Pastor’s Bible Class
Thomas Road Baptist Church
Dr. Elmer L. Towns
Stewardship
Lesson 2: Managing Money
April 6, 2008
WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP? MATTHEW 6:19-33
1. “The proper management of our time, talents and treasures for the glory of God.
2. What are other names for a steward?
a. Baseball player: agent.
b. Your money: financial planner.
c. Buying a house: realtor.
d. Corporation: CEO or COO.
Today’s lesson asks three questions . . .
A. WHAT PRIORITIES SHOULD I HAVE?
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matt. 6:19-21, NLT).
1. Your attitude determines your success in life. “Where your treasure is there is your heart also” (v. 21).
a. Right attitudes about money means other attitudes are right.
b. It’s not wrong to possess money, don’t let it possess you.
c. What is money? It is your life.
Wrong Reasons to Give Money
· Guilt.
· To get money back from God.
· Because the church begs.
· Because you have to.
2. Your relationship determines your success in life.
a. Relationship is the real measure of your wealth.
b. Three attitudes:
(1) What’s God’s is mine, and I’m going to take it.
(2) What’s mine is mine and I’m going to keep it.
(3) What’s mine is God’s and He can have it.
3. Your priorities in life will determine your success in life.
a. Your objectives come out of your priorities.
b. Definition: Priorities are my values, my estimations, my worth, i.e., what comes first in my thinking. “Why I do what I do.”
c. What we want in life is based on what we believe.
d. Without priorities, we work (hard) but accomplish little.
e. Without priorities, work and life is empty and meaningless.
B. WHAT MOTIVATES MY LIFE?
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:22-24)
1. Jesus asks, “What is your motivation about money?”
a. You must know what is important?
b. You must desire what is important?
c. You must sacrifice for what is important?
2. A thief is never motivated to find a policeman.
3. You must have Christ at the center of your life. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light” (v. 22, NKJV)
4. What motivates your loyalty? “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (v. 24).
5. What will you give your life for? D. L. Moody said, “You don’t find something worth living for until you find something worth dying for.”
C. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS IN LIFE?
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matt. 6:25-26).
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matt. 6: 31-33).
1. Why are you making plans? “Seek” has two items. First, desiring earnestly (internal) and second striving for something (external)
2. God says your inner desires are as important as you actions.
3. Show me your credit card bills and I will show you your life.
4. The word “but” means there are other alternation.
a. Save money: squeeze it.
b. Spend money: “Easy come, easy go.”
c. Use money: to make more money.
d. Invest money: for the future.
e. Enjoy money: some like to play.
f. Manage your money for God’s glory.
5. The phrase “these things” means God is concerned about the basic necessities.
a. Food.
b. Clothing.
c. Shelter.
6. We are not to put our thoughts of these first, and God second. “Your heavenly Father knows you have need of all these things” (v. 32).
7. Do what will strengthen your faith. “O ye of little faith” (v. 30).
8. Motive the two-fold plan.
a. The kingdom of God means I give my money to advance His plans on earth.
b. His righteousness means I give my money for Him.
E. CONCLUSION
1. What priorities?
a. God owns all my money
b. I give the “firstfruits” to God.
c. I manage the rest for Him.
2. What motivation?
a. God’s plan for my life is imperative.
b. I yield to do God’s plan
c. I will do what I have to do, so I can do God’s plan for my life.
3. What plans?
a. I will advance God’s kingdom with my money.
b. I will trust God to take care of my needs.
c. When I work smart and work hard to get a bigger 10% to give to God.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
To receive this lesson, log on to www.elmertowns.com. You will find it under Sunday School lessons. To email Dr. Towns, eltowns@liberty.edu. For more information on the class, log on to the Internet for TRBC Home page at www.trbc.org/pbc.
