Money Matters (Four Part Sermon Series)

Sunday, April 6: The Other Side of Money (Ephesians 6:10-18)
(To hear the complete sermon, click here.)

Synopsis: “The Other Side of Money” sermon is based on Ephesians 6:10-18. While acknowledging the many good things money provides for us, the sermon focuses on the other, darker side of money.

Verse 12 is key when it speaks of the spiritual forces that oppose the world in general and Christians in particular. The verse reads, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood; but against the rulers, the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” These four great enemies of the human soul—which the verse says we’re “struggling” or “wrestling” against, are demonic forces that operate through the institutional, social and value structures of our age. These structures corrupt our lives and diminish the work of God in the world. Theologian Walter Wink calls these structures “The Powers that Be.”

Money is one of those dark powers. It has moved from being our servant to being our master to being our tyrant. Our culture is money driven and has allowed the love of money to dominate our society and our personal lives in such a way that it affects almost everything we do and almost every value we hold. The biblical principle of tithing—which is the giving of a tenth of our income to the Lord—must be seen in light of the influence money exercises over the age. The tithe is a sign that we’re not dominated by the power of money.

The greatest truth, though, about not only money as a dark power but indeed about all the powers that seek to dominate and destroy human life, is that on the cross, Jesus won the victory over all of them. Colossians 2:15 is the proclamation of the victory Jesus won and the life of freedom we can now live in consequence of His victory. The verse says, “And having disarmed the powers, and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

(To listen to the complete sermon on your computer or download to burn to a CD: click here.)

Sunday, April 13: A Shrewd Man With Money
(Luke 16:1-5)
(To hear the complete sermon, click here.)

Synopsis: In the second sermon of the four-part sermon series, “Money Matters,” we turn to Luke 16:1-15 and the parable of the Unrighteous Steward. The sermon is entitled “A Shrewd Man with Money.”

The parable concerns an unscrupulous business manager embezzling his boss’ money. When the truth comes out, the manager calls two of the owner’s debtors and severely reduces their bill, with the expectation that they will in turn take care of him once his owner fires him. The owner immediately catches on to the manager’s actions. In the ensuing conversation, we find the unexpected point that Jesus is making.

Verse 8 of our passage tells us that “the master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly.” Following the strange ending of the story itself, Jesus weighs in with an even more unusual principle: “I tell you the truth, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (verse 9)

From this account and the Lord’s teaching that follows, we learn three important principles about money. First, money is a resource: we must use it wisely. Second, money is a trust: we must be faithful with it. Third, money is a threat: we must be careful not to love it more than God.
The underlying truth that we see through this unusual parable and the Lord’s words afterwards, is that there is a direct connection between our faith and our money.

(To listen to the complete sermon on your computer or download to burn to a CD: click here.)

Synopsis: The third sermon of the four-part series, “Money Matters,” is based on an Old Testament passage. Malachi 3:6-12 contains the clearest teaching about tithing in the entire Bible. We turn to that portion of God’s Word today as we look to “Home Economics.”

Malachi is a short book of only three chapters but is constructed around several profound questions we all have of God. Questions like, “How do I know God loves me?” (Malachi1:2). Or, “Does God really treat me fairly?” (Malachi 2:17). Our passage is likewise concerned with a fundamental question: “Why should I give to God’s work?” (Malachi 3:8).

The answer to that question is based on the tithe, the tenth of our income that the Lord says belongs to Him. “Yet you robe Me,” God says in Malachi 3:8. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings,” He answers.

The practice of tithing recognizes two fundamental principles. One, God owns everything. Two, God established the tithe as a sign of His ownership. Leviticus 27:30 says, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”

Coming to terms with the tithe means that we understand clearly what it is, and what it is not.

*Tithing is NOT an investment we make, hoping for a profit.

*Tithing is NOT a bargain we make, binding God to our expectations.

*Tithing is NOT a pay off, where we use financial means
to gain spiritual ends.

*Tithing IS an act of obedience, in which we demonstrate our trust of God.

(To listen to the complete sermon on your computer or download to burn to a CD: click here.)

Sunday, April 27: Playing By The Rules (2 Corinthians 9:6-11)

Synopsis: In the concluding sermon of our four-part sermon series, “Money Matters,” we turn to a passage taken from the most extensive teaching on giving in the Bible, the two chapters of 2 Corinthians 8-9. The text for this message is taken from the central verses of that larger context, 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 and is entitled, “Playing by the Rules.” The theme in this text is how God has ordained dynamics of giving to provide direction for us in how we handle money.

The first dynamic of giving is that it is an integral part of worship. When we worship, giving is a vital part of our experience.

The second dynamic of giving is that it is a function of the flow of generosity through our hearts. When the word “generous” is used both at the beginning and end of our passage, it forms the parameters within which all the other teaching about giving takes place. “Generous” in the original meaning of the word not only has to do with the “how” of giving but also with the conditions of our hearts that make giving possible.

The third dynamic of giving really is most prominent in the passage. It has to do with how God’s abundance is the source of our giving. In other words, God Himself provides what we need to give. 2 Corinthians 9:8 form the pivot of our passage and the central teaching: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

We conclude our entire four-part series with asking how money matters to us. There are four basic perspectives we take on money, and only one really is faithful to the biblical witness.

Some of us take the perspective of scarcity. We believe there is never enough money.

Some of us take the perspective of selfishness, and place ourselves first in all money matters.

Some of us take the perspective of calculation, and carefully figure how little we can give.

On the other hand, what our text today teaches us is a fourth perspective, the perspective of abundance, in which we trust God to provide for us and give to His Kingdom’s work out of that faith.