Rich Towards God

IN HIS SERMON “THE USE OF MONEY,” JOHN WESLEY SAID IN REGARDS TO EARTHLY TREASURES, “EARN ALL YOU CAN, SAVE ALL YOU CAN, AND GIVE ALL YOU CAN.” OUR PARABLE DOES NOT CONDEMN WEALTH OR BEING PROSPEROUS OR HAVING MANY POSESSIONS.

IN FACT, THE CHURCH DOES NOT TEACH AGAINST IT, BUT RATHER CALLS US TO PROPER STEWARDSHIP OF WHAT GOD ALLOWS US TO HAVE. THERE IS GREAT RESPONSIBILITY IN BEING A STEWARD.

THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH IN OUR “CHRISTIAN JOURNEY” STATES THE FOLLOWING REGARDING OUR “STEWARDSHIP OF POSSESSIONS:” “ALTHOUGH AS CHRISTIANS WE ACCUMULATE GOODS, WE SHOULD NOT MAKE POSSESSIONS OR WEALTH THE GOAL OF OUR LIVES. RATHER, AS STEWARDS WE GIVE GENEROUSLY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OTHERS AND TO SUPPORT MINISTRY. THE SCRIPTURES ALLOW THE PRIVILEGE OF PRIVATE OWNERSHIP. THOUGH WE HOLD TITLE TO POSSESSIONS UNDER CIVIL LAW, WE REGARD ALL WE HAVE AS THE PROPERTY OF GOD ENTRUSTED TO US AS STEWARDS […]WHILE CUSTOMS AND COMMUNITY STANDARDS CHANGE, THERE ARE CHANGELESS SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN US AS CHRISTIANS IN OUR ATTITUDES AND CONDUCT. WHATEVER WE BUY, USE, OR WEAR REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO CHRIST AND OUR WITNESS IN THE WORLD. WE THEREFORE AVOID EXTRAVAGANCE AND LIVE IN SIMPLICITY.”

THIS IS THE TEACHING OF MATTHEW 6:19-21, “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.”

WE ARE TO BECOME RICH IN GOD AND MAKE WISE INVESTMENTS IN THE THINGS OF GOD. JESUS WARNED, IN VERSE 15, “WATCH OUT! BE ON YOUR GUARD AGAINST ALL KINDS OF GREED; LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN AN ABUNDANCE OF POSSESSIONS.” JESUS REPEATS AND EMPHASIZES THIS WARNING BY TELLING THE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL.

THE RICH FARMER IS CALLED A FOOL NOT BECAUSE HE IS WEALTHY OR BECAUSE HE SAVES FOR THE FUTURE, BUT BECAUSE HE APPEARS TO LIVE ONLY FOR HIMSELF, AND BECAUSE HE BELIEVES THAT HE CAN SECURE HIS LIFE WITH HIS ABUNDANT POSSESSIONS.

HE KNEW BETTER! THE WORD FOR “FOOL” MEANS “SENSELESS” OR “STUPID.” JESUS USES AN OLD TESTAMENT TERM THAT DESCRIBES A PERSON WHO EITHER ACTS WITHOUT GOD OR ACTS WITHOUT WIDSOM IN A SELF-DESCTRUCTIVE WAY. SELF-CENTERED! SELF-DESTRUCTIVE!

HE ALREADY KNEW WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE DONE WITH ALL THE EXCESS PRODUCE, BUT HE DIDN’T DO IT. HE MADE A WAY TO KEEP EVERYTHING FOR HIMSELF WITHOUT ANY SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO CARE FOR OTHERS. HE HAS MORE GRAIN AND GOODS IN STORAGE THAN HE COULD EVER HOPE TO USE IN HIS LIFETIME.

THE MAN WAS AN UTTER FOOL BECAUSE HE FORGOT GOD, MADE NO PREPARATIONS FOR HIS IMMORTAL SOUL, AND FORGOT HIS NEIGHBOR. DESPITE HIS GREAT WEALTH ON EARTH, HE FINDS, AT THE MOMENT OF DEATH, THAT HE WAS SPIRITUALLY BROKE AND REALLY OWNED NOTHING AND WASN’T WEALTHY AT ALL.

GOD IS GENEROUS AND MERCIFUL TO US. WE SHOULD, IN TURN, BE AS GENEROUS AND MERCIFUL TO OTHERS AS GOD HAS BEEN TO US. 2 CORINTHIANS 9:8, “AND GOD WILL GENEROUSLY PROVIDE ALL YOU NEED. THEN YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED AND PLENTY LEFT OVER TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.”

WE HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR BEING STINGY, MEAGER, OR UNCONCERNED TOWARDS OTHERS, OUR WORLD, AND OUR CHURCH. YES, AS THE SECOND GREATEST COMMANDMENT SAYS IT IS PROPER TO LOVE OURSELVES, HOWEVER, THIS SAME COMMANDMENT ALSO SAYS TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR THE SAME WAY WE LOVE OURSELVES.

AGAIN, THIS PARABLE IS NOT AGAINST WEALTH, POSESSIONS, LEISURE, SUCCESS, INVESTMENTS, OR ANYTHING WE HAVE OR DO. THE ISSUE ARISES WHEN EVERYTHING IS HOARDED FOR SELF AND NOT SHARED. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN YOUR THREE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE IS “ME, MYSELF, AND I.”

ELEVEN TIMES, THE MAN USES FIRST PERSON PRONOUNS TO MAKE IT ALL ABOUT HIMSELF AND NOBODY ELSE. MY CROPS. MY BARNS. MY WHEAT. MY GOODS. HE SERVES HIMSELF AND FEELS NO CONCERN FOR ANYONE ELSE. THE ESSENCE OF GREED IS KEEPING WHAT RESOURCES GOD BRINGS YOUR WAY ALL FOR YOURSELF.

GOD TAKES THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND EQUATES GREED TO IDOLATRY AS WE SEE IN EPHESIANS 5:5, “YOU CAN BE SURE THAT NO IMMORAL, IMPURE, OR GREEDY PERSON WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND OF GOD. FOR A GREEDY PERSON IS AN IDOLATER, WORSHIPING THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD.”

MAY WE BE ON GUARD NOT TO LIVE FOOLISHLY BY LIVING ONLY FOR THIS TIME ON EARTH AND NOT WORRY OR FORGETTING ETERNITY AND FOCUSING JUST ON SELF AND OUR OWN AGENDAS. FORGETTING GOD AND PROMOTING SELF NEVER ENDS WELL.

LET US CONTINUE TO STRIVE AFTER WAYS TO BECOME RICH IN GOD. WE RESPOND TO LIFE AND BLESSING FROM GOD IN WAYS THAT HONORS HIM, GIVES HIM GLORY, AND LEADS PEOPLE TO JESUS CHRIST.