When it comes to treasure, we are to give generously because Jesus is generous...

This week, we have been looking at the prevalent perception and objection that the church just wants your money. Yesterday, we asked the question “why is generosity important when it comes to following Jesus? And does God really expect us to be generous?” Today, as Paul continues in this letter, we see Paul answer these questions and reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to generosity and giving, beginning in 2 Corinthians 8:8:

I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

Paul explains to the church at Corinth the he is not commanding the church to finish and follow through on the commitment that they had previously made when it came to participating in the famine relief fund for the church at Jerusalem. Instead of giving an authoritative directive, Paul explains that their response to his call for them to finish what they started would be “proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.” But what does that mean?

When Paul uses the word prove here, he is explaining that he will draw a conclusion based on their response to Titus’ encouragement to finish what they started. The conclusion that Paul will draw will be in regard to the churches earnest and diligent commitment when it came to their relationship with Christ and His people who form the church.

In other words, Paul had seen the diligent commitment that the northern churches of Greece demonstrated when it came to following Christ and being a part of God’s kingdom mission in the world. Paul had seen their sincerity or their genuine and authentic love for God that drove and motivated their attitude of gratitude and actions of generosity. Paul had seen that the churches of Philippi and Thessalonica revealed and reflected Christ by how they loved and served those both near and far.

Now, Paul will be able to draw a conclusion as to how committed the church at Corinth is when it comes to following Jesus and being a part of His activity in the world. Paul will see what genuinely drove their relationship with God and His church. Is it gratitude and generosity, or is it something else? Now a natural pushback that many people experience at this point is “what does my generosity have to do with the genuineness or depth of my relationship with Christ”?

Paul provides the reason why our generosity, or lack of generosity, is a barometer as to the depth and sincerity of our relationship with Christ in verse 9; “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

And it is in this statement by Paul that we see provided for us the answer to the question “why should I give?” And that timeless answer is this: When it comes to treasure, we are to give generously because Jesus Christ is generous. This morning, Jesus Christ was and is rich. He is the hands of creation. He owns everything. Jesus Christ is rich spiritually, relationally, and materially. And Jesus is generous. Paul explains that Jesus is so generous that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor.

Now when Paul uses the word poor here, this word literally means to become poor as a beggar. Jesus entered into humanity and grew up in a blue collar home of a carpenter. During Jesus ministry He was homeless, relying on the support of others for food and shelter. Jesus left the riches of the glory and majesty of Heaven to live the life of a beggar on earth.

Paul then explains that the reason that Jesus left the riches of Heaven for the life of a beggar on earth was so that you through His poverty we might become rich. Jesus entered into humanity to live as a beggar and allowed Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives by dying the worst death possible by crucifixion so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life and bless us with the riches that come from the forgiveness of sin and the relationship with God that we were created for in Heaven.

And Jesus generosity had “no strings attached”; Jesus willingly became poor in order to provide us the opportunity to experience the riches of the life that we were created and called to live. I mean what did Jesus get out of the crucifixion? How did Jesus entry into humanity benefit Him?

And the churches of Philippi and Thessalonica and northern Greece got this reality. Their generosity flowed from an attitude of gratitude for what Christ had done to rescue them from their selfishness and sin. Their generosity flowed from a response of love and a desire to reflect the love of Christ to the church at Jerusalem and the world.

Paul saw this response to who Jesus was and what He had done for these churches as confirmation of the firm commitment that they had to Christ and His kingdom mission. And in the same way today, Christ’s generous willingness to leave the riches of the glory of Heaven to live a beggar’s life and die an excruciating death should drive us to live a life that is motivated by love and that reveals and reflects Christ’s generosity.

You see, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are to be generous because Jesus Christ is generous. And when we give generously, we reveal and reflect the generosity of Jesus to others. As a church, we do not ask followers of Jesus to give because we want your money. Instead, as a church, we invite followers of Jesus to respond to the generosity of Jesus by reflecting that generosity in a way that enables us as a church to create environments where people can explore, faith, grow in their faith and experience genuine and authentic community, so God’s kingdom mission can advance and God’s reputation can be enhanced.

So what does your generosity, or lack of generosity, say about your relationship with God? And what motivates you to be generous? Do you believe that Jesus is generous? And do you believe that you are to be generous because Jesus is generous? Does your generosity flow from an attitude of loving gratitude in response to Jesus is and what Jesus has done?

An Attitude of Gratitude and Actions of Generosity...

This week, we are talking about the prevalent perception and objection that the church just wants your money. Yesterday, we looked at a section of a letter in our Bibles called 2 Corinthians, were a man named Paul was surprised, and even taken aback, the attitude of gratitude and the actions of generosity that he experienced from two churches that were immersed in a culture of poverty and persecution. Today, we will see Paul unpack how these churches demonstrated their gratitude and generosity, beginning in 2 Corinthians 8:3:

For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

Here we see Paul sharing with the church at Corinth how he experienced the unexpected joyous gratitude and generosity of the churches. Now to fully understand how Paul experienced the gratitude and generosity of these churches, we first need to understand what Paul is referring to with the phrase “participation in the support of the saints”. When Paul talks about the support of the saints, he is referring to churches involvement in a special offering that was being taken for the church of Jerusalem, whose members were suffering as a result of a famine in the region.

In a previous letter to this church that is recorded for us in the Bible, called the book of 1 Corinthians, we discover that while other churches were following Paul’s instructions to invest their treasure to meet the needs of the church in Jerusalem, the church at Corinth was failing to follow through on their commitment. In verse three, Paul explains that, unlike the church at Corinth, these poor and persecuted churches were willingly investing their treasure to meet the needs of the church at Jerusalem.

You see, Paul did not have to make a sales pitch or a guilt trip to these churches. Instead, these churches heard of the need and were motivated to respond. As a matter a fact, they were so motivated to respond that they gave beyond their ability. In other words, they gave sacrificially. They responded to the need that they saw by pleading and appealing to Paul to be a part of God’s activity by meeting the pressing and practical needs of the church in Jerusalem. What makes this act by these poor churches so significant as compared to the inaction of the church at Corinth was the difference in the socio-economic condition of these churches.

The city of Corinth was a wealthy port city and commercial center and was a key player in the world economy. Unlike the churches of Philippi and Thessalonica, the members of the church at Corinth had the resources that they could easily invest to be a part of what God was doing to help the church at Jerusalem. So, while the wealthy church at Corinth was dragging their feet when it came to following through on their commitment, the persecuted and poor churches of northern Greece dove in head first in order to be a part of God’s activity in the world.

That is why, in verse 5, Paul makes the statement that he did not expect such gratitude and generosity. When Paul uses the phrase “gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God”, he is revealing for us the reality that these churches were first and foremost dedicated to God’s desires for their life and their investment and involvement in what He was doing in the world. And as a result of his experience with these churches in Northern Greece, Paul was provoked to respond. We see his response revealed for us in verses 6-7:

So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.

After experiencing God’s activity in the lives of these northern churches, Paul responded by sending Titus, who was partner of Paul’s who also planted a church on the island of Crete to Corinth in order to encourage the church to finish and follow through on the commitment that they had previously made when it came to participating in the famine relief fund for the church at Jerusalem.

