CHRISTIANS AND MONEY Version 1

1. CHRISTIANS AND MONEY Version 1

2. The Christian world has great confusion about the teaching of how to handle wealth. At one place it tells us to leave everything and in another place it says that God will bless us abundantly. Let us read and come to conclusion about what God wants us to do.

3. Mat 6:19-21 “1.Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 2. But keep on storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. 3. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Also Luke 12:33- 34).

4. Bible does not say that we will not have treasure, but says we will have treasure in heaven. It does not say that do not store wealth but teaches to store it in heaven instead of storing on earth. Even if it is stored in heaven, we can still use it on earth. On earth the stored treasure is not safe but in heaven it is safe.

5. Bible teaches us about a Christian life without selfish nature and believing in God for daily bread instead of storing for tomorrow. We store the treasure because we hope that the wealth will save us in case God does not help us which is unbelief.

6. We do not need money in heaven and there is no Reserve bank of Heaven. Jesus wants to give us reward on earth and in heaven and wants to see how much people loves Him and believes in Him. It is a sin to store if we are not totally dependant on God for daily bread because it is the result of unbelief.

7. It is a sin to store if we are so selfish that we do not care for others. Jesus here teaches us to lead a life that concentrate on the eternal life rather the short and temporary worldly life. People work in Gulf countries but they do not store money there as they know they have to leave the country after some time.

8. There are few reasons Jesus gave us for not storing in this world a) whatever you store will be used up by some one else. b) it will be finished forever. c) But if you store in heaven, it will never be taken over by some one and it will never perish.

9. d) Jesus wants our heart to be set upon Him in heaven. The one who try to accumulate wealth cannot keep his heart in Jesus. Of course, He needs our heart more than anything.

10. Mat 19:21-26 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me." But when the young man heard this statement he went away sad, because he had many possessions.

11. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to get into the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into thekingdom of God."

12. When the disciples heard this, they were completely astonished and said, "Who, then, can be saved?" Jesus looked at them intently and said, "For humans this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.“

13. Mar 10:29-30 Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left his home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or fields because of me and the gospel who will not receive a hundred times as much here in this world-homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, along with persecutions-as well as eternal life in the age to come.

14. When Jesus saw that man who was good in following the law strictly, he understood that his heart is attached to the wealth. Only those who vacate their hearts from everything can permit to keep His throne in his heart. Secondly do you think that if the man will sell everything would have become a beggar. He would have suffered for a short while but he and his children would have become the richest people of those times according to the promise of Jesus. This is called faith. Seeing things from far when we obey Him.

15. Why God wants us to leave our possessions? • He wants to throw out all the garbage from our heart that filled it and to keep His throne there. • He wants us to destroy our dependency and faith on wealth rather than on God. • He wants to see how much do we love Him.

16. He wants to provide for the church requirements as there is no currency production in heaven. • He wants to bless us abundantly on earth and in heaven. • He wants us to be perfect like Him. • And He has no intention to make us beggars.

17. In Gen. 12.1 God asked Abraham to leave everything and go to foreign land. He obeyed God and God promised him that his children will inherit the land. Then He gave him a son and asked Abraham to give his son as a sacrifice. Abraham was very willing to do that.

18. So God promised that through his child God will bless the world. The same thing Jesus is doing here. He is asking us to leave everything so that He can bless us like Abraham. And there is no blessing without sacrifice.

19. Mar 12:41-44 As Jesus sat facing the offering box, he watched how the crowd was dropping their money into it. Many rich people were dropping in large amounts. Then a destitute widow came and dropped in two small copper coins, worth about a cent. He called his disciples and said to them,

20. "Truly I tell you, this destitute widow has dropped in more than all of those who are contributing to the offering box. For all of them contributed out of their surplus, but she, in her poverty, has dropped in everything she had to live on."

21. We think that God is not watching what we gives. I tell you that He closely monitors it every time you put your hand inside your purse. It is not the amount that matters but how much you gave from the total wealth you have.

22. Always put the best as you can and respect God. He gave us His best thing-His only begotten son- and we should give the best we have for Him.

23. Luk 5:1-7 One day as the crowd was pressing in on him to listen to God's word, Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. So Jesus got into one of the boats (the one that belonged to Simon) and asked him to push out a little from the shore.

