WEBVTT 00:00:01.266 --> 00:00:11.233 We're continuing in our study of the Book of Proverbs, and we've transitioned from going to chapter at a time for the first nine chapters, now into these topical subjects. 00:00:11.233 --> 00:00:16.033 And when Colby and I sat down probably four months ago, we mapped out, here are the topics we're going to talk about. 00:00:16.033 --> 00:00:17.132 And then separately, the elders. 00:00:17.132 --> 00:00:19.733 And I said, let's start the giving on June 1st. 00:00:19.733 --> 00:00:29.065 And then lo and behold, the topic in Proverbs today, coincidentally, of course, we know God's at work and all that, is the topic of wealth, finances, money. 00:00:29.065 --> 00:00:33.365 What does Proverbs have to say about our financial resources? 00:00:33.365 --> 00:00:35.066 How should we handle them? 00:00:35.066 --> 00:00:36.133 What should we do with them? 00:00:36.133 --> 00:00:58.700 We're going to look across the book of Proverbs today and look at what does it say now, before we dive into the book of Proverbs, I just want to give you a reminder about a basic study, Bible study principle that when we come to Scripture, we come submitting ourselves to Scripture, not trying to make Scripture submit to us. 00:00:58.700 --> 00:01:05.099 And you've all seen this done where someone will pluck a verse of the Bible out of the context and make it say whatever they want. 00:01:05.099 --> 00:01:05.900 You can do that. 00:01:05.900 --> 00:01:11.799 You can go find any verse of the Bible and make it say whatever you want to support whatever belief system you have. 00:01:11.799 --> 00:01:13.165 You see reporters do this. 00:01:13.165 --> 00:01:24.865 When they interview someone, they'll take a statement completely out of context and make it say the opposite of what the person meant, so they can get the cutting edge story to get the shock value instead of being fair to that person. 00:01:26.165 --> 00:01:32.033 And so when we come to Scripture, and especially to Proverbs, we want to be fair with what it teaches. 00:01:32.033 --> 00:01:34.033 We want to approach it carefully. 00:01:34.033 --> 00:01:37.566 In fact, the phrase and if you didn't get a hand out, raise your hands. 00:01:37.566 --> 00:01:43.433 We'll get some to you because because we're jumping all over the book of Proverbs. 00:01:43.433 --> 00:01:49.066 Normally, if we were just in one chapter, I'd center us there and have you read from your own copy of Scripture. 00:01:49.066 --> 00:02:03.599 But since we're jumping all over the place, we're going with this handout route in this season to help you see the verses to not test all your Bible drill skills all at once, and just help us to stay centered on God's Word. 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:05.799 But there's a verse here I've listed at the very beginning, 00:02:05.799 --> 00:02:07.299 27. 00:02:07.299 --> 00:02:10.633 There was phrase in there that says, we seek the whole counsel of God. 00:02:11.932 --> 00:02:16.599 So we're not just looking to pull out any one part that we feel like we best relate to. 00:02:16.599 --> 00:02:17.765 We all have our faith, by the way. 00:02:17.765 --> 00:02:20.932 We all have our favorite book of the Bible, and that's okay. 00:02:20.932 --> 00:02:24.966 But we don't only study that book of the Bible, we study the whole counsel of God. 00:02:24.966 --> 00:02:27.599 Because every sentence of the Bible is determined. 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:35.866 The meaning of is determined by the chapter, which is determined by the book of the Bible, which ultimately is determined by the whole Bible. 00:02:35.866 --> 00:02:37.199 And so we want to be careful. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:43.165 This is important, especially in Proverbs, because Proverbs statements tend to be a little more absolute. 00:02:43.165 --> 00:02:47.300 They feel like this is the way it is and the way they're worded, and that's on purpose. 00:02:47.300 --> 00:02:48.966 It's meant to make you think. 00:02:48.966 --> 00:02:52.000 It's meant to force you to wrestle with a difficult idea. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:55.265 But proverbs in general are not absolute truth principles. 00:02:55.265 --> 00:02:57.765 They're more general life principles. 00:02:57.765 --> 00:03:02.332 And there are times where they don't always hold out, but in general they tend to be true. 00:03:02.332 --> 00:03:07.633 They're proverbial in that matter, but they can come across strong and can be misused. 00:03:07.633 --> 00:03:10.566 So here's an example in your notes, chapter three, verse nine and ten. 00:03:12.165 --> 00:03:17.932 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce. 00:03:17.932 --> 00:03:24.665 Then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. 00:03:24.966 --> 00:03:32.000 And you can read this, and some have taken this and use this along the lines of-- you may have heard the phrase the prosperity gospel. