The Perils Of The Love Of Money And The Test Of Prosperity

Introduction: The Rich Man's Dilemma

A few years ago, I heard a story about a man named John, who grew up in humble beginnings. His family didn’t have much, but they were rich in faith. Every Sunday, they sat in the same pew at church, and John’s parents always taught him to trust God in all things. As John got older, he worked hard and eventually became quite successful. He started his own business, and soon, his company grew beyond what he ever imagined. He had wealth, prestige, and everything the world told him he needed to be happy. Yet, despite all his success, John’s heart began to change.

He started missing church more often, always having an excuse — meetings, travel, and sometimes just the desire to stay in bed. Slowly, the faith of his youth faded, and his pursuit of wealth became his new focus. He would say, “I’ll make time for God once I’m more established. After all, isn’t this success a blessing from Him?” But with every passing year, John drifted further from his faith, entrapped by the love of money. He couldn’t see that his wealth had become a burden on his soul.

One day, as John was reviewing his finances, he received a call that his father had passed away. At the funeral, the pastor shared a verse from Matthew 16:26: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” Those words cut John to the core. He had gained everything the world offered, but he had lost the peace and joy that can only come from God. That day, John recommitted his life to God, realizing that his prosperity had been the greatest test of his faith.

The Love of Money: A Dangerous Temptation

Brothers and sisters, today I want to speak about a danger that is present in all of our lives — the love of money.

The post-modern world surrounds us with the message that success and wealth are the ultimate goals. It’s easy to be seduced by the promise that more money means more happiness, more security, more influence.

But Scripture warns us that the love of money is dangerous.

Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Notice, Paul doesn’t say that money itself is evil. It is the love of money — the desire for more and more — that leads to destruction.

We are opening ourselves up to all kinds of spiritual dangers when we prioritize wealth over our relationship with God.

Money, in and of itself, can be a tool used for good.

It can feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and support the work of God’s Kingdom.

But when money becomes our master, when it becomes the thing we worship, it replaces God in our hearts.

The pursuit of wealth can lead us away from our true purpose, which is to love God and love our neighbor.

Prosperity: The Greatest Test of Faith

We often think that hardship is the true test of our faith — and it certainly can be.

But I want to challenge you today to consider that prosperity may actually be an even greater test.

When we are struggling, we naturally turn to God for help. But when we have everything we need, when life is going well, it’s easy to forget God.

Look at the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-22.

He came to Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. He had kept all the commandments, yet when Jesus told him to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor, he walked away sorrowful.

His wealth was his security, his identity, and he couldn’t let go of it, even for the sake of eternal life.

The reality is, wealth has a way of making us believe we are self-sufficient. We begin to think we don’t need God because we can provide for ourselves.

But prosperity is deceptive. It tricks us into believing that our comfort and success come from our own efforts rather than from the grace of God.

The Subtle Trap of Wealth

One of the greatest challenges of prosperity is that it often blinds us to our spiritual condition.

It’s easy to ignore the deeper hunger in our souls when we are financially secure. We can fill our lives with material comforts and pleasures, but none of those things will satisfy the longing in our hearts that only God can fill.

Jesus tells a parable in Luke 12:16-21 about a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.

The man decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to store his grain and goods. He thought he could relax and enjoy his wealth for many years. But 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?”