It’s Not All About the Money

It’s Not All About the Money!

The biggest lie about work and wealth is that a prestigious job and lots of money make a man.

-Consider Nabal (1 Samuel 25:2-3): And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings…

-Why stories like Nabal’s? Could it be that God wants us to know that a good job, a hefty bank account, and an attractive spouse aren’t enough?

Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

*See also Luke 12:16-21

-While there’s nothing wrong with wealth, the love of money can certainly tempt us toward idol worship.

-Deuteronomy 8:19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.

-1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Four Unbiblical Approaches to Wealth and Work:

1. Making more money will make me happier.

-We might not admit this publicly or even believe that we believe it, but Satan’s subtlety can open us up to lies we never thought possible.

-We might say, wealth is shallow, money can’t buy love, that you can’t take it with you, more money means more problems, etc., but what’s dwelling inside our hearts reveals our true beliefs.

-Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

-The desire for wealth is often an insatiable appetite. 

-The poverty we feel isn’t the gap between what we have and what we need, but the gap between what we have and what we want. When using this standard, we’ll always be poor.

-The thing is, things aren’t the thing!

–You have made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you. (Augustine)

-Money will not make us happy, but gratitude will.

-Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

-James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

• Gratitude leads to unshakeable peace.
• We cannot be grateful and resentful at the same time.
• We cannot be thankful and discontent.
• We cannot be grateful and fearful.

-Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2. How I spend my time is my business.

–Here’s what God’s Word says about living and dying:

Romans 14:7-8 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the LORD; and whether we die, we die unto the LORD: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the LORD’s.

-Each of us has 168 hours every week—which of these hours belong to God?

-Psalm 31:15 My times are in thy hand…

-Each of our activities and assignments is a stewardship from our Creator.

-1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

-WDJD (What Did Jesus Do?) – John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

-What you and I do with our “spare time” may say more about us than what we do with our “productive time.”

*Discuss: What are some common time-wasters? What are some practical steps you can take to honor God with your time?

3. My personal life and work life are unrelated.

-Case Study: Zacchaeus (Luke 19)

…Behold, LORD, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. (8)

-He understood that Jesus wasn’t merely Lord of a fraction of his life, but the Lord of his whole life!

-In our secularized culture, we’re pressured to isolate our faith…keep it out of sight…i.e. it doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you keep it to yourself.

-Jesus has a different perspective (Matt. 5:14-16):

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

-This doesn’t mean we make a show of our prayers or shower our coworkers with Gospel literature—that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father.

–A Christian shoemaker is not one who etches little crosses on shoes, but one who makes excellent shoes and deals honestly with his customers. (Luther)

-Colossians 3:23-24 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the LORD, and not unto men; Knowing that of the LORD ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the LORD Christ.

-Our work life and personal life are both for the pleasure of the Lord.

*Discuss: what are some ways you can honor God at work?

4. I can’t afford to give more money away.

-This lie concerns our lack of generosity.

-When you learn the absolute joy of giving, you’re going to find a new level of happiness you never thought possible.

-Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the LORD Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

-Jesus was a giver and we are His disciples!

*Brainstorm: What are some ways we can give and/or foster a Christlike giving spirit?

*Study from Lies Men Believe & Lies Women Believe by Robert & Nancy D. Wolgemuth