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:39.932 See, if you give God just a little, he will return, he has to, he must return-- this verse says multiplied many over. 00:03:40.832 --> 00:03:42.866 But God's not formulaic like that. 00:03:42.866 --> 00:03:45.866 I don't tell him what to do. 00:03:46.566 --> 00:03:47.866 He does what he pleases. 00:03:47.866 --> 00:03:50.032 He is God, not not me. 00:03:50.032 --> 00:03:58.300 But now, in general, if you follow the wisdom of Scripture and if you give part of what he is giving you back to him, he tends to reward that. 00:03:58.300 --> 00:03:59.432 He tends to bless that. 00:03:59.432 --> 00:04:00.665 It's not a formula. 00:04:00.665 --> 00:04:01.966 It's not 10 to 1. It's not. 00:04:01.966 --> 00:04:03.633 There's no formula to it. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:07.532 In fact, some would take this and say, he must always bless me. 00:04:07.532 --> 00:04:11.400 Well, there's plenty of verses in Scripture that say life's going to be hard. 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:14.866 There's plenty of verses that say it's going to be very difficult. 00:04:14.866 --> 00:04:18.466 And in fact, there's others that say, don't get caught up in money. 00:04:18.466 --> 00:04:26.266 15, one of those two, life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. 00:04:26.766 --> 00:04:29.899 If that's your goal, there's going to be an emptiness there. 00:04:29.899 --> 00:04:32.833 You're not going to find true life there. 00:04:32.833 --> 00:04:40.865 25, what if you gain the whole world and forfeit your soul? 00:04:40.865 --> 00:04:49.000 So there's a balance of Scripture where you read to study what any individual thing says and understand it in light of what all of Scripture says. 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:52.932 So we're looking at what Proverbs has to say about money. 00:04:52.966 --> 00:05:01.466 But I'm also going to bring in, as Christians, as New Testament believers, we're going to bring in how that balances out with how we follow Christ today. 00:05:03.132 --> 00:05:06.665 So we're looking at Proverbs, looking at the topic of money. 00:05:06.665 --> 00:05:12.399 And I think the first place to start here is with this whole idea of what is the nature of money. 00:05:12.632 --> 00:05:16.500 That's the next big bold section here on your notes. 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:19.132 What is the nature of money? 00:05:19.132 --> 00:05:22.132 You know, try to. 00:05:22.266 --> 00:05:24.733 Define money. 00:05:24.733 --> 00:05:28.833 And if someone were to ask you, how do you define what is money? 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:39.733 And you might say, pull out a dollar bill, but is that really money that that that piece of paper in itself doesn't have much value. 00:05:39.733 --> 00:05:42.333 It represents something of value. 00:05:42.333 --> 00:05:48.333 And of course, that used to be tied to gold or silver, something else that has inherent value. 00:05:48.333 --> 00:05:52.233 But even that gold and silver, that's just something we've assigned value to. 00:05:52.233 --> 00:05:57.199 We've agreed upon collectively that that has a value that we can exchange with one another. 00:05:58.266 --> 00:06:07.233 And here's the thing about money that makes it helpful to know that it does have you do see positive and negative things about money in Proverbs and in life. 00:06:07.233 --> 00:06:09.966 One of the positive elements of money. 00:06:09.966 --> 00:06:14.033 And Wayne Groom has a great book on this where he talks about business to the glory of God. 00:06:14.033 --> 00:06:24.632 That business, assuming it's a productive business, not a sinful business, business is inherently good because you're providing for some something for someone else that they need. 00:06:24.632 --> 00:06:26.766 It's it's a service to others. 00:06:26.766 --> 00:06:30.766 And then in exchange, they hopefully are giving you back something you need. 00:06:30.766 --> 00:06:33.266 Money makes that exchange easier. 00:06:33.266 --> 00:06:39.165 I don't have to show up at your door with a stack of books to ask for one of your cows, and you may go, I don't want books. 00:06:39.165 --> 00:06:40.833 And I would say, why not? 00:06:40.833 --> 00:06:42.266 These are worth 100 cows. 00:06:42.266 --> 00:06:43.132 I just want one. 00:06:43.132 --> 00:06:50.699 But when we got to go back and forth like that, actually I need 20 not and back and forth or you gotta go find the person that has the thing that you want and you have the thing that they want. 00:06:50.699 --> 00:06:53.165 But money simplifies that exchange. 00:06:53.165 --> 00:06:54.966 It makes life easier. 00:06:54.966 --> 00:06:56.165 That's a positive side. 00:06:56.165 --> 00:07:02.766 Also, when money is spoken of in Proverbs, one of the positives is the element of generosity. 00:07:02.766 --> 00:07:04.865 Look at this verse. In 1917. 00:07:06.132 --> 00:07:13.833 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. 