Money, Money, Money
We reach the third and final area of our life which Jesus addresses in his Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is not content to just focus on our walk with God and our relationships with others. He also deals with the way we deal with material possessions. Jesus teaches us to not be miserly and serve Money but to be generous and serve God (Matt. 6:19-24). He encourages us to not worry about wealth and possessions but to trust in the caring provision and kingdom purpose of God. (Matt. 6:25-34). It is clear that possessions can help or hinder us in the other to areas. The way we deal with finances and material goods can help or hinder our walk with God (piety) and be a blessing or a curse to our relationships with others (people). How they can we use money in ways that enable us to grow in these other two areas?
Hospitality
One place to begin is with the discipline of hospitality. While hospitality takes many forms, it always includes the use of our possessions for the benefit of others.
Hospitality is part of what Richard Roster calls “the light side” of money. He teaches that when it comes to gaining a Christian perspective on possessions, the Bible carries both a dark side and a light side.[i] God reveals warnings and dangers associated with wealth, possessions, and riches. But he also reveals blessings and opportunities which arise from wealth, possessions, and riches.
The Dark Side of Possessions
- Matt. 6:19-24, 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal… 24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
- Matt. 19:24, 24 “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
- Lk. 6:24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.”
- Lk. 6:30 “Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.”
- Lk. 12:15 “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’”
- Lk. 12:33, 33 “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”
- Lk. 16:19-24, 19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’”
- 1 Tim. 6:7-10, 7 “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 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.”
- 1 Tim. 6:17, 17 “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
- Jas. 2:1-5, 1 “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor person in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the one wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the one who is poor, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
- Jas. 5:1-6, “1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.”
There is a dark side to the wealth which, by the world’s standards, most of us in America possess.
- It has the power to become the primary competitor to God in our life. The bottom line is that people either serve God or they serve money. Wealth supersedes all other things that might pull us from God. Of all that might distract us from God, money is at the top of the list. Because of this it is hard, not impossible, but it is hard for wealthy people like us to truly live under God’s rule in God’s kingdom. In the end, many of us who are wealthy wind up placing our trust in things that will ultimately rot, rust, and be stolen.
- Not only can wealth impact us individually. It can also impact the entire faith community. Wealth can create division within the church and become the measure by which we judge each value. Wealth has a very dark side to it. And those of us in America who live at middle to upper class ranges must heed these warnings.
The Light Side of Possessions
Scripture is also filled with stories of wealthy people made wealthy by God and with stories of wealth put to godly uses:
- Gen. 13:1-2, “1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.”
- Gen. 26:12-13, “12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.”
- Job. 1:1, “1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.”
- Job 42:12, “12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.”
- 1 Kgs. 3:10-13, “10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, ‘Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.’”
- Matt. 25:14-15, 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, [a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.”
- Matt. 26:6-12, “6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. 8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. 9 ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.’ 10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.’”
- Matt. 27:57-60, “57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock.”
- Lk. 8:1-3, “1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.”
- Lk. 19:1-8, “A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’ 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’”
- Acts 4:36-37, “36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.”
- Acts 10:1-2, “1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.”
- Acts 16:14-15, “14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.”
- 2 Cor. 9:11, “11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
- 1 Tim. 6:17-19, “17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
Thus, while money or wealth can be the source of much darkness, it can also be the source of much light.
- As God chooses from the many ways in which he will bless certain people, wealth is one of those ways. Some riches are gifts from God which God provides so that the recipients might provide abundantly for others.
- Wealth can be used lavishly as an offering to God, as in the case of the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume. Others such the women mentioned in Luke and Joseph of Arimathea used their wealth to honor Jesus.
- Scripture is filled with wealthy people of whom God approves. There are many wealthy people in Scripture who were not asked to sell all they had. Rather their wealth became a means by which they served God.
Practicing Hospitality
Hospitality takes advantage of this light side to money. It is part of the way we use what God has blessed us with to bless others.
Adele Calhoun defines hospitality in this way: “to be a safe person who offers others the grace, shelter and presence of Jesus.”[ii] She explains that it can involve the following:
Sharing your home, food, resources, care an all that you call your own so that another might experience the reality of God’s welcoming heart.
- Reaching out to and receiving the stranger or the enemy with the hope that he or she might be transformed into a friend.
- Loving, not entertaining, the guest.
- Welcoming others into your clique, group, club, life.
- Spontaneously inviting people for meals.
- Reaching out beyond your nuclear family to include others.
- Hosting exchange students.
Take ten minutes today to use something you in an act of hospitality for another person.
[i] Richard Foster, Money, Sex, and Power (Harper & Row, 1985), 20-23.
[ii] Adele Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Hand book (IVP, 2005), 138.
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