Wiregrass Church
If our money could talk what would it tell us? You might be shocked to find that what our money would say is pretty close to what Jesus did say - and what we should still consider today.
"Yeah, I know."
---------------------
"Yeah, I should have known."
---------------------
"No, I shouldn't have...."
The way that we handle our money or manage our money, especially in the West, is an indicator that there's really something kind of wrong with us.
The shocker is the parallel between what our money would say if it could talk and what Jesus did say when he did talk.
Jesus said more about money than heaven.
Out of Jesus' 30-plus parables, 16 of them had to do with money and possessions.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I can add meaning to your life, but I'm not the meaning of life.
Make money an end and you may end up alone.
..but using money as a means to an end is what makes money meaningful.
Being a means to an end is what makes anything meaningful.
When you decide to be a means to an end, your money becomes a means rather than an end as well.
Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:1 NIV
So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:2 NIV
“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg—
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:3 NIV
I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:4 NIV
“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:5 NIV
‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly...
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:6 NIV
‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly and make it four hundred and fifty.’
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:6 NIV
Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “ ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:7 NIV
The master ...
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:8 NIV
In every parable, there's someone who represents God, and there's someone who represents you and me.
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly.
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:8 NIV
For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light."
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:8 NIV
The money manager was commended for taking full advantage of his limited time and opportunity.
We are to do the same.
When it comes to our money and when it comes to our wealth and when it comes to our income, we are to view it within the context, not simply of this life, but the broader context.
We are to ask the question, "How do I get maximum use out of it in light of my little-bitty time on this planet and the little bit of opportunity that comes my way?"
"I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:9 NIV
Luke 16:1-9 NIV
There's something we can do with temporary wealth during this little-bitty slot of time that we have in life that makes an eternal difference.
According to Jesus
-------------------------
Money is a means.
We should view 100% of what we have as a potential means to an end.
How can I leverage more of what I have as a means to an end that's not me?
...because that is where joy is truly found.
The reason you should decide ahead of time what percentage of your income you wanna live on is because you are going to live on a percentage of your income.
We turned stuff into stories.
Do I want more stuff or do I want more stories?
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:10 NIV
So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:11 NIV
According to Jesus
-------------------------
Money is a test.
And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:12 NIV
Luke 16:10-12 NIV
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I'll still be here when you're gone.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The moment you think you own me...
I own you.
Managers
-------------
Not Owners
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I'm a means, not an end.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I'm a tool and a test
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I can add meaning to your life, but I'm not the meaning of life.
If being a means to an end is what gives life meaning...
to what ends do you want your life to be a means?
If you don't answer those questions, your appetites will eat up all of your resources.
To what ends do you want your life to be a means?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Accumulation
- Consumption
- Upgrades
- Fashion forward
- House full of stuff
She ate.
-----------
She drank.
-----------
She was merry.
-----------
Then she died!
Until you answer the big question, you may just end up following your money.
Live for yourself and you'll only have yourself to show for yourself...
along with some stuff for people to fight over when you're gone.
If being a means to an end is what gives life meaning, to what ends do I want my life to be a means?
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all of this and were sneering at Jesus.
______________________________________________________________
Luke 16:14 NIV