00:07:14.466 --> 00:07:21.365 So we're called to be generous, and money makes being generous a little easier at times. 00:07:21.365 --> 00:07:25.199 You may not know exactly what people need, but you know they can use paper. 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:29.500 You know that they can use money to meet their needs. 00:07:29.500 --> 00:07:32.432 And we're encouraged to be generous with. 00:07:32.432 --> 00:07:33.966 So money isn't inherently bad. 00:07:33.966 --> 00:07:35.065 In fact, what's the verse? 00:07:35.065 --> 00:07:38.132 Has it often misquoted and I know it. 00:07:38.132 --> 00:07:40.065 Valley view I can't trick you on this. 00:07:40.065 --> 00:07:44.699 It's often misquoted as money is the root of all evil. 00:07:44.733 --> 00:07:45.266 That's right. 00:07:45.266 --> 00:07:46.565 So many of you are mumbling it. 00:07:46.565 --> 00:07:49.766 It's the love of money that is at the root of all sorts of evil. 00:07:50.932 --> 00:07:53.932 So money itself is inherently an evil. 00:07:54.266 --> 00:08:01.833 However, going to the negative side of it, it does present itself for us with extra temptations. 00:08:01.833 --> 00:08:12.365 There's something about money that has a temptation, Tim, tempting nature to our heart that draws out many things that are anti biblical out of our hearts. 00:08:12.365 --> 00:08:13.033 Here's an example. 00:08:13.033 --> 00:08:16.699 Look at chapter 30, verses eight and nine. 00:08:16.699 --> 00:08:21.565 Here in the midst of chapter 30, this writer is really issuing a prayer. 00:08:21.565 --> 00:08:29.600 Give me neither poverty nor riches, lest I be full and deny you, and say, who is the Lord? 00:08:29.865 --> 00:08:36.033 Or lest I be poor, and steal and profane the name of my God? 00:08:36.365 --> 00:08:42.332 There's something about money that stirs up within you feelings about God. 00:08:42.332 --> 00:08:47.033 If you don't have enough, it could turn towards hatred, anger, blame. 00:08:48.100 --> 00:08:50.899 Why have you let this happen to me? 00:08:50.899 --> 00:08:55.265 And it could put you in a place where you dishonor God if you have too much. 00:08:55.265 --> 00:08:57.700 The temptation is you just completely forget about him. 00:08:57.700 --> 00:08:59.232 I don't have any need for him any more. 00:08:59.232 --> 00:09:00.066 All my needs are met. 00:09:00.066 --> 00:09:03.066 All my physical needs are met. 00:09:03.299 --> 00:09:09.033 And so either spectrum, either side is a temptation of the heart when it comes to finances. 00:09:09.033 --> 00:09:10.232 Tim Keller said it this way. 00:09:10.232 --> 00:09:16.666 He said both affluence and adversity adversity will test you. 00:09:17.100 --> 00:09:18.966 Both of them are a test. 00:09:18.966 --> 00:09:24.265 We tend to assume that just getting money, getting more is always going to be better. 00:09:24.265 --> 00:09:26.100 That's always a plus one. 00:09:26.100 --> 00:09:28.566 No no, no. 00:09:28.566 --> 00:09:29.200 Less us. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:31.166 Say, who are you, Lord? 00:09:31.166 --> 00:09:33.732 The temptation is to just forget him. 00:09:33.732 --> 00:09:35.365 And what Proverbs says here. 00:09:35.365 --> 00:09:37.232 What's way better is to be in the middle. 00:09:38.832 --> 00:09:40.399 And I've read studies on this recently. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:44.166 In fact, this is true even just practically, even if you're not a Christian. 00:09:44.166 --> 00:09:51.066 The studies have shown that once you get your basic needs met and then get just a little more to be able to enjoy life. 00:09:51.066 --> 00:09:53.332 And of course, we all love that phrase just a little more. 00:09:53.332 --> 00:09:53.966 That's all. 00:09:53.966 --> 00:09:55.832 That's all I need is just a little more. 00:09:55.832 --> 00:09:57.365 But they've actually put a number to it. 00:09:57.365 --> 00:10:02.100 They said once you get to that level, you really won't get more happiness with more money. 00:10:02.100 --> 00:10:04.865 In fact, it's more likely to do the opposite. 00:10:04.865 --> 00:10:09.899 They've actually put a number to it in our day and age now, and it's right around $100,000. 00:10:10.232 --> 00:10:16.600 Once you get that amount of just I don't know if it's net or gross or whatever, it's income and you get your basic needs met. 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:20.033 Plus you get a little more to be able to just do a few fun things in life. 00:10:20.033 --> 00:10:24.100 Once you start getting more than that, it doesn't really add measurably more happiness to your life. 00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:25.765 And we're all saying, I'd love to test that theory. 00:10:25.765 --> 00:10:26.865 I know it's true. 00:10:26.865 --> 00:10:31.200 Every single one of us who goes, yeah, I'd like I'd really like to see if that's indeed the case or not. 00:10:33.932 --> 00:10:43.265 But the middle path, Proverbs says that's actually the best place to be, so that I'm not pulled off course by either spectrum. 