Christ and Money

Take out the copy of God's Word I hope you brought with you today.

Go ahead and turn to 1 Timothy chapter 6.

1 Timothy 6 · chapter mention

!

And we started out this series in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, kind of set as our theme for it, verses 22 and 23, which read,

1 Corinthians 9 · chapter mention

I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessing.

And so we see that Paul was in this process as he lived in this world of self-denial and self-control,

of denying himself some of the privileges bought for him in the gospel, but for a greater joy.

He was willing to trade some of his liberty to do certain things, act certain ways,

in order that he might see some come to know Christ and share with them in its blessing.

And so we have picked up a number of topics and addressed it from this perspective.

And this morning's topic is Christ and money.

And we certainly live, as Americans, in a culture that is incredibly consumeristic.

I would say if there's a defining characteristic of American culture, it is consumerism.

It controls how we think.

It controls our desires.

We live in a place that is about consumption.

So how should we as Christians think about this part of our culture?

How should we act in regards to it?

And how should we interact with it for the sake of the gospel, to advance God's kingdom in this world?

The scriptures certainly are not silent on this topic.

It doesn't take me long to find a main text or proof text.

The hard thing about preparing a sermon of this nature is to decide what to disclude.

What do we not talk about?

What proof verses do I not use?

Because the Bible is full of conversation about money.

Christ talks about it.

Paul talks about it.

John talks about it.

James talks about it.

It is everywhere about the scriptures.

So before we begin plowing through much of that, let's pray together.

And I'll get cranky.

Father, we love you and I thank you for these people.

I thank you that you have drawn us together this morning and that you care about all of our eternal souls.

I thank you that we hold in our hands the written word of God that certainly was written by men and addressed to men, but was inspired by your Holy Spirit.

And it means something for our lives today.

So I pray, God, by your spirit that you will apply the truths we discussed today to our individual lives.

We might understand what it looks like to worship you with all that we have.

And I pray this in Christ's name.

Amen.

Amen.

So let me start not with the main text that I had to turn to.

Although I promised to get there very briefly.

But let me start in Mark chapter 4, verse 18 and 19, which is the parable of the sower.

Mark 4:18

You're welcome to try to keep up with me, but I'm going to cruise and not wait for the flipping pages to stop.

Okay.

The way I want to start this is with a stern warning.

Wealth, money has been given to us for our benefit, but it has many, many dangers.

And so I want to start this morning by setting the stage of the danger of possession.

So Mark chapter 4, verses 18 and 19, towards the end of the parable of the sower.

Mark 4:18

Jesus says,

And 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.

These are those who the truth of Christ has been sown into their lives,

but because of the deceitfulness of treasure, the deceitfulness of consumerism,

that truth is choked out.

1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 10,

1 Timothy 6:10

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 pains.

Luke chapter 18, verses 24 and 25,

Luke 18:24

Jesus says,

How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,

for 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.

Because why?

Because they love their money.

And I'll remind you that right after that, his disciples said,

Then how can anybody get in?

He said, With God, all things are possible.

But that's an aside.

Luke chapter 12, verse 33 and 34,

Luke 12:33

Jesus instructs,

Sell your possessions and give to the needy.

Provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old,

with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail,

where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be awesome.

Where your value, where you place value is what you desire.

It's reflective of what you most desire.

Money has value, right?

In America, the value of our money is declining rather rapidly.

But the bills that we pull out of our wallets,

the coins that we carry,

the zeros and ones that are represented by our bank accounts and on our cards,

have value.

We've all decided together that we will use this currency to buy and sell goods.

But beyond that, it has value to show what we value.

College students, you value education.

So you spend money on education.

Lots of money on education.

We all value entertainment.

I'm sure way too much.

So we spend money on Netflix and baseball games.

Things of that nature.

I'm not saying these things are bad.

But what I'm saying is that the way we spend our money shows what we most care about.

And nothing, nothing in this world is free.

Save the free gift of the gospel.

But nothing else is free.

A group of us yesterday from Christ's family went with Set Free Ministries out of Gainesville

to Atlanta to minister to homeless people living under bridges.

Doesn't sound like an expensive thing to do,

but we rode together in a 12-passenger van that consumes fuel.

And we had to fuel it up to get down there.

And gas costs money.

Everything that we do as a church and as Christians is going to cost us something to accomplish it.

So how we're spending our money is going to show what we most value.

Luke chapter 16, verse 13.

Luke 16:13

Jesus says,

No servant can serve two masters.