Paul explains to the church that just as they have excelled in their confident trust in God; just as they excelled in what they comprehended and grasped about the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel; just as they excelled in what they said when it came to doctrine and theology; they were to excel when it came to being a part of God’s activity through this famine relief fund. You see, while the church at Corinth seemed to have their head, their mouth, and their heart engaged when it came to following Jesus, their hands were disengaged. While they excelled in many areas of what it means to follow Jesus, they were not excelling when it came to their generosity.

Now a natural question that may arise is “why is generosity important when it comes to following Jesus? And does God really expect us to be generous? I mean, so I do not normally give; does that really matter? And why should I be generous and give when it comes to the church? I mean, this is why I feel like churches are just interested in my money.”

If these are questions or objections that you have or have heard others have when it comes to the subject of giving and generosity, I just want to let you know that these are fair questions to be asking.

Tomorrow, we will see Paul answer these questions and reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to generosity and giving…

A Common Perception About the Church and Money...

For the past several weeks, we have been looking at what the Bible has to say about the subject of money and finances. This week, I would like for us to look at a very common perception and objection that many people have when it comes to the church and the issue of money. And that perception and one or the major objections to the church, and to Christianity in general, is the belief that the church just wants your money.

Maybe I have just described the perception and objection that you have had with Christianity and the church. Maybe you keep Christianity and the church at arm’s length because you believe that the church is all about the money. Maybe you have encountered Christians or churches that give that perception.

So, is the church all about the money? And even if you do not believe that the church just wants your money, then why is it we can tend to get so uncomfortable when the issue of money and giving is brought up in church? And why do churches pass the plate and take an offering? Do they take the offering because God needs the money? Or is it just because the pastor needs the money? Why does the church ask Christians to give every week?

So this week I would like us to focus on this issue of giving and specifically answer the question “why should I give?” And to answer this question, I would like for us to spend our time together looking at a section of a letter that a man named Paul wrote to a church that was located in Corinth Greece called 2^nd Corinthians. The section that we are going to spend our time in begins in 2 Corinthians 8:1. Let’s look at it together:

Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the church in Corinth by sharing with them the evidence of God’s activity in and through several churches that were located in Macedonia. These were churches that Paul had previously planted in the cities of Philippi and Thessalonica, which were located in the northern region of Greece. And in our Bibles today, we have several letters that were written to these churches. The book of Philippians and the books of 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians were written to these very churches at around the same time that this letter was written to the church at Corinth.

Paul explains to the church at Corinth, which was located in southern Greece, that in spite of the trouble and distress that these churches were experiencing as a result of persecution and exploitation by the Roman government, that these churches were marked by an unexpected joy. In spite of their outward circumstances, these churches demonstrated an attitude and mindset of gratitude and gladness.

But not only did this church demonstrate unexpected joy in the midst of their persecution. Paul also reveals for us the reality that these churches experienced deep poverty. What is so interesting is that this phrase, in the language that this letter was written in, literally means that their poverty was so significant and extreme that is was difficult to measure. The apostle Paul had a hard time wrapping his mind around how poor these followers of Jesus were.

Yet, in spite of their extreme poverty and the intense persecution they were facing, these churches were extremely rich when it came to their generosity. The phrase the wealth of their liberality, if communicated in the language of our culture today, would sound something like this: “these churches had a ‘no strings attached’ approach when it came to their goodness and generosity.

You see, Paul was surprised, and even taken aback, by their attitude of gratitude and the actions of generosity that he experienced at these churches that were immersed in a culture of poverty and persecution.

Tomorrow, we will see Paul unpack how these churches demonstrated their gratitude and generosity…

Living so that those who look down on your youth have to look up to Christ in you...

This week, we are talking about the tension that can exist between generations. Yesterday, we saw a member of the older generation, a man named Paul, write to a member of the younger generation, a man named Timothy. And in the first part of 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul commanded Timothy to let no one look down on his youthfulness. In other words, Paul is commanding Timothy, and those of the younger generation throughout history, to not give the older generation a reason to despise and look down on you because of your age.

Today, we will see Paul, after telling Timothy what not to do; after commanding Timothy not to give the older generation a reason to despise and look down on him because of his youth, then tells Timothy what he needs to do as a member of the younger generation as he engages those of the older generation in the second half of verse 12:

but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.

Paul commands Timothy to show yourself an example of those who believe. This little phrase show yourself and example, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to be a model or an example of someone of something. What Timothy was to be an example of; what Timothy was to model, was of those who believe. In other words, Paul is commanding Timothy to model a devotion to Christ based on his confident trust in the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. Timothy was to respond to those who despised, disrespected, and devalued him because he was young by revealing and reflecting Christ to them.

And it is here that we see Paul provide for us a timeless principle that enables the younger generation to navigate through the tension and frustration that you will experience as you transition to a new stage of life. And that timeless principle is this: Live your life so that those who look down on your youth have to look up to Christ in you. Paul here is commanding Timothy to live his day to day life in a way that responds to those who look down on his youth to have to look up to Christ that is being revealed and reflected through his life.

And in the same way today, as the younger generation that is transitioning through the tension of moving from adolescence to adulthood, you are to engage that tension and that frustration in a way that reveals and reflects Christ to those who may despise, disrespect, and devalue you simply because you are young.

Now a natural question that arises here is “well Dave that sounds great, but what does that practically look like in my day to day life? What does a life that responds to those who look down on my youth to have to look up to Christ look like?” Fortunately for us, Paul provides us five different aspects of our lives that God desires to use in order that we live our day to day lives in a way that causes others to look up to Christ in us.

First, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ in our speech. In other words, what we say should reveal Christ in us. Instead of engaging in conversations that give ammunition or wood to fuel their feelings of disrespect that one may have for the younger generation, Paul is calling for conversations that reveal and reflect the message and teachings of Jesus and how he would respond when He was despised or disrespected.

So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Do your conversations reveal and reflect the message and teachings of Jesus when you are disrespected? How are you responding verbally when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?

Second, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ in our conduct. In other words, what we do in terms of our way of living life, or our behavior, should reveal Christ in us. Instead of engaging in activities or conduct that give ammunition or wood to fuel their feelings of disrespect that one may have for the younger generation, Paul is calling for a way of life and conduct that reveals and reflects the message and teachings of Jesus and how he would respond when He was despised or disrespected.

So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Does your conduct reveal and reflect the message and teachings of Jesus when you are disrespected? How are you responding with your actions when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?

Third, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ through love. In other words, there should be the evidence of an other-centered warm regard and interest in another that reveals the love of Christ in us. Instead of displaying emotions of anger, hate, or bitterness that give ammunition or wood to fuel their feelings of disrespect that one may have for the younger generation, Paul is calling for a life that reflects the love of Christ and how Christ would respond when He was despised or disrespected.

So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Does you reflect the love of Christ when you are disrespected? How are you responding with your emotions when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?

