Sunday, June 23, 2019

Money

Preaching on money can be a challenge. To the best of my recollection, I’ve preached on it maybe two or three times in my thirty plus years here. I think that I have avoided it because too often in my past, preaching on money has been a lead up to exhorting people to give more money to the church. But it was recently suggested to me as a topic to address. And it’s an important topic to address. So, this morning we’re going to take a look at some of what the Scriptures have to say about money.


We’ll start, of course, with a definition. What is money? It’s the ability to get stuff. I’m sure that I could present a more sophisticated definition if I had taken a course or two in economics at some point in my academic career. But this definition will work for our purposes. Money is the ability to get stuff.

There is quite a lot of stuff that you can get with money. You can enjoy a vacation, buy a car, fix up your house, get an education, buy more books to read and of course, get a really good cup of coffee.

On the other hand, there is quite a lot of stuff that you can’t get with money. You can’t get lasting happiness, satisfying contentment, lifelong friendships, deep family bonds, the affection of a spouse or the ability to understand God.

I suspect that understanding the difference between those two lists goes a long way to enjoying a life lived well.

It is important to know that there is no sin in having a lot of money, in being rich. And that’s important for you to know because, according to a biblical way of thinking, you are all rich. There are basically two classes of people referred to in the Bible: the rich and the poor. The rich have the basics and at least a bit more. The poor don’t even have the basics. You are among the rich. But again, there is no sin in that.

There have been those whom God blessed with great wealth, with Bill Gates kind of wealth. Consider these Scriptures.

Here, God is speaking to Solomon.

Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 1 Kings 3.11–13

God decided to make Solomon not just rich, but filthy rich. Solomon had more wealth than any other king all his days.

Then, there’s this from Job’s life.

And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Job 42.10

And I hope that you remember how wealthy Job was before his troubles started.

Being rich - having more than the basics - is not sinful. God, sometimes blesses people with great wealth.

However, being rich is dangerous. And the Scriptures have much to say about that.

Here, Jesus warns His disciples.

Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19.23

Then, there’s this from the parable of the four soils.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. Matthew 13.22

Having money is dangerous. It is dangerous to the point that someone can lose his soul because of it. So, there is great wisdom in this prayer from Proverbs.

Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, “Who is the Lord?” or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God. Proverbs 30.8-9

There is wisdom in praying not to have to little but, at the same time, not to have too much.

Now it’s time for a question. Why is it that money could be such a problem? And again, the Scriptures have much to say.

Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery… Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ Deuteronomy 8.11–14, 17

How shall we label this problem of forgetting where the blessings have come from? How about calling it pride? Yes, there is great potential for a Christian to forget how his God has blessed him and instead, to take the credit for his good situation. Pride. Money can do that to you.

Here’s another potential problem with having money.

 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination. Proverbs 18.11

The assumption here is that there is enough money to deal with whatever comes down the pike. Car repair? I can handle that. Some surprise bill? I have plenty in savings to deal with that. How about being without a job for some months? Not a problem. I have my emergency fund, six months of expenses, ready to go. As far as this person is concerned, his money is the high wall that protects him, the high wall in which he finds refuge. There is danger here.

Paul is aware of the deceits of money. So, he tells Timothy how to instruct those with money in the church that he is pastoring.

Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6.17

Do you see what Paul is saying here? Timothy is to warn the saints under his care that, because of their wealth, they just might become proud, forgetting that it is their God who has blessed them and then, actually expect to find refuge in their money instead of in their God.

Paul describes money well when he writes, ‘the uncertainty of wealth’. Proverbs explains.

 Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. Proverbs 23.4–5

Here today and gone tomorrow. Money is a hope that, all too often, doesn’t keep its promises.

I’ve listed some of the dangers of having money. But now, let’s go deeper. To be sure, there is the issue of pride and the deceitfulness of riches that fool so many. Those really are dangers when it comes to money. But I don’t think that they are the heart of the matter, at least not for most people in this culture. There is something more basic that is going on. There is a dynamic of the heart behind it all. That’s where you’ll find the root of the problem. And if there is going to be a lasting solution to these sorts of problems, it is the root that will need to be addressed. Doing anything less than that will ultimately fail.

So, what’s going on down deep? Here’s one key heart issue that needs to be addressed: the demand to be in control.

We live in a fearful society. And it’s getting worse. Demands for safe spaces and trigger warnings and the like are just symptoms of the deeper problem. But this fear isn’t reserved for the young. We older ones also have our fears. And one very popular way of dealing with fear is to work to be in control of your life. That’s how you can protect yourself. Just control things and you’ll be safe. And that explains why so many are on anti-anxiety drugs and the like. It’s clear to them that they are not in control. But the pills give them some relief from the anxiety, a truce in the war with life.

