Money: A Love-Hate Relationship?

I

A. Background & Comments:

• this New Year has given opportunity to reconsider how we treat the resources we have been given by God: Time, Ability & Money. The Bible teaches us that we are stewards (investors) of what we have.

• Whatever our circumstance, there are principles in Scripture that help us make best use what we have

B. Main Thought:

• • These verses teach that God has given us the resource of money through work & investment: there are principles that help us use that resource for his glory & our good.

I. Understand the Danger of Obsession Regarding Money (I Tim. 6:10)

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with much grief.”

A. The Apostle Paul understood that it is possible to become obsessed with the accumulation of money & resources. With that pursuit comes the danger ofpersonal destruction on the rocks of greed, dishonesty, illicit practices & selfishness.

B. Note that this verse teaches us that people have been known to give up their faith in Christ in the pursuit of “earthly salvation”! Jesus was explicit about this: (Mark 8:36) “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”

II. Understand the Primacy of Christ in Relation to Your Money (Matt. 6:24)

“No one can serve two masters. 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 both God and Money.”

A. Jesus Christ was absolutely uncompromising about the primacy of his lifewithin us & that nothing should come in between our selves and our God. He speaks here of the cumulative effect of a life torn between God and Money.

B. Most Christians don’t think of themselves in a place of “hate” or “despising” their relationship to God. However, Jesus Christ is clear that he wants the primary place in our hearts.

III. Understand the Priority Purpose of the Money Given to You (I Peter 5:2)

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care… not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve…”

A. Notice that their service to the church is driven by goodwill, not duty or “should” thinking.

B. Your monetary resource is a tool to be used to care for legitimate self-interest(Phil. 2) & the ministry you are called to and involved in.

Implications for Life

A. There will likely be some cynic sitting within the sound of my voice saying, “There goes the church asking for money again!” That is absolutely not what this message is about.

B. While we are not to be driven by “should” & “must” thinking, we are compelled by Christ’s love to give back to God what we have been given. By doing so we are demonstrating gratitude & the fact we take seriously the responsibilities of being a Christian.