Wealth Prov.13:11 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Everything in this lesson is practical – all the cross-references are from the gospels – much is said in the gospels about money.
General
Easy come easy go – Lk 15:11- 32 – the prodigal wasted his substance with riotous living – it vanished about as quickly as it appeared.
Use wisdom with it – Lk 14:28 – you need to count the cost of the tower before you build.
Be content with your wages – Matt 20 – the lord agreed with the laborers for a penny a day but those who received equal pay for a full day’s work were not content – Lk 3:14 to the soldiers, John said, be content with your wages.
Must pay your taxes – in Matt 17:27 Peter caught a fish which had the money to pay the tribute – in Matt 22:21 Jesus said to render unto Caesar and unto God.
Must repay what you borrow – Matt 5:26 – the debtor stayed in prison till he paid the uttermost farthing.
Can’t buy your health – Lk 8:43 this woman spent all of her living on physicians and was not healed.
Giving
Lay it up on the other side – giving it will affect your heart – Matt 6:19-21 lay up treasures in heaven not in earth – where your treasure is there will your heart be also.
Jesus gave it all – Matt 13:45-46 he gave it all to buy the pearl of great price – sold all that he had Jn 15:13; 2 Cor 8:9 – others too did much as in Matt 26:9 this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor – and the price mattered not to her – Mk 12:42-44 the two mites were all the widow had – they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living – Don’t worry about it – you have a promise from God in Lk 6:38 give and it shall be given unto you.
Helping others will cost you something – Lk 10:35 the Good Samaritan spent two pence on the fellow and promised to pay the rest.
For Preachers
Be careful with money grabbing preachers – Matt 21:12-13 they turned the house of prayer into a den of thieves – Matt 23:14 they devour widow’s houses – Jn 10:13 the hireling careth not for the sheep – Jn 13:29 Judas had the bag
Enough is enough – Matt 10:9-10 – the disciples carried no gold or silver – Lk 22:35-36 they were told that they could carry a purse and scrip (small bag) – before, they lacked nothing and always had their daily needs met but now they would take a purse to cover for a few days.
Concerning your relationship to the Lord
One master only – King Jesus Matt 6:24 you cannot serve God and mammon – a man said that it got too easy when the money was always there.
Can’t buy eternal life but it can keep you from it – Matt 16:26 what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul – Matt 19:21 the rich young ruler was told to sell all that had and give to the poor – Mk 10:24 his trouble was that he trusted his riches – Jesus said that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for that man to get into the kingdom of God – Lk 16:19 the rich man was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day and wound up in hell.
It amounts to so little in God’s eyes – Matt 25 talents – faithful over a few things
Real disciples can walk away from it – Mk 1:18 – the fishermen left their nets, their very means of gainful employment.
Consumes your thoughts – Matt 6:34 Take no thought for the morrow – Matt 8:20 the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
More worried about the money than the Lord – Mk 5:13 2,000 were swine more important than the crazy man but not to the Lord – LK 12:15 a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth – LK 12:21 – a fool lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God
Bad consequences
Trying to ease your conscience when you are being disobedient to God – MK 7:11 Corban could be used to buy off the law on honoring parents.
Many do the right things with the money and the wrong thing with the Savior – Matt 27:26 the priests would not put the blood money in the treasury but they were the ones who had used that money to pay Judas to betray him.
It can corrupt you – Matt 28:12 the Pharisees gave large money to the soldiers to lie.
Obscures your faith – Matt 23:23 they paid tithe but omitted the weightier matters of the law.
You can end up selling the Lord out – Matt 26:25 Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver.
Conclusion:
You need God more than you need money – Jn 6:6-9 Jesus did with five barley loaves and two small fishes what 200 pennyworth of bread could not do – he fed 5,000 men beside women and children.