00:10:43.265 --> 00:10:45.166 So there's a negative side. 00:10:45.166 --> 00:10:47.200 There's a positive side to money. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:53.932 Part of the reason why money tends to pull our off hard off course is because of these other aspects of money. 00:10:53.932 --> 00:10:58.232 Look here, money can easily become our trust and security. 00:10:58.232 --> 00:11:05.200 So if you have a lot look and even if you don't, you can put your trust and security in whether you will have it or not or when you have some. 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:12.066 And by the way, I realize some of us are in places where you're barely making it. 00:11:12.066 --> 00:11:14.500 I'm not trying to minimize that. 00:11:14.500 --> 00:11:17.166 I realize that is a really hard place to be. 00:11:17.166 --> 00:11:22.399 I mean, the, the, the Proverbs writer here was acknowledging that as well. 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:23.799 That's not a good place to be. 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:32.166 You want to get out of that place, do all you can to get to a place where you're not just getting by constantly under pressure, struggling all the time. 00:11:33.633 --> 00:11:41.332 Keep that in mind in the context of talking about people who have too much for just a moment here, because you're going that don't that doesn't relate to me. 00:11:41.332 --> 00:11:46.633 Well, it does point to where our hearts tend to go. 00:11:47.666 --> 00:11:50.799 Money can easily become our trust and security trust. 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:57.033 1128 whoever trust in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. 00:11:57.033 --> 00:12:00.299 If I don't have enough, and I'm trusting that if I had enough, everything would be okay. 00:12:00.299 --> 00:12:05.166 I'm still trusting in money, not in the Lord security. 00:12:05.166 --> 00:12:09.100 A rich man's well, this is 1015 is his strong city. 00:12:09.500 --> 00:12:11.666 The poverty of the poor is their ruin. 00:12:11.666 --> 00:12:17.466 The temptation is to think that if I have enough now, I'll be secure. 00:12:17.466 --> 00:12:18.666 Everything will be okay. 00:12:18.666 --> 00:12:20.066 Nothing can bother me. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:24.600 I read one pastor this week. 00:12:24.666 --> 00:12:26.865 I thought this was a really good quote. 00:12:26.865 --> 00:12:29.566 It's a little bit of an overstatement at first. 00:12:29.566 --> 00:12:30.399 He said it this way. 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:34.466 Satan's goal is not to get you to believe in him. 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:35.799 Now maybe it is. 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:36.865 I don't know. 00:12:36.865 --> 00:12:39.600 For the sake of the argument he was making the case. 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:42.600 Satan's goal is not to get you to believe in him. 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:45.600 It's to get you to believe in you. 00:12:47.932 --> 00:12:52.299 Self-Reliance, self dependance. 00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:58.633 And the more inward we go, the happier he is and the more miserable we become. 00:12:58.633 --> 00:13:04.066 And if money becomes my security, my stronghold, my trust me. 00:13:04.166 --> 00:13:07.166 And that's pulling us away from the Lord. 00:13:07.832 --> 00:13:10.566 And it won't last. 00:13:10.566 --> 00:13:13.966 Part of the nature of money we see here is it's fleeting. 00:13:13.966 --> 00:13:16.432 Look at this next verse 23 four through five. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:20.500 Do not toil to acquire wealth. 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:23.466 Be discerning enough to desist. 00:13:23.466 --> 00:13:25.600 When your eyes light on it, it is gone. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:29.765 For suddenly it sprouts wings flying like an eagle towards heaven. 00:13:29.765 --> 00:13:36.200 I think a lot of us can say, yeah, that that describes my money really well, especially if you're in a season with young kids at home. 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:38.432 It goes out the door faster than it comes in. 00:13:38.432 --> 00:13:40.399 It seems like it's just flying away. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:42.932 Like with wings. 00:13:42.932 --> 00:13:45.666 Money comes and goes. 00:13:45.666 --> 00:13:48.666 In fact. 00:13:48.865 --> 00:13:50.533 Many of us have a number in mind. 00:13:50.533 --> 00:13:51.865 If I got to there, I'd be happy. 00:13:51.865 --> 00:13:54.066 That would be enough. 00:13:54.066 --> 00:13:57.865 But you get there and, well, just a little bit more would get me there. 00:13:57.865 --> 00:13:59.332 That moves as well. 00:13:59.332 --> 00:14:01.365 That flies away, that goal changes. 00:14:01.365 --> 00:14:07.066 And if your happiness is tied to that number, you'll never be happy. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:09.700 It will keep changing. 00:14:09.700 --> 00:14:10.466 It's fleeting. 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:15.200 That's one thing that's really important to understand about money. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:17.100 Also, keep in mind here's what it says. 00:14:17.100 --> 00:14:19.265 It has limitations. 00:14:19.265 --> 00:14:21.666 Chapter 11 verse four. 00:14:21.666 --> 00:14:26.466 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. 00:14:26.466 --> 00:14:27.966 Money has limitations. 00:14:27.966 --> 00:14:31.133 On the day of wrath it is worthless. 00:14:32.533 --> 00:14:35.533 It can't do nothing for you on that day. 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:38.299 Money so worthless gold. 00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:41.166 They paved the streets with it in heaven. 00:14:41.166 --> 00:14:45.799 It has no value roughly there and it won't accomplish anything for you. 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:55.865 There's this famous story of Erasmus wrote Erasmus was a writer in the 1500s, probably one of the most famous and prolific writers of that age. 00:14:55.865 --> 00:15:00.232 We're still translating his works today from Latin to English. 00:15:00.232 --> 00:15:03.966 They're already up to something like 70 large, thick volumes of his works. 00:15:03.966 --> 00:15:07.700 This guy just wrote and wrote and wrote super highly respected. 00:15:07.700 --> 00:15:12.899 He's best known for publishing the first Greek New Testament, first printed Greek New Testament. 00:15:12.899 --> 00:15:16.566 Prior to that, you know, they didn't have a printing press till mid 1400s. 00:15:16.566 --> 00:15:20.832 First printed Greek New Testament, which really revolutionized Bible study. 00:15:20.832 --> 00:15:23.365 LED to the Protestant Reformation with Martin Luther. 00:15:23.365 --> 00:15:31.533 It's part of the reason we're meeting in a Baptist church, or just generic Christian church, that all churches aren't just Catholic, for instance. 00:15:31.533 --> 00:15:33.600 So it had a big effect. 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:36.466 But Erasmus also loved to write satire. 00:15:36.466 --> 00:15:38.200 He really loved to write humor. 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:42.700 He especially loved to make fun of the Pope, which I don't know how he got away with that. 00:15:42.700 --> 00:15:44.466 Usually they put those people to death. 00:15:44.466 --> 00:15:56.200 Back then that wasn't good territory to be in. But he tells this story and he published it anonymously at the time, but they've wisely so. 00:15:56.200 --> 00:16:04.232 It's called it's all about how the Pope tries to get into heaven with all of his money and his riches. 00:16:04.966 --> 00:16:09.932 In fact, the opening of the story shows him knocking on the door and saying, look here, I have my silver key. 00:16:09.932 --> 00:16:11.732 Why isn't working in the luck? 00:16:11.732 --> 00:16:15.600 Look at my triple crowns, my vestments, my gold, my rubies. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.600 Open the door. 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:23.666 And Peter says to him, those things don't work here. 00:16:25.066 --> 00:16:27.966 We have no idea how the conversation actually goes. 00:16:27.966 --> 00:16:31.865 And I'm not saying Pope Julius wasn't a Christian or not, I don't know. I've never met him. 00:16:31.865 --> 00:16:32.832 I don't know the whole story. 00:16:32.832 --> 00:16:36.732 The point being, money has its limitations. 00:16:36.732 --> 00:16:39.066 You can't buy your way into heaven. 00:16:39.066 --> 00:16:43.365 You don't give to the church to build up goodwill with God so that he'll let me in. 00:16:44.765 --> 00:16:47.765 It has its limitations, and that's something to be mindful of. 00:16:47.765 --> 00:16:55.765 Don't be deceived into thinking it isn't ultimately always going to be good and happy for you to have more. 00:16:55.765 --> 00:16:57.500 Also money. 00:16:57.500 --> 00:17:03.033 Look here at this last one on this side of the page, amplifies and exposes the heart. 00:17:04.099 --> 00:17:07.099 It amplifies and exposes the heart. 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:07.833 Look at this. 00:17:07.833 --> 00:17:16.965 Verse 1311 wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. 00:17:17.465 --> 00:17:20.766 I think what this points to is you've seen this. 00:17:20.766 --> 00:17:23.732 I had this experience when I was working at a little grocery store. 00:17:23.732 --> 00:17:33.500 A family won $1 million lottery ticket at our grocery store, and you watched them go from just a normal, happy family to just their lives fall apart. 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:38.099 For money on their situation, it exposed the heart. 00:17:39.266 --> 00:17:42.066 It wasn't long before the marriage had split up. 00:17:42.066 --> 00:17:46.799 All the fancy new cars they had were falling apart pretty quickly. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:49.599 It exposed what was already there. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:54.165 There wasn't a deep, rich love and dependance on God to begin with. 00:17:54.365 --> 00:17:59.000 By the way, it does take skill to handle a large sum of money. 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:11.633 Those are skills most of us don't have because we haven't had extra money to know how to handle it or to deal with it, but there's a skill set of using money to make money handling it well, being a good steward of it. 00:18:11.633 --> 00:18:15.400 It's not necessarily a blessing to get a windfall. 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:19.465 You see that with lottery winners, most of them end up bankrupt pretty soon. 00:18:19.465 --> 00:18:21.333 You see that with pro sports players. 00:18:21.333 --> 00:18:24.665 Within a few years of getting out of the league there, most of them are bankrupt. 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:31.133 It exposes, it amplifies what's already there. 00:18:33.833 --> 00:18:43.200 Now what we want to do is turn from just seeing some of what is the negative reality of money, but now starting to think through the lens of a Christian perspective. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:46.200 How should a Christian think about money? 00:18:46.500 --> 00:18:47.700 How should we be approaching it? 00:18:47.700 --> 00:18:50.965 I think there's two words that stand out that we see in Proverbs. 00:18:50.965 --> 00:18:52.865 First is the word better. 00:18:52.865 --> 00:18:55.500 And you see this in these first three verses. 00:18:55.500 --> 00:18:57.900 Better is a dinner, better is a dry morsel. 00:18:57.900 --> 00:19:00.665 Better is a little better, better, better. 00:19:00.665 --> 00:19:04.133 There are things in life that are better than money. 00:19:04.133 --> 00:19:07.133 Money's not the greatest good in life. 00:19:07.665 --> 00:19:16.365 Look here at 1517, better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it. 00:19:17.532 --> 00:19:18.965 You know one thing that's better than money? 00:19:18.965 --> 00:19:21.965 It's love. 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:23.266 Love. 00:19:23.266 --> 00:19:24.665 Loving relationships. 00:19:24.665 --> 00:19:27.665 People who sincerely and deeply love you. 00:19:28.066 --> 00:19:31.099 Infinitely more valuable than than money. 00:19:31.465 --> 00:19:32.599 You can have all the money in the world. 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:33.900 You have no one who loves you. 00:19:33.900 --> 00:19:34.833 You're empty. 00:19:34.833 --> 00:19:35.766 You're dead. 00:19:35.766 --> 00:19:38.766 You're miserable. 00:19:38.833 --> 00:19:40.566 Health. 00:19:40.566 --> 00:19:46.066 I mean, people will spend whatever money it takes to get their health right. 00:19:46.333 --> 00:19:48.099 Way more valuable than money. 00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:50.133 Of course, money helps to have good health at times. 00:19:50.133 --> 00:19:52.133 In certain ways, I get that. 00:19:52.133 --> 00:19:56.165 But health is still far more valuable than money. 00:19:56.165 --> 00:19:58.165 Relationships look at 17 one. 00:19:58.165 --> 00:20:05.566 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. 00:20:05.766 --> 00:20:13.365 In fact, one of the best predictors of joy and happiness in life is the quality of the relationships of the people closest to you in life. 00:20:13.365 --> 00:20:17.099 It's not even money or education levels or income. 00:20:17.099 --> 00:20:19.465 Income and money are the same, is it? 00:20:19.465 --> 00:20:20.665 It's relationships. 00:20:22.032 --> 00:20:30.232 And if you have good, rich relationships with those closest to you, likelihood is you'll have a rich and meaningful life. 00:20:30.232 --> 00:20:40.700 Wisdom is better than money honoring God 1516 better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. 00:20:40.965 --> 00:20:44.333 And then lastly on this list and these are just a few I picked out. 00:20:44.333 --> 00:20:46.599 These aren't all of them. Peace. 00:20:46.599 --> 00:20:49.633 No peace. 00:20:49.633 --> 00:20:52.165 The ransom of a man's life is his wealth. 00:20:52.165 --> 00:20:54.032 But a poor man here is no threat. 00:20:54.032 --> 00:21:01.633 Meaning if you have great riches, you may get in a situation where you do need to be ransomed. 00:21:01.633 --> 00:21:06.066 You're more likely to face the challenges of being kidnaped per se. 00:21:06.133 --> 00:21:08.000 But a poor man hears no threat. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:10.165 No one is coming to kidnap a poor person. 00:21:11.165 --> 00:21:13.266 You don't have to worry about that. 00:21:13.266 --> 00:21:15.732 There's a level of peace in life. 00:21:15.732 --> 00:21:21.500 Again, assuming you're not just barely making it and have all kinds of troubles related to that. 00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:26.932 But peace is more valuable than money itself, and money doesn't necessarily bring peace. 