Money is different kind of drug that is supposed to grant peace. It offers a sense of control. Money can give the feeling that so many long for: ‘I can handle what comes down the pike. I have the resources that are needed. I won’t be surprised by some misfortune. I have the hope that money gives. It is a high wall protecting me. I will be kept safe.’ How sad.

So, that’s one basic problem, one heart problem, when it comes to money, at least in our day and age, the demand to be in control. I will leave for some other time another basic heart problem when it comes to money: our demand to satisfy our lusts - another big problem in our culture.

So, what’s the solution to the problem of demanding to be in control? And, of course, the solution is obvious. Repentance of sin and faith in the Gospel.

But we need to be sure about what sin we are repenting of. I’ve been talking about wanting to be in control. But let’s label that wisely. How is that sin?

Control is the sin of not believing the part of the Gospel that teaches that you have a Father who cares for you because He cares about you.

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Matthew 6.25–32

Does the Father care enough to take care of you? Will you believe that He does?

Control is also the sin of idolatry. Here, hope for provision and protection is expected from money. But what do the Scriptures say?

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Psalm 46.1–3

Where is true refuge, even in the midst of great trouble? Will you find it in your money or in your God?

And control is also the sin of rebellion. The rebel determines, on his own, the way to life. He turns to his money to be saved from life’s troubles. He submits to the promise of his wealth and expects life to work. But listen to what God says.

Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’ Isaiah 45.22–23

I hope that you see how the demand for control is sin needing repentance.

Now, it may be that you have not fallen prey to the lure of money. It may be that you are not trying to control your life in this way. Great! That means that you have nothing to repent of here. But you still need to be aware of the danger. You need to be aware of the threats against your soul. So, please take to heart the things that I have told you about the danger of money.

On the other hand, it may be that you actually have fallen prey to the lure of money, that you actually are trying to control life in this way. If that is the case, then you have some things that you will need to repent of, sins that you need to put to death.

Now, there are those who think that they haven’t sinned by using money to take control of life. And they tell themselves that because they know that they don’t have enough money to build that imaginary high wall of protection. So, they think that they have nothing to repent of.

But that way of thinking doesn’t understand the real nature of sin. The root problem of sin isn’t how you behave. It’s how you desire. The real nature of sin has to do with the heart. So, people like this have no wall of protection because they have no money to build it. But they would still love to have the money to be able to build that wall. They are still looking to money – money that they don’t have - for refuge and hope instead of looking to God. That’s the same sin that plague so many who do have lots of money. Here, the poor and the rich need to repent of the same sin.

Now remember that repenting is turning from something evil in order to pursue what is good and right. It’s clear what to turn from, the various ways of using money to control life, the different expressions of unbelief. But what are you to turn toward? What are some ways that you are to believe the Gospel?

First, aim for contentment. So, from Hebrews,

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13.5–6

You can be content with what you have if you cling to the Father’s promise never to leave you or forsake you. Never to leave you or forsake you. He is that high wall of protection. He will take care of you.

There will be times when your expectations of the Father will be challenged. At that point the question is simple. Shall I trust the Father to keep His promise to care for me or shall I trust the promise of some alternative, like money?

As part of that contentment consider this.

Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. Proverbs 23.4

There comes a point when you really need to tell yourself, ‘I have enough’. That’s when you desist. That’s when you stop trying to acquire more wealth. And that is one way that wisdom shows itself. But how many in this culture think like this?

Now, here’s an interesting question for you to consider in light of all of this: how much is enough? Remember, you don’t have to try to build that high wall. People in our culture don’t know that. So, they tirelessly work to build the wall a little higher. But their god, money, never gives them lasting peace. So, the answer to the question about how much is enough is clear to them: a little more.

Once you work through what the Scriptures have to say about money and that true refuge is found in God, believing the Gospel will show as generosity. Listen again to Paul’s instructions to Timothy.

Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real. 1 Timothy 6.17–19

The ability to be generous does not come from having a huge pile of money. Remember the widow’s mite. The ability to be generous comes from having a solid trust in the Father who promises to care for you.

And here’s some homework for you. Follow up on Paul’s phrase ‘storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come’. What’s that about? How does it relate to Jesus’ words to the rich, young ruler?

You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. Mark 10.21

So, to you, the rich people of Faith Reformed Church, how are you doing when it comes to money? Is it a source of anxiety? Or do you have some sort of peace because you’ve constructed a high wall that’s supposed to protect you? Could this be an area that you need to examine? Have you been fooled by the deceitfulness of riches?

Jesus has come to free you from sin. That means that He has come to free you from the lies that the world has taught you about the power of money. Money cannot save you when you are confronted by the issues of life. Only Jesus can do that. So, be wise when it comes to your money and set your hope firmly on Jesus, the only savior.