Fourth, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ through our faith. In other words, there should be the evidence of a confident trust in the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel that reveals Christ in us. Paul here is calling for a life that places it confident trust in Christ when we experience disrespect and the feeling of being devalued by those who are of the older generation.

So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Do you reflect a confident trust in Christ when you are disrespected? How are you responding when it comes to where you are placing your trust in when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?

And fifth, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ through our purity. In other words, what others around us see in the quality of our moral character should reveal Christ in us. Instead of reflecting a character that has been corrupted by selfishness and rebellion and that gives ammunition or wood to fuel their feelings of disrespect that one may have for the younger generation, Paul is calling for a level of moral character that reveals and reflects the message and teachings of Jesus and how He would respond when He was despised or disrespected.

So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Does your character reveal and reflect the message and teachings of Jesus when you are disrespected? How does your character impact how you respond when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?


You see, students, young adults, those of us in the younger generation, while there are some things in life that we have no control over, all of these are areas in our lives where we have total control, don’t we? We have total control over the content of our conversations. We have total control over our conduct. We have total control over whether or not we reflect the love of Christ to others. We have total control when it comes to our confident trust in Christ. We have total control when it comes to our character.

And when we engage that tension and that frustration that comes from those who may despise, disrespect, and devalue us simply because you are young in a way that reveals and reflects Christ, they are forced to look past us and to Christ in us.

So, younger generation, are you living your lives in a way that those who look down on your youth have to look up to Christ in you?

Looking Down On The Younger Generation...

This week, we are talking about the tension that so often exists between the generations. Yesterday, we talked about the reality that, so often, it seems that our default mode apart from Jesus and the Holy Spirits activity in our lives is for the younger generation to discount the older generation as being “out of touch with reality” and view their desire to share their life’s experiences with skepticism.

And in a section of a letter that a member of the older generation named Paul wrote to a member of the younger generation named Timothy, we discovered that this discounting, disrespect, and skepticism that Timothy faced would result in Timothy becoming engaged in dissension, division, and a loss of credibility for Timothy. And it is in this context that Paul makes this statement to Timothy. So let’s look at this statement together, which is found in 1 Timothy 4:12. Paul begins by telling Timothy what not to do, which we see in the first part of verse 12:

Let no one look down on your youthfulness,

Now this little phrase let no one look down, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to look down on someone with contempt as one who has little value. This refers to a person who despises another. By youthfulness, Paul is referring to being young in terms of age. This is not age in terms of maturity; this is age in terms of appearance. Apparently there were members at the church of Ephesus who despised and disrespected Timothy because he was young. There were members of the church at Ephesus that placed little value in what Timothy had to say or in his leadership because of his age.

And unfortunately, for students and young adults, the harsh reality is that there are individuals who you will engage now and in the future, who will despise you, disrespect you, and devalue you and your opinion simply because of your age. Now, if you are a student or a young adult, a natural pushback or objection here to Paul’s command could be this: Well Dave, I have no control over people who look down on my simply because I am young. So why would Paul command me to do something that I have no control over.

If you are resonating with that objection, I want to let you know that you are asking great questions. And my response to those objections; my response to that pushback is this; Paul is making this command not so that you would attempt to control the opinions and responses of others that you cannot control. Instead Paul is commanding you to control what you can control. And what you can control is how you respond when the older generation despises or looks down on you simply because of your age.

In other words, Paul is commanding Timothy, and those of the younger generation throughout history, to not give the older generation a reason to despise and look down on you because of your age. Paul is commanding Timothy to not give the older generation any ammunition for their guns that they can use to fire shots that devalue the younger generation. Paul is commanding Timothy to not give the older generation wood that they can put on the fire to fuel their feelings of disrespect that they may have for the younger generation.

You see, for those in the younger generation, we have total control of what we say and what do when it comes to our response and how we engage the older generation. We have total control over our attitudes and our actions towards the older generation. Paul, after telling Timothy what not to do; after commanding Timothy not to give the older generation a reason to despise and look down on him because of his youth, then tells Timothy what he needs to do as a member of the younger generation as he engages those of the older generation in the second half of verse 12.

Tomorrow, we will look at what Paul has to say next…

The Tension Between Generations...

This past weekend, we paused as a church to celebrate the accomplishments of students who are graduating High School and beginning the next chapter of their lives. Actually, these students are not simply receiving a piece of paper that that tells them that they have completed their High School education. You see, the issue that these students face is not simply one of graduation; for these students, the issue that they face is one of transition. A transition from living at home to living away from home.

A transition from attending High School to attending college, trade school, or no school. A transition from working on homework for a grade to working on a job for a paycheck. A transition from being dependent to being independent. And for many, this time of transition is an emotional rollercoaster that combines the joy that comes with freedom and independence mixed with a fear and uncertainty that comes from moving forward away from the certainty that they have previously experienced.

This is a time of transition where these young men and women must wrestle with the tension of moving from adolescence to adulthood. A tension where, on the one hand they are expected to assume a greater level of responsibility while, on the other hand, they are not given the opportunity to assume that responsibility. A tension where, on the one hand, they are filled with a vision and a passion to make a difference in the world while, on the other hand, they are told that they are too young to make a difference in the world. A tension where they are young enough to be still have a belief that they can make a difference in the world and are not old enough to have been infected with the skepticism that cannot make a difference.

A tension that results in frustration when they are told that they need to grow up, but are not given the opportunity to show that they have grown up. A tension that results in frustration when the bar of expectations is low and the skepticism that they can reach those expectations is high. A tension that results in frustration when they are viewed as the church of the future instead of the church of the present.

So this week, I would like for us to engage the younger generation and answer a question that flows from this tension. And that question is this: How should the younger generation respond to those around them who tell them that they are too young to make a difference? How should the younger generation respond when the older generation looks at them with skepticism? How should the younger generation respond when they believe that they are devalued and discounted by the older generation?

What is so interesting is that this tension, this frustration, and this question is not a new question. This tension between generations and the frustration that arises from this tension has been around for 2,000 years. And in a letter that is recorded for us in the Bible, we see a member of the older generation named Paul write a letter to a member of the younger generation named Timothy. And it is in this letter that Paul makes a statement that provides for us a timeless principle for the next generation; a timeless principle that enables the younger generation to navigate through this tension and frustration as they transition to a new stage of life.

Before we look at this statement, which is found in a letter in the New Testament of our Bibles called 1 Timothy, we first need to understand the context in which this statement was made.  The letter of 1 Timothy was written to a first century church that was located in a city in modern day Turkey named Ephesus. The church at Ephesus had been planted by a man named Paul, who had traveled to this region around 55 A.D. Nine years after planting the church of Ephesus, Paul decided to write a letter to Timothy, who was the Senior Pastor at the church of Ephesus. Paul provides the reason for his letter in 1 Timothy 1:3-5:

As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in order to command him to make sure to confront any doctrine, or what we teach about God, that is contrary to the message and teachings of Jesus and the Bible. The motivation that was to drive such a confrontation was to be from a devotion to God and was to reflect the devotion that the church at Ephesus had for God and one another.