00:21:26.932 --> 00:21:30.965 It may bring the opposite up to a certain level. 00:21:31.566 --> 00:21:36.066 So as a Christian, we approach money knowing there are things in life that are better, that are more important. 00:21:36.066 --> 00:21:39.066 But all the allure of the world. 00:21:39.365 --> 00:21:48.465 Look, everything you see in social media, on TV, all of it is designed to make you unhappy. 00:21:48.465 --> 00:21:50.000 That's the whole point. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:56.400 Everything, every commercial you see is trying to make you feel like what you have isn't enough. 00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:58.799 And look, it's okay, keep watching it. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:00.500 But don't be naive to that. 00:22:01.465 --> 00:22:03.500 They're trying to make you feel like what you have now. 00:22:03.500 --> 00:22:07.432 That device you got last year, which was cutting edge and the best thing ever now is worthless. 00:22:07.432 --> 00:22:09.099 And you are worthless as a result. 00:22:09.099 --> 00:22:13.633 And you need this new thing to be happy, meaningful, purposeful again in life. 00:22:13.633 --> 00:22:18.932 That's the message you hear in subtle ways, over and over and over and over again. 00:22:19.665 --> 00:22:21.965 We're battling that all day long. 00:22:21.965 --> 00:22:23.333 So you're hearing that all day long. 00:22:23.333 --> 00:22:29.766 We've got to speak the truth to ourselves, that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. 00:22:29.766 --> 00:22:32.766 That's not where I'm going to find life. 00:22:33.133 --> 00:22:34.799 So there are things better than money. 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:42.365 Also, though, the word I think the second word to take note of is the word steward stewardship. 00:22:42.365 --> 00:22:47.432 We are called to view our lives and our finances as stewards over them. 00:22:47.633 --> 00:22:49.732 It's not my money. 00:22:49.732 --> 00:22:51.365 I'm a steward of his money. 00:22:51.365 --> 00:22:53.965 Look at chapter 27, verse 23 and 24. 00:22:53.965 --> 00:23:00.432 Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds for riches. 00:23:00.432 --> 00:23:03.000 Do not last forever. 00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:04.732 We're called to be stewards. 00:23:04.732 --> 00:23:06.365 We're called to be stewards of our finances. 00:23:06.365 --> 00:23:10.865 But also first Corinthians six also of our lives. 00:23:10.865 --> 00:23:13.932 We're not even meant to view our lives as our own. Look at this verse. 00:23:13.932 --> 00:23:18.833 Do you not know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you whom you have from God? 00:23:18.833 --> 00:23:20.766 You are not your own. 00:23:20.766 --> 00:23:26.766 You were bought with a price, so glorify God in your body. 00:23:26.900 --> 00:23:31.365 I should approach all of life as a steward. 00:23:31.365 --> 00:23:32.766 It's this isn't my life. 00:23:32.766 --> 00:23:33.900 This isn't my money. 00:23:33.900 --> 00:23:39.566 This isn't my family, my car, my books, whatever. 00:23:39.566 --> 00:23:40.900 There he is. 00:23:40.900 --> 00:23:44.799 I'm called to just be a momentary steward for it. 00:23:45.865 --> 00:23:47.365 I experience this almost every day. 00:23:47.365 --> 00:23:49.400 I walk in the church. 00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:59.633 I walk in, and as I'm walking in, I can see there's a stone out on the edge of the old sanctuary, which used to be over that way that we met in when I was a kid here in church growing up. 00:23:59.633 --> 00:24:01.432 In fact, we have VBS next week. 00:24:01.432 --> 00:24:14.900 One of my earliest memories here is lining up in the back of that old sanctuary for VBS as a little bitty kid, and when I'm walking in, I can see that stone on the corner of the building that says Valley View Baptist Church, 1967. 00:24:15.965 --> 00:24:20.766 And if you could see it on that building further down from it, it says 1957. 00:24:20.766 --> 00:24:23.532 It's blocked by bushes there. 00:24:23.532 --> 00:24:29.865 But I see that stone every morning when I'm walking in, I'm reminded this thing was here long before you. 00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:30.865 Not real long, I guess. 00:24:30.865 --> 00:24:33.965 That's just six years before I came around. 00:24:33.965 --> 00:24:36.965 But it was handed to us. 00:24:37.566 --> 00:24:41.900 Yeah, I'm the pastor of the church, but it's not my church. 00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:45.333 You see, we're here to steward it for a season, to pass it on to the next generation. 