Last week we kicked off this new year with one of the most memorable and moving services we have ever had at Lakeview church and at the end of last week we took these white flags and we surrendered our lives to God. It was amazing to see hundreds of you hit your knees to start this new year with God - a great way to start the new year.
And last week we talked about the paradox of the Kingdom of God – How the way up is down; that humility is where success comes from with God and not by power and ambition. We learned that the way to find life is to lose it; that real and abundant life in God is found as we let go of this life; that as we open our lives up to God He will fill up our souls with more and more of his presence.
Well, this week we’re going to continue in the soul surrender theme and we’re going to talk about the hardest thing in the whole world to surrender and let go of – our money. Again you will see that there is a paradox in this life of faith and that true riches have nothing to do with making money. So before we begin, will you pray with me?
So I’m sitting at McDonald’s a few weeks ago with Kaden, our 8-year-old, and he’s got a burger and fries. As you know, McDonald’s fries are simply amazing. It’s one of the best smells in the world.
Well, I’ve been trying not to eat certain kinds of fast food lately, so I just ordered a drink, but after only a few seconds, I instinctively reached over and took a fry and began to eat it. Then as I was about to take another one, Kaden put his hand on mine and said, “Dad, those are mine. You can’t have one. Those aren’t your fries.” Now, at that moment (as a parent), several thoughts run through your mind.
First thought: I realized my child had forgotten that I’m the source of his fries. I’m the one who brought him to McDonald’s. I’m the one who walked up to the counter. I paid for those fries with my own money and he doesn’t realize that without me, he would have no fries. I’m the source of the fries.
The second thought that goes through your mind is: my son has also forgotten that I control the fries. I could take them away and say, “No more fries for you,” – or on the other hand, if I wanted to, I could buy him a truckload and bury him in those fries.
The third thought is this: that I realize I don’t really need his fries. I could go buy my own. I could just as easily walk back up to the counter and buy myself some more fries. See, what I really want has nothing to do with French Fries is for my son to learn to share and give and to be unselfish.
And you know what? Those are the same lessons God wants us to learn as well; to learn to share and give and be unselfish and to learn who owns and provides for all the fries.
Here’s what Jesus said: ( Matthew 6:19-21 & 24) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 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.
The Problem :
Now, what struck me funny this week, was that Jesus said those words 2000 years ago in a culture that really wasn’t very wealthy compared to ours. He was speaking primarily to fishermen and carpenters, and labourers - blue collar folks – who make a meager living at best. In fact the truth is that wherever Jesus went, He always had the very poor and down trodden and the very diseased, needy people with Him, all the time. Certainly some of them would have been in that crowd hearing these words as well . . . strange isn’t it? . . . that he would say all that to them.
I mean, how can you be serving money when you don’t have any? I think - as we said last week – the issue Jesus was trying to get at wasn’t about money. It’s about where our hearts are at and it’s about what we’re holding onto that’s holding back our spiritual lives. If your treasure or your desire are misplaced, then your spiritual life is in jeopardy.
Now, my hunch is that if Jesus was walking around today in our culture talking to us, He probably would have said the exact same words but maybe even a bit more pronounced.
Here’s why I say that: Most of us don’t think about this very much, but we live in one of the wealthiest civilizations in all of history. In North America, we have more food and more resources and a better economy and more broad-based financial potential than any culture in history (in all of history!)
Think about that. And then think about the rest of the world we live in. Just being born and then growing up in Canada (right now at this point in history) puts us in about the top 10% financially in the world. Just being born and raised in Canada! Then catch this next statistic: if you and I own a house and own a car in our life time, we fall into the top 5% of the world’s wealth.
See folks, the reality is, compared to the rest of the world we’re all doing very well financially. But according to Jesus’ words, that statistic also puts us at great risk spiritually because, He said that money can mess up where the treasure of our heart lies.
Now, my bet is we don’t think about this too often either but we also live in the most pressurized consumeristic society of all time. Every minute of every day we are inundated by advertisers telling us about the next new technology or the next new vehicle or the next new house or the next new clothing line or product line or appliance or piece of furniture that we must have. And you know what? The purpose of all the advertising is not only to sell those products to us (and this is where some danger lies for us) but the purpose of advertising in our culture is also to keep us unsatisfied with what we have, and to keep us unhappy with our station in life. To be honest, with most of us most of the time, that advertising works.
Most of us are in a constant state of dissatisfaction and frustration with our clothes or our homes or our vehicles or our technology, especially technology. Nothing fuels the dissatisfaction of what we already have like the next new technological gadget that we’ve got to have.
Here’s the challenge and the problem before us: the more dissatisfied we are, the more our culture pushes us towards getting what’s next and new and more. The more dissatisfied we are, then the more money controls us. Because the more dissatisfied we are with our stuff, then the more we’ll be signing up for every no interest/no payments/no credit/no problem deal we can just to have the next new thing, just to stop that craving for more, even if we only stop if for a few days.
The only problem is that some day it’s got to get paid for. It’s like that desire for more just sits in our life. It just lies there until it’s got us and then it’s too late. Whether we like it or not, money has control over us, and then money begins to define us and it begins to become what our treasure is and where our treasure is. Remember what Jesus said. He said where our treasure is, there our heart is also. And if our spending is focused only on the next new thing or the next new payment for the last new thing we’ve already bought, then Jesus would say that money is our master and you can’t serve two masters. It’s God or it’s money but it’s not both and that’s a problem.
Folks – are you with me on this stuff? I tell you, it feels lonely when you preach about this stuff. Money is such a controlling thing in this culture and in our lives. Don’t quit listening yet. Jesus is just getting started.
The Poison
Let’s turn this up one more notch. Jesus said this: (Luke 9:23-25) "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very soul?
