Set Free To Give--What I Owe Me
6/5/2011 Ecclesiastes 5:10-20 and 1 Timothy 6:3-10 Luke 12
Today is the final in our messages Set Free. We started with Set Free To Love, then Set Free To Serve, then Set Free To Worship and today Set Free To Give. At The End our message we will turn in our pledge sheet or faith sheet whichever term you like better. Before we can give our best, we have have to be set free to give.
Before we can give we need to also recognize three debts that we have that need to be paid. The first is “what I owe me”, the second is “what I owe you,” and the third is “what I owe God.” If we’re going to be balanced and blessed in our spiritual and financial lives, we have to settle how we’re going to pay these three debts.
Each Christian ought to want to arrive in heaven, with a Paid In Full Stamp, right behind their name. Today we are going to look at what might be the toughest of the Set Free’s to deal with, and that is being set free to give, because we have to first settle “ “What I owe me.” Say that with me, “What I owe me.” Not knowing the answer to this single question, can ruin your credit, destroy your marriage, and send you to the end of the poverty line.
Pastor Toby and I have had the privilege of going all over this country speaking on giving. It has been our privilege at times to meet and speak to some of the world’s 15% richest people. God has blessed them with more stuff and money than he has 85% of the world’s population, and one of their biggest problem is that they figure they need more money. Even with all their wealth, they say, they would like to tithe but they cannot afford it. They have not been able to settle the issue of “what I owe me.” Can you imagine having that much and still wanting more?
If God were to move you were into the top 15% of the richest people in the world today, how many of you believe you would be willing to tithe and maybe even give a little extra above tithing. What if God moved you into the top 5% of the richest people in the world then could you do it? Let me tell you how much you need in order to be in the top 20% of the world’s richest people.
You need a yearly salary of $1500.00. To be in the top 15% of the world’s richest people, you need enough food to eat, live in a house or an apartment, and have a reliable means of transportation. To be in the top 5% you need to have some money in the bank, own a house, have a wardrobe of clothes and two cars of any kind that run.
How many of us are far richer compared to the rest of the world than we had thought we were. When you think of the word greed, what comes to your mind. A rich oil excutive, a kid that won’t share his cookies, somebody with too much food at the buffet table.
Of all the sins that come from our hearts, very few of us think that greed is a problem, because in our society greed is acceptable because it comes in so many disguises. We’re not greedy, we’re savers. We’re not greedy, we’re fashionable, we’re not greedy, we’re good planners. We’re not greedy, we’re prepared. We’re not greedy, we deserve this. We’re not greedy, we’re keeping up to date. We’re not greedy, we’re successful
Let me define greed. Greed is when I have enough for my needs, but I want more for my own personal use. In America, there is a whole industry, bent on redefining what it is that we need. I am a technological guru when it comes to computers. I found myself constantly wanting the fastest computer with the latest gadget. I can remember how proud I was when I turned my computer into a TV with all the cable channels so that I could watch tv while working on the computer. This was at the same time, I already 6 tv’s in the house.
But then, I had to have a laptop computer. The industry kept stealing my old computers, by coming out with a faster one, that did more things, every nine months. It got to the point, my greed just couldn’t keep up. I realized I had a problem. Now I was still tithing, and still putting in extra offerings, and still giving people money who needed it, but greed for computers was a real factor in my life.
I was convinced that I owed me, the best computer possible in my price range. I had to have it for my work was the lie I told myself. I needed to be set free from this area of greed in order to be a more generous giver. To deal with this problem, I banned myself from computer stores, purchasing computer magazines, and buying me a new laptop. It was not been easy. I went three years without a new laptop and didn’t get another one until the screen stopped working. I believed that lie that if I just had the latest or one more gadget I was going to be paid in full with my greed. It did not happen. Choosing to go without was what really set me free.
Now for me it was computers and technology. What is your area of greed in which you tell yourself, you deserve this and you have got to have it. We say, I don’t have a thing to wear. When what we mean is, I don’t have something brand new to wear that will impress others. Or we don’t have something with the right label on it to wear.
God must laugh himself silly with some of our prayers. God I need a car, with leather seats, surround sound, extra speakers and a complete navigation system. There is something about possessions, that does something to us. They make us believe we are entitled to a certain standard of living. They can even make us feel as though we are better than owe people. What do I truly owe me before I can be set free to give.
Greed softly tells us that the more we get, the happier we will be, and the more secure we become. Remember when we had a little bit of nothing. We knew our neighbors and did not lock our doors. Now we have something, scared to let people in our house, we have double locks on the doors, security systems and video cameras on our homes. The greed of others works to keep us in prison to our possessions.
We think if we just made a little more money, we could finally be happy with what we have. Greed will no longer be an issue for us. Jesus comes along and messes with our minds, by saying the true way to handle greed is to have less and learn to be content. I told you that it would be easier to be a Christian if it were not for Jesus.
How much do I owe me to be paid in full. How many computers do I need? How many outfits? How many cars? How much money in the bank? How many pairs of shoes? How much stock? How nice of a neighborhood? How many bedrooms? How many acres? How much food? How many vacations? How many dresses, outfits or suits? How many cd’s? How much jewelry? How many rings? How many tattoos?
There’s nothing wrong with any of these things in themselves, but how much do you owe yourself with them. Whatever amount we define, is going to determine what will be left for others and for God? We often like to think, that God is on the top of our list for our possessions, but if we’re honest our greed places God is at the end of the line when it comes to money?
Andy Stanley wrote this. People with greed lodged in their heart fear that God either can’t or won’t take care of them. More to the point, they’re afraid that God won’t take care of them in the fashion or style in which they want to be cared for. And the gap between what they suspect God might be willing to do and what they want becomes a major source of anxiety. Greedy people then carry the burden of getting and maintaining everything they need to provide the sense of security they desire.
A guy came to Jesus one day, and said, “Jesus, I want you to tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Now we do not know what the circumstances were surrounding the inheritance problem. Maybe the guy deserved a portion of the inheritance and maybe he did not. We do know he felt as though he owed himself the chance to get whatever part of the inheritance wealth he could. He wanted Jesus on his side in this dispute with his brother.
Jesus saw that the larger issue was not the inheritance but the relationship between the brothers. It may have been different, if he had said, “Jesus, my brother and I are not getting along well with each other. What can I do to get the relationship back on track.”
Jesus, told the man, “Man who appointed me a judge or arbitrator between the two of you.” Jesus refused to get involved in this money squabble probably, because he knew there was another issue lurking here. It was not so much an issue of justice or compassion as it was the issue of greed. Now Jesus directs his next comment not solely to the man, but to his followers. He said in Luke 12:15, Luke 12:15 (NIV) 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Notice that Jesus used the words all kinds of greed. All kinds means that there is more than just one type of greed. We can be greedy with our possessions, our money, our family, our children, our lifestyle, our time, our home and a host of other things. Do you own something that you will not allow anybody else to touch it. Again what do I owe me in each of these situations in order for me to be paid in full.
Remember the old bumper sticker, “He who dies with the most toys win.” The bible would say, he who dies with the most toys, probably wasted their lives. How many of us are living and killing ourselves at work just to get more stuff. We have been taught the purpose of life is to get more stuff, and then leave it for somebody else to use or throw in the trash.
Jesus then began telling a story. He said the ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. First of all do you see where this increase came from. It came from the ground, which means it came from God and the things that God had provided. When the rich man saw this abundance, he thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.
Now this is the same thing as the person, who got a raise, got a bonus, got a promotion, received an inheritance, or won some amount of money. It was an unexpected blessing in his life. There was nothing wrong with the rich man’s question. What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops. We all ask that question in one form or another.
What shall I do? There is no room left in my garage to store anything else. My closets and my drawers are all filled to capacity with clothes. I can’t put another thing in the attic or in the basement for storage. This freezer will not hold any more food. But I just got this new whatever, what am I going to do.
Did it ever occur to you, that an unexpected blessing in your life, just might be a test from God to see if He could bless you with more. Remember Jesus said, the one who is faithful with little, will also be faithful in much. But the one who is unfaithful in little, will also be unfaithful in much. If we feel, “I owe myself all of this little’, what makes us think we won’t feel “I owe myself all of this huge amount.” Everything that God sends through your hands is not for you to keep. God wants some vessels that he can pass things through to other people.
The rich man came to the conclusion, the most logical thing to do is to tear down my barns, and build bigger ones and there I will store all my grains and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry. Isn’t what this rich man’s plan is the goal and the dream of American society. Store up as much wealth as you can, so that in your retirement, you can take life easy, eat, drink and go to Florida for the winters or better yet move to Florida all together.
If you had of asked this guy if he was being greedy, he would have said of course not. This is a sound business investment strategy. He was searching for security in life. He had thought he had enough, but that was before he had the chance to get some more. Jesus told this story to a group of people who lived from day to day. The average poor person in Jesus’ day didn’t know where his next meal was coming from the following day. When our cousin Ivana was here, she spoke of a family of 12 that took turns eating every other day to stretch the food they had.
Although the rich man was able to financially reach the American dream, early in life, God said to him, “You fool. This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself.” Do you realize that we never fully own anything. Everything we get is on a lease. Nothing we have is going to last forever, so even when we pay for it, we’re only paying to get to use it for a certain amount of time, until we sell, trade it, give it away, or it falls to pieces. We never own anything. Even if they put it in the coffin and grave with our bodies, we still can’t take it with us into the life that is to come. Naked we came into this world and naked we go out.
Now we can’t take anything with us into the next life, but it is impossible to send some of it ahead and have it waiting for us. But the only way to do that is to overcome the issue of greed. Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Where do we want our hearts to be. In things or in God.
We put things into heaven, by fully and completely giving away things here on earth. But we will not give until we satisfy the question of what do I owe me. There is no single answer to this question, because our greed affects some of us in different ways and as I said before, Jesus said there are many kinds of greed. The problem of the rich man in the story, was not his wealth, but his selfishness.
How many of us are praying that God will bless us with more, so that we can be more selfish once we get it. I don’t know how many people God has taken from no income to a decent job, and they turn around and still won’t tithe. What they feel they owe themselves is far greater than what God expected them to take. What do you think of the kid who has 10 cookies and you tell him to share his cookies with the little boy who has none and the kid with the 10 cookies, breaks one of his cookies in half to give to the little fellow with none.
Jesus wants us to get back to what the real needs in life are . He tells us that life does not consists of an abundance of possessions. Then he tells us something that we really do not want to hear in Luke 12:32-34 (NIV)
32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. There Jesus goes with that heart stuff again.
Now Jesus is not saying to go out and sell all that you have. He is saying each of us needs to learn how to trust God and be content. He’s challenging us to be a blessing to those who really have needs. Before we add another this or another that, why not give one that we already have away before it becomes useless or is stolen. Why not really do something like Christ like and give away the new one and keep on using the old one?
There is a value in knowing how much I owe me to be paid in full. We can start being a blessing, by surrendering possessions in the attic, the garage, the basements, the closets with things that we probably will not use again. God is not asking us to become poor. God is showing us how to become free.
There is a value in knowing how much I owe me to be paid in full. It means we will get out of credit card debt a lot sooner. We can be honest and say, “I’ve paid myself in full already, I do not need to buy that.” We can quit wasting our money trying to get rich quick. The bible tells us, whoever loves money, will never have enough. Not only that, we fall into pits and schemes that destroy our lives. The love of money keeps us from being set free to give.
We can quit killing ourselves trying to work two jobs in order to try to live at a level that we cannot afford to live on. Maybe it’s not God’s will yet for you to have that kind of a house, or that kind of car, or that kind of a phone. I say yet because there are times when the Lord gives you the desire of your heart, without giving you unnecessary stress and strain in you life to get it.
There is a value in knowing how much I owe me to be paid in full. We can quit trying to keep up with the Jones’. We can save money recognizing I do not have to have a new everything. We can escape the idea that my possessions make me and my children a little more than you and your children. We are all God’s children, and God blesses some of us, so that we can bless others and demonstrate we truly are like God. The most important thing God did for us was God gave. God is calling us to be like Him in giving. You can pay yourself off in full a lot quicker by praying Lord, help me learn to be content where I am.
When we have been paid in full, we can have the freedom to use our money in a way that helps us, helps others, and helps the kingdom of God. Now that I’ve paid me in full, I can start putting some treasure in heaven.
Today we will share in communion. Jesus was set free to give even to the point of giving his life for the love of the Father’s will for His life. What are we truly willing to do out of love for the Father to have an impact for the kingdom of God. Please take out your sheet and fill it out and bring it forward as we sing the song___________________________________
Sermon Outline Pastor Rick
Paid In Full—What I Owe Me
Eccl. 5:10-20 1 Tim 6:3-10 Luke 12
A. Stewardship—Paid In Full
1. Owe Me, Owe You, Owe God
2. Balanced—Pay These Debts
3. Pastor Toby & I Conferences
4. Top 15% Of World’s Richest
5. Let God Move You To Top 15%
Top 80%-- 1500
Top 85-food, house/apt, means of transp
6. What About The Top 5%
bank Account, Wardrobe, 2 Cars
B. Are There Any Greedy People Left
1. Oil Exec, Child With Cookies, Buffet
2. Great Disguises
3. Savers, Fashionable, Good Planners
4. Prepared, Kept UpDate, Succesful
5. Greed—I have more than what I need, but I want more to spend on myself because I Owe It To Me
C. Confessions Of A Computer Junkie
1. Started Small
2. I Was Robbed By The Industry
3. I Needed Just One More
3. The Need To Go Cold Turkey
D. When We Say, What Do We Really Mean
1. I Have Nothing To Wear
God Must Laugh Hsimsel Silly
2. I Need A Car, A Phone
3. Possessions Make Us Think
4. The Days Of No Locks On Doors
E. How Much Do I Really Owe Me
1. Computers, Money, Cars, Stocks
2. Shoes, Bedrooms, Neighborhood
3. The Line-Me, Others, God
4. Stanley-Will God Take Care Of Me
F. Jesus And The Inheritance
1. Tell Him To Share
Luke 12:15 (NIV)
15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
1. All Kinds-More Than One
Money, Family, Time, Friends, Cars,
2. He Who Dies With The Most Toys
3. Just Killing Ourselves For Stuff
4. Noone Owns Anything—
F. The Story Of The Rich Farmer
1. The Ground Produced The Crop
2. What Shall I Do-I Have No Place
3. Raise, Promotion, Gift Etc
4. I Have No Place
5. Can A Blessing Just Be A Test
6. I Owe A Little Or I Owe Me A Lot
7. It’s Not All To Keep
8. Do The Logical Thing-Tear It Down
Luke 12:19 (NIV)
19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'
9. The Fulfillment Of American Dream
G. This Was Not Greed Was It
1. Sound Business Investment
2. Told To People Who Lived Day…
3. We Never Own, We Only Lease
4. Can’t Carry It In The Coffin
5. Naked In And Out
Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) 19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
H. Send Your Treasure Ahead
1. Give It Away Completely
2. Problem Not Wealth-Selfishness
3. 10 Cookies And A Half
Luke 12:32-34 (NIV)
32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
4. Jesus Teaching Trust & Contentment
5. Challenges Us Before We Add
6. Value In Know How Much I Owe Me
7. Becoming Free Financially-Go Clean Out
8. No More Get Rich Quick
9. Wait On God For That—Not Yet
10. Forget The Jones
11. My Possessions Do Not Make Me
12. Help Me, Help Others, Help God