00:24:45.333 --> 00:24:46.266 Other people did that. 00:24:46.266 --> 00:24:47.500 They passed it on to us. 00:24:47.500 --> 00:24:49.066 They cared for it. 00:24:49.066 --> 00:24:59.665 And our goal is to be faithful to God's word, to walk by the power of the spirit, to submit to his word, to follow Christ, submit our lives to him. 00:25:00.932 --> 00:25:05.865 And if he gives us favor, we will have something to pass on to others. 00:25:05.865 --> 00:25:08.865 We're just a temporary steward. 00:25:09.032 --> 00:25:14.400 If we have that mindset, I think it approaches life very differently. 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:22.365 I'm going to end by giving four quick antidotes to the negative temptation the negative pool of money. 00:25:22.365 --> 00:25:26.432 I think there are four biblical antidotes to that that we can use practically. 00:25:26.432 --> 00:25:29.266 You see here first is generosity. 00:25:29.266 --> 00:25:34.766 Chapter 11 verse 24 says, one gives freely and grows all the richer. 00:25:34.766 --> 00:25:38.532 Another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. 00:25:38.532 --> 00:25:45.133 There's something about generosity that unlocks the stranglehold money can have on our soul. 00:25:45.133 --> 00:25:48.299 And of course, you've got to have some to be able to give it away. 00:25:48.299 --> 00:25:51.200 You've got to have a little extra to be able to give it away. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:54.465 I get all that, and sometimes we're generous with our time. 00:25:54.465 --> 00:25:59.266 If we don't have finances or maybe we have extra stuff we don't need any more, we're generous with that. 00:25:59.266 --> 00:26:06.599 The key is I want to have a generous heart, one that is giving, that unlocks the stranglehold money can have on your life. 00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:10.900 Second is identity. 00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:17.465 Colossians three two through three says, set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 00:26:17.465 --> 00:26:22.732 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 00:26:22.732 --> 00:26:26.599 Know that my identity is not on my possessions. 00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:28.432 It's not on what I own. 00:26:28.432 --> 00:26:33.365 It's not on my 401 K or 4 or 3 B or whatever you have or your Roth IRA. 00:26:33.365 --> 00:26:34.865 It's not. 00:26:34.865 --> 00:26:39.232 My identity is rooted in him first and foremost. 00:26:39.232 --> 00:26:49.266 In fact, some of what Scripture praises, if you look at Matthew five, that's actually verse three, not verse eight, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. 00:26:49.266 --> 00:26:55.232 Blessed are those who are dependent on God, not self dependent. 00:26:55.400 --> 00:26:56.633 So there's an identity issue. 00:26:56.633 --> 00:26:58.566 We need to make sure our identity is rooted in Christ. 00:26:58.566 --> 00:27:01.032 Number three gratitude. 00:27:03.133 --> 00:27:11.299 Going back to that whole reality of every commercial is meant to make you unhappy, ungrateful for what you already have. 00:27:11.566 --> 00:27:12.532 Ephesians five four. 00:27:12.532 --> 00:27:19.099 It's so powerful because it links immorality to a lack of gratitude. 00:27:20.965 --> 00:27:26.200 Why would you want to move toward sexual immorality is because you're not happy with what you have. 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:29.000 You're not happy with what God has given you. 00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:32.000 You're ungrateful for what he has done. 00:27:32.333 --> 00:27:36.965 You want to fight the battle against the unhealthy approach to money. 00:27:36.965 --> 00:27:38.333 Move towards gratitude. 00:27:38.333 --> 00:27:39.465 I've got a friend recently. 00:27:39.465 --> 00:27:42.465 I met with him and he said, John, I have been starting my day. 00:27:42.465 --> 00:27:49.599 Every day I open my journal and I take whatever time it takes to write down eight things I'm grateful for. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:50.665 That happened yesterday. 00:27:51.932 --> 00:27:57.066 I thought, that's awesome, and that's a lot of hard work. 00:27:57.066 --> 00:28:03.732 I mean, if you haven't done that before, look, do it for a week and then you've exhausted everything in your life. 00:28:03.732 --> 00:28:05.932 Now the next day you got to go through it again. 00:28:05.932 --> 00:28:07.799 Well, I'm still grateful for my wife. 00:28:07.799 --> 00:28:09.165 I'm still grateful for my kids. 00:28:09.165 --> 00:28:11.032 He said, no, it's got to be something new every day. 00:28:11.032 --> 00:28:13.000 Something that happened yesterday, eight things. 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:16.200 And he said, John, sometimes it takes me a long time. 00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:21.165 But I got to tell you, that has been such a gift to my soul in this season. 00:28:22.633 --> 00:28:31.833 If you want to move away from a state of anxiety, a state, maybe you find yourself in this place of where you're just unhappy and unsatisfied in life. 00:28:31.833 --> 00:28:33.833