The problem that Timothy faced, however, was that people were not being very loving to Timothy. You see, Timothy was much younger than Paul and many of the members at the church of Ephesus. In the very beginning of this letter, Paul refers to Timothy as his true child in the faith. In the opening verses of another letter that Paul wrote to Timothy, called 2 Timothy, Paul refers to Timothy as my beloved son.

And what was happening to Timothy was that the members of the church of Ephesus viewed Paul in a much different light than they viewed Timothy. Paul, who most scholars believe was in his mid 50’s, was viewed as a respected leader and elder statesman in this new movement called Christianity, while Timothy, who most scholars believe was in his mid 30’s, was the new kid on the block. The Apostle Paul was viewed as the teacher, while Timothy was viewed as the student. The Apostle Paul was viewed as the master, while Timothy was viewed as the apprentice.

As a result of how the members of the church viewed Timothy, Paul was concerned that he would face increasing resistance and opposition to his leadership and his direction as he confronted those who were teaching what was contrary to the message and teachings of Jesus. Paul was concerned that those at the church at Ephesus would be unloving towards Timothy because of his age.

Has anything changed? You see, this tension and frustration between generations is not a new problem; this tension between generations is a human nature problem. So often, it seems that our default mode apart from Jesus and the Holy Spirits activity in our lives is for the older generation to discount the younger generation’s passion and view their desire to change the world with skepticism. And so often, it seems that our default mode apart from Jesus and the Holy Spirits activity in our lives is for the younger generation to discount the older generation as being “out of touch with reality” and view their desire to share their life’s experiences with skepticism.

And it is this discounting, disrespect, and skepticism that Paul feared Timothy would become engaged in and would result in dissension, division, and a loss of credibility for Timothy. If Timothy did not handle this situation correctly, he would lose his ability to be the vehicle that God used to reveal His Son Jesus and advance His kingdom mission in his area of influence. And it is in this context that Paul makes this statement to Timothy.

Tomorrow, we will take a look at this statement…

How Should We Invest?

This week, we have been looking at the issue of investing. Yesterday, we saw Solomon reveal for us the timeless principle that when it comes to treasure, those who fail to plan for the future financially plan to fail financially in the future. Solomon wanted humanity throughout history to clearly understand that there are seasons in our lives where we have the ability and opportunity to prepare financially for the seasons in our lives where will not have the ability or opportunity to do so.

Those who plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings demonstrate the wisdom, the developed skill for living life that brings the positive result of being prepared for that future when it arrives. Those who fail to plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings reveal the reality that followed a faulty plan that resulted in them failing to be prepared financially for that future when it arrives.

Today, I would like us to look at some guiding principles that the Bible provides when it comes to investing. We discover a first guiding principle a little further in the Book of Proverbs, in Proverbs 21:5:

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

In this proverb, we see Solomon provide for us a contrast of two types of investors. One type of investor is diligent. Diligence, simply put, is thoughtful and industrious plodding. This is a person who carefully and thoughtfully makes calculations and plans when it comes to investing. Solomon states for this type of investor, the result is advantage. In other words their investments make steady progress over time that leads to abundance.

Solomon then contrasts the diligent investor with the hasty investor. The hasty investor makes quick decisions without careful thought. The hasty investor is making the plan up as they go along and often changes that plan without much though as they go along. The hasty investor is looking to get rich quick. Solomon states that for this type of investor, the result is poverty.

Solomon here is revealing for us the reality that investing requires diligence. Investing is not a get rich quick endeavor. Investing requires careful and thoughtful planning and the diligence to stick with the plan and not become distracted by a get rich quick scheme. Because usually, the people who become rich in the get rich quick scheme is not the investor, it is the one who is running the investment. Take Bernie Madolf, as the most recent example.

But not only does investing require diligence; in Ecclesiastes 11:1-2, we see Solomon reveal for us a second guiding principle when it comes to investing. Let’s discover that guiding principle together:

Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.

Here we see Solomon paint for us a word picture designed to reveal a guiding principle in investing. To fully understand the word picture, however, we first need to understand what Solomon means when he uses the phrase “Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days”. In Solomon’s day, as it is today, some trade and commerce was conducted over the waterways. Unlike today, however, maritime trade involved to use of wind power. In addition, ships were made of wood. As a result, maritime commerce was much riskier that commerce conducted over land.

Solomon uses this word picture to explain that just like maritime trade, investing is risky. Just like maritime trade, there is the possibility of loss when it comes to investing. Yet, in spite of the risks that are involved, the Jewish people still went ahead and engaged in maritime trade. And in the same way, despite the risks of investing, we should engage in investing.

Solomon then describes how we should engage in investing so that we manage the risk of investing in verse 2. Because there is danger in maritime trade, what traders would do is run several small ships that left at differing times instead of running one larger ship on a single load. That way, if misfortune struck, you would not lose the entire product that was being traded.

Solomon uses this word picture to reveal for us the reality that investing requires diversity. Instead of investing all of our resources in a single investment, we reduce the risks that come in investing by diversifying our investments. We even have a phrase in our culture for this, don’t we? “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”.

When we diversify our investments, we reduce risk and demonstrate wise management and planning for our future that results in a positive return on our investment. And there are many financial advisors that apply the principles of diligence and diversity when it comes to investing. Because, the timeless reality is that when it comes to treasure, those who fail to plan for the future financially plan to fail financially in the future.

So how are you doing when it comes to investing? Are you planning for the future financially?

When it comes to treasure, those who fail to plan for the future financially plan to fail financially in the future.

This week, we have been looking at the issue of investing. Yesterday, we discovered that the reason why investing is so important is because the average American is three weeks away from bankruptcy. The average American is three weeks away from bankruptcy because they have either no emergency fund or short terms saving, significant consumer or mortgage debt, or a combination of the two. After missing one paycheck, the average American is in a position, where they do not have the financial resources to pay their bills apart from going deeper into debt.

And this problem is not a new problem. In Proverbs 6:6, we looked at a man named Solomon engage a sluggard, who is one who lives a life that is reactive in nature and whose lifestyle is marked by lethargy, laziness, and a lack of motivation. Solomon commands such a person to go to the ant and observe her ways. If Solomon was to communicate this command in the language we use in our culture today, this command would sound something like this: “your lifestyle of laziness and lethargy is not going to bring you positive results, so go learn from the ant so that you can develop some skills for living life that will bring you positive results”. Solomon then describes to the sluggard the wisdom of the ant that produces such positive results in verse 7:

Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.

To understand what Solomon is communicating here, we first need to define some terms. When Solomon refers to the ant having no chief, he is explaining that the any has no leader giving him commands or directions to follow. An officer, in the language that this letter was originally written in was a term that was used to describe an accountant or record keeper. When Solomon refers to a ruler, he is referring to someone who exercises dominion or authority over another.

Solomon’s point is that the ant does not have anyone giving orders as to what they should be doing. The ant does not have anyone keeping track or record of what they are doing. The ant does not have anyone that they have to report to who holds them accountable for what they do. Yet, in spite of the fact that the ant has no one in authority over them that gives them direction and holds them accountable, Solomon states that the ant prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.

