe I must preach the whole counsel of God and I believe that handling money is a vital part of discipleship.  Fifteen percent of all that Jesus taught had to do with money so I don’t believe I’d be a faithful Pastor if I didn’t teach His people what His Word says about it. 

Many of us don’t see the connection between how we handle money and our relationship with our Saviour.   The fact is that money and possessions are God’s number one competitor for the affections of our hearts.  Of your heart.  Of my heart.   Jesus said, No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Luke 16:13)

It’s not that you have to be poor to be close to Jesus it’s just that money and possessions are always in competition and our God is a jealous God.¹   Every follower of Jesus has to constantly guard their heart² less our devotion be diverted from the Saviour.

The fact is that how we handle our money and possessions reveals the true condition of our heart.  The scriptures tell us that For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt 6:21).  If Christ is truly Lord of our hearts then He will also be Lord of our cash.   If you are walking close to God and you understand His perspective on money and possessions, it will impact how you think about and handle money and possessions.   The reason I preach regularly about money is because I sincerely believe that God wants us, as disciples,  to be equipped to handle these earthly possessions for His glory and He doesn’t want material things to dominate our hearts.

The Apostle Paul had commissioned young Timothy to confront error in the Ephesian church and to establish right principles in the young church there.   He understood that lack of contentment with God’s provision was a great danger to godliness, the chief goal of the believer. 

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment,    7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.    8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.     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.  (1 Tim 6:6-10)

I know that most of us don’t’ consider ourselves rich and therefore conclude that this passage has nothing to do with us.   However, the truth is that if you are reading this you are among the 5% of the richest people in the world.   The problem with riches isn’t that they are bad in and of themselves, but that our basic fallen nature can be so easily ensnared by the deceitfulness of riches.   Unless we bring everything, including our riches under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, they can drag us into “ruin and destruction.”

Money, rather than being an unspiritual matter, has everything to do with our walk with the Saviour and unless we know and practice God’s principles when it comes to money we will not experience all the joys and blessings of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

(Watch for the next Blog Post on "Who’s Money Is It Anyway?")

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¹ Exodus 34:14

² Proverbs 4:23

THE GOSPEL IN ITS ESSENCE

Last time, I laid out for you the Gospel message in what was hopefully a clear and concise way.    If we do not have a clear understanding of the gospel message we will never be able to clearly present it to a world that desperately needs this Good News.   Today I want to give you the shortened version, let’s call it “Gospel Essence”.   

I believe that every Christian should know these truths by heart.   This is the skeleton upon which any believer can hang their gospel presentation.    Other information can be added according to the presenters biblical knowledge, but this is the essence of the Gospel.   I would caution that one does not just dump this “Gospel Essence”  on an unsuspecting hearer, but rather it provides the framework for any believer to share their faith in the context in which they find themselves.    Knowing the essence of the gospel means that it can flow out of you naturally in any given circumstance at any given time. 

The Gospel Essence consist of four vital truths which I have place in the form of a question. You will also notice four key words that help you remember the essence of the gospel: 1) God, 2) Man, 3) Jesus Christ, 4) Response.    My hope and prayer is that this will help you be an effective witness for Christ as you seek to take the Good News of the Gospel to a broken culture.

FOUR VITAL GOSPEL TRUTHS

- Answer 4 Vital Questions

GOSPEL TRUTH # 1

Who made us and to whom are we accountable?

GOD: The Righteous Creator

 1. God Is The Creator

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  (Rom 1:19-20)

Therefore we are accountable to Him.  

2. God Is Holy & Righteous

"the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrigteousness suppress the truth (Romans 1:18)

God is Holy and Righteous and He Will Not - He Cannot Overlook, Ignore, or Tolerate Sin.

 

GOSPEL TRUTH # 2

What’s our problem?  Are we in trouble and why?

MAN: The Sinner

For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.    22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools,   (Rom 1:21-22)

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. (Rom 3:19)

1. Every Human Being Has Sinned

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; (Romans 3:10)

Sin is rebellion against God.

Sin is a rebellion against God’s reign and authority in our lives and breaks our relationship with Him.    It is the rebellion of the creature against the Creator.

2. God Actively Judges Sin

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. (Rom 3:19)

For the wages of sin is death, (Rom 6:23)

 

No one likes to think of judgement but the fact is however that unless you know how bad the “bad news” is, you’ll never appreciate how great the “Good New” is. 

 And this is where the glorious hope of the good news comes into full view.

 

GOSPEL TRUTH # 3

What Is God’s Solution To Our Problem?  How Has He Acted To Save Us?

 JESUS CHRIST: The Saviour

You and I were sinners destined to be condemned.  But God Himself has acted to save sinners like us!

1. The Word Became Flesh

God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and came into the world so that we could be forgiven and made right with God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (John 1:1)

      

2. The Lamb Of God

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  (John 1:29)

God in the person of Jesus Christ, became the sacrificial lamb who died on the cross in our place to take away the sin of the world.

3. The Heart Of The Gospel

He Died For Our Sins (Penal substitution)

The mission of Jesus was to dye as a substitute for our sins.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Cor 5:21)     

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken,  smitten by God, and afflicted.  5  But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,  and with his stripes we are healed.  6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;  and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  (Isa 53:4-6)

 

4. He Rose From The Dead

 - He rose triumphant from the grave as proof that His sacrifice was sufficient for our sins and that He has the power of life over death and the power to forgive and give us new life.

GOSPEL TRUTH # 4

How Can I Be Included In God’s Salvation?  What Makes This Good News?   

RESPONSE: Faith & Repentance

A person is saved from God’s wrath when by faith they turn from their rebellion and trust Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for the forgiveness of sin.

 ...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9)

FAITH

 1. Reliance

Real faith is a rock solid, truth grounded TRUST in the risen Christ to save you from Sin

 2. Righteous Verdict

Real faith is relying on Him to secure for you a righteous verdict from God the Judge

By virtue in you Faith in what Christ has done (1 Cor 15), you are declared “not guilty”

3. Faith Alone

Real faith comes through this kind of faith alone and excludes all self effort.  It comes simply through faith in what Christ did for you.

REPENTANCE

Real repentance is more than just saying you are sorry, it is also means turning from your rebellion against God’s rule in your life and surrendering yourself to His rightful rule in your life. 

The Good News is that God has made a way for you to be forgiven for your rebellion against Him and a new life as you live under His reign.

 EVEN SHORTER:

1.  GOD - The righteous judge

2. MAN - The Sinner

3. JESUS CHRIST - The Saviour

4. RESPONSE  - Faith and Repentance