The Christian and Money

Foundations for Christian Living Session 9

Speaker : Bro. Daniel Alvarez

Missionary Families of Christ

My Family

We proclaim that Jesus is Lord. If so, Jesus ought to be in charge of our lives, Of Everything.

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One difficult area to surrender: money and possessions

This area is often one of the last to go under Jesus’ lordship.

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People often apply worldly wisdom and come up with many excuses for continuing to run�after the things of this world.

• My work is my prayer.
• The bigger my business, the more employment I can provide.
• I just want to earn enough so that I can work full-time without having to be paid.

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All of that are not by themselves wrong, but often disguise a more worldly motivation.

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MONEY

is a strong candidate to rule our life

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Money or the Lord?

Who runs my life?

• Money (like sex, power, concern for reputation) is a strong candidate to rule our life.
• If such were the case, then Jesus is not Lord. Mt 6:24.
• However, it is easy to stereotype a man whose god is money.
• But how about the story of the rich young man? Mk 10:17-23.

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Matthew 6:24

No one can serve two masters,

Either you will hate one or love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both GOD AND MONEY.

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The Rich and the Kingdom of God

Mark 10:17 23.

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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.

1 Tm 6:9-10

• We are warned not to love money.
• Such leads to other problems. Foolish and harmful desires. Can lead to anxiety, envy, loss of personal integrity (compromise).
• Such will ultimately destroy us.

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Jesus gave the right posture.

Jesus must rule over our money and over our desire for money.

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God provides for�His disciples.

Hebrews 13:5-6

* Love for money is connected with anxiety.

* Love for money comes from our fearful, insecure, fallen natures, in a fallen world.

* For Christians, the situation is different.

- We are reconciled with God, are under His protection, and are citizens of the

age to come.

- We are children of a Father who provides for all our needs.

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This does not mean we can be irresponsible in just depending on God.

2 Thessalonians: 6-12.

• If we do not work, then we should not eat or be fed. This is not to condemn those who are unemployed but are willing to work; what it condemns is idleness.
• If we have faith, we will rely on God but also do our part.
• We also need to work so that we can provide for others.

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The Lord will provide �in various ways.

• He will help us find jobs or our livelihood.
• He can provide promotions and pay raises when our pay is insufficient to meet our needs.
• In MFC, we have brethren who can assist us.

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Sufficiency and Abundance.

2 Cor 9:8. The ideal is enough for our own needs (sufficiency) and more than enough for help to others (abundance).

Sufficiency for basic needs and responsibilities.

* Paul’s definition of “enough”: 1 Tm 6:7-9.

- Enough for the necessities of life.

- Will be different for people depending on their life situations; different people have different needs.

* What about providing for the future? Our most basic provision is to have Jesus as Lord.

* What about providing for our children? Inheritance?

- What is important is to train our children to work, earn an support themselves.

- Rich kids who have everything are not necessarily better off; often they are worse off.

- The most important thing is for our children to truly know Jesus.

* This does not mean that we should not have savings, insurance policies, etc.

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Abundance

More than sufficient

• * For helping others and the Lord’s work (“good works”).
• * Abundance is not given to us so we can automatically raise our standard of living, but for good works.
• * We can use abundance for: almsgiving (in or out of MFC), resource sharing., promotion of God’s work.

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Our responsibility for financial giving.

Principle: every Christian is to support the body of Christians to whom they belong, where they receive their life support.

• This support is to be considered part of our basic expenses (like food, etc.).
• This support is our responsibility, and not to be looked on as an act of charity.

How? Basically through tithing.

* Tithing is by definition giving 10% of our income (gross after tax).

• This is a serious obligation. Mal 3:8. If we do not tithe, we rob God.

Contributions are used for the basic support of the life and mission of MFC.

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Our responsibility for financial giving.

All should give, whether rich or poor. 2 Cor 8:11-12.

* The rich should give more, because of their abundance.

- Not just those who are very wealthy, but anyone who has means beyond one’s needs to live. 1 Tm 6:8.

• The poor should give too. Mk 12:41-44 (widow’s mite).

The principle of equality. 2 Cor 8:13-15.

* Some are afraid to be generous lest they themselves be in need later.

• This does not mean that everyone should dress the same, have the same type of vehicle, etc. What it does mean is that everyone’s need is met.

We should exchange worldly wealth for eternal wealth.

* 1 Tm 6:17-19. Lk 12:32-34.

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The rewards of giving

Material well-being.

• * Mal 3:7b-10. Prv 3:9-10. Lk 6:38.38
• * It’s not that we give in order to receive. But we need to know that God cannot be outdone in generosity.

Emotional well-being. Freedom from anxiety over money.

Eternal well-being. Our riches are in the life to come.

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Jesus is Lord over our money. We are stewards.

Our generosity is important for the furtherance of the CFC vision and mission.

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