In the agrarian culture of Solomon’s day, there were seasons of the year where food grew and there were seasons of the year where food would not grow. And in such a culture the summer and the fall were the prime times when food needed to be gathered, prepared, and stored so that it would be available during the winter and spring months when food was scarce. For the ant to survive, the ant must harvest his food the right way at the right time.

And Solomon’s point is that no one needed to motivate the ant; no one needed to record the ant’s progress in order to hold them accountable; no one needed to exercise dominion or rule over the ant in order for the ant to do what they needed to do in order to survive. Solomon then asks the sluggard a very pointed question in verse 9:

How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest "—

In other words, Solomon asks the sluggard “how much longer are you going to stay sleeping? How much longer are you going to lay on the couch napping your life away? When are you going to get up from your lazy and lethargic lifestyle that just sleeps through life and get to work? You see, there are seasons in our lives that are like the summer and fall for the ant. These are the seasons in our lives when we are physically and emotionally in a condition where we can earn income.

For most Americans, the prime income earning years range from 22-65 years old. In other words, we have a 40-45 year window that is our summer and fall seasons in our life. We have a 40-45 year window in which to prepare and gather the resources that are necessary for the later years of our lives.

And, just like the ant, for us to survive financially in the seasons of life when we will no longer be able to prepare and gather financial resources, we must harvest those financial resources the right way at the right time. The sluggard, however, was content to spend the time that he should have been gathering, preparing and storing those resources being lazy and lethargic.

Solomon then reveals the slogan of the sluggard that reveals their lazy, lethargic, and reactive lifestyle: "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest ". I have time to kick back and relax. I will deal with that later”. The folding of hands is a gesture that demonstrates something isn’t it? I mean, when I fold my hands, what am I saying? I’m saying “I refuse; I am defiant.” The sluggard’s attitude is “I refuse to do what I should be doing; instead I am going to kick back and take it easy”.

Solomon is revealing the reality that the sluggard refuses and instead attempts to escape the responsibility that they have to save and invest for their future. Solomon then reveals the consequences that such decisions have for the sluggard in verse 11:

Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.

When Solomon uses the word poverty here, this word is not referring to lack of riches. Instead a person in poverty lacks the necessities of life. A vagabond literally refers to a shiftless wanderer who has no means of support, but instead panhandles. In our culture today, a homeless person would be a word picture of this type of person. Solomon’s point here is that just as the easiest victim for a vagabond is the lazy person who is asleep and lacks the diligence and vigilance to prepare for the future and protect what he has, the person who fails to save or invest for the future places themselves in a position where their laziness and lack of vigilance makes them an easy victim for poverty.

Solomon then hammers his point home with another word picture, this time of an armed man attacking a defenseless person. And just as an armed man is able to take away what one has by force, poverty that results from a lack of preparation takes away a person’s money, possessions, and treasure by force, not stealth.

At it is in this proverb that we see Solomon reveal for us a timeless principle when it comes to the issue of investing. And that timeless principle is this: When it comes to treasure, those who fail to plan for the future financially plan to fail financially in the future. Solomon wanted his son, and humanity throughout history to clearly understand that there are seasons in our lives where we have the ability and opportunity to prepare financially for the seasons in our lives where will not have the ability or opportunity to do so.

Those who plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings demonstrate the wisdom, the developed skill for living life, that brings the positive result of being prepared for that future when it arrives. Those who fail to plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings reveal the reality that followed a faulty plan that resulted in them failing to be prepared financially for that future when it arrives.

Now, just as it was last week, you might be thinking “well Dave that is great; thanks for telling me this now, but where were you five years ago? And how am I supposed to invest anyways?” If that question is running through your mind, I have good news for you. And that good news is this: The Bible also provides some guiding principles when it comes to investing.

Tomorrow, we will look at those guiding principles…

Observing Investing...

For several weeks, we have been looking at what the Bible has to say about the subject of money and finances. This week, I would like to talk about a very practical and yet misunderstood aspect of how we manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have been given. And that aspect involves the issue of investing. My hope and prayer this week is that we would be able to wrap our heads and hearts around three specific answers to three specific questions.

First, my hope and prayer is that we would be able to wrap our minds around what investing is. In other words, that we would understand on a practical level what we are talking about when we talk about investing.

Second, my hope and prayer is that we would be able to wrap our minds around why we should invest. In other words, I want to answer the question why do I need to worry about invest? Does investing really matter?

And third, my hope and prayer is that we would be able to wrap our minds around how we should invest. In other words, in a practical way, how can we as individuals wisely invest the money and treasure we have been given? So let’s take each of these questions head on, one at a time, so that we would be able to come to discover the answers.

Investing, simply put, is making financial plans and provision for the future. Investing is the opposite of debt, which we talked about last week. Investing makes provision for tomorrow, while debt is presuming upon tomorrow. There are two types of investing. The first type of investing is called short term savings, which involves putting money aside that is easily and readily accessible to provide for emergencies or future purchases.

Dave Ramsey, who is a financial expert that I highly recommend, recommends that the first financial goal that one should have is to have $1,000 put away in an emergency fund, or short term savings. After achieving the second goal, which is to be debt free except for a house payment, Ramsey suggests that a person or family have between 3-6 months income set aside in what he calls a fully funded emergency fund, or short term savings account.

The second type of investing is long term savings, or investments, which are designed to provide for long term needs or goals. A question that often arises at this point is “well, Dave, why is that so important? And why should I really become so focused on savings or investing?” And this question or objection, whether or not it is verbalized, is apparent in the statistics of our culture when it comes to investing, especially short term savings.

Studies have discovered that the average American is three weeks away from bankruptcy. The average American is three weeks away from bankruptcy because they have either no emergency fund or short terms saving, significant consumer or mortgage debt, or a combination of the two.

Here is a question to consider? If you were somehow unable to work and earn a paycheck, how long would it be until you would be unable to pay your bills? For the average American, it is only three weeks. After missing one paycheck, the average American is in a position, where they do not have the financial resources to pay their bills apart from going deeper into debt.

And this problem is not a new problem. This is a problem that has been around for thousands of years. As a matter of fact, around 2,950 years ago, the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, wrote a proverb to his son that is recorded for us in our Bibles in the book of proverbs. A proverb is a little slice of truth about the way things generally happen in life.  And it is in a section of this proverb that we see revealed for us the reason why we should invest and why investing matters. So let’s look at this proverb together, beginning in Proverbs 6:6:

Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,

Here we see Solomon engaging a person who he refers to as a sluggard. Now a sluggard is someone who is lazy and sluggish. A sluggard is one who lives a life that is reactive in nature and whose lifestyle is marked by lethargy, laziness, and a lack of motivation. Solomon commands such a person to go to the ant and observe her ways.

If Solomon was to communicate this command in the language we use in our culture today, this command would sound something like this: I want you to go watch how an ant lives their life so that can learn something from the life of the ant that you have not learned in your own life.

Solomon then explains that what the sluggard, or lazy person, would learn from the lifestyle of the ant would make them wise. In the book of Proverbs, the phrase to be wise or the word wisdom refers to a developed skill for living life that brings positive results. In other words, Solomon is saying, “your lifestyle of laziness and lethargy is not going to bring you positive results, so go learn from the ant so that you can develop some skills for living life that will bring you positive results”.

