Really?

Many of us are becoming rich.

•“Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Mt 19:23-24, ESV).

•“Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Mt 19:23-24, ESV).

•CS Lewis: “Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels that he is ‘finding his place in it,’ while it is really finding its place in him.”

You & I are the rich in this world!

•The average 4-person family in WV earns about $57,000 a year.

•The average 4-person family in WV earns about $57,000 a year. That’s $14,250 per person.

•The average 4-person family in WV earns about $57,000 a year. That’s $14,250 per person.

•However, only 500 million people in the world have an average income above $11,500.

•The average 4-person family in WV earns about $57,000 a year. That’s $14,250 per person.

•However, only 500 million people in the world have an average income above $11,500.▫If you make more than $11,500 you

are among the richest 8% in the world!

•The average 4-person family in WV earns about $57,000 a year. That’s $14,250 per person.

•However, only 500 million people in the world have an average income above $11,500.▫If you make more than $11,500 you

are among the richest 8% in the world!

▫2.4 billion people—42% of the world’s population—earns just $1,000 a year.

How many of us could survive a month on $1,000?

It’s hard for US to enter the kingdom of heaven!

•“Others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Mk 4:18-19, ESV).

•“Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Tm 6:9-10, ESV).

Do we really need to guard ourselves against money sin?

•How many of us have given more of ourselves to our jobs than to God?

•How many of us have given more of ourselves to our jobs than to God?▫I’m NOT talking about those who

must work on Sundays or Wednesdays.

•How many of us have given more of ourselves to our jobs than to God?▫I’m NOT talking about those who

must work on Sundays or Wednesdays.

▫But:

•How many of us have given more of ourselves to our jobs than to God?▫I’m NOT talking about those who

must work on Sundays or Wednesdays.

▫But: How many of us have volunteered to

work on Sundays to earn extra money?

•How many of us have given more of ourselves to our jobs than to God?▫I’m NOT talking about those who

must work on Sundays or Wednesdays.

▫But: How many of us have volunteered to

work on Sundays to earn extra money?

Have we ever been “too tired” to assemble with God’s people because we’ve worked so hard?

•How many of us have given more of ourselves to our jobs than to God?

•Have we ever neglected personal Bible study so that we could enjoy the things money has bought?

•How many of us have given more of ourselves to our jobs than to God?

•Have we ever neglected personal Bible study so that we could enjoy the things money has bought?

•Have we ever neglected to do good because it was “too expensive”?

•The Bible has a lot to say about money.

•The Bible has a lot to say about money.▫The Bible talks about money

3 times more than it talks about LOVE.

7 times more than it talks about PRAYER.

8 times more than it talks about FAITH.

•The Bible has a lot to say about money.▫The Bible talks about money

3 times more than it talks about LOVE.

7 times more than it talks about PRAYER.

8 times more than it talks about FAITH.

▫Tonight, we want to think about “In God We Trust.”

We must give generously to God.

•How much of money should we give?

•How much of money should we give?▫The Bible does not give an answer.

•How much of money should we give?▫The Bible does not give an answer.▫Furthermore, that is a personal

decision.

•How much of money should we give?▫The Bible does not give an answer.▫Furthermore, that is a personal

decision. “Each one must give as he has made

up his mind” (2 Cor 5:7, ESV).

•How much of money should we give?▫The Bible does not give an answer.▫Furthermore, that is a personal

decision. “Each one must give as he has made

up his mind” (2 Cor 5:7, ESV). We can’t force our money decisions

on others.

•How much of money should we give?▫The Bible does not give an answer.▫Furthermore, that is a personal

decision. “Each one must give as he has made

up his mind” (2 Cor 5:7, ESV). We can’t force our money decisions

on others.•We must be generous in giving to

the Lord.

• “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.  You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.  I will rebuke the devourer  for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts” (Mal 3:8-12, ESV).

•“They gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief for the saints” (2 Cor 8:3-4, ESV).

We often hear people talking about tithing.

We often hear people talking about tithing.

The NT does not teach tithing.

The NT teaches us to be more generous.

•“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mt 19:21, ESV).

•“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mt 19:21, ESV).

•She out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mk 12:44, ESV).

It’s easy to miss Jesus’ point!

It’s easy to miss Jesus’ point!

The Lord wants his people to be extremely generous.

How generous are we?

Debt is a bad idea.

•Some people wonder how they could give more to the Lord.