For either he will hate the one and love the other,

or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money.

And here's the shocking truth about American Christianity.

The church is failing, failing to serve God with its money.

I'll say I believe that this church does a much better job of this than most.

So I'm not mostly getting on to you at this point.

But the American church is failing.

I read a, I was going to say a great article,

it was actually kind of a repressing article in Christianity Today

that was written out of a study called Passing the Plate.

And in this article I discovered that Christian evangelicals,

so not all Christians in America,

but just those who claim to be evangelicals,

those who believe that the church's modus operandi

is to share the gospel and to carry the gospel to the world.

The average evangelical Christian gives 2.3% of their income.

2.3%.

Now, get this.

If they gave 10%,

which I believe is the easy minimum,

if they gave 10%,

Christian evangelicals would be giving

$85.5 billion more per year.

What a staggering figure.

I can't even begin to tell you what that would accomplish.

I can't even wrap my mind around $85.5 billion more.

That's a figure, I abbreviated it.

We don't even write that out.

That's a crazy large number.

$85.5 billion per year.

Now, of those Christians who say they're committed Christians,

I would argue the definition here,

but committed Christians who say they attend church

at least twice a month.

But we're narrowing the field a little bit more.

Those who attend at least twice a month,

catch this.

Those who make less than $12,500 a year

give 7% of their income,

which is a figure that's not even touched

until a household makes more than $90,000 a year,

and they give 8.8%.

So if you have any idea that someday

when you make more money,

you'll begin to give.

You don't really give now

because things are real tight now.

But, you know, someday you're going to get freed up

to give more,

and you're planning on doing that.

The statistics say you're not going to

until you hit six figures.

And even those still aren't reaching 10%,

8.8%.

These are these six-figure salaries.

It's shocking.

The American church is failing

to serve God with its money.

And the world looks on.

We are totally disillusioned

if we don't think that unbelievers

are watching what we're doing.

They pay attention to the buildings that we build.

And I'm not against large buildings.

Large buildings house lots of people.

I think that's great.

But I am dead set against decadent buildings.

People drive by and see what we care about

when they look at our buildings.

I went through the drive-thru at McDonald's this morning.

You know who else is going through the drive-thru

at McDonald's this morning?

People going to church.

Everyone, I would guess, going to church.

The people working minimum wage at McDonald's

pay attention to the kind of cars we're driving.

They pay attention to what we're ordering.

They notice what we care about.

And if we're going to live in a consumeristic culture,

I think this is one way,

not the only way,

but this is one way

that we can so easily,

as believers,

set ourselves apart

from the rest of the world.

Not without personal sacrifice.

I'm not saying it'll be easy personally.

But a simple thing

that can change about the way we live

and show people

that we care about something different

than what they care about.

So this morning,

I want you to hear me

so carefully

that my heart is the heart of Paul

in 2 Corinthians 12, 14,

when he said,

I seek not what is yours,

but you.

This is not a guilt you into giving

sermon

for our sake.

This is a guilt you into giving sermon

for your sake.

We have denied you discipleship.

We don't teach you

that you ought to give

all that you have

for the cause of Christ.

We are denying you

immense joy.

We don't do that.

So let's look.

1 Timothy,

1 Timothy 6:17–19

chapter 6,

verse 17

through 19.

All right.

As for the rich

in this present age,

charge them not to be haughty,

nor to set their hopes

on the uncertainty of riches,

but on God,

who richly provides us

with everything to enjoy.

They are to do good,

to be rich in good works,

to be generous

and ready to share,

thus storing up treasure

for themselves

as a good foundation

for the future,

so that they may take hold

of that

which is truly

life.

Well,

this morning,

I just have

two points

from our exegesis

of this text,

and then

four practical steps

that we can take.

Let me begin by saying

many of you already

may have

dismissed this text

previously

or maybe even

this morning

as I read

as for the rich

in this present age

in your mind

immediately said,

great,

I'm off the hook.

Fantastic.

You're not rich

from your perspective,

but you are rich

from the perspective

of the rest

of the world.

College students,

you are in

the 90th percentile

of income earners

in the world.

90th percentile.

90% of the world

makes less money

than you do.

As strapped as you are,

you are wealthy

in comparison.

Now,

I understand the cost

of living in America

is higher.

I'm not saying

that you should live

on a dollar a day

like some people

in the world

are able to do.

I get that.

But I believe

that Paul's writing

as he's carried along

by the Spirit of God

is for us

as for the rich.

none of us.

