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Economics & God Introduction:
What do you think when I put together the words “Money and God?” May be the
health and wealth a ministry on TV; or a preacher with his hand out begging for
money, but this series is not asking for your money. We want to concentrate on
what the Bible says about money. Economics is the process by which scare
resources are allocated; the means of distributing and acquiring wealth. Most of
us have limited amounts of money to purchase “stuff.” We buy
“stuff” because we do not make everything we use, and we do not barter for
everything either. We acquire money by means of wages, investments, gift, or
selling things. In return we buy things. Important to understand the “laws of
economics” just as there are laws of physics, spiritual laws, there are laws
of economics in the Bible. I)
The Bible & Money A)
The Bible speaks of earning, investing, giving, wasting, hording, and saving
money. 1.
Money is not the key to contentment or success. 2.
Some people will never be content or have enough money, Proverbs
23.4-5 B)
Having money is not evil; the prosperous and poor have to fight the same battles
(greed, envy, covetousness, etc) 1.
Abraham and Job were prosperous godly men. 2.
Our attitude toward money is the key,
Matthew 6.24 II)
1 Timothy 6 Speaks of 3 Groups of People A)
Those that are not rich, vv. 6-8 1.
The equation: Godliness + Contentment = Great Gain
a. Godliness means to live in a godly fashion, to rise above the ways of
this world. Romans 12.1-2
b. Contentment is not being satisfied with what you have, it is accepting
God’s
will, Phil. 4.11-12
c. Contentment is learned.
d. We become discontent by accepting worldly goals and standards.
e. We ask with wrong motives, James
4.3
f. We want to be served by God instead of serving God. Put on mind on
things above, Colossians 3.1-2 2.
How do we learn contentment?
a. Live looking to eternity, v. 7
i. Don’t see a hearse pulling a u-haul.
ii. Suits made for dead people do not have pockets.
b. Accept the essentials of life, v.
8
i. Advertizing seeks to create a market and demand.
ii. To those a little is not enough, nothing will be enough. B)
Those who want to be rich, vv. 9-10 1.
Want – to be consumed, to be possessed, the endless pursuit of money, Amos 2.6-7 2.
People will wander from the faith due to money.
a. Placing work ahead of God, business comes first. 3.
People will suffer due to the desire to have more money. 4.
Money is indifferent; it is a tool to be used carefully. 5.
We must establish a reasonable standard of living. C)
Those that are rich, vv. 17-19 1.
What is rich?
a. Rich is
usually more than what we
make.
b. Rich is having enough to cover the essentials of life and have some
left over.
2.
Those that are rich have greater responsibilities than those that are poor.
a. Do not be haughty or high minded or proud, Isaiah
51.1
b. Do not trust in wealth – money can not buy time, friends, health,
etc.
c. “Do well and be generous. 3.
What should be our attitude toward money?
a. Trust first in God, Matthew
6.32-33.
b. Develop the right perspective, v.
34
c. Pray, 1 Thess. 5.17-18 (count your many blessings). Conclusion:
What are the possibilities?
The
bottom two are acceptable the top two are not. It will not matter if you are
rich but lost. Live looking toward eternity. |