•Some people wonder how they could give more to the Lord.

•The answer for some may be getting out of debt.

The Bible does speak about debt.

•Whatever we borrow, God expects us to repay.

•Whatever we borrow, God expects us to repay.▫“The wicked borrows but does not

pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives” (Ps 37:21, ESV).

•Whatever we borrow, God expects us to repay.▫“The wicked borrows but does not

pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives” (Ps 37:21, ESV).

▫“When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools” (Eccl 5:4, ESV).

•Whatever we borrow, God expects us to repay.

•Those who borrow are slaves to the lenders.

•Whatever we borrow, God expects us to repay.

•Those who borrow are slaves to the lenders.▫“The rich rules over the poor, and

the borrower is the slave of the lender” (Prov 22:7, ESV).

•Whatever we borrow, God expects us to repay.

•Those who borrow are slaves to the lenders.▫“The rich rules over the poor, and

the borrower is the slave of the lender” (Prov 22:7, ESV).

▫Look at the current banking crisis.

•Whatever we borrow, God expects us to repay.

•Those who borrow are slaves to the lenders.

•We are to be generous givers.

•Whatever we borrow, God expects us to repay.

•Those who borrow are slaves to the lenders.

•We are to be generous givers.▫“Give to everyone who begs from

you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back” (Lk 6:30, ESV).

•Whatever we borrow, God expects us to repay.

•Those who borrow are slaves to the lenders.

•We are to be generous givers.▫“Give to everyone who begs from

you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back” (Lk 6:30, ESV).

▫How generous can we be if we are drowning in debt?

Giving is an act of sacrifice.

•Giving is compared to OT sacrifices.

•Giving is compared to OT sacrifices.▫“I have received full payment, and

more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (Phil 4:18, ESV).

•Giving is compared to OT sacrifices.▫“I have received full payment, and

more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (Phil 4:18, ESV).

▫“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Heb 13:16, ESV).

What can we learn about OT sacrifices?

•The Jews were to be generous.

•The Jews were to be generous: “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do” (Ex 36:5, ESV).

•The Jews were to be generous: (Ex 36:5).

•The Jews were required to give only the best animals.

•The Jews were to be generous: (Ex 36:5).

•The Jews were required to give only the best animals: “If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish” (Lev 1:3, ESV).

•The Jews were to be generous: (Ex 36:5).

•The Jews were required to give only the best animals: (Lev 1:3, ESV).

•The Jews were to give of their firstfruits.

•The Jews were to be generous: (Ex 36:5).

•The Jews were required to give only the best animals: (Lev 1:3, ESV).

•The Jews were to give of their firstfruits: “When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that ht e LORD your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there” (Deut 26:1-2, ESV).

•The Jews were to be generous: (Ex 36:5).

•The Jews were required to give only the best animals: (Lev 1:3, ESV).

•The Jews were to give of their firstfruits: (Deut 26:1-2, ESV).

•The Lord blesses the generous.

•The Jews were to be generous: (Ex 36:5).

•The Jews were required to give only the best animals: (Lev 1:3, ESV).

•The Jews were to give of their firstfruits: (Deut 26:1-2, ESV).

•The Lord blesses the generous: “Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him” (Ps 41:1, ESV).

What principles do we need to gather from the OT?

•We need to be a generous people.

•We need to be a generous people.▫The Israelites brought much to the

Lord after he rescued them from Egyptian bondage.

•We need to be a generous people.▫The Israelites brought much to the

Lord after he rescued them from Egyptian bondage.

▫But, he has rescued us from bondage to sin!!!

How generous should we, therefore, be?

•We need to be a generous people.•If the Jews were required to give

their best animals, how can we not give our best to the Lord?

•We need to be a generous people.•If the Jews were required to give

their best animals, how can we not give our best to the Lord?

•If the Jews were required to give the first of their crops, how can we not give the first of our income to the Lord?

•We need to be a generous people.•If the Jews were required to give

their best animals, how can we not give our best to the Lord?

•If the Jews were required to give the first of their crops, how can we not give the first of our income to the Lord?

•If God blessed the Israelites when they gave generously, shall he not also bless us?

It’s all God’s.

She thought the car was hers, but it really belonged to someone else.

Our lives belong to God!

•“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (Js 1:17, ESV).

•“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (Js 1:17, ESV).

•“To him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever” (Rm 11:36, ESV).

Are we properly using the lives God has given us?