Last week Jesus reminded us that life is a double-edged sword when it comes to money and possessions and that if we hold on too tight we may be sacrificing our souls.
Listen to how the Apostle Paul describes this same tension. (I Timothy 6:6-10)
But Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 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 many griefs.
Now there’s a whole lot in there that we won’t try to tackle today but Paul’s point is the same as Jesus’. Lack of contentment, financially, and this riding dissatisfaction with what we have and where we’re at and what we want that dissatisfaction can cause us to chase a life that is self-oriented and self-focused or self-centered. And Jesus said a self-focused, self-oriented, self-centered life does not wash in the kingdom of God. His point was very clear: the more we hold onto the things of this world, the less we are able to hold onto God.
And the more focused I am on getting more for me, and the more I grasp onto my money and my possessions, the smaller and smaller my soul gets. Listen as I read these words again. You can almost feel it pulling you down. (I Timothy 6:9 & 10) People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 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 many griefs.
And so it is, with an intentionally serious tone that I speak out this part of the message. There is a poison in the world around us and if it gets into our systems, that poison can kill your spiritual life. The poison is simply this: not being willing and able to surrender the control money has on our lives. That’s it. That’s the poison. Holding on too tight and not letting go can kill your soul.
I heard this story a while ago and it kinda put this into perspective. A pastor had been meeting with a real up-and-coming guy in his church, walking him through different lessons and discussions on developing a life of faith. So they talked about prayer and values and pride and all kinds of things over several months but when they got into what the bible said about money and giving – the guy froze up. He simply was unwilling to trust God with his money and finances. That was something he wasn’t going to let go of no matter what. Ever felt like that?
He just couldn’t get his head or heart around the idea of letting God have control of even 10% of the money he earned and that God would be faithful to bless him if he gave God control over his finances.
Well, a few months later, this pastor receives an emergency call from this same man. His 4-year-old son has suddenly become very ill and they were up at the hospital. So the pastor goes over and prays in the room with the family and with the small boy whose life was slipping away. And the father of the boy prays this prayer, “God, you see my son and there’s nothing I can do for him and nothing the doctors can do but you can. Your Word says you can heal. So God, would you heal my son?” He went on to pray, “And if you do, God, we will dedicate his life to you (we’ll give him to you). We will do whatever it takes to teach and train him for a life of service to you, God. Just spare his life”. (And God did do that.)
That pastor left the hospital that night with a pretty heavy burden on his heart and a great paradox on his mind. That man was willing to trust God with his son’s whole life, but he wasn’t willing to trust God with his money and finances – even 10% of his finances.
I mean, how many of us are like that? On a practical, daily basis, we don’t really believe God is the one who is the provider of our resources and that ultimately we only manage what He owns. We don’t really believe that. And so we don’t let go of our money. We hold on tight and we don’t attach our faith to our resources. But if our kids are sick, we believe God to be a healer no matter what the disease. It just doesn’t make sense to me.
This should be getting under your skin a bit. Let it. Because a little irritation is better than a lot of poison. Check your spirit. What’s God saying to you?
The Antidote
Well Paul was the one who told us about the poison but the good news is he also tells us of an antidote for that poison. Listen to what he says to a young pastor Timothy. (I Timothy 6:17-19) Again some strong words. “Command (don’t just mention it!) those who are rich in this present world (all of us) not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. Because in this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Paul says that if you and I want to release the grip we have on money or the hold it has on us, we need to try giving it away, to just let go of it. Then He says as you let go, watch what happens to your faith (because it will expand). Paul says, “Why put your faith in money? That’s not a solid foundation for your life. That’s poison. It’ll hurt you bad inside. In fact, it could kill your soul if that’s your life foundation. Instead,” he said, “find a soul foundation. Put your hope in God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment”
The bible reminds us here of what the advertisers conveniently forget to tell us. Enjoyment and fulfillment in life does not come from the next newest surround sound system we may or may not be able to afford to buy. (You know, the system that will be out of date in just a few months or at best, worn out in a few years.) That’s not fulfillment or enjoyment or wholeness in life. That’s called a path to dissatisfaction. Instead, the bible says, find your fulfillment and enjoyment in God because soul fulfillment and soul enjoyment lasts forever and it never wears out and it never gets out dated. It never gets old. Isn’t that a great promise? God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment – not just a little bit of life – but abundant life.
Folks, that’s an amazing bit of truth for our lives. God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment - not just enough for us to get by - but enough so we can really enjoy our lives. That’s how faithful He is to us.
And then Paul takes it up another notch and says . . . the real antidote for the poison and control money has over us . . . The way to beat that control is to not only release your grip on possessions . . . . . . but actively give some stuff away – to take steps of action to give money and possessions away . . .
Folks, giving is the antidote to the money poison in our soul (I Timothy 6:18) Command those who are rich (this includes all of us – top 10%) to do good, to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share.
Now, why would He tell us to do that? (I Timothy 6:19) In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. Because as we let go and just give, our spiritual foundation gets stronger and our hearts get bigger and the poison begins to disappear
Paul echoes Jesus’ words and says, “Just let it go; give it away and as we give, not only does it stop the poison (the hold money has on us) but as we give, we store up treasure in heaven.” There’s that word again. Because where our treasure is - that’s where our hearts will be also, and as we give, we take hold of the life that is truly life.
And so again it would seem that the kingdom of heaven is a bit upside down to the world we live in and this spiritual journey we’re on is truly a paradox.
- The way up is actually down. Humility does win over power and ambition.
- The way to find life is to lose it. Real and abundant life is found as we let go of this life.
- And the way to find riches has nothing to do with money. Real treasure and fulfillment is found in heaven, not in the things of this earth.
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