Tomorrow, we will see Solomon describe to the sluggard the wisdom of the ant that produces such positive results…

Being Delivered from the Trap of Debt...

This week we have been talking about the issue of debt. Through Proverbs 22:7 and James 4:13-17, we saw God provide us a timeless principle when it comes to the issue of debt in that when it comes to treasure, debt reveals an arrogance that enslaves us. The timeless reality is that the temptation to get into debt is driven by an arrogance that blinds us to the reality that debt will enslave us. You see, awareness, leads to discontentment, which leads to debt. Oftentimes, we are perfectly content until we became aware that there is something better. And it was that awareness that can fuel an arrogant discontentment that can lead to debt.

Now you may be thinking “well Dave that is great; thanks for telling me this now, but where were you five years ago? I am in debt now, how am I supposed to get out of debt?” If that question is running through your mind, I have good news for you. And that good news is that the Bible also provides a strategy on how to get out of debt; a strategy that we find back in the book of Proverbs. So let’s look at that strategy together, beginning in Proverbs 6:1:

My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, Have given a pledge for a stranger, If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, Have been caught with the words of your mouth,

In this proverb, we see Solomon addressing the issue of debt with his son by providing an example of what not to do. To understand the example, however, we first need to define some terms. When Solomon uses the word surety, he is referring to a person who pledges to guarantee the debt of another. The word pledge here refers to making a down payment that serves to seal a financial agreement. In our culture today, we refer to this as being a cosigner on a loan. Solomon is providing an example of a person who provides the down payment and cosigns on a loan for another that commits them to be responsible to pay off the loan if the person defaults on the loan.

Notice how Solomon describes this financial arrangement in verse 2: “If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, have been caught with the words of your mouth”. Solomon uses a hunting metaphor that paints a picture of an animal being caught by the bait if a trap to describe how a person becomes caught by the bait of debt by making the commitment to enter into such a financial arrangement as a cosigner.

Here’s the timeless principle that Solomon provides in these verses: Never, ever, ever, be a cosigner for a loan. There is a reason why that bank is not willing to lend that person money. And that reason is because the bank views that person as being a serious risk to fail to pay back the loan. There is myriad of landmines that surround the idea of cosigning for someone else, especially when it involves family. After providing the example of debt, Solomon then provides a strategy for getting out of debt in verse 3:

Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor. Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;

Solomon provides three his son three specific commands in order to deliver, or free himself from the trap of debt that he had become caught in. Solomon’s first command is to go. In other words, Solomon is revealing the reality that debt is a serious and urgent problem that requires immediate attention. Debt does not resolve itself; the trap of debt needs to be attacked immediately and aggressively. Second, Solomon commands his son to humble yourself. What is so interesting is that this command, in the letter that this language was originally written in, literally means to exert yourself to the point of exhaustion through persistence. Solomon’s point behind this command is that getting out of debt requires strenuous effort. While it does not take much effort to get into debt, it takes a great deal of effort to get out of debt.

Third, Solomon commands his son to importune the lender. This word literally means to plead your case aggressively or to badger someone. In other words, Solomon is encouraging his son to consistently and persistently speak to the lender to attempt to negotiate a situation where the debt could be paid off sooner or with terms that are more reasonable. In verse 4, Solomon then reinforces these commands with two additional admonitions: Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. Solomon’s point is that we are not to be lazy when it comes to dealing with our debt. Instead we are to deal with the debt immediately. Solomon then paints an amazing word picture to summarize his strategy in verse 5:

Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter's hand And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Solomon provides a word picture that, while we may never have experienced firsthand, almost all of us have seen this picture unfold, haven’t we? I mean, at some point in our lives all of us have seen this picture play out, either on wild kingdom growing up or on natural geographic today. You know the picture: “Jim, here we see the gazelle grazing in the African tundra. Just look at what a beautiful animal the gazelle is. Oh, now we see the cheetah, as the hunter, begin to stalk his prey”.

Have you ever noticed that the humans never warn the gazelle? Separate talk. We all know what happens next, don’t we? Sure we do- there is going to be a chase; the cheetah is going to chase the gazelle. And one of two things is going to happen: either the cheetah will catch the gazelle and have dinner, or the gazelle is going to escape.

Now here is the question: Are either the cheetah or the gazelle casual about what is happening? Does either the cheetah or the gazelle seem to be lazily going through the motions? No, there is intensity there; I mean that is why we lean to the edge of our seat; that is why we do not change the channel; that is what we watch. There is an adrenaline rush and intensity that occurs. And it is with that same intensity that Solomon wants his son to display as he attacks the debt that he has become enslaved to. As Dave Ramsey so famously states when referring to this passage “we need to attack debt with a gazelle like intensity”.

You see getting out of debt is like dieting. Seriously. Debt and dieting are really both quite simple. We all know that we gain weight when we eat more calories than we expend. And is the same way we get into debt when we spend more money than we earn. Similarly, we all know that we lose weight when we burn more calories than we eat. And, in the same way, we get out of debt by making more money than we spend.

The problem isn’t in understanding how to diet or get out if debt; the problem is in our behavior when it comes to dieting or getting out of debt. And to get out of debt, we need to, with gazelle like intensity, make more money than we spend and then take that money to pay off the debt. It is as simple as that. Whether it is working two or three jobs in order to pay off the debt; whether it is spending significantly less money than in the past; whether it is a combination of the two; to get out of debt requires an intense and a persistent commitment to do so.

Because, as we have seen, when it comes to treasure, debt reveals an arrogance that enslaves us.

So, are you in debt? And if you are in debt, what are you doing to get out of debt?

Debt Reveals an Arrogance that Enslaves Us...

This week, we are looking at the issue of debt. Yesterday we looked at the state of debt in our culture. In addition, we saw that one of the reasons that debt is such a big deal is because debt is slavery, pure and simple. In Proverbs 22:7, we discovered that debt removes the freedom that we should have as followers of Jesus and instead makes us a slave to the responsibilities that are placed upon us by financial institutions.

But not only does debt matter because of the fact that debt is slavery. In a section of a letter that is recorded in the New Testament of our Bibles today, we see James, the half brother of Jesus address why debt is such a big deal. And it is in this section of this letter that we see revealed for us the underlying motivation that often drives us into debt. So let’s look at this section of this letter together, beginning in James 4:13:

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 will live and also do this or that."

In these verses, we see James provide an illustration that will serve to uncover why debt is such a big deal. In this illustration, a person that we would call a venture capitalist in our culture today is making plans to travel to a city and start a new business. This person assumes that they will be able to have the ability to recoup their initial start up expenses and make a profit as a result of hard work over time. However, look at James response to that assumption in verse 14: “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”.

And it is in this word picture that we see James reveal for us the reality that debt presumes upon tomorrow. When we go into debt, we are presuming several things. First, we are presuming that we will be around long enough to pay off that debt. We are presuming that we will not lose our lives during the period that we are under that debt. Second, we are presuming that we will be healthy enough to work in order to pay that debt. We are presuming that we will not become injured or suffer an illness that would hinder us from working. Third, we are presuming that we will have the resources to pay off the debt. We are assuming that we will have a job. And in some cases, we enter into a debt assuming that our income will increase during the period of that debt.