Probably shouldn't

just say that,

but I don't think

any of us

have ever really

been hungry.

I'll be hungry

later.

I mean,

probably that's how

I'll know

I should be wrapping

things up.

My stomach will begin

telling me I'm hungry,

but I've never

really been

truly hungry.

I've never really

lacked.

I might think

I've lacked.

I might think

I haven't had

something that

I really needed.

I've always had

everything I needed.

I never worried

about where

my next meal

would come from.

There's always

been food in my

cabinet and in my

fridge.

I have never

walked it

for anything.

We are rich.

If we have

any lack,

it's so easy

to go get

what we need.

There's so much

wealth in this

country.

We are the

rich.

So point

number one,

hope in money

is no hope

at all.

Hope in money

is no hope

at all.

Verse 17,

Paul instructs

Timothy to

instruct us

that we ought

not to be

haughty.

Why?

Because riches

are uncertain.

The NASB

renders the

word haughty

as conceited.

The Greek

word means

high-minded

or proud.

We ought

not think

we are

something

because we

have things.

We ought

not think

we have

figured it

out,

that we

have earned

it,

that we

are something

to be

bragged

about.

Why?

Because God

gave it to you.

You may

have a high-paying

job, but you

have worked

very hard

to get.

But you

have worked

very hard

by what

power?

God's.

The talents

that you

employ to

earn income

given to you

by God.

You have

nothing apart

from him.

Previously,

in this chapter,

chapter 6,

verse 7,

Paul writes,

we brought

nothing into

the world,

and we

cannot take

anything out

of it.

I'm sure

you've heard

this before,

you never

see the

U-Haul

behind the

hearse.

It can't

go with

you.

All

throughout

history,

wealthy

men have

been trying

to take

possessions

with them.

That's

what the

pyramids

are about,

massing

up their

wealth so

that they

could have

it in

the

afterlife.

Guess

what?

It was

dug up,

and people

took it

and put

it in

the

museum.

It

didn't

go with

them.

You

cannot

take it

with you.

It was

given to

you as a

gift,

and it

came from

my

mother's

womb,

and naked

shall I

return.

The Lord

gave,

and the

Lord is

taken away.

Now remember,

he says this

right after his

whole family

is taken from

him,

and all of

his possessions.

His health

hasn't been

attacked yet,

but everything

he owned,

gone.

And then he

says,

blessed be

the name

of the

Lord.

Did Job

hope in

what he

had,

or in

the God

who had

given it

to him?

Most

certainly,

the God

who gave

it to him.

God richly

provides for

us everything

to enjoy.

Have you

ever heard

this pulled

right out

of its

context?

I have,

about every

time I've

ever talked

about money,

any group

of Christians.

Yeah,

but Nathan,

God gives

us everything

to enjoy.

Yeah,

you should

read the

rest of

that chapter.

It concludes

in a much

different way

than you

think.

Let's

look quickly

at 1

1 John 2 · chapter mention

John

chapter 2,

15 through

17.

The little

context,

even if

we don't

read the

rest of

the text.

In 1

Timothy,

John writes,

Do not

love the

world or

the things

in the

world.

If anyone

loves the

world,

the love

of the

Father

is not

in him.

For all

that is

in the

world,

the desires

of the

flesh,

and the

desires

of the

eyes,

and pride

of life,

is not

from the

Father,

but is

from the

world.

And the

world is

passing

away,

along

with its

desires,

but whoever

does the

will of

God

abides

forever.

This word

abides is

the Greek

word

meno,

and it

means to

live,

but it

means it

in a much

different way

than we

would use

the word

live.

Some of

your translation

may say

does the

will of

God

lives

forever,

but the

idea behind

it is

a tarrying

in Christ.

It's life

in Christ.

It's true

life.

It's not

just being

cognizant

and aware,

it's being

with the

one we were

meant to be

with.

It's about

being found

in Christ

that our

redemption

is complete,

that our

relationship

with God

is restored.

True

life.

Which

brings us

to my

second point.

Firstly,

hope in

money is

no hope

at all.

Secondly,

we are

given money

for our

eternal

joy.

And that's

what people

miss when

they read

this and

think that

it's a

justification

to just

amass for

themselves

stuff and

things to

enjoy here

and now.

They miss

that there's

an eternal

purpose for

the things

that they've

been given.

Verse 18

and 19,

they are to

do good,

to be rich

in good works,

to be generous

and ready to

share.

