Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
This sermon explores our attitudes towards wealth, challenging us to serve God over money, resist materialism's illusions, and maintain a balanced, godly perspective on finances.
Good morning, church family. It's a joy to be sharing God's Word with you today.
Our focus today is on the critical, yet often overlooked issue of wealth, money, and our attitude towards them. It's an issue that affects us all, regardless of our financial status. Whether we have much or little, our attitude towards wealth is a reflection of our heart's true allegiance.
Our key scripture today is from Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." And from Ecclesiastes 5:10, "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless." These passages serve as a mirror, reflecting the state of our hearts when it comes to the love of money.
The esteemed preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled." This quote shines a light on the deceitfulness of wealth, reminding us that our satisfaction should not be found in the abundance of our possessions, but in the sufficiency of Christ.
We have three main points to consider today. First, we will ponder over the question: Mammon or Master? Who are we truly serving - God or money? Second, is the pursuit of wealth a vain chase after the wind? And finally, how can we cultivate a balanced and godly attitude towards money?
Let's bow our heads in prayer as we begin:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word that guides us, corrects us, and molds us into the image of Your Son, Jesus Christ. As we delve into Your Word today, we ask for Your Spirit to illuminate our minds and hearts. Help us to understand Your teachings about money and wealth. May we not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Give us a heart that seeks first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, knowing that all these things will be added unto us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
May the Lord guide us as we seek His wisdom on this important topic today.
The Bible is clear about the impossibility of serving two masters. It's an either-or situation. We're either serving God, or we're serving money. This is a tough pill to swallow for many of us because we live in a world that constantly tells us that we can have it all. We're told that we can have our cake and eat it too. But the Bible tells us otherwise.
When we look at our lives, who or what takes precedence? Is it God or is it money? This is a question we need to ask ourselves daily. It's not a question we can answer once and be done with it. It's a question that needs to be answered every day, with every decision we make.
When we wake up in the morning, what's the first thing on our minds? Is it God or is it money? When we go about our day, what drives our decisions? Is it God or is it money? When we lay down at night, what's the last thing on our minds? Is it God or is it money?
The answers to these questions reveal who or what we're truly serving. They reveal our true master.
Now, this doesn't mean that money is inherently evil. Money is a tool. It's a resource. It's something we can use for good. The problem arises when money becomes our master. When we start serving money instead of God, that's when we get into trouble.
The Bible warns us about the dangers of loving money. It tells us that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It's not money itself that's evil, but the love of it. When we start loving money, we start serving it. And when we start serving money, we stop serving God.
This is why we need to be careful with our attitude towards money. We need to ensure that we're using money and not being used by it.
In the grand scheme of things, money is temporary. It's here today and gone tomorrow. But God is eternal. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, it makes sense to serve the eternal God rather than the temporary money.
But how do we do this? How do we serve God and not money?
First, we need to recognize that everything we have comes from God. The Bible tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from above. This includes our money. It's not ours. It's God's. We're merely stewards of it.
Second, we need to use our money for God's glory. This means using our money to further God's kingdom. This could be through giving to the church, helping the poor, or supporting missionaries. There are countless ways we can use our money for God's glory.
Third, we need to be content with what we have. The Bible tells us that godliness with contentment is great gain. We live in a world that constantly tells us that we need more. But the Bible tells us that we need to be content with what we have.
Finally, we need to trust in God and not in our wealth. The Bible tells us that it's better to trust in the Lord than to trust in wealth. Our wealth can disappear in an instant. But God is always there. He's always reliable. He's always trustworthy.
May God help us to serve Him and not money.
In the world we live in, it's easy to get caught up in the allure of material wealth ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO