Matthew 6:19-21
Investing in Eternity
Introduction
For the past several weeks, we’ve been considering some things the Bible has to say concerning personal finances, that is, the money God has entrusted to you and me. We’ve considered giving, stewardship, debt, and today we are going to talk about investing. In this message I want to share with you some biblical principles that I have learned about investing and hope that you too will become convinced that this is one area of our lives that is in need of some spiritual attention.
Remember what we have learned – your attitudes about finances have more to do with your faith than they do with your money. Giving is not about money; it is about faith. Stewardship is not about money; it is about trust. Debt is a spiritual problem, and investing, whether you do it or not can reveal some spiritual problems as well. Some people invest because they have a spiritual problem – their trust is in their ability to provide for themselves rather than God so they pour their energy and trust into investments. Others don’t invest because they have a spiritual problem – they lack the wisdom to realize that God has given us sense enough to look down the road and make sound financial choices. There has to be a proper balance that doesn’t come from a right relationship with your accountant – it comes from a right relationship with God.
In fact, the most important investment you’ll ever make concerns what you’ll do with your soul. The Bible teaches that one day you will die and in that moment you’ll stand before Jesus Christ with nothing more than the decision you made in this life concerning Him. The Bible says that we are all born in sin, and because of our sin we are condemned to die and are presently under the wrath and condemnation of God. In your natural condition from birth you are a sinner and because of your sin you are separated from God. There is nothing you can do of your own accord to straighten yourself up, you can’t do anything to make right your natural, sinful condition. Your only hope is in Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the Lamb who came and lived and died to take away not only the sin of the whole world, but your sin as well. The most important decision you can ever make is to repent of your sin, confess it to a holy and just God and trust Him to save you.
It won’t matter how much money you have when you die or how well you invest it on this earth, when you die none of it will have mattered. Somebody once asked the CPA of a wealthy millionaire who had just died, "How much money did he leave?" "All of it" he replied. Sure you ought to invest your money wisely as we will see, but what you do with your money is not nearly so important as what you do with Christ in salvation.
There are many things you should make wise investments with. You need to invest your time on this earth wisely. God will hold you accountable for how you spend it. You need to invest your talents and abilities wisely also, but since we are talking about money, let’s just deal with money. Jesus said in our text,
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Now we read that Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt…” But Paul told Timothy that “if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8)
The dilemma, or difficulty as I see it is where to draw the line between the two statements of Scripture. God expects that a man will provide what his family needs and in fact holds that man responsible to do so; but at the same time that same man is told not to lay up treasures for himself on this earth. What does all of this mean? Does this mean that we are to provide food and shelter, basic necessities but not all the extra stuff we enjoy so much? Does that mean that we are not to have trampolines and stereos and all the other stuff?
To find the answer, let’s look at verse 19 more closely. Our Bibles read, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth…” The Greek text literally says, “Don’t treasure for yourselves treasure on the earth.” What is a treasure? It is wealth or stuff that is stored up or hoarded. It means something of great worth or value, whether a person or a thing. It can also mean a collection of precious things. It is like the man Jesus spoke about in Luke 12:15. He said,
“Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”
Let me answer my question – there’s nothing wrong with treasure. There’s nothing wrong with money, or having a lot of it. You see, verse 21 indicates that the problem is a heart problem – it is determined by what we treasure and how we handle it. Jesus was very blunt about this – our treasure ought to be in heaven, our investments ought to be made in light of eternity rather than what we will gain from this life. Colossians 3:1-3 says,
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Seek those things which are above, set your affection, your heart, your mind, your focus on things above rather than on the stuff that we so often get caught up with like material accumulation, bank accounts, power and wealth and so forth. Why? Because our identity is not found in any of that – our identity is hid, wrapped up in Christ! Jesus asked this question, and it is one that you need to answer today – “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world?”
In 1928 a group of the world’s most successful financiers met at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. The following were present: The president of the largest utility company, The greatest wheat speculator, The president of the New York Stock Exchange, A member of the President’s Cabinet, The greatest "bear" in Wall Street, The president of the Bank of International Settlements, The head of the world’s greatest monopoly. Collectively, these tycoons controlled more wealth than there was in the U.S. Treasury, and for years newspapers and magazines had been printing their success stories and urging the youth of the nation to follow their examples. Twenty-five years later, this is what had happened to these men:
· The president of the largest independent steel company, Charles Schwab, lived on borrowed money the last five years of his life and died broke.
· The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cutten, died abroad, insolvent.
· The president of the New York Stock Exchange, Richard Whitney, served a term in Sing Sing Prison.
· The member of the President’s Cabinet, Albert Fall, was pardoned from prison so he could die at home.
· The greatest "bear" in Wall Street, Jesse Livermore, committed suicide.
· The president of the Bank of International Settlements, Leon Fraser, committed suicide.
· The head of the world’s greatest monopoly, Ivar Drueger, committed suicide.(1)
So far as the world is concerned these men had it all, but what did it profit them? All the money in the world, all the stuff in the world cannot buy peace and happiness and contentment. All of these men had learned how to make money, but not one of them had learned how to live. Maybe you would agree with Donald Trump who said, “Whoever says that money can’t buy happiness doesn’t know where to shop.”(2)
Of course he’s wrong. Solomon, the wealthiest man who ever lived used his money in an endless array of pursuits trying to find meaning and purpose in life – had only he known what Jesus and Paul known, “Set your affections on things above,” at an early age. It wasn’t until late in his life, after he had gained the whole world, that he found out they had nothing of any real worth to offer. “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves here on earth, but lay them up in heaven.”
But again, we have to live and make it in this life don’t we? We have to provide for those of our own households. We are responsible to provide for others as well – so what do we do? It is my opinion based on what I have studied that as children of God we can do both. We can provide for our own and at the same time with the same money lay up treasures in heaven. How do we do that?
Invest in your family’s immediate financial needs.
Your family is your first responsibility. No one or no thing should come before meeting the needs your family has for food and shelter and such. Now I’m not talking about living in a half-million dollar home. I’m talking about providing for their needs. We as Christians have a God-given responsibility to meet these needs. We have already read what Paul said to Timothy.
“If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8)
Our families are important to God – more important than most of us realize. Of all the institutions that God created it was family that came first. If family was so important to God and still is, then it ought to be important to us, and when we invest our finances in meeting the needs they have then we are investing not only in their immediate needs, but we are also investing in eternal rewards. Remember what it is that God rewards. He is not concerned with how much you make or how full your kitchen cabinets are. He doesn’t care about your net worth so much as He cares about your faithfulness in being a good steward of that which He’s given you.
I believe there are a lot of mothers and fathers who are going to have to answer for not meeting the needs of their children. We’ve got enough money for cigarettes and movies and eating out and for gambling, but we can’t meet the basic needs of our children? It just rubs me wrong to see someone standing in line at the welfare office one day and see them spending their paycheck on beer the next. A man or woman who will do that is worse than a lost person if there is such a thing.
You see, God gives each of us the ability to earn a living, but He expects us to manage that living for His honor and glory. We bring God great pleasure when we meet our family’s needs before we’ll spend money on ourselves. Invest in eternity by investing in the immediate financial needs of your family.
Invest in your family’s future financial needs.
As I have studied, it has been my observation that the average Christian makes no provision for his financial future. I won’t say financial security because remember, there’s really no such thing as financial security. Our security must be found in Christ. The bank can’t offer it, the NASDAQ can’t offer it and your 401K can’t provide it. Real and lasting security, the kind that helps you go to sleep at night comes only from a right relationship with Jesus Christ.
Did you know that according to Social Security records, 85 out of 100 Americans have less than $250 when they reach age 65.(3) Almost half of Americans report having less than $5,000 in savings and investments, including 1 out of 10 who have none at all. Significantly, more than one-fourth of Americans did not save or invest any of their income in the past year.(4) So, the average Christian makes no provision for his financial future. What are some things we should all be doing?
· Eliminate all of your consumer debt such as credit cards, car loans and other installment debt. Don’t take on any new debt. We talked about this last week. Debt has become a critical problem for most believers and keeps you from being able to save for tomorrow. The hardest part of doing this is making a commitment to enduring the financial crunch of not making new debt while you’re trying to get out from under the old.
· Set aside at least one month’s worth of living expenses in a checking account. Try to keep enough for this month’s and next month’s bills in this account at all times if possible.
· Start an emergency fund, 2-3 months worth of living expenses in an interest-bearing, no-risk account, like a money market account at a bank. Use this money only in case of an emergency.
· Start a short-term savings account in a no-risk account. This is money you plan to spend any time within the next year.
· Start a long-term savings account for major purchases (home, new car, education, etc.) in an interest-bearing, low-risk account. This is money you plan to spend in 2-10 years.
· Start a retirement plan if you don’t have one through work. Contribute to an IRA. Take out life insurance if your work doesn’t provide it. Pre-arrange your funeral plan if you are able to do so.
There are some other smart investments you can make too in higher risk vehicles, such as mutual funds, stocks, real estate, or a business. You must be willing and able to lose this money if your investment fails. Such a plan obviously demands that you have money left over after you’ve paid all your bills.
There seems to be some odd ideas floating around in Christian circles about things like financial planning and saving and investing. I realize the Bible teaches us to trust the Lord and to look to Him for our needs, but it also teaches us to be wise, to plan ahead and make provision for the future. Proverbs 6 tells us to look to nature for a lesson we all learned in the fable of the ant and the grasshopper. Proverbs 6:6-11 says,
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man."
From nature we can see that without anyone prompting them, even the ants know to work hard while times are good so that when they are not so good there will be provision. However, it is easy to put off any investments in our family’s futures until it is too late and we wake up one day ready to retire and are unable to do so. Don’t count on Social Security. Don’t count on the government. Don’t make your children pay for your lack of wisdom – recognize your need to make some wise investments today for your family’s tomorrow.
Invest in the Lord’s work today and tomorrow.
I really don’t want to rehash what we’ve been covering in the last few messages. As believers and as members of this church, you have a spiritual responsibility to invest in the Lord’s work today. When you invest in the ministries of this church, you are making an eternal investment. Every soul that is saved is one you have a part in if you help pay the way. Every soul that is taught and trained is one in which you have made an investment. How can you invest in the Lord’s work today?
· With your tithes – give 10% of your gross income to the ministries of this church or the church of your membership.
· With special offerings – these are offerings that should be given as the Lord blesses you over and above the tithe. Perhaps you want to give to Faith Promise or the youth fund or the ladies auxiliary. These are the offerings that pay for things like the pews or the new front doors and for our missionaries to stay on the field and labor for the Lord.
· With your possessions – use them for the Lord. Give someone a ride. Swing your hammer for a shut-in who can’t afford to pay for a handyman.
· With your time and talents.
Not only should you invest in the Lord’s work today, it may be possible for some of you to make an investment after you die. Now most believers don’t have a problem talking about tithing and giving today, but very few think about the Lord’s churches and His work beyond their weekly or monthly income, but let me offer a suggestion to those of you who are able and open to allowing the Lord to use you after death.
Make an investment in your will – When you die you will likely leave your estate and possessions to your children and grandchildren or others you love. Why not think about leaving some to your church? Think about it, your children may already have automobiles, why can’t you will yours to the church? There are endless possibilities if you’ll be open to what the Lord might have you to do along these lines.
Just about two years ago, an elderly couple in Mt. Enterprise, Texas, who attended Landmark Baptist Church where Brother Darrell Owens is the pastor passed away. They had children, but knowing their children did not need what they had, and I suppose that whatever the children really wanted was probably already given to them anyway, they left their entire estate to Texas Baptist Institute. When all was said and done their estate was settled for $142,000. The school was able to do many things that it had needed to do for many years because of the sacrificial investment of a godly couple who loved the Lord.
While I’m talking about wills here, let me just add as a side note this – why wait until you are dead to pass on to your children and grandchildren those family keepsakes that you’re not doing anything with anymore? Why wait until you’re dead to leave them money. Chances are by then they’ll be old enough that they’re financially stable too. Instead you could give them now what you intend to give them later and by doing so, you’ll be able to enjoy the blessing too while you’re still alive. Just a thought!
Conclusion
There are two ways in which a Christian may view his money--"How much of my money shall I use for God?" or "How much of God’s money shall I use for myself?"(5) The answer to that question will determine whether you do anything with what you’ve heard today. What have you been investing in with your money? Has your treasure been here on earth in the form of stuff or status? Or has your treasure been in heaven where only what you’ve done for the name of Jesus really matters?
Somebody said, "Money will buy a bed but not sleep; books but not brains; food but not appetite; finery but not beauty; a house but not a home; medicine but not health; luxuries but not culture; amusements but not happiness; religion but not salvation; a passport to everywhere but heaven."(6) Today during our invitation I am pleading with you to reject the lies of our culture. Money is not the answer. The only thing that will fill what your heart desires is Christ. Do you have a relationship with Him? Can you be honest and say before God that your affection, your attention, your focus has been on heaven, on Jesus, on eternal things rather than on the things of this earth?
Some of you need to repent today because you’ve been going at it all wrong. You’ve been putting self before your family. You’ve been foolish about tomorrow and need to turn from that direction. You’ve been neglecting the Lord’s work by refusing to invest in it. Will you seek the Lord today and invite Him to be the Lord of your finances too?
Works Cited
1. http://www.christianglobe.com/Illustrations/theDetails.asp?whichOne=m&whichFile=money
2. Donald Trump, U.S. News and World Report, January 9, 1989.
3. Blue, Ron, Manage Your Money, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1986
4. Dr. Seymour Lieberman, Homemade, January, 1985.
5. http://www.christianglobe.com/Illustrations/theDetails.asp?whichOne=m&whichFile=money
6. The Voice In the Wilderness, quoted in Discipleship Journal, Issue 53, 1989, p. 21.