Thus storing up

treasure for

themselves is a

good foundation

for the future

so they may

take hold of

that which is

truly life.

life.

The things

given to you

are not given

to you to

enjoy the

things.

They're given

to you as a

resource for

what?

Verse 18,

to do good,

to be rich in

good works,

to be generous,

ready to share.

That's why they

were given to

you.

Why?

For your

eternal joy,

that you might

store up

treasure and

take hold of

that which is

truly life.

life in Christ.

That you might

have more of

Him,

not more

stuff.

And you see

the deceitfulness

of the stuff.

You see that we

have it and we

want it and

Satan tells us

it's okay to

have it.

And constantly

throughout the

scriptures we're

taught it's for

you but for a

greater thing.

You trade it

for greater joy.

That's the way

we're called

to live.

Good works.

Ephesians 2,

Ephesians 2:10

verse 10,

for we are His

workmanship,

created in Christ

Jesus for good

works,

which God

prepared beforehand

that we should

walk in them.

I can't tell you

exactly what you

should do with

all of your

resources and

where you should

serve and how

you should spend

that money,

but certainly

God can.

Because you're

His workmanship,

created in Christ.

You have the

Spirit of God

within you.

For good works,

prepared beforehand

that you should

walk in them.

God's got

marching orders

for you,

so don't ask

me what you

should do with

your money.

Ask Him.

I promise

He'll tell you.

And we're to be

generous and

ready to share.

I don't know

how often you

read your

English translations

and wonder why

things seem

redundant.

that felt redundant

to me when I

read it.

Paul, why

did you say

generous and

ready to share?

Those are two

things kind of

synonymous,

and that always

causes me to

learn Greek a

couple of days

ahead of you

so that I can

help you

understand it.

Fascinating here.

Both of these

words in Greek

are adjectives.

They are

speaking of,

they're modifying

the subject,

which is

the rich,

us,

we are to be

generous and

ready to share.

And they

mean simply

we're to be

generous actively.

So the word

translated generous

is a pretty good

translation.

We're to be

philanthropic,

giving.

We're to hold

loosely to money

and be willing

to share it

with others.

The Greek

term translated

ready to share

carries with it

the idea of

maintaining social

activity in

such a way

that you are

forcing others

to take

what is yours.

So it's a

constant

pouring out

of the things

that have been

given to you

into the hands

of others.

Generous

actively.

I think that's

cool.

And we are

to live in

this way

with the things

that we have

not to be

depressed,

not to

God's

called me

to give

away the

things I

have.

I'll do

that because

I'm going

to be

obedient.

We're not

stoics.

Stoicism was

a horrible

movement in

Christian religion

and it still

kind of infects

us.

All of this

is for our

greater good.

And it's so

cool how every

time we're

bringing more

honor and glory

to God,

we benefit.

It's so

rad that as

we exalt

him, we get

more of him,

we are involved

in his process,

we get to

see him,

and it's

good for us.

You just

think certain

things are

better for you

than Christ.

That's never

true.

Never.

It's idolatry

to think that.

In your life,

ask the question,

would I be

happier if I

had, fill in

the blank to

that, I would

be so much

happier if I

had, whatever

drops into that

spot in your

mind is an

idol.

What you should

put in that

spot, Christ.

I would be

happier if I

had more

Christ.

Awesome, because

that's a free

offer.

And he's

going to keep

on giving

himself to me.

Never going

to run out of

more Christ.

I am not a

decadent person.

I am actually

not very tempted

to live lavishly.

But there's an

area of my life

that I do this

in because I

hate car trouble.

I just despise

it.

It's such an

inconvenience.

I'm kind of

mechanically minded,

but I never

really learned

how to work on

cars.

Some guys are

like, cool,

the car's

broken.

I get to

spend some

time fixing

it.

No thank

you.

And I don't

want new

vehicles for

the cool

factor of a

new vehicle.

I don't

care about

that at

all.

I just

want reliable

cars.

And Sam

and I have

cars that

are paid

for.

We believe

that we've

been led

to do

that.

They're not

incredibly

reliable.

And I'm

just nervous

driving everywhere

I go.

And I'm

going to get

to the place

that I'm

hoping to

get to.

My truck

has over

200,000

miles on it.

I don't

know what's

going to

happen.

And often

in my mind

I think I

would just

be more

comfortable if

I had a

newer car.

I would

just feel a

little bit

better about

my life if

I had a

car.

No car

reliable.

It's all

turning to

dust.

It's all

fading away.

It's not

eternal.

