Teaching on Money… (3 things)

• 1^st – Bless others with our money… vs. 1-9
  • Jesus spoke a difficult (to interpret) parable to his disciples… vs. 3-7
    • There was a wealthy man who hired a steward to manage his business…
      • The steward took care of the accounting – buying / selling – handling the funds…
      • But an accusation was made against the steward – a rumor he was stealing…
      • Likely it started out innocently – only taking ‘a little’ to help ‘make ends meet’…
      • Because he was not caught – greed crept in and he started taking more and more…
      • It is easy for us to justify stealing from others – they have more than we do…
      • But it is a dangerous path to walk down – today we steal some rice / tomorrow…
    • The Master commanded the steward show Him all his records… vs. 2
      • Not to justify himself – the master knew he was guilty – but to condemn him…
      • Bottom line the Steward was out of a job – he was going to be fired!
      • Many make the mistake of interpreting God’s ‘patience’ for God’s ‘acceptance’…
      • Make no mistake – God is not mocked – Galatians 6:7 – sin will be judged…
      • God is patient – longsuffering – to give time to repent and turn back to Him…
      • But if we harden our hearts – choose not to repent – our sin will not remain hidden
      • Numbers 32:22 – “Be sure your sin will find you out…”
    • The steward had a cunning plan… vs. 3-7
      • He thought – I cannot dig (more likely he was just lazy and did not want to)…
      • He was too ashamed to bed for money (he was to prideful to ask for help)…
      • Instead he went to those who owed his master money / goods – and cut their bill…
      • If they owed the master 900 gallons of oil – he changed the bill to 450 gallons…
      • If they owed 100kg of rice – he changed the bill to 80kg…
      • Now the debtors would owe him – and take care of him after he was fired!
  • You would assume the master would be FURIOUS with the steward…. vs. 8-9
    • Instead the master commended the unrighteous steward for being clever…
      • Now the master did not reward the steward – or approve of his actions…
      • But the master recognized how shrewd the actions of the steward were…
      • He had kept himself from begging in the streets by using his wit!
    • The sons of this world are wiser in this time – than the sons of light…
      • The point Jesus is making is not to condone being dishonest – or stealing…
      • His point is those who don’t know God – are cunning when it comes to this world
      • Far more cunning than Christians – those who do follow after Jesus…
    • Jesus calls us to be wise as serpents – but gentle as doves – Matthew 10:16…
      • The serpent is a picture of cunning – shrewdness – often depicting satan…
      • As disciples we are to be as wise as the one who we are fighting against…
      • II Corinthians 2:11 – “…lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
      • No general goes to war ignorant of his enemy – he learns all he can about him…
      • So that he is not caught unprepared by his tactics or attacks…
      • Satan will try to suck us into the desire for more money – more things…
      • If he can get us striving after new clothes / nicer cell phones…
      • Then we are not going to be spending our time growing in the Lord!
      • Not that money is the problem – is comes down to what we do with our money…
  • Therefore be wise with the money of this world – use it to bless others…
    • 1^st – So that we store up a reward in heaven – Luke 12:33-34…
      • The things we strive for here on earth do not last – they rust / wear out / stolen…
      • Jesus warns us not to store up ‘treasures’ here on earth were things fade away….
      • Instead make heaven your treasury – where the rewards never fade away!
      • Because where your treasure is there is your heart also!
      • We do not choose where are heart is – we choose where we put our treasures…
      • Wherever we put our money / time / talents – is where our heart will also be!
      • Are we focused on the Lord – or caught up seeking the wealth of this world!
    • 2^nd – So that others will help us in times of need…
      • Like the example of the unjust steward – he ‘helped’ the debtors…
      • So when he no longer had a job – they would be there to ‘help’ him!
      • Better to use our resources to bless others – cause we will not always have money
      • Not lending money – that is not a blessing – that is a ‘loan’…
      • Not to mention they will avoid us when it comes time to be paid back…
      • Hulam lipay lipay / bayad away away…
      • Romans 13:8 – “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
      • Better to simple give it if you have it – use the money we have for others…
      • Then when we have no money – those we helped will be there to bless us back…
• 2^nd – Use money to prove we are faithful… vs. 10-13 (4 things)
  • 1^st – If you prove unfaithful in the little things – who will trust you with more…
    • You don’t give 1000 pesos to someone who lost the 10p you had them hold on to!
    • You also don’t trust your wallet to someone who stole 5p from you!
    • The point is simple – we learn to be faithful with the small things in life…
    • If you cheat in the little things – then you will also not be honest in greater matters…
    • Our character – others perspective of us is dictated by the small choices we make in life
  • 2^nd – If we cannot be trusted with money – why would God trust us with spiritual riches…
    • God does not put in to a position of responsibility – without proving ourselves first…
    • Leaning to be faithful in little things – like managing the money God entrusts to us…
    • Is where we learn responsibility – show we can be trusted with greater opportunities!
    • David was a shepherd – a simple responsibility – but he was faithful in the little things
    • Because he was – God made him the King – shepherd of the whole nation of Israel!
  • 3^rd – If we were not faithful with what God already gave us – why would He give us more…
    • All the money we have is ultimately a gift from the Lord – a loan from God…
    • You might argue – but I worked hard for my money – I earned it!
    • But who gave you your hands / your feet / the air you breath – it all comes from God!
    • Where do we spend the ‘loan’ God has given to us – to please ourselves…
    • Or do we take the resources we have to bless God and others!
    • If we are not faithful with the little the Lord has given to us…
    • Why would He entrust us with even more money / responsibility…
  • 4^th – No one can serve two masters…
    • Money is a test – it is a temptation – it reveals what is in our heart…
    • If you try to serve Jesus – but at the same time live for money – you have a problem…
    • In the end you will end up loving one – and hating the other…
    • You cannot go in two directions at the same time – you cannot worship two things…
    • * Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters…”
    • We choose who we worship – in the simple seemingly insignificant choices of life…
    • We are either going to be devoted to the world – to the pursuit of money/pleasure…
    • Or we are going to be devoted to the Lord – worshiping and following Him!
      
