Shalem Prayer Hall Nidubrolu: August 2009

Monday, August 31, 2009

Lifestyles of the Poor and Nameless (Matthew 5:1-5)

Where there is sorrow, there is holy
ground.
OSCAR WILDE

Matthew 5:1-5¹
January 11, 2004

Introduction

Why does God let that happen to us?

You’d think that we’d get better treatment from someone who loves us.

And yet at some point in our lives we all experience terrible sorrows.

We all get into situations that we simply cannot stand, cannot handle, and cannot find a way out. We all have heard the little voice deep down inside us that says, “You’re a miserable failure.” Some of you here this morning are probably experiencing those feelings right now.

Why does God allow those unpleasant and even tragic experiences in our lives? That’s one of the questions that really bothers us.

That’s a complicated discussion and probably there is no one ultimately satisfying answer that anyone can give you to that question. I think that on some level, we’ll probably wrestle with that issue for the rest of our lives. But I can offer you a part of the answer this morning. One of the reasons God lets bad things happen in our lives is because it’s the very best thing that could happen to us.

Sounds like a contradiction, I know. But you know what? That’s the way the truth often is. That’s just the kind of paradox that characterizes our leader, Jesus, and his teaching.

The Jesus Curriculum

This is the beginning of a new year and it’s a good time to start a new series. So I thought this morning we might begin a new project that will be the backbone of our Sunday morning teaching for probably the next 2-3 years. We’ll stop along the way to explore some other topics as well.

But our main course is going to be a study of the teachings of Jesus.

In a way, that’s what we do every week, because the whole Bible is God’s Word. But specifically, we’re going to examine what Jesus actually taught his followers while he was here on earth 2000 years ago.

I’d like to call it, “The Jesus Curriculum”.

During his ministry, Jesus performed many miracles, healed the sick and spoke in parables to huge crowds of people. But the majority of his time, Jesus spent with his followers, teaching them, training them.

Jesus taught many things on many occasions. But in the pages of the New Testament, we find three major lessons that he gave specifically to those who were following him and wanted to learn from him.

Basically, Jesus taught his followers about:

Life in the Kingdom, or, The Kingdom Handbook
about The Community of the Spirit
and about The Return of the King

Popularly, these three lessons are known as:

The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7
The Upper Room Discourse, found in John 14-17 and
The Olivet Discourse, found in Matthew 24-25

Today we’re going to begin our study of the Sermon on the Mount.

I’ve called it “The Kingdom Handbook” because essentially, it is a manual for citizens of God’s Kingdom. In other words, an instruction manual for those who want to follow Jesus, the King.

The “Kingdom of God” has a deep and significant meaning in the Bible.

It really begins with the kingdom that God established for Israel in the days of Moses. That kingdom developed into the kingdom of David, Israel’s greatest king. After hundreds of years of unfaithfulness to God, the kingdom finally fell apart. But God promised through the prophets that one day the kingdom would be restored by a future king, the Messiah. When Jesus began his ministry, his message was, “The Kingdom of Heaven is coming soon.” The ultimate arrival of God’s Kingdom is still in the future when Jesus will return and establish his kingdom on earth. As Jesus said at his trial, “My kingdom is not of this world.” But in the meantime, there are some aspects of his kingdom that have already begun. We who follow Jesus are all citizens of God’s invisible kingdom. Jesus is our King and he is sovereign over us.

While we await entrance into the future kingdom, we live on this earth, but we acknowledge that our citizenship really lies in God’s kingdom. Therefore we live our lives according to the principles of God’s kingdom, not according to the principles of this world.

“The Kingdom Manual” tells us how things in God’s Kingdom work and we discover that things work very differently in God’s Kingdom that they do in our world. In fact, sometimes it’s almost exactly the opposite of what we might expect.

G.K. Chesterton describes the Kingdom Handbook this way:

“On the first reading of the Sermon on the Mount you feel that it turns everything upside down, but the second time you read it, you discover that it turns everything right side up. The first time you read it, you feel that it is impossible, but the second time you feel that nothing else is possible.”

The message Jesus taught to his followers is radically different than the conventional wisdom of our world. But it comes from the one who created us and asks us to believe that he knows best how life is supposed to work.

Well, let’s take a look at exactly what Jesus taught his followers and you’ll see what I mean about the paradoxes of the Jesus Curriculum.

[5:1] Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, [2] and he began to teach them, saying:

Notice that there are large crowds of people following Jesus around, but here he specifically sits down to teach his disciples.

What is a disciple?

We often think of the 12 apostles when we hear the word disciple. The apostles were some of the disciples, but apostles and disciples are very different. The word for disciple means literally, a learner. It was used of someone who followed a rabbi (that is, a teacher) to learn from him.

Jesus, like other rabbis of his day, had a group of people who attached themselves to him for training. When Jesus told the fishermen, “Follow me,” he was inviting them to be his learners, his disciples.

So the teaching in Matthew 5-7, then, is not directed to the world. It is directed to us, to those who would follow Jesus and be trained by him.

When Jesus sat down, he assumed the typical position of a rabbi who was training his disciples.

Kingdom Character

His message about the kingdom begins with the characteristics of the kingdom’s citizens. What kind of people belong to God’s kingdom? The answer might surprise you.

Title: Lifestyles of the Poor and Nameless

One might expect the citizens of God’s kingdom to be the best and the brightest, the most noble, the most worthy, the most beautiful, the strongest and the bravest. But instead we find that God’s kingdom belongs to the poor and the nameless. It belongs to those who in this world are outcasts.

As Jesus describes the surprising characteristics of the citizens of God’s kingdom, he begins with the word “Blessed.” The first few verses of the Sermon on the Mount are known as “the beatitudes.” They speak of those who are blessed. The word “blessed” means “fortunate” but without the idea of chance; someone who is envied for his condition; someone who should be congratulated. It doesn’t mean “happy” in the sense of a feeling of happiness, but rather it describes a state that should make someone ultimately satisfied, fulfilled and joyful.

The surprising part is not that citizens of God’s kingdom are blessed. The surprising part is the characteristics for which they should be congratulated.

1. Spiritually Bankrupt

[3] "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The word poor is the word for a beggar, but it refers here not to those who lack material wealth, but to those who lack spiritual wealth. Blessed are those who are spiritually destitute, the spiritual paupers, the spiritually bankrupt. Blessed are those who don’t have any spiritual resources whatsoever—no great acts of kindness to commend them, no deep insight into truth, no moral backbone to keep them on the straight and narrow. Blessed are the spiritual washouts for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Ok, see what I mean? Not at all what you’d expect. Very upside down from our perspective. But that’s what Jesus says.