And I

should say

praise God

that I can

hope in

him.

He gave me

this truck.

If he wants

it to run

it'll run.

If he wants

it to die

it'll die.

And I'll

have the

time to

fix it and

the money.

because he

cares about

it.

That should

be our

attitude.

1 Corinthians

15.32

Paul talks

about the

resurrection.

And he's

talking about

the trouble

of Christian

living.

And he

says if

there is

no God

if the

dead aren't

raised

what should

we do?

We should

eat and

drink and

be merry

for tomorrow

we die.

We should

spend everything

we have on

us if there

is no God.

But there

is.

1 Timothy

1 Timothy 5:6

chapter 5

verse 6

Paul's

talking about

widows who

are self

indulgent and

he says but

she who is

self indulgent

is dead even

while she

lives.

If you live

to serve you

with your

resources

you're dead.

And the two

options are that

you're not

found in

Christ.

You don't

know him.

You've never

placed your

faith in him.

He hasn't

changed your

heart at all.

You don't

desire him.

If you

spend all of

your money

on you

because you're

not a

Christian that

makes a

lot of

sense.

You have

it acknowledged

with your

heart or

with your

mind that

there even

is a

God.

That the

eternal state

even matters.

So you better

eat, drink,

and be

merry because

this is all

you've got.

The rest of

your existence

is going to

be hell.

But if there

is a God

and there

is and you

are known

by him,

you're

found in

Christ,

and you

don't live

for him,

you just

need to

wake up.

You've

been lulled

to sleep

by our

culture.

You have

been told

that you

need certain

things to

be happy.

Begin really

paying attention

to commercials.

You know

what marketing

people do?

Their job

is to convince

you that

you're not

happy,

that you're

less of a

person,

that you

can't possibly

be content

if you don't

have the

thing they're

trying to

sell.

It's with

everything.

Ladies,

makeup,

all of that

is about

making you

feel ugly

so you'll

buy the

products so

you can be

pretty like

the girl

commercial.

Guys,

have you

noticed how

many guy

products are

sold to us

with women?

If you use

this deodorant,

you'll have

these women.

It makes no

sense whatsoever.

We are so

stupid.

We buy it.

We buy it.

We swallow

it right up.

For a while,

I lived with

Jamie and

Chris.

They were

gracious enough

to me when

they were

living in

Swanee,

and I

worked for

Chris.

Every day,

I had to

drive through

the Mall of

Georgia,

make that

little trek

through there.

Even just

going through

an area like

that where

everything is

shiny and

new,

and there's

all those

new cars,

and everybody's

driving new

cars,

and I

think at

the time

I was

driving an

old Jeep,

and it

just suddenly

starts to

work into

you.

I'm not

happy.

I don't

have

everything

else that

everybody

else has.

Dead.

How

miserable.

You've

been granted

true life

now to

experience

Christ by

moment of

each day,

and to

have him

forever.

Why do we

spend money

on the

things we

spend money

on?

Turn with

me to

Luke chapter

Luke 12 · chapter mention

12.

Derive this

point with

a parable

that Jesus

told.

Luke chapter

Luke 12 · chapter mention

12, and I'm

going to start

reading in

verse 13.

Luke records,

someone in

the crowd

said to

him,

Teacher,

tell my

brother to

divide the

inheritance

with me.

But he

said to

him,

Jesus said

to him,

Man, who

made me a

judge or

arbitrator over

you?

So he

basically said,

you're asking

me a question

that's not

my job.

My job is

not to tell

you how the

inheritance

should get

worked out.

That's not

why I came.

So then he

turns to the

crowd.

Notice the

pronoun change.

Verse 15,

and then he

said to them,

so all those

who were

gathered to

hear him,

he says,

take care and

be on your

guard against

all covetousness.

My assumption

is he knew

this man was

coveting the

inheritance.

Against all

covetousness.

For one's

life does not

consist in the

abundance of

his possessions.

Now, note

here, he says

all covetousness.

You don't have

to have things

to worship

things.

You can

certainly

worship things

and have

nothing.

And he

told them a

parable saying,

verse 16,

he told them

a parable saying

to the whole

crowd,

the land of a

rich man

produced

plentifully.

And he

thought to

himself,

what shall I

do?

For I have

nowhere to

store my

crops.

And he

said,

I will do

this.

I will tear

down my

barns and

build larger

ones.

And there I

will store

all my

grain and

my goods.

And I

will say

to my

soul,

soul,

you have

ample goods

laid up for

many years.

