Materialism is a serious
problem that we face everyday. In this
world we learn to invest. Dow Jones is a
great place to invest. God’s Word also
teaches us about investment:
Investment in “Kingdom Jones.”
People will do anything
to get money.
Let me tell you a story
about Jose from
After a long search, this
ranger finally finds Jose in a bar in
“Jose does not speak
English,” says someone who happens to be there, “he speaks only Spanish; let me
translate for him what you said.”
The man translates to
Jose, and Jose says that he is ready to give up. “OK, tell him I am giving up,” he says. “The money is in the barn and behind the big
rock.”
The clever translator
translates: “Go ahead big mouth, go
ahead shoot me if you can; I will not tell you where the money is.”
If you think, “What is
the relevance of this story to our topic?”
Well, let me tell you: money
rules over people and people do strange things when money rules over
them. Money should not rule over us
as Christians.
Unfortunately, materialism is a problem in the
Christian church as well. People feel
uncomfortable to talk about this issue.
They think that money is a private matter in their life. It is private, yet Jesus
spoke more about wealth,
money, mishandling of wealth than any other topic. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there
your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).
Two thousand years ago, materialism was a problem, and it still is.
In today’s passage, Jesus
is talking about investment by giving. Investing means to use what God entrusted
to us in the first place. The world
economy teaches us that money rules. God
wants us to be free of the rule of money.
God should rule over us and teach us how to use money in a wise way. Why? Because we received everything from God, and we need to learn how
to use what we received from God.
None of us brought along a suitcase when we were born; none of us is
going to leave this world with a suitcase in our hand.
There are some principles
that I would like to share with you about investment in a biblical way.
1 - God is the provider
You know the story of
Abraham when he wanted to have a child.
He waited a long time and God gave him Isaac. One of the toughest stories in the Bible is
Abraham giving Isaac back to God. In
Gen. 22:7, Isaac asks his father where the lamb for sacrifice is. Abraham answers, “God himself will provide
the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” (Gen. 22:7).
Although he said to his
son that God would provide, Abraham arrives to the top of the mountain
confused. And you know the story how
God did interfere. God did provide the
lamb.
The lesson is to know
that God is the provider. The best
principle is to learn to trust, like Abraham.
Abraham called the place Jehovahjireh
(The Lord will provide) (Gen 22:14).
God will not ask you
anything that you cannot do. He knows
your abilities; he knows your gifts; he knows your income. Remember HE IS THE PROVIDER.
God wants you to trust
Him. He wants to show you that He can
provide you. Trust HIM.
To be continued in the
English sermon.