How fortunate it is to be a spiritual nobody. Why? Because the spiritual nobody is the one who is completely convinced that there is nothing he can do to have a relationship with God. There is nothing he has to offer. He is totally dependent on God’s grace and mercy. He recognizes that he needs God because he’s bankrupt on his own.

In Luke 18:10-14 Jesus tells a story about "Two men [who] went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself:

'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

The Pharisee was a spiritual somebody. He had his resources and he was counting on them to impress God.

[13] "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said,

'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

The tax collector was spiritually bankrupt. He had nothing to offer. All he could do was plead for God’s mercy. And Jesus says,

[14] "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

The point of the story is not that we should be humble about how good we are. It’s that we all need to recognize that we’ve got nothing in us that we can use to impress God. All of us fall short of the requirements. All of us need God’s grace. If you’re a pretty good person, then sometimes it’s hard to see that, to recognize how much you need God.

But if you’re a spiritual beggar, if you’re spiritually bankrupt, then Congratulations! You’re so fortunate that your need for God is so obvious that you can’t miss it. You’re so blessed that you know just how desperate your situation is, because some people will never understand.

You know, this is one of the disadvantages of growing up in a Christian home with godly parents. This is one of the disadvantages of being a basically good guy. I’m not advocating that we dive into sin headfirst so that we’ll all know how vile we are. Sin is a poison that destroys life.

But those who have known the destruction of sin are fortunate because it’s often easier for them to understand how much they need God than it is for a basically good person to understand how much they need God.

The good news is that we all need God and we all can discover that.

St. Paul grew up in a godly home and he had some pretty great spiritual resources, yet he discovered how little they meant compared to his great need:

Philippians 3:4-8 I myself have reasons for such confidence. … [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;

[6] as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. [7] But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

[8] … I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

The spiritual resources that we put in the plus column can become an obstacle that keeps us from understanding that we are God’s only because of grace and not because of what we have done. Before we can enter God’s kingdom, we need to recognize our spiritual resources for what they are—rubbish! List your spiritual assets. They are rubbish.

If, on the other hand, you are one of those who basically has no spiritual brownie points at all, then congratulations! You’re just the kind of person that belongs in the kingdom of heaven. No wonder Jesus attracted such a collection of prostitutes and sinners. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2. Deeply Dismayed

The second characteristic is in verse 4:

[4] Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Happy are those who are sad. What an oxymoron!

Are you troubled? Are you suffering? Are you terribly hurt and disappointed? Are you discouraged or crushed or despairing? Congratulations! The comfort of God’s kingdom belongs to you.

Mourning hardly seems like occasion for congratulations. When things don’t go well for us, we want to complain as if this verse said, “Blessed are those who moan.” But Jesus says, sorrow is an occasion for joy, for celebration. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be sad. It means you should also rejoice if you’re sad. Because if you’re mourning, then you get it, you understand just how broken and ugly this world is. You’ve experienced the trauma and tragedy that comes from a fallen world; the mess that comes from man run amok; the wages that come from sin. You’ve experienced the sting of death, the corruption of disease, the pain of broken relationships.

Because of that, you have a much better chance of recognizing that this world is not the way it is supposed to be and we are just not equipped to live like this. It really stinks! You have a much better chance of recognizing that we were really meant to live in a world without sin, and so you have a much better chance of seeking reality in God’s kingdom. How fortunate! Congratulations! You’re just the kind of person that belongs in the kingdom of heaven.

When things go well for us, it’s easy to get comfortable living on this planet. But ultimately we don’t belong here. This planet isn’t our home; it’s just a layover! And if things are comfortable for you here, you might be inclined to fool yourself into settling down for a long stay. But if your life is full of pain and sorrow, then congratulations! You are the kind of person who can’t wait to get out of this place and start our real lives in the kingdom of God.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

3. Completely Inadequate

A third characteristic is found in verse 5:

[5] Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

In the Bible, Moses is described as the meekest of all men. The word “meek” sounds to us like a weakling, but we see Moses act with great courage and authority. But his meekness is found in his sense of inadequacy. When God asked him to do a job, Moses said, “I can’t do it. I’m not your man. I don’t have what it takes. I’m completely inadequate.” And Moses was right. However, by God’s power, by God’s ability, and by God’s leading, Moses acted and led with great courage and ability.

I think at heart most everybody is either an “I can do it” kind of person or an “I don’t have what it takes” kind of person. You probably know already which kind of person you are.

The “I can do it” people are resourceful and self-confident. They’re optimistic. They take charge and seem to instinctively know what to do.

The “I don’t have what it takes” people are more hesitant and halting. They have little confidence in themselves or in others. They expect they will fail. They’re often paralyzed by inaction. They feel completely inadequate. If that’s the kind of person you are, then congratulations! You are just the kind of person that belongs in God’s kingdom.

If you’re the kind of person who has a lot of resourcefulness and self-confidence, then it’s easy to try to do it yourself, to count on your own strength or your own smarts. But if you feel completely inadequate, congratulations. You are much more likely to turn to God and rely on his resources. You are much more likely to understand just how much you need his guidance and his strength and his wisdom. “Can do” people have a much harder time learning to trust God in their everyday lives. But people who are completely inadequate are forced to look outside themselves for resources. How fortunate you are! If you could visit a first-century church, what kind of people would you mostly likely find?

Paul writes to the Corinthians,

1 Corinthians 1:26-30 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

[27] But God chose the foolish things of the world … God chose the weak things of the world …[28] He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--…

[29] so that no one may boast before him. [30] It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus.

All of us need to depend on God, but that truth is easier for some of us to recognize than others. Those who are foolish and weak and lowly and despised are those who more easily recognize that they need to depend upon God everyday. And so those are the kind of people that populate the kingdom of God. That’s the same idea Jesus had in mind when he said,

Matthew 18:3 “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

A child is completely dependent on his parents and he knows it. In fact, a normal child just assumes that his parents will take care of him. That’s the kind of attitude we need to have toward God. We can’t do it. We don’t have what it takes. We are completely inadequate. But God can do it and he wants us to depend upon him.

[5] Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

I’m not a very meek person. I’m more of a “can do” kind of guy.