• 3^rd – The greatest riches – the Word of God… vs. 14-18
  • The Religious leaders LOVED money – so they mocked (Imperfect) Jesus words…
    • This is a sad commentary on those who were supposed to love God…
    • Did you ever wonder why so many churches talk so much about money…
    • Matthew 12:34 – “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…”
    • If a teacher talks more about money than Jesus – perhaps he loves money more!
  • Jesus said to the Pharisees – you make yourself look good before men…
    • Men looked up to these leaders – often because they had so much money!
      • We tend to idolize the wrong people in life – following in their footsteps…
      • We longingly look to movie stars / mega churches – those with the most money…
      • As if the mark of success is the size of your bank account…
    • What is highly valuable to men – is an abomination in the sight of God…
      • God looks at the love of money as idolatry – worshiping a false God – Mammon!
      • What is most valuable to God – is His Word – He holds that above all else!
      • Too often today we see those who take the role of a spiritual leader…
      • Not to teach and instruct God’s people – but to take from them…
      • A pastor is not a profession – it is not a career – not a job…
      • It is not about collecting a salary – making money – or being famous…
      • It is a calling from God to love and feed His people the Word of God!
  • The importance of the Word… vs. 16-18
    • All the Law & the Prophets (The Old Testament) were until John…
      • The Old Testament did not stop with Malachi – it ended with John the Baptist…
      • John marked the end of an Era – the end of the Old Covenant…
      • The Old Testament was based on what we had to do to be good enough…
      • It was based on our efforts – our goodness – our righteousness
      • The Old Testament – John – was only able to show us our need for a savior…
    • Now eager multitudes are forcing their way into the Kingdom…
      • With the coming of Jesus – scores of believers were now coming to know God…
      • Because the New Covenant that is based on what God has done for us…
      • Jesus work – His effort – His Goodness – His righteousness…
      • It is the promise of salvation through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ!
    • Heaven and earth will pass away before even the smallest point of the Law…
      • Not that Jesus did away with the Law – in contrast He came to fulfill the Law…
      • Jesus did what no one else could– He fulfilled the requirement of God’s Law…
      • Then Jesus – the only perfect man – paid the price for our sin – Romans 6:23
      • Then came one of the great mysteries of the ages – God gave us Jesus’ righteousness!
      • II Corinthians 5:21 – “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
      • In Jesus – we have lived a perfect life – we have fulfilled the requirement of the Law
      • Now when God looks down on us – He does not see our sinful mistakes/flaws
      • He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect/flawless!
    • Including the command of marriage…

• The Pharisees had compromised the Word of God in their teachings on marriage… 
• Many of them taught a man could divorce his wife for any reason…
• If he found a prettier woman that he wanted to marry / if his wife burnt his rice… 

Better to seek the true riches of the Word – with their everlasting rewards!

Guaranteed the reason they liberally interpreted the Law this way…

They wanted to divorce their wives and remarry someone ‘prettier’…

Their willingness to change even the most fundamental teachings of the Word…

Inevitably for their own personal pleasure and gain – showed their heart…

They were not there to instruct and teach the people the Word of God…

There are no greater riches than the Word of God…

We love money because of what we imagine it can get for us – things that break…

But the Word of God has purchasing power that last for eternity!

If we seek after money – like the Pharisees – we will compromise God’s Word…