Relax,

eat,

drink,

be merry.

That's not

familiar?

God said to

him,

fool,

this night

your soul

is required

of you.

And the

things you

have prepared,

whose will

they be?

So is the

one who lays

up treasure

for himself

and is not

rich toward

God.

That's an

interesting

phrase.

It's the only

place it's

found in the

New Testament

is not rich

toward God.

And I

think it

means simply

this,

that we

are to take

the possessions

we have and

in being rich

toward God,

we're meant

to tell the

world what

we value.

Certainly

not what

this rich

man was

doing.

His sin

was not

that his

fields produced

plentifully.

It's okay

to have a

job that

pays you

well.

We'll get

to that.

I hope

you do.

That was

not his

sin.

His sin

was that

he took

it and

he used

it for

him.

He said

to the

world,

what I care

about is

comfort.

I care

about

parties.

I want

to just

hang out,

eat,

drink,

be merry.

It's a

common

Greek phrase.

It was

a

c'est la vie,

enjoy life,

hedonism.

That's what

that phrasing

meant.

He used

that and

said to

the world,

I don't

care about

God.

I'm not

going to be

rich toward

him,

I'm going

to be

rich toward

me.

And so

why

ultimately

was his

soul

required

of him?

Why

was he

damned?

It's

because he

didn't

treasure

God.

He

treasured

himself.

Now note

he turns,

again we

have a

turning of

attention

in verse

22.

He says

to his

disciples,

so he's

making a

general call

to the

crowd to

say,

if you

are part

of my

kingdom,

you're

not going

to be

this

fool.

Then he

turns to

his

disciples,

those who

were part

of the

kingdom,

and he

raises the

bar a little

bit,

explains it

a little

bit more,

and says,

therefore I

tell you,

do not be

anxious about

your life,

what you

will eat,

nor about

your body,

what you

will put

on.

For life

is more

than food,

and the

body more

than clothing.

I believe

he's talking

about that

true life

in him.

Consider

the ravens

that have

sowed or

reap,

they have

neither

storehouse nor

barn,

and yet God

feeds them.

Of how much

more value

are you

than birds?

I hope you

know this

morning you're

way more

valuable than

birds.

Created in the

image of God,

you're of

infinite more

value than

birds.

And which of

you by being

anxious can

add a single

hour to a

span of life?

If then you

are not able

to do a

small thing

as that,

why are you

anxious about

the rest?

Which time

do we

spend doing

things,

orienting our

lives in

such a way,

even financially,

thinking that

we're extending

our life?

Jesus says

that's a

really small

thing,

and you

can't

accomplish

it.

Consider

the lilies

how they

grow,

that neither

toil nor

spin,

yet I

tell you,

even Solomon

in all his

glory was

not arrayed

like one

of these.

But if

God so

clothes the

grass which

is alive

in the

field today

and tomorrow

is thrown

into the

oven,

how much

more will

he clothe

you,

or you

of little

faith?

Do not

seek what

you are

to eat

or what

you are

to drink,

nor be

worried.

For all

the nations

of the world

seek after

these things,

and your

Father knows

that you

need them.

Instead,

seek his

kingdom,

and these

things will

be added

to you.

Seek

Christ.

Take hold

of that which

is truly

life.

Store up

for yourself

treasure in

heaven,

for moth

and rust

does not

destroy.

Find your

pleasure in

God,

and the

necessities

of life

they'll

be there.

Fear not,

little

flock,

for it

is your

father's

good pleasure

to give

you the

kingdom.

Sell your

possessions

and give

to the

needy.

Provide

yourselves

with money

bags that

do not

grow old,

with a

treasure in

the heavens

that does

not fail,

where no

thief approaches

and no

moth

destroys.

The writer of

Hebrews talks

about a

kingdom that

cannot be

shaken.

For where

your treasure

is,

there your

heart,

will be

also.

I fear

that none

of us

really

use our

riches

as a

proper

reflection

of what

we say

we believe.

Wes picked

out two

phenomenal

songs

before I

got up

here and

preached.

If we

all really

believed

the verses

of those

songs,

if we

could sing

them with

such gusto

and actually

believe them

and our

lives

reflected

that,

I have

no need

to preach

this morning.

I could

have gone

up and

said,

amen,

and sat

down.

But we

don't really,

I don't,

I say I

treasure Christ

above all

else,

but I

don't always

show that

the way

I use

my resources.

resources.

So four

practical

application

points from

this text.