24. Then he sat down and began to teach the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water, and lower your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked hard all night and caught nothing.

25. But if you say so, I'll lower the nets." After the men had done this, they caught so many fish that the nets began to tear. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats until the boats began to sink.

26. He is able to fill our vacuum with exceeding richness If we follow Him. He is not giving according to our requirement-but according to His richness as Paul said. Peter, the fisherman never ever saw this much fish in his whole career. When Jesus selected the boat which belongs to Peter for

27. preaching. Peter must have never thought about such a reward. But He always rewards even for a glass of water. Can you imagine if Peter would have refused to give his boat to Jesus as a platform like many people does? Think!! Many believers lost many opportunities like this.

28. Joh 6:9-13 "There's a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are they among so many people?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was plenty of grass in that place. So the men sat down, numbering about 5,000. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,

29. and distributed them to those who were seated. He also distributed the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were completely satisfied, he told his disciples, "Collect the pieces that are left over so that nothing is lost." over by those who had eaten.

30. So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left • This is what Jesus does when we give to Him. He will take it, bless it, multiply it and will give to the multitude and there will be much balance also. It does not matter how much we gave but whatever

31. we have. The small boy did not have enough food for him also. And it is very difficult to take food items from a little boy. But this boy gave all what he had and the result was great. Can you imagine a situation where this boy refuses to give food to Jesus!!! Many times it happens with Church.

32. Luk 12:15-21 Then he said to them, "Be careful to guard yourselves against every kind of greed, for a person's life doesn't consist of the amount of possessions he has." Then he told them a parable. He said, "The land of a certain rich man produced good crops.

33. So he began to think to himself, 'What should I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I'll store all my grain and goods in them. Then I'll say to my soul, "Soul, you've stored up plenty of good things for many years.

34. Take it easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself."' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Now who will get the things you've accu-mulated?' That's how it is with the person who stores up treasures for himself and isn't rich toward God."

35. Jesus warns the greedy and selfish nature of man that prevent him from being generous as God wants. Many are thinking that their life depends on the wealth but Jesus says it depends on the will of God. I heard a true story that happened in India.

36. During the tenure of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. One man cheated one Arab from gulf country and brought millions of dollars to India. And he built a huge house spending lavishly. He might have thought that he will live forever in that house. But he died in few months.

37. Luk 16:9 And Jesus went on to say, "And so I tell you: make friends for yourselves with worldly wealth, so that when it gives out, you will be welcomed in the eternal home.

38. Luk 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into your lap. For with the measureyou use, you will be measured."

39. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into laps of only those who obey the first command that is to `give’ and according to `their measure’.

40. Here are examples and teachings of early Church. • Act 4:34-35 For none of them needed anything, because all who had land or houses would sell them and bring the money received for the things sold and lay it at the apostles' feet. Then it was distributed to anyone who needed it.

41. Act 2:44-46 All the believers were together, and they shared everything with one another. They made it their practice to sell their possessions and goods and to distribute the proceeds to anyone who was in need.

42. They had a single purpose and went to the temple every day. They ate at each other's homes and shared their food with glad and humble hearts.

43. Act 4:32 Now the whole group of believers was one in heart and soul, and nobody called any of his possessions his own. Instead, they shared everything they owned.

44. Rom 15:26 -28 For the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have been eager to share their resources with the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were eager to do this, and in fact they are obligated to help them,

45. for if the gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they are obligated to be of service to them in material things. So when I have completed this task and have put my seal on this contribution of theirs, I will visit you on my way to Spain.

46. 1Co 16:1-3 Now concerning the collection for the saints, you should follow the directions I gave to the churches in Galatia. On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside and save some of your money in proportion to what you have,

47. so that no collections will have to be made when I come. When I arrive, I will send with letters the men you approve to take your gift to Jerusalem.

48. 2Co 8:1 We want you to know, brothers, about God's grace that wasgiven to the churches of Macedonia.

49. 2Co 8:2 In spite of a terrible ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy, along with their deep poverty, has resulted in the abundance of their generosity. 2Co 8:3 I can testify that by their own free will they have given to the utmost of their ability, yes, even beyond their ability.

50. 2Co 8:4 They begged us earnestly for the privilege of participating in this ministry to the saints.2Co 8:5 We did not expect that! They gave themselves to the Lord first and then to us, since this was God's will.