by Bruce Mackay | Download PDF | Purchase Hardcopy

Money is one of life's daily essentials. With credit cards and the internet, we may not handle cash as much as we used to, yet every adult is involved with money as their trading currency on a daily basis. Throughout history, trading for life's essentials has been an aspect of daily life. Therefore, it is not surprising that Jesus would include money in His teaching to His disciples and the multitude on the mountainside. So, along with attitudes for true happiness, how to enter heaven, prayer, forgiveness and so on, Jesus taught us how our attitude to money has eternal consequences.

We would all agree that while money is essential for buying and selling, it is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing when it provides the essentials of life; food, clothing, shelter and other comforts and pleasures. It is a blessing when it can help others who are in need of life's essentials. But what a curse money can be, when the love for it is so great that it causes greed, stealing, cheating, the breaking of families, and even murder. Sadly, this happens regardless of whether we are rich or poor. Jesus taught us that it is not the amount of money that is the issue, but our attitude to it.

Money - a false security

The fundamental philosophy of the western world is to accumulate as much money and as many assets as you can. By doing this you will ensure your future is secured. So, most of us put as much as we can into superannuation funds, some get a share portfolio, and the so-called 'lucky ones' have some investment properties to go with it. The recent global financial crisis has proved how false such security is. The words of Jesus came true.

Matthew 6:19

'Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.'

Billions of dollars were wiped off in a matter of hours. People's plans for the future were shattered. All our compulsory superannuation was worth considerably less than it had been only days before. It vanished in the same way as a thief just stealing it away. If the words that Jesus spoke, 'Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal', are so accurate and our financial advisors so wrong, surely it would be wise to listen to what else Jesus said about money.

Matthew 6:20-21

'But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'

Why try to secure this earthly life that is only temporary as well? Jesus was saying, 'What about after death?' What are you doing to secure your life once you die? If you only try to secure your earthly life, you will be lacking once you die. Even though we all know that we could die at any moment, or be suddenly killed in an accident, we do very little to prepare for that inevitable moment. We must lay up treasure in heaven where there is true eternal security.

What is our attitude?

We will relate a true story from the life of Jesus that strongly illustrates our attitudes. It shows that over and over again, we put our focus and trust in finances and security for this earthly life, when both are totally temporary and we have no security over either of them. Finances can disappear in one day on the Wall Street stock exchange and our lives cannot be guaranteed to the next breath.

So why do we have this attitude, that gives priority to that which is so temporary, with little thought, if any, towards that which is eternal? The young man in the following story knew that he should secure his eternity, but his heart attitude was wrongly focused.

Mark 10:17-22

'Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honour your father and your mother'".' And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth". Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me". But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.'

One thing he lacked, because of his overwhelming love for money. His heart was fixed on money, therefore, his treasure was not Christ and heaven. Because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Our treasure and heart are one

Matthew 6:21

'Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also".'

Quite simply, where your money is, and what you do with it, is where your heart will be – your focus of life. We see it with a young child. They may want a toy and every time you are at the shops they want this toy. As a parent, you know it's too expensive. They have had their birthday and Christmas is a long way off. They go on and on and on because their heart is set on this toy. You tell them to save for it. Constantly, they will be at their money box counting their treasure. Do they have enough? Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. This is not restricted to a child with their heart set on a toy; it continues into young adulthood and old age.

I heard a story of a boy who was saving up for something he wanted to buy. He accidently dropped a coin in his mother's very expensive vase. He stuck his hand in and grabbed this coin, which was such a treasure to him because he needed it to buy this toy he had set his heart on. He held the coin tightly in his fist. The next problem came when he couldn't get his hand out of the vase. He screamed and his mother came running, but no amount of effort could get his hand out. What were they to do? The vase was worth hundreds of dollars and it had been in the family for many generations. The boy's father was called home from work. It seemed they had two options: remove the boy's hand or smash the vase that was of both monetary and sentimental value. Obviously, amputating their son's hand was out of the question. Finally, out with the hammer and smash went the valuable vase, and the boy's mother gasped as it disintegrated into dozens of pieces. There was the boy with his fist closed tightly holding his coin as he said, 'At least I didn't lose my money!' All he had to do was let go of his coin, straighten his fingers and he could have removed his hand. But his heart was set on his treasure, causing hundreds of dollars and years of history to be lost; all for a ten cent piece!