However, there was one meek moment in my life I can remember: when I was approached about becoming a pastor at this church. I remember saying, “I’m not the guy you’re looking for.” I was persuaded to come anyway. But there have since been many times when I feel completely inadequate for this job. And that’s good, because I am completely inadequate for this job. I hope I never forget that. And I’d like to say thank you to all of you who periodically remind me that I’m completely inadequate to be your pastor. That may sound like sarcasm, but I really believe that even if criticism is unfair or untrue, it can still remind us of the truth that we do not have what it takes. Nor are we meant to. We’re meant to be uncomfortably in over our heads, because that’s when we will be forced to rely on God’s resources and not on our own. Do you feel completely inadequate for what God has you doing? Congratulations!

Conclusion

Congratulations to

the Spiritually Bankrupt
the Deeply Dismayed
and the Completely Inadequate

Why does God allow unpleasant experiences in our lives?

Why does God let us experience terrible sorrows?

Why does he put us into situations that we simply cannot stand, cannot handle, and cannot escape?

Why must we hear that little voice inside us that says, “You’re a miserable failure”?

Because those are the kinds of experiences that expose the thread-bareness of our self-sufficiency. They help us find the end of our own resources and thus they force us to find strength and comfort beyond ourselves.

They drive us to God, which is the only place where we can find true and lasting strength, comfort, and fulfillment.

So the next time something happens to you that brings you great pain, the next time someone reminds you how completely inadequate you are, the next time failure exposes your own spiritual bankruptcy…

Congratulate yourself. The kingdom of heaven is yours.

¹Copyright 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the The Kingdom Character series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on January 11, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

First Things First Make saving a priority

We are pilgrims, not settlers; this earth is
our inn, not our home.
J. H. VINCENT

Matthew 6:31-34¹

Introduction

What does your faith mean to you?

For many, it’s a comfort. In a crisis, facing a death, their faith sustains.

For some, it’s a tradition. It ties them back to their roots.

For some, faith is their fire insurance policy. It keeps them out of hell.

For many, faith is a nice activity to round out their interests. Everybody needs a little religion. It helps them to be a balanced person. Church is a great place to make some friends, hear some good music, and hopefully hear an interesting speaker. You should go sometime, if it’s convenient.

But for how many of you is your faith your reason for living?

Is your faith the reason you get up in the morning? Is it the major focus of your activities, your words, and your thoughts? Does it occupy the majority of your time when you’re not at work or taking care of living life? And even then, do your thoughts keep drifting back to issues of faith?

You know what? That’s how important your faith is supposed to be.

One other thing. God’s instructions make it clear that your faith is not something that you work out just between you and God. Your faith is meant to be carried out in the context of relationships with other believers. In other words, in a local church. That is the main context in which you pursue God’s purposes for your life: worship, fellowship, discipleship, and service. So for how many of you is your church a priority in your life? Does it occupy the majority of your discretionary attention, time, conversation, thoughts and resources?

Series: Finding Security in a Shaky Economy

Today we’re finishing a series about how to find security in a shaky economy. This is part of our study of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5-7, called the Sermon on the Mount.

We live in an unpredictable, unstable shaky economy. It’s always that way, though sometimes we’re aware of how unreliable it is and sometimes we’re not.

The Bible teaches that there is a way to find true financial security even in the midst of our shaky economy. And we’ve been examining four biblical principles about how to do that.

1. Choose the Right Bank.

First, it’s important to choose the right bank. Jesus says we can either keep our treasures here on earth, where they slowly disappear and eventually burn up in a great fire at the end of the world, or we can deposit our resources in heaven where they will last forever. We can use our earthly resources to invest in things that will last forever: loving people and helping them find and follow Jesus, developing the character of Christ in our lives, promoting and building God’s kingdom. Treasures on earth or treasures in heaven: we have a choice. One is secure forever. The other is not.

µ 2. Stick with long-term investments.

Second, stick with long-term investments. Jesus says, everyone has to make that choice between earth and heaven. Everyone needs to use money, but if you try to find your security in money, then it’s impossible to find your security in God. You must choose between them. Otherwise it will compromise your values, distort your spiritual perception and corrupt your behavior. You can be loyal to only one or the other.

3. Count on social security.

Third, count on social security. That doesn’t mean the social security of the federal government, but rather the security of God’s kingdom. Somehow God manages to take care of birds and flowers and you know what? He can also take care of the things we need like food and clothing. So instead of worrying about whether we’ll have enough to get by, we need to trust God to take care of us. When we worry, we’re really saying that we don’t think God is up to the task of taking care of us. It’s a lack of confidence in God’s abilities. We find true security by trusting God.

4. Make saving a priority.

Today we come to our fourth and final principle for finding financial security in a shaky economy. We need to make saving a priority. Of course, the kind of saving I’m talking about is not accomplished by putting your money in the local bank. It’s only what we invest in eternity that will last forever and will bring us true security. And Jesus says not only that we should invest in eternity (that’s what we studied the first week), but here in today’s verses,

First Things First

He says you need to make investments in God’s kingdom your number one priority. It’s vitally important to put first things first. And the only thing that belongs in first place is God’s Kingdom.

God knows your needs. (31-32)

We’re going to start with where we left off two weeks ago. Remember that Jesus has just reminded us of how well God takes care of birds and flowers. He’s reminded us of just how little we can accomplish by worrying about our needs. So he says,

Matthew 6:31-34 [31] So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

[32] For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

When we recognize God’s abilities, we can be confident that God knows what we need and that he will take care of us.

Two weeks ago, we missed out on our clip from “Joe verse the Volcano”.

So today, I’d like to play it. Told he has only months to live, Joe’s been hired to jump into a volcano to appease the gods and rescue an island civilization from destruction.

[Clip from “Joe verses the Volcano”]

OK, this is a little farcical, but I think it makes the point. These two characters represent two basic approaches to life. Meg’s character is sure that, no matter what setbacks and disappointments they face, everything is going to work out all right. How? She’s not sure. But it will. Tom’s character is pretty sure that everything is going to be a disaster. So to him, the setbacks and disappointments are proof that they are headed for sure catastrophe. For him, it’s always going to be something.

Now of course, there’s a huge difference between this movie and the Christian faith. These people are putting their confidence in an unseen force and really good luggage. Some people trust in chance or in their intellect or in their own abilities or in their savings. But for the Christian, our confidence depends on what we know about God and his abilities.

To some, our confidence is going to look like wishful thinking, foolish and unrealistic. But confidence in God’s abilities based on faith is anything but foolish. In fact, it’s actually foolish to put our confidence in anything else.

Make his kingdom your priority (33)

That’s why Jesus concludes his teaching about security with these astounding words:

[33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Each of us needs to establish what will be the priority of our lives. And Jesus tells us here what that priority should be. It actually has two parts.

God’s Kingdom. And God’s Righteousness.

