Scripture: I Corinthians 4:1-5

C.I.: Rich Man / Poor Man

Today we are going to begin a new series. When I was a younger preacher I hesitated talking about money.

“People will think that is all churches talk about.” “They will think I want a raise.” “I'll scare off visitors.”

But God isn't afraid to talk about money! His book is filled with lessons. So lets learn what He has to say.

•  Looking at Money … God's Way!

•  If you are “Struggling” with Your Money … You “ Not Alone!

•  Statistics:

•  Total household debt (credit cards, cars, mortgages) > 100% disposable income for the first time in our history in 2000. ( U.S. News & World Report, March 19, 2001)

•  We charged $1 trillion on credit cards in 2000 (which was more than we spent in cash)

•  Kids follow our lead – College students average $3,300 in card debt & $15,000 in loans, etc.!

•  Money problems is a major factor in the rising divorce rate in America.

•  Average credit card debt (bank, stores, gas) is $8,562 (in 1990 it was only $2,985).

•  56% of Americans are failing to set aside enough money for their retirement (CFA, press release)

•  64% earinng $20-50k/yr., say they live paycheck-to-paycheck (For lower incomes its 79%, ibid).

•  Now I have some good news and some bad news. Lets start with the bad news…

•  Bad News = “Why People Borrow” (2 questions)

•  “What are my motives?”

•  “What is the most expensive thing you possess?” Home? Car? Education? Nope, your EGO!

•  “We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like!”

•  EGO! –( Lk. 12:15 ), “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when a man has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

•  “What is my ability to repay?” (Today's instant gratification becomes tomorrow's bondage!)

1) Its dangerous to presume upon the future: (Murphy's Law), Transmission goes out, sickness..

2) James 4:13-16 , “Come now you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a
city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.' Yet you do not know
what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and
then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or
that.' But as it is you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.”

3) Don't get me wrong. Debt in itself is not sinful. But it can lead to financial bondage.

4) ( Pro. 22:7 ), “…the borrower becomes the lender's slave.”

3. And I have some Good News = “God wants us to experience freedom (including financial freedom)
a. ( Gal. 5:1, 13 ), “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; do not be subject again to a yoke of
slavery … You were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an
opportunity for the flesh.”

•  No matter who/where we are – God is truly on our side.
1) ( Heb. 13:5 ), “Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you.'”

2) In this series we will see that God wants us to have debt cancellation , not debt consolidation.

•  Achieving the Proper Spiritual Balance towards Money

•  Satan attempts to turn virtue into vice by getting us to go to the two extremes…

•  Some people's theology says, “God wants you to be rich!” Which is “sanctified greed!”

b. Others would have us all “take a vow of poverty.” Which is not biblical either.

c. ( Pro. 30:8-9 ), “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my portion, lest I
be full and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the Lord?' Or lest I be in want and steal, profaning your
name.”

•  Jesus shows the proper approach to people and to money…
a. Jesus didn't care if people had money or not; He saw hearts, not checkbooks.

•  He helped the poor…

1) ( Mk. 8:2-3 ), “I feel compassion for the multitude because they have remained with Me now
for three days, and have nothing to eat; and if I send them away hungry they will faint of the
way, and some have come from a distance.” Then He fed 4,000!

•  But He also had wealthy friends…

1) ( Lk. 8:3 ), “Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who
were contributing to their support out of their private means.”

2) ( Lk. 10:35 ), “…and on the next day we took out 2 denarii and gave to the inn-keeper and
said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.'”

3) ( Matt. 27:57 ), “When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who
himself had also become a disciple. This man went to Pilate to ask for the body….”

•  What our attitude towards money should be, ( I Timothy 6:17-18 )

•  #1. – The recipients, ( 17a ), “Instruct those who are rich in this present world…”

•  By the standards of that day we are all “RICH!!”

•  #2. – 2 “Not to's” – ( 17b ), “..not to be arrogant or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches”

1) “Arrogant” = to forget where the money originated – ( I Cor. 4:7 ), “What do you have that
you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not receive
it?

2) “Fix your hope” = Money is deceptive. We think if we have enough of it our problems will
go away.
3) That is why God warns against trusting in $$$ - ( Mk. 10:23 ), “How hard it will be for those
who are rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Its about where we place our faith!

•  #3. – The place for hope – ( v. 17c ), “…but on God, who richly supplies us all things to enjoy.”

1) Notice, there is not, “Give it all away!” or, “Money is evil!” or, “Don't spend it on yourself!”

2) When God blesses us, however He blesses us, He is giving us permission to enjoy His
blessings.

d. #4. – God's directive – ( v. 18 ), “Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be
generous, ready to share.”

1) Let our “riches” be seen by what we do – not by what we have.

•  We can either be rivers or reservoirs. One blesses all it passes. The other only hoards.

•  ( Matt. 10:8 ), “Freely you have received, freely give.”

CONCLUSION:

All blessings come from God whether physical ( James 1:17 ), or spiritual ( Eph. 1:3 ).

Everyone receives God's physical blessings ( Matt. 5:45 ). But only those who are “in Him” receive the spiritual blessings ( Gal. 3:26-27 )!