Our treasure and our heart are one. Multitudes upon multitudes are hanging onto their earthly treasures while forsaking eternal life. Money itself is not the issue, but rather where our treasure is. We need to set our mind on Christ and His eternal purpose for our lives so that we live our lives according to His will, so that we are laying up treasure for after we die. God has a wonderful purpose for each of us, which includes every day of our earthly life and our eternity. If we set our mind, will and heart on Christ and not money, then Christ will provide everything we need, both now and in the life to come.

Jesus said, 'But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you'. Matt 6:33. Seek Him first before anything else and we will not lack the necessities of life. Your treasure and heart are one.

Money - a false happiness

One of the 'thou shalt nots' of God's commandments is, 'Thou shalt not covet'. To covet something is to desire something strongly when it is not God's will for you to have it. We are not to be greedy for something that belongs to someone else. Also, don't spend your efforts in trying to possess more and more things, thinking that will bring happiness and contentment.

Jesus said, 'Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses'. Luke 12:15. Jesus was saying that contentment and happiness have absolutely nothing to do with money and possessions. Therefore, don't covet or be greedy for a new lounge, television, car, and so on, because where does it end? When is enough, enough? Don't be consumed with things that can be here today and gone tomorrow. Rather, desire after things that are eternal. The following statement from the Bible is one of the clearest and wisest pieces of advice we could hear regarding money. It clarifies what Jesus taught on our attitude to money.

1 Timothy 6:6-11

'Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.'

When highlighting some of these statements, we find 'godliness with contentment is great gain'. A discontented person is hard to live with and impossible to please. Learn to be content with what you have now. We brought no possessions into this world and we take none with us when we die. We must learn to be content with our lives as if we were to die today and be buried tomorrow. What would be our priority? Not possessions, not how much money we earned, what shares we had or the size of our bank account. Our priority would be righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. These are things we should desire after. This is where contentment and happiness is found.

Who do you serve?

Does money serve you, or do you serve money? Jesus said that a person can only serve one master. To try to serve two masters ultimately means that we will end up not pleasing either of them. It is impossible to serve God and serve money. We must learn to let money be our servant. It is not the amount of money we have, whether we have a lot or little, it's how we use it. Are we in bondage to it? Are we free to use it in serving God, or do we draw back from fully giving ourselves to follow Christ as His disciple because it may cost us more than we are willing to give? The following is a story Jesus told about people giving money.

Mark 12:41-44

'Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a penny. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood".'

When Jesus said, as in the case of this widow, that one cent is more than all the gold coins being given, then clearly, it is not how much we have to give and serve God, it is who and what we serve. Are we are a servant to Christ or to money? We all find ourselves in a crisis of decision at various times in our lives, and the greatest and most vital decision we will ever face, will be choosing to be a disciple of Christ. Will we forsake all, that Jesus may be Lord of all? Like the rich young man we spoke of earlier, there will be at least one thing that will make that decision very difficult. In fact, it will be a life-defining moment. What is the one thing that stops you from being a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Our focus in this article has been on money. Do you love money or possessions more than Christ? Does financial security now take priority over heavenly riches? What is the one thing that stands in the way for you? Perhaps it is something else; friends, family, or your past. Whatever it may be, Jesus is Lord. Therefore, bow your life down to Him and call on Him to be your Lord. Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything you need will be added to you.

Author: Bruce Mackay | Citywide Christian Fellowship - Cairns | CCFC
Published by Vision One at Toowoomba Christian Fellowship | TCF
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