These two ideas have been central themes in the Sermon on the Mount that we’ve been studying since January. But in case you weren’t here when we started or you don’t remember, let’s talk about them.

God’s Kingdom is his invisible government over each of us and over the whole world. One day, it’s going to be a visible government and it will be completely established, but right now, it’s actually already begun in the lives of each of us who have become followers of Jesus. God’s Kingdom is God’s work here on earth—His work in our lives and in the lives of the people around us. Remember Jesus started this teaching with the words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Or, If you’re spiritually bankrupt, congratulations! You’re just the kind of person who belongs in God’s Kingdom.”

Righteousness means innocence, a right relationship with God undamaged by sin or disobedience. Remember that Jesus taught us that unless our righteousness is greater than the Pharisees then we could not enter the kingdom of heaven. And he talked about a higher standard of righteousness—not just being careful to follow God’s instructions in an external, outward conformity, but also in our innermost thoughts, feelings and attitudes. He also told us not to acts of righteousness to show off to people how spiritual we are, but to do them solely to honor God.

Here in 6:33, Jesus comes to a climax of sorts in his teaching. He says that this kingdom of God that he’s been talking about and this righteousness that he’s been talking about—they need to be the priority of our lives. Our pursuit of this kingdom and this righteousness must take first place.

Why does he mention that here in the middle of a discussion about finding financial security—having what we need to take care of ourselves and our families? I think the reason he does is because so often people allow the quest for financial security to become the priority of their lives. The reason they get up in the morning is not to pursue God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, but rather to go to work, to earn money, to pay the bills, to buy toys, and to set aside savings so that in the future they can pay more bills and buy more toys. For most people, financial security is the number one priority in their lives. But Jesus says, keep your eye on the ball. Instead of chasing after financial security, chase after God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness and let God take care of what you need.

When I was growing up, this verse had a profound impact on my life. Perhaps more than any other verse in the Bible, Matthew 6:33 set the course of my life. I was in my freshman year of premed at UCSD...

When you set your priority on God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, it changes the course of your life. For me, it made the difference of whether I went into medicine. That’s not necessarily the same for everyone. Nothing wrong with medicine. Holly. It may change how you do medicine, and it will certainly change why you do medicine.

Have you made God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness the priority of your life? How has that changed the course of your life?

Don’t worry about your future (34)

There’s one final thought that Jesus adds to this discourse. At the end of chapter 6, he applies this principle to the future. Don’t worry about what you’re going to eat or drink or wear. In fact, don’t worry about anything in your future.

[34] Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The idea here is that we can face the challenges of tomorrow whenever tomorrow arrives.

To worry about it now, is inviting more than we can handle.

This follows logically from the previous verse. We need to keep our focus on the kingdom and on righteousness. We should not be distracted by our daily needs and we shouldn’t be distracted by what might happen tomorrow.

Corrie Ten Boom. How could I have the strength to face execution?

God will give you grace just before you need it.

When we deal with the future, we tend to fall off the cart on either one side or the other. Sometimes people’s worry about the future paralyzes them from taking steps of faith because they want to see how it’s going to work out before they’re willing to trust God to work it out. Unfortunately, God doesn’t usually work that way. He frequently calls us to step out without any assurances except that he has promised to provide. How will it work out? I don’t know. But that doesn’t mean that it’s foolish to do it.

The other side people fall off is sometimes they are completely dependent on God doing everything and so they don’t even do what they can do. I think the Bible is clear that as long as we’re doing what is right, that we should do whatever we can do to plan, to prepare, and to work.

God didn’t give us gifts so we’d sit on them. He gave them to us to use to their fullest. Using them means taking some risks and it means working hard. Working hard is not a lack of faith. It’s responding to the opportunities that God has placed before us. Now when we get to the point that something is beyond our control, beyond our foresight, or beyond our abilities, then we need to recognize that God has that part of the job covered. We can’t work. We don’t need to worry. We just have to trust.

Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

James 4:13-15 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." [14] Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?

You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. [15] Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

Sometimes it can be difficult to navigate the difference between when we should be working and when we should be waiting on God. I think it’s kind of an art. It is a often a judgment call based on wisdom and experience. But as you practice following God, I think you begin to recognize that when you run up against things beyond your control, then it’s time to relax and wait for God to do His thing.

What’s Your Priority?

If God’s kingdom isn’t the priority in your life, then you’re not living out the Christian faith the way it was intended to be lived.

Feeling guilty? That’s not my intent. Some of you feel guilty way too easily. “It’s cold.” You feel guilty you didn’t get up and turn down AC.

Guilt can be a good warning from God that something needs to change.

So don’t let me make you feel guilty, but if you’re feeling guilty because God wants you to do something different, then listen to it.

What does it mean to seek God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness? It means to pursue them, to devote our priority time, energy, creativity, wisdom, experience, abilities, physical and financial resources to developing God’s Kingdom and demonstrating God’s righteousness.

This isn’t something you need to do in order to be saved and have a relationship with God. It’s something you need to do BECAUSE you’ve been saved and have a relationship with God.

Deposit Slip

To help us focus in on some specific applications of Matthew 6:33, I’ve got a little tool for you to use. The ushers are passing out some deposit slips for the imaginary institution called Spiritual Trust and Savings.

And I’d like you to take a minute to fill one out. We’re not going to collect this. No one’s going to see this except you and God. But I’d like you to think about the deposits you want to make in your eternal savings account this year. If God’s Kingdom and God’s Righteousness are your priority, then you need to be purposeful about storing up some treasures in heaven.

What kind of things can you deposit? The things that last forever can’t really be counted or even held. They’re invisible. But Paul says,

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

So let’s take a few minutes and I’d like each of you to work through this with me and jot down a few words that represent your intentional deposits into your heavenly bank account. Remember, your deposits in heaven are the things that last forever. So first of all, let’s think about

People you wish to impact

who are the people that you’re building into, serving?
who are the people that you’re helping find a relationship with Jesus?
Children, students, neighbors, a co-worker, your spouse?
Take a minute to write down the people you want to impact this year.

Character traits you wish to build

What does God want to change in your life? attitudes? traits? habits?
patience, anger, lust, greed, gossip, integrity, gentleness, compassion
Take a minute to write down the traits you want to develop this year.

Kingdom services you wish to perform

time regularly dedicated to worship: is coming to church a priority?
time in prayer, fasting, regular time to read your Bible
deliberate steps to fellowship and grow spiritually: join a mini church
our change in mini church
outreach opportunities, ways you can serve. Take a minute to write down the steps you want to take this year to build God’s kingdom.

