TRANSFORMING WORK & FINANCES - Redeeming Money

Most people struggle to know what to do with their money. Yet Christ calls us to give joyfully and sacrificially. How on earth is that possible? Jesus explains in Matthew 6:19-34

We initially asked five questions of the text:

1) What does it mean by ‘treasures on earth’? (v.19)
money, possessions, anything that you can buy or invest in here on earth that can’t be taken with you when you die!
2) What are some of your treasures?
People were honest and talked about things like food, children, addictions, house, car, pets.
3) Why does it say not to store those treasures up? (v. 19)
These thing do not last forever. They break and wear out over time or can be lost or stolen.
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4) What are treasures in Heaven? (v. 20)
Things that will last for eternity.  E.g. investing in people to become Chrsitans, heavenly rewards, joy, the Kingdom
5) Why invest there? (v. 20)
Because these things last forever.

Jesus says don’t invest in earthly treasure (not because they are bad –it’s just they don’t last, no exceptions, Proverbs 23:5 “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”).  Rather - Invest in heavenly treasure

However all of find this difficult -why?

V22-23 talks about seeing and not seeing (being blind).  The point is that if your eyes are bad, however good the light is outside, everything will seem dark.  And so, in the case of finances, greed can make our eyes dark.  why? 3 reasons

i) Greed is Deceptive
Greed hides itself. It blinds you like no other sin. It isn’t obvious like other sins.
Jesus says in the parallel passage in Luke 12:14 “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
We always think it is rich people that are greedy.  But in the world’s eyes, we are rich! 
Also we make luxuries into necessities as our income grows.  We need to be ruthless with simplfying our lives so we can be more generous.

ii) Greed is Self Justifying
Most of us have someone in our minds that is more greedy than we are.  This is how we justify our behaviour -  by comparison. This is intensified if that person is someone we respect and look up to. 
If we feel challenged about how much we spend on our cars, wine, phone, jackets, taxi rides, meals, holidays, pets, and gym membership we immediately think of those that do spend money on that stuff - and say it must be okay! What would the worlds poor say if they saw your bank statement?  We are richer than we think.

iii) Greed demands not to be accountable:
Who have you authorised to speak into your life about your finances. This is crucial because greed is so deceptive.  However, most of us refuse to be open about our financial lives to those that are closest to us!  It is a cultural stronghold.  And an area where we simply don’t want to even ask the question of ourselves because we are happy to sin in secret!

Jesus knows greed is deceptive, that we want to justify and not be accountable.  But he is clear.  Matt 6:24 “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”

So what is really going on in our hearts?  We asked two more questions of the text:

1) Read verses 25-27.  What is the antidote to worrying?

2) Read verses 28-32.  What is the antidote to worrying?

Answers
1) Significance

Jesus says ‘26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?’  This is talking about how much we are cared for.  We are valuable.  We are loved.  This should define our identity and significance. We are God’s treasured possession.
Sadly For many of us – money gives us significance. Or access to perceived significance.  This is the reason we don’t give it away.  Where we live, what we wear, makes us feel important and gives us a sense of significance.  However, unless we are rooted in God’s love for us we will always worry as the significance is so temporary.

2) Security:
Matt 6: 33 ‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ Jesus says “I will provide for you”.  This is true security.  Don’t look to money to provide ultimately for you but seek my kingdom, seek me!

Questions for Mission Group:

1) If you had £1000 to spend, what would you buy? 
2) What does that tell you about your earthly treasures?
3) How do you invest in Heavenly treasures?  (Read 1 Tim 6:17 “Command those who are rich in this present world 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. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 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.”)
4) How is greed deceptive in your life? Do you either Self Justify or lack any sort of accountability?
5) Have you made luxuries into necessities?  what things? how could you simplify your life?
6) How should we handle ‘sales’ shopping as Christians? what are some of the hidden dangers?
7) Talk about how you find significance in things you spend your money on.
8) Read 1 Tom 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 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. 10 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.” How can we more content in life?
9) Talk about how you find security in money or wealth? 
10) How do you get the right balance between trusting God and living wisely?
11) How do you become someone who is secure in God’s love and provision for your life?
12) How are you going to respond to this preach?
13) Are there any needs in the community/in your mission group/in your local church that you could meet financially?
14) What do you worry about? And what does that tell you about what you are putting your trust in?

As this preach was put together rather hastily (our guest speaker had to cancel last minute) some of these points were taken from a brilliant preach by Tim Keller that can be found at this website: