Christian Atheist: Money Series

This sermon is based off of a few ideas in Craig Groeschel’s book “The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn’t Exist.” Zondervan, 2010. ISBN: 9780310332220

CHRISTIAN ATHEIST: MONEY

1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19

INTRODUCTION… “In God We Trust”

When it comes to the currency of the United States, you can be sure of several things when you look at it. For a long time US currency was always the same, but they have been fiddling with bills and coins over the past few years and it seems like every time I get a bill or a coin there is a new design or new color on it. I guess I don’t care as long as they take it at the grocery store.

What can you always find on US Currency?

You can always find a historical figure. Kennedy, Roosevelt, Lincoln, Sacagawea

You can always find a historic place. White House, Lincoln Memorial, Monticello.

You can always find US symbols. Eagles, stars, olive branches, torches.

You can always find the word “Liberty.”

You can also always find the words “In God We Trust.”

Today as we think about money, we are going to be thinking heavily about the sentiment which is printed or minted on each bill and coin… “In God We Trust.”

Do we really trust in God?

Do we really trust in our money?

Do we say we believe in God and yet live as though He doesn’t exist?

Do we say we trust in God and in His security and yet live as though we trust only in money?

READ 1 TIMOTHY 6:6-10, 6:17-19

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

…

“17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

We are going through the ideas presented in pastor Craig Groeschel’s book “The Christian Atheist.” He has given us a great platform to talk about the Lordship of Jesus in many aspects of our lives. We say we believe in God and trust in Him, but in all areas of our lives we do not always show it, act it, or believe it. Christianity is a faith that should not be compartmentalized into one small area of our lives, but rather Christianity is a faith that touches every area of our lives. Today we are going to speak about the ever popular topic of money. We all face the temptation to make money a priority and the love of money an active pursuit. We say we believe in God and trust in God, but are we actually living as though we believe in money and trust in money.

When it comes to money, I always think of math. Money is numbers. Money is addition and subtraction and percents. This morning, I’d like us to take a look at the passages in 1 Timothy 6 in mathematical terms so that we can uncover what love of money does in our lives. We won’t get complicated, but let’s look at 1 Timothy 6 in terms of “equal to,” “addition and multiplication,” “subtraction and division,” and apply much of what we talk about with “greater than.”

I. (=) equal

Basic mathematics shares with us that when numbers don’t change either up or down, this is due to numbers being equal. In math, equality means the amount on one side of the “=” is the same as the other. As we look at 1 Timothy 6, what do we find that the love of money is equal to? To be honest, it is in this part of our discussion this morning where we truly discover what the love of money actually entails.

First, we find that the love of money equals a root of all kinds of evil (verse 10). We should note that the verse does not say that “money is the root of all evil” as is often misquoted. Actually, the root of all evil is sin (Romans 5:12, James 1:15). The love of money does lead to an evil… what is that root? What sin does the love of money lead us into? I would have to say that the root that the love of money is equal to is greed. Greed is a powerful root of sin. The love of money is equal to greed.