Currency Exchange
Earthly Resources you wish to convert to heavenly resources

What are you converting from corruptible cash into eternal value?
Sell something? (like the early church),
if the kingdom is your priority, does your giving reflect that?
don’t have to give here, but may I recommend it? This is a great place to give. If you love this church, you should be supporting it so that we can continue to serve people who need to find and follow Jesus.

See this bulletin? You see we’ve got a gap between our expenses and our income. We’re not getting enough each week to cover all our expenses like the mortgage, the utilities and the salaries. You know what? I’m not worried about that. Really. If we need to, we can adjust our staff or our programs. We could always sell off some assets. We can expand or contract as required. What I’m more concerned about is that each of us is supporting this church financially in a way that reflects the fact that God’s Kingdom is the priority of our lives. That’s what’s really important. Take a minute to write down what you want to do this year with your financial resources and God’s kingdom.

I know we didn’t give you much time and maybe you’d like to have some more time to think about these questions. So I encourage you to take these deposit slips home and spend some time this afternoon or this evening thinking through these four areas.

We don’t do usually do this at our church. But I think today it would be appropriate to give you an opportunity to put some legs on the commitments you’ve just made. So in just a minute we’re going to pray and then Jeremy’s going to lead us in a song. And if you’ve made a commitment this morning and you’d like to seal it with some action, I’d like to invite you to bring your deposit slip up to the front here. You can kneel or stand or sit, but bring your slip up here and present it to God. Remember, don’t leave it up here—it’s just between you and him. But sometimes it helps to demonstrate a commitment with a physical action. So if you’ve made a commitment either this morning or sometime before to pursue God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness as the number one priority of your life, and you’d like to express that by coming to the front of the room, then I invite you right now to come forward, find yourself a spot, and talk to the Lord.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Per Diem Count on Social Security

Every tear from every eye becomes a babe
in eternity.
WILLIAM BLAKE

Matthew 6:25-32¹

Introduction

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of having an expense account, then you know what “per diem” means. It’s a Latin phrase that means “by the day” and it refers to a daily payment or allowance. In other words, let’s say you’re traveling on a business trip and your boss allows you a certain amount of money each day to pay for your room, your car and your meals. That’s a per diem. When you go on a business trip, your boss usually doesn’t give you enough money to take care of you and your family for the rest of your life. He only gives you enough to take care of your needs day by day—per diem.

There’s a spiritual lesson somewhere in that phrase. Because that’s the way God treats us. That’s the way God expects us to live: per diem—day by day. He promises to cover our daily needs—no more, no less. And that truth can be either freeing or it can be frustrating. It all depends on how much you trust the boss.

Series: Finding Security in a Shaky Economy

This year we’ve been studying Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. And right now we’re in the middle of a series about how to find security in a shaky economy.

We all know that the economy has been slow, unpredictable and unstable in the last few years. But as we’ve seen, the truth is that the economy is always shaky. It’s just that sometimes we’re aware of how unreliable it is and sometimes we’re lulled into a false sense of security.

The Bible teaches that there is a way to find true financial security even in the midst of our shaky economy. But it’s a different path than one might expect. Here’s what we’ve discovered so far:

1. Choose the Right Bank.

2. Stick with long-term investments.

Now, if you’re with me so far, then you might be persuaded that we need to focus our attention on getting ready for heaven. That’s more important than building up investments to provide for our future here on earth. But the natural question that comes next is, “If we invest our major resources in heaven, then how are we going to take care of ourselves before we get there? I’m planning on living a few more years and I want to know how I’m going to pay the bills.”

Great question! In fact, that brings us to the third biblical principle for finding security in a shaky economy.

3. Count on social security.

Jesus tells us to count on social security. Now I want you to be really careful here, because I’m not talking about trusting the Social Security Administration of our federal government. From everything I hear, it’s dubious if Social Security is going to be able to take care of me whenever I’m ready to retire. And it seems impossible to count on the solvency of the Social Security system if you’re currently 24 or 25 years old.

What I’m talking about is trusting in God’s system of social security. Because God has promised to take care of what we need each day. He’s promised to meet our daily needs. He’s promised us a per diem. And because it’s God that made the promise, we can count on the social security system of His kingdom.

Don’t Worry About “the Essentials” (25)

food and clothing

This is exactly what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 6:25. Trust me. Have confidence in what God has promised. If you’re counting on me, then you don’t need to worry about making ends meet. You don’t need to worry about the essentials like food and clothing. God’s got it covered. Here’s what he says:

Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.

Notice he mentions two things. We can trust God to protect our lives and we can trust God to protect our bodies. To protect our lives we need food and drink. To protect our bodies we need clothes. And Jesus says don’t worry about either one of these. In fact, the way he says it in Greek actually means, “stop worrying about these things.”

Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

The argument here is that God is that one that gave us life. God is the one who created our bodies. So if he loved us enough to give us lives and give us bodies, then he will also give us what we need to sustain and protect our lives and our bodies. In other words, God’s gifts—our lives and our bodies—come with an extended service agreement—maintenance included. We didn’t get our lives or our bodies by worrying. Why do we think that worrying will somehow help us to sustain our lives and our bodies? God gave us both and God will provide for both.

That’s one reason why we don’t need to worry about the essentials. Because God can and will take care of what we need.

There’s also a scientific reason why we can trust in God to provide for our needs. That is, we can observe in nature that providing for needs is just part of how God runs this place.

In the next verse, Jesus turns to an example from nature:

God feeds the birds (26)

and you are more valuable.

Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Jesus and his followers were outside when he spoke these words. I bet there were birds singing in the trees and flying around their heads. He probably turned and pointed to the birds flying around and said, “Where do you suppose they ate lunch?” You don’t see birds out planting crops or riding little tractors. You don’t see little bird grocery stores or fast food drive through windows. They don’t have little bird bank accounts or little bird 401K’s. Yet somehow they manage to eat everyday.

The implication is obvious. People are more valuable than birds. So if God somehow manages to feed the birds, don’t you think he can manage to feed us, too?

This verse is not saying that we shouldn’t work or shouldn’t save. It’s saying that since God provides even for birds who don’t work and save, won’t he provide for us too? The Bible teaches us that we should work and it is prudent to think ahead and save. But in all our working and saving, we need to remember that our security comes from the fact that God loves us, that we are valuable to him and that he will always take care of what we need. The birds don’t worry about it. Why should we?

Here’s another example of how pointless it is to worry.

Worry can’t lengthen your life (27)

Matthew 6:27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

If you have an older translation of the Bible, your version might show that Jesus is using a metaphor here. Literally he says that worry can’t add a single cubit to your life. A cubit is about the length of your arm from your elbow to your hand. Jesus is using this metaphorically about the length of your life, just like we might say that someone’s fiftieth birthday is a milestone in their life. Basically, the meaning is captured by the NIV here: worry can’t add a single hour to your life. In fact, the truth is, worry might actually shorten your life. But it won’t prolong it.

Once again, the argument hinges on God. Who is it that controls the length of your life? Psalm 139:16 says, “All the days ordained for me were written in [God’s] book before one of them came to be.”

The length of our lives depends on God. The only option we have is to trust him that he will take us at the right time. So why not trust that he will also provide for us until that time comes?

In the next verse, Jesus gives another example from nature:

God clothes the flowers (28-30)

and you last longer.

Matthew 6:28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.

Again, Jesus probably pointed around him to the beautiful wild flowers and said, “Where do you suppose these flowers get their beautiful costumes?” It isn’t by working hard.

Matthew 6:29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

Solomon was one of the wealthiest men that ever lived. Certainly he was on the list of best-dressed ancient Israelites. But wild flowers are even more beautiful, even though they’re basically just decorative grass.

Matthew 6:30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

We planted some flowers this year and you know what I’ve been learning? They’re pansies. I don’t mean pansies as in the type of flower. I mean that the most beautiful colorful flowers are fragile, they’re wimpy. Trees are sturdy. You can climb them, swing in them, and build houses in them. They can bear an amazing amount of weight. Even bushes are a least strong enough to make it through the winter. But flowers are temporary. They blossom, then they die. You on the other hand—you’re going to last forever. So if God clothes something so temporary with such beautiful clothing, won’t he make sure that at least you have what you need to wear? So you don’t need to worry about it.

“O you of little faith” is a gentle admonition. “Hey, micro-faith!” Jesus is trying to say, I think in a light-hearted way, “Is that all the confidence you have in me? Don’t you trust me more than that?” That’s really the point of these verses. If you’re worried, it shows that you’re having a problem with faith. You’re having difficulty trusting in God’s abilities.

On three other occasions Jesus uses this expression of his followers.

The first time, the disciples are out on a lake in a small boat, caught in a violent storm. Waves are crashing over the side. Jesus is asleep in the boat, but they wake him up because they’re afraid they’re going to die. Jesus says, “You of little faith. Why are you so afraid?” And he orders the wind and the waves to be still. Mat 8:26
Another time, the disciples are in the boat alone, but they see Jesus walking toward them across the surface of the water. Peter steps out of the boat and starts walking toward Jesus, but the wind frightens him and he starts sinking. Jesus takes him by the hand and asks,
“You of little faith. Why did you doubt?” Mat 14:31
The third time they’re also in a boat. Jesus makes some comment using yeast as a spiritual metaphor. But the disciples think he’s criticizing them for not bringing any bread on the trip. Even though, on two separate occasions, they had seen Jesus feed thousands of people with only a few loaves of bread, they start blaming each other for not packing the groceries. And Jesus says, “You of little faith. Don’t you understand? Don’t you remember?” Mat 16:8

Worry is the opposite of faith, that is, trust or confidence in God’s abilities. In each of these cases, the disciples forgot what God was capable of doing. They forgot he is the almighty commander and creator. And whenever you worry, it means that you don’t think God is up to handling your problems and your needs.

But if you trust God, then you don’t have occasion to worry.

So, Don’t Worry About It (31-32)

Matthew 6:31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

Matthew 6:32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

The word translated “pagans” here is actually the word for Gentiles.

It’s referring to people who do not know God and do not have a relationship with him. What this is saying is that worry is appropriate only for those who don’t understand anything about God.

If you do know God and you know anything about him at all, then you know that he already knows what you need and that he can and will take care of you. So don’t worry about it! Trust God. Count on him. Count on the social security of his kingdom.

Philippians 4:19 (NIV) God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

If this verse is true, then it means two things:

1. I will have whatever I need. and

2. If I don’t have something, then it’s probably something I don’t need.

A lot of times when we’re worried, it’s because we want more than what God has provided. He takes care of today, so we worry about tomorrow. He takes care of our needs, but we worry about our desires.

But the Bible calls us to live a life that is confident that God will provide and satisfied with what God provides.

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

1 Timothy 6:8 (NIV) If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Paul even learned that he could be satisfied with what God provided even when it wasn’t all that much.

Philippians 4:12 (NIV) I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

The secret to contentment that he’s talking about here is trust or confidence in God. If we really believe that God will supply us with everything that we need, then instead of worrying, we relax and we take life as it comes.

1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV) 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.

What are you worried about?

Friday, August 28, 2009

Let it Ride - Stick with long-term investments

Is death the last sleep? No, it is the final
awakening.
WALTER SCOTT

Matthew 6:21-24¹

I. Introduction

We live in a shaky economy.

Right now we’re going through some difficult economic times. But as we saw last week, it doesn’t matter whether the economy is good or bad—it is always shaky. We cannot depend on it.

Last week we began a four-part series on finding financial security in a shaky economy.

II. Choose the Right Bank

You have a choice.

Jesus says, Don’t store up treasures for yourselves on earth,
because in the world bank, your deposits disappear.

But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven,
because in Spiritual Trust and Savings, your deposits are guaranteed.

This week: You have to make a choice.

III. Stick with long-term investments.

Let it ride.

You can’t have it both ways.

Why? Three reasons.

The pursuit of money affects your attitude, your understanding, and your actions.

IV. Single Heart

Wealth can change your devotion.

It’s a heart issue. Core. Your heart can’t go both ways.

Treasures—not on earth, but in heaven
Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

HEART: center of the personality; mind, emotions and will
concerns, interests, feelings, what is valuable to you
what you devote your time to
subtly controls the direction and values of the whole person

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NIV) People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men 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.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

V. Single Vision

A. Wealth can change your perception.

There is no guidance in materialism. Your focus can’t go both ways.

B. Wealth can change your sense of direction.

Matthew 6:22-23 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.

We use our eyes to find our way.

good = single, undivided loyalty, generous

single: no ulterior motive

[23] But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

evil eye = doesn’t work, Jewish metaphor for stingy, envious, greedy

eye brings person light

double vision = blind

Walking in the dark in the middle of the night.

Proverbs 18:10-11 (NIV) The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. [11] The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.

Where there is no light, there can be no sight.
no clear vision, direction or orientation
morally and spiritually blind, plunged into moral darkness
materialism is a life of moral darkness
life in the dark. whole person groping around in the dark
selfish materialism gives no light toshow the way
no proper interpretation of true worth.
distorted view of material things is a distorted view of life as a whole
false set of goals
faulty vision results in wrong action
Actions that are wrong no longer appear wrong.
Thinking about the bottom line instead of thinking about God or people.

vs. a purposeful life, directed towards its true goal

see things clearly and in correct proportion.

If what is supposed to provide you with light, does not,

how great is the darkness

in the attic with a flashlight without batteries

Having difficulty finding your way in life? Finding God’s direction.

Sometimes it is difficult to find. But one thing that might be standing in the way: is your spiritual perception clouded by double vision.

Does money become a major issue in whether or not you will follow God?

Reader's Digest (Jan. 2004) survey of readers, "How Honest Are You?"

17% Cheated on your tax return
18%Misstated facts on a resume
32% Lied to their spouse about the cost of a recent purchase
37% Downloaded music from the Internet without paying for it
50%received too much change but did not tell the cashier
63% Called in sick at work when not ill
63%Taken office supplies from the company for personal use

VI. Single Allegiance

Wealth can change your dedication.

Slavery, dedicated service, is single by definition.

Your commitment can’t go both ways. Obedience

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and Money.

Mammon means money

impossible to be slave to two (not employee)

outcome: hate

not feelings or emotion, but a decision to favor one over the other

comparative. Displaced by a higher loyalty

degrees of loyalty

he will neglect one of them while trying to please the other

forced to choose

Will find himself stooping to all kinds of evil practices.

can’t be godly and greedy at the same time

often must choose between profit and principle

1 John 3:17 (NIV) If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

Luke 18:18-24 (NIV) A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" … [22] Jesus …said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

[23] When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. [24] Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!

Money is neutral, but it can be corrupting in

1) how it is gained,

2) how it is regarded and

3) how it is used.

attitude

understanding

action

VII. Where is Your Loyalty?

We live in a world that operates on money. But the pursuit of wealth and the accumulation of wealth can have negative spiritual consequences. Specifically, it can warp our perception of reality and compete for our devotion to God (which should be wholehearted). We need to have a singularity of focus on God’s kingdom and never allow money to dilute our loyalty to God.

¹Copyright © 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 2 in the Kingdom Economy series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on September 19, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Money in the Bank - Choose the Right Bank

Death is not death if it kills no part of us,
save that which hindered us from perfect life.
Death is not death if it raises us in a moment
from darkness into light, from weakness
into strength, from sinfulness into holiness.
Death is not death if it brings us nearer to
Christ, who is the fount of life.
Death is not death if it perfects our faith by
sight and lets us behold Him in whom we
have believed.
Death is not death if it gives us to those
whom we have loved and lost, for whom we
have lived, for whom we long to live again.
Death is not death if it rids us of doubt and
fear, of chance and change, of space and time,
and all which space and time bring forth and
then destroy.
Death is not death, for Christ has conquered
Death for Himself and for those who
trust in Him.
CHARLES KINGSLEY

Matthew 6:19-20¹

Introduction

Money in the Bank

Money in the bank. That has such a nice, safe, secure sound, doesn’t it?

Money in the bank—as opposed to money under the mattress—money in the bank is much better. Money in the bank means it’s safe and secure. Someone can’t just find it and take it. Well, OK, maybe they can.

But money in the bank—as opposed to not having money at all—money in the bank is better. If you have money in the bank, then you know that you’re going to be all right. But if you don’t have money in the bank, then you’re probably worried. You look at those numbers at the end of your check book register and that tells you what your life is going to be like this month. And money in the bank tells you that you’re going to be OK. Maybe.

But money in the bank—as opposed to just the promise of money, like an IOU, or a contract that says you’re going to get paid someday—money in the bank is a lot better. You might even have “a sure thing”, but it ain’t really sure until the check clears and then it’s “money in the bank”. Money in the bank means we’ve got it for sure. It’s definitely ours.

Unless of course, the bank fails. Remember the last time that happened? Probably not, unless you’re about 75 or so and you lived through the Great Depression. But now we have FDIC: insurance by the federal government that guarantees our banks won’t ever fail. Our money in the bank is safe. That is, of course, unless the federal government fails. But that could never happen.

And then something comes along like the attack on the World Trade Center three years ago yesterday. Hundreds of lives were lost and that single event rocked our economy to its core. Our government didn’t go under. But, as terrible as 911 was to our country, it was just a minor tragedy compared to the catastrophes that have taken place in history, the disasters that are suffered in other parts of our world, and the potential calamities that could happen in our country’s future.

Setting aside for just a minute the horrible loss of life that happens in every disaster, imagine what it would do to our economy if we had a 911-type attack every month and earthquakes or powerful hurricanes like Ivan every month, or a powerful epidemic like AIDS that we couldn’t control. Imagine what would happen if the financial losses to the insurance companies, and hospitals, and banks, and emergency response organizations and industries were so great that they couldn’t handle it and the government had to step in to keep them from failing just like they did with some of the airlines after 911? Just how much could the government bear? At some point, it would run out of money. Some would say it already has. And then all the government can do is spend money and promise to pay it back in the future.

If you think about it, isn’t that all that money is anyway? Isn’t it just a little piece of green paper that represents a proportionate promise to fulfill your needs and desires in the future? And that promise is only as stable as the one who makes the promise—the federal government. Nothing against America, but just how stable is that?

Money in the bank isn’t sounding nearly as safe and secure as it used to. It doesn’t seem certain at all.

You know what? That is exactly what the Bible says about money—whether it’s in the bank or under your mattress or in your wallet or in your dreams. Money can’t be trusted.

The Kingdom Handbook

This year, we’ve been studying Matthew 5-7, a section that Bible teachers call “The Sermon on the Mount”. But we’ve been calling it, “The Kingdom Handbook” because it’s something that Jesus taught to everyone who wanted to follow him and be part of his kingdom. In the Kingdom Handbook, Jesus teaches us about life, about how it works, and about what really matters. And today we come to the section where he talks about money and what it has to do with how we live our lives as followers of Jesus.

Series: Finding Security in a Shaky Economy

Today we begin a new four-part series about finding financial security.

And, as we have seen through the last three or four years, financial security can be very elusive when the economy is hitting the skids. But the Bible says that even in a shaky economy, we can find security. How? That’s what we’re going to be talking about over the next four weeks as we examine what Jesus says in the second half of Matthew chapter 6.

We’re going to talk about four biblical principles that lead to security in a shaky economy.

1. Choose the Right Bank

Today we start with the first. Jesus says that if you want to find financial security, then it’s important that you choose the right bank.

Just what does that mean? He isn’t talking about the difference between parking your money at Citibank and investing in Prudential. Jesus teaches us that there are basically only two places where you can invest your capital—two places where you can try to build security for the future.

And you have a choice.

The World Bank

The first choice is “The World Bank”. By that, I mean all the financial institutions, all the corporations, all the investment opportunities and all the assets that belong to this world. The World Bank includes everything that we can see and touch and use. It includes everything you own and every penny you have in every account you hold. The World Bank is all the “stuff” that belongs to this world—everything that belongs to this lifetime.

Jesus says something very simple, but very profound, about the World Bank.

In the World Bank, your deposits disappear.

All your assets, all your holdings…evaporate. And eventually they vanish into thin air. Everything…in the World Bank. Here’s what Jesus says,

[Matthew 6:19] (NIV) Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

The way this sentence is written in Greek, it literally means, “Stop! Stop hoarding treasures here on earth.” Stop making deposits to the World Bank. Those deposits are not guaranteed. No matter what you do, they cannot be protected or preserved.

We all know the ravages of time on our assets. Markets fall, the stock exchange drops. Keep the money in your sock drawer and inflation slowly steals away its value. The IRS wants a piece. The banks want a piece. It costs money to acquire money, it costs money to own money and it even costs money to spend money. Mistakes cost money. And bad luck. And then, whatever money you have left, everyone wants it. Some people will try to steal it. Some people will try to trick you out of it. Some people will just bombard you with advertising or solicitations until you finally surrender it. But however it happens, the money disappears.

This verse mentions specifically that the things we treasure here on earth are subject to moth and rust and thieves. The word translated “rust” is literally “eating”. All the assets of the world get consumed and eaten away. They corrode, mildew, disintegrate, break down, and fall apart. Everything we own. Everything we’ve ever bought. It all crumbles toward chaos. This principle is so well known that scientists actually have a law of thermodynamics to describe it. They call it entropy. Everything in the universe moves towards disorder.

We’ve all seen entropy at work. A car is always better, shinier, brighter, faster, more efficient and nicer-smelling when you first buy it, right? As time goes on, does your car get cleaner? Does it smell better, look better or operate better as it gets older? No. As soon as you drive that thing off the lot, you couldn’t sell it for what it cost you, because already it’s started to lose value. Already your deposit in the World Bank has started to disappear.

When your kids play with your computer or fiddle with your stereo or “borrow” your tools, do they unintentionally fix them? “Oops, uh, sorry, Dad. I was using your, uh, thing, and I, uh, accidentally improved it. It’s actually better know than before I borrowed it.” Is that what happens at your house? It doesn’t work that way at mine. The deposits in the World Bank tend to disappear.

Every homeowner knows what entropy is all about. You buy a house and suddenly it takes time and money and attention just to keep the walls from falling down around you. Let’s take a minute to watch Tom Hanks discover entropy. In this clip from The Money Pit, he and Shelly Long have just purchased a beautiful country home for $400,000.

Folks, that’s entropy. By their very nature, all assets in the World Bank disappear. By its very nature, money disappears. That’s the whole idea of the World Bank. Its assets are temporary, transient, unstable and unreliable. It cannot be trusted. It is not secure. And so we cannot find financial security by making deposits in the World Bank.

There is no investment, no occupation, no strategy, no portfolio in this world that you can rely on. It is all unpredictable and insecure.

We think that for the last few years we’ve been living in a shaky economy. You know what? The truth is that we always live in a shaky economy. It’s just that sometimes we notice it and sometimes we don’t.

So, Jesus says, “Stop making deposits in the World Bank.”

That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t own anything or that you shouldn’t have a savings account or an insurance policy or an investment. We cannot live without money and without assets. As the great theologian, Jimmy Stewart once said about money, “It sure comes in handy around here, Bub!” 2 Corinthians 12:14 teaches that parents should save up for their children. 1 Timothy 5:8 says, that “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t condemn storing things in general, but storing them for yourselves. We cannot live without money. We cannot live without stuff.

What this does mean is that all these things in the World Bank—the money, the assets, the savings, the investments—they are all only temporary. You have to use them, but you don’t have to trust them. They may be able to meet some of our needs, in the short run but they cannot provide security. The World Bank may claim to offer that service, but it just can’t produce any lasting results. So don’t believe the hype. Don’t trust the World Bank to give you security.

That’s why Paul says in

1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV) Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain.

The deposits in the World Bank disappear right before our eyes,
just as we go about living our life.

But as unreliable as these assets are in present, the future is even more disastrous.

One day, everybody dies. And, as we all know, you can’t take any of this stuff with you. There’s no trailer hitch on a hearse. The Bible says in

Psalm 49:16-17 (New Living Translation) Don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich, and their homes become ever more splendid. …

For when they die, they carry nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.

And even whatever we leave behind for our children or our great-great grandchildren—even that is destined to become completely worthless.

One day, everything—everything on earth is going to burn.

2 Peter 3:10-12 (Contemporary English Version) The day of the Lord’s return will surprise us like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the heat will melt the whole universe.

Then the earth and everything on it will go up in flames. Everything will be destroyed. On that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and everything else will melt in the heat.

That is the destiny of the World Bank. It’s all going to burn. We might need to keep our account there open, while we’re still alive and need to use money and own stuff and even save for the future. But Jesus says that we should never forget that it’s all temporary. It’s all short-term. It’s unstable, unpredictable and unreliable. So don’t trust it. You cannot find security by making deposits to the World Bank.

Spiritual Trust and Savings

1. Fortunately, there is another option. You have another choice, another bank where you can make deposits that will not disappear.

A place where you can build a portfolio that will last forever and survive every disaster and every eventuality. That place is the Bank of Heaven, Spiritual Trust & Savings. And

At Spiritual Trust & Savings,
your deposits are guaranteed. …forever

Jesus says, don’t store up treasures for yourselves on earth,

[Matthew 6:20] (NIV) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

We have another option besides the World Bank. Instead of accumulating more and more here on earth, we can forward assets to our future address.

We can make some deposits now in a heavenly account that are not subject to the ravages of taxes or entropy or disaster or misfortune. And when we die, and we arrive in heaven, our treasures will be there waiting for us, never diminishing, never stolen, never lost, never corrupted.

How do we make deposits to that account in Spiritual Trust & Savings? Here’s how you can tell. Think about the things that last forever. Those are the things that you can deposit in