Now here is something to consider: Are any of those presumptions iron-clad guarantees? Are you guaranteed that you will be alive for the term of that debt? Are you guaranteed that you will be healthy enough to work for the term of that debt? Are you guaranteed to have a job the entire term of that debt? When we enter into debt, we presume upon tomorrow. Now a natural question that arises here is “Why would we make that kind of presumption?” James answers that question for us in James 4:16-17:

But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Here we see James explain that those who presume upon tomorrow by entering into debt are not placing their confident trust in God and the word of God for direction. Instead, those who presume upon tomorrow when it comes to debt boast in your arrogance. In other words those who presume on tomorrow by entering into debt today take pride in their prideful self reliance. They take pride in their position, they take pride in their personality, and they take pride in their ability. And in that arrogance they presume that they will always be able to pull it off financially; that life will always be bigger and better.

And it is this arrogance that drives a person to enter into debt. James response to such arrogant self reliance is that all such boasting is evil. This word evil, in the language that this letter is originally written in, refers to something that is morally and socially worthless. James’ point here is that it is morally and socially worthless to live a life that arrogantly presumes upon tomorrow by accumulating debt today.

But not only is it morally and socially worthless to arrogantly presume upon tomorrow by accumulating debt today; James explains that a life that arrogantly presumes upon tomorrow in such a way is sin. Notice what James says in verse 17: Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. As we have seen throughout this series, the Bible provides principles and practices when it comes to how we are handle the money, possessions, and treasure that we have while here on earth.

Yet, when we know the right thing to do when it comes to how we are to handle the treasure we have been given, but refuse to do the right thing, we are selfishly rebelling against God and the word of God. And it is in these two passages that we see God provide us a timeless principle when it comes to the issue of debt. And that timeless principle is this: When it comes to treasure, debt reveals an arrogance that enslaves us. The timeless reality is that the temptation to get into debt is driven by an arrogance that blinds us to the reality that debt will enslave us.

Let me give you a practical example of how this can play out. When Julie and I moved to Bullhead City in 2006, we purchased a home in Sun Mission Resort. And we love our home. Then one evening, we ended up driving through Laughlin Ranch. As we drove through Laughlin Ranch, we became aware that there were larger and nicer homes than the one we purchased. And as we became aware that there was something out there bigger and better than what we had, we became discontented. Something within us said “Wow these are nicer houses. My house is not nearly as nice as these houses. I wish we had a nicer house like these. And you know what, I deserve a house like this”.

And at that point, as a result of this arrogance and pride that begins to well up within us, there is a temptation, isn’t there. And that temptation is to go down to the bank and try to get a loan that I may not be able to afford so that I can live in a house that I think I deserve. You see, awareness, leads to discontentment, which leads to debt. I was perfectly content with the house that I had until I became aware that there was something better. And it was that awareness that fueled an arrogant discontentment that can lead to debt.

Now you may be thinking “well Dave that is great; thanks for telling me this now, but where were you five years ago? I am in debt now, how am I supposed to get out of debt?” If that question is running through your mind, I have good news for you. And that good news is that the Bible also provides a strategy on how to get out of debt; a strategy that we find back in the book of Proverbs.

Tomorrow, we will look at that strategy together…

Does Debt Matter?

This week I would like to address an issue that has been prevalent and prominent in the conversations that we have been having as a culture when it comes to money, possessions, and treasure. And that issue is the issue of debt. My hope and prayer this morning is that we would be able to wrap our heads and hearts around three specific answers to three specific questions. First, my hope and prayer is that we would be able to wrap our minds around the state of debt in our culture today. In other words, that we would understand on a practical level what the financial state of our culture is in when it comes to the issue of debt.

Second, my hope and prayer is that we would be able to wrap our minds around the significance of debt in our culture today. In other words, is the state of debt in our culture a big deal? Does debt really matter? And third, my hope and prayer is that we would be able to wrap our minds around a strategy that would enable us to get out of debt. In other words, in a practical way, how can we as individuals and as a culture begin to get out of debt?

So, what is the state of debt in our culture today? How are we doing individually? How are businesses and corporations doing? How is our country doing? How are we doing when it comes to this issue of debt? Let’s start with the national debt. The most recent projections estimate that our national debt is a little over 15 trillion dollars. Now, I don’t know about you, but the number 15 trillion is so large a number that I cannot seem to wrap my mind around it. So here is a mental picture to help. If you were to take dollar bills and lay them from end to end to signify our national debt, the distance that those dollar bills would stretch out to would be to the sun and back. Actually, they would not just go to the sun and back; they would go to the sun and back over 7 ½ times. That is how large a number that 15 trillion is; so, is our national debt significant?

Let’s talk about corporate debt, which is the amount of debt that corporations carry. The most recent projections, that I am aware of, estimate that the current corporate debt in the United States is approximately 2.5 trillion dollars. To give you a bit of perspective, the average corporation in the United States spends approximately 51 percent of their profits to simply pay the interest on their debt. So, is our corporate debt significant?

Then there is individual or personal debt. Studies have shown that the average family spends $400 dollars more than it earns each year. In addition, the average family in the United States spends 23% of their annual take home pay is to make payments on debt. While that number sounds o.k. at first, that number does not include mortgage payments. In other words, in addition to their house payment or rent, the average American family spends almost ¼ of their after tax money on consumer debt such as credit cards, car loans or leases, and the like. So, is our individual or personal debt significant?

Now this leads us to the second question, which is “is the state of debt in our culture a big deal? Does debt really matter? I mean, aren’t we simply going to grow our way out of debt, because that is what I hear on talk radio and T.V.” For those of you who may be here and believe that is that case, my answer is this:  remember what we talked about last week? The issue is not the amount of money, because making more money will not solve our financial problems. Instead more money only multiplies our financial problems.

And the Bible has a great deal to say about debt. In Proverbs 22:7, the writer of Proverbs, a man named Solomon, who was the wisest man who ever lived, writes a single proverb that provides us stunning clarity when it comes to the issue of debt. Let’s discover this proverb together:

The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave.

So, why is debt a big deal? According to Solomon, the reason why debt is a big deal; the reason why debt matters, is because the rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave. This little word rule here, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to exercise dominion or to Lord over someone. Solomon’s point is crystal clear: debt is slavery. Just as a slave has lost his freedom and is responsible to his master, a person who is in debt is no longer free. Instead, they are responsible to his or her master card. Or visa. Or car lease. Or adjustable rate mortgage that they entered into to be able to purchase that dream home. The person who is in debt has their life dictated to them by their debtors.

If you are here and do not think that is the case, then let me ask you this question. If your boss was willing to allow you to take off work for a few weeks, without pay, would you have the freedom to do that? If, not, why not? “Well Dave, there is no way that I could do that. I have bills to pay: You know car payments, credit card payments, student loan payments”. So here is my question: Do you have freedom, or are you a slave to the debtors as a result of the debt that you have? Do you have the freedom to use God’s treasure to reflect His generosity and advance His kingdom, or is God’s treasure wholly committed to the financial responsibilities that you are enslaved to as a result of debt?

You see, debt is slavery, pure and simple. Debt removes the freedom that we should have as followers of Jesus and instead makes us a slave to the responsibilities that are placed upon us by financial institutions. But not only does debt matter because of the fact that debt is slavery. In a section of a letter that is recorded in the New Testament of our Bibles today, we see James, the half brother of Jesus address why debt is such a big deal. And it is in this section of this letter that we see revealed for us the underlying motivation that often drives us into debt.

Tomorrow we will look at this section of this letter…

When It Comes To Treasure, The Measure For How We Manage God's Treasure Is Faithfulness...

This week, we are looking at what the Bible teach when it comes to how we are to manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have on earth. We are asking the question: “Will we be held accountable for how we manage all that God owns? And if that is that case; if we will be held accountable, then what is the standard we will be held to? How will God measure and judge our management?”

Yesterday, we looked at a section of a parable where Jesus revealed the reality that those who are His followers will demonstrate the proof of their faith and their relationship with Him by how trustworthy they are in handling the money, possessions, and treasure of this world. We know this to be the case because of what Jesus says next in Luke 16:10-13. When we read the accounts of Jesus life that are recorded for us in the Bible, Jesus often will first tells a parable and then explain the parable to His confused followers.

In Luke 16:1-9, Jesus tells the parable. And in Luke 16:10-13, we see Jesus explain the parable. And it is in His explanation that we see Jesus reveal for us a timeless principle about how God will measure and judge how we manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have been given. So let’s look at the explanation together beginning in verse 10:

"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.

After telling the parable, Jesus then explains that when it comes to how we handle the money possessions, and treasure we have been given, the issue is not about the amount of money, possessions, and treasure. In other words, Jesus is explaining to His disciples that the amount of treasure is not the issue. Jesus point is that the amount of treasure that one possesses does not make one more or less spiritual, because money, possessions, and treasure are amoral; they are not inherently good or evil. As we discovered a few weeks ago, however, the thing about treasure that makes it so powerful is that treasure exposes the motives of our hearts. That’s why we can find ourselves feeling so convicted, I mean uncomfortable when the subject of money, possessions, and treasure is brought up in church.

And it is here that we see Jesus reveal for us another timeless principle when it comes to how God will measure and judge how we manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have been given. And that timeless principle is this: When it comes to treasure, the measure for how we manage God’s treasure is faithfulness. When it comes how we will be judged as managers of God’s treasure, Jesus explains that the standard is faithfulness. Maybe you are here this morning and you are thinking “if I only had more money then everything would be OK. If I only had more money, I would be able to get out off debt and pay off my credit cards and make my house payments.” What Jesus is saying here is “no everything wouldn’t be ok”.

Jesus point in verse 10 is that the reason that we are in the financial situation that we are currently in, whether good or bad, is due to how we have managed the money, possessions, and treasure that we have been given. Just adding more money to the problem does not solve the problem, because the problem is not a lack of money; the problem is a lack of faithfulness with the money that we have been given. Jesus point here is that if we are unfaithful, we are unfaithful; whether it is with $10, $100, or $1,000,000. After exposing the problem, Jesus continues by explaining the implications that the level of our faithfulness with money, possession, and treasure can have on our relationship with God in Luke 16:11-12:

"Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? "And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?

In these verses, Jesus reveals for us the reality that how we handle money, possessions, and treasure here on earth impacts the depth of our relationship with God and our spiritual maturity. Jesus uses two rhetorical questions to hammer His point home. First, in verse 11, Jesus asks “if you have been unfaithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, then who will entrust true riches to you?” Jesus was not looking for the disciples to answer the question, because the answer to the question is obvious.

Jesus point here is that if we are unable to demonstrate faithfulness with the temporary treasure that we are given while on earth, then we will be unable to demonstrate faithfulness with the vastly greater spiritual treasure that flow out of a growing and maturing relationship with Him. And so we can find ourselves in a place where we are not growing spiritually in our relationship with Jesus because Jesus is not going to give to us the true treasure that flows out of a growing and maturing relationship with Him if we fail to demonstrate faithfulness with the temporary things of this earth, including money, possessions, and treasure.

And to hammer His point home, Jesus asks a second rhetorical question in verse 12: “If you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” Again, Jesus is not looking for an answer, because the answer is painfully apparent. Jesus point is that is we are unfaithful with someone else’s treasure, we prove to be unworthy of being given anything of our own.

For example, let’s say that you have a teenage son or daughter that continually uses your car. And they want you to go out and buy them a car of their own. Yet every time they borrow your car they leave it a mess; they use all the gas; they don’t take care of it; and they get in several accidents. So are you going to give them thousands of dollars so that they can buy a car for themselves? No you are not going to do that because they have not demonstrated faithfulness with your car. What you may do is go out and buy them a $500 clunker so that they stop wrecking your car; but you are not going to reward their unfaithfulness by giving them a new car.

How many of us feel like we are driving around in a $500 clunker when it comes to our spiritual life? How many of us would describe our spiritual life and our relationship with Jesus in such terms? Jesus point here is that our spiritual lives and our relationship with God stagnates and suffers when we fail to be faithful with what He gives us materially and financially. Jesus makes that point unmistakably clear as He concludes His explanation of this parable in verse 13:

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

Jesus makes it clear that we cannot faithfully serve two masters. As we discovered two weeks ago when Jesus made an almost identical statement as part of perhaps the most famous sermon that He ever preached, when Jesus uses the word serve, He is referring to someone who acts in total allegiance and total commitment to someone or something. Jesus point is that you cannot be totally and faithfully committed to two differing options. Jesus is reminding His followers that we cannot serve God and money because we will only be faithful to what we are devoted to. The timeless reality is that God and money, possessions, and treasure compete for our total devotion. You will either be totally devoted to God, or you will be totally devoted to money, possessions, and treasure.

Jesus point is that how we manage the treasure that we have been given reveals who or what we place our faith and trust in. And the level of faithfulness that we demonstrate when it comes to managing the temporary treasure that we have while on earth serves to provide the proof and reveal the depth of our faith. Because the measure for how we manage God’s treasure is faithfulness.

So do you have the mindset that “if I only had more money then everything would be OK. If I only had more money than all my financial problems would be solved.” Or do you have the mindset that your relationship with money and your relationship with God are unrelated. You live your day to day life as though your handling of money has no impact on your relationship with God. If I have just described you, here’s the thing: More money will not solve your financial problems. Instead more money only multiplies your financial problems. Because the issue isn’t the amount of treasure you have; the issue is how faithful are you with the amount of treasure you have been given. And when it comes to God’s treasure, the measure for how we manage God’s treasure is faithfulness.

And as we have seen this morning, our relationship with money and our relationship with Jesus are not unrelated. Our relationship with money is directly related to our relationship with Jesus, because followers of Jesus demonstrate the proof and depth of their faith and their relationship with Jesus by how they handle the money, possessions, and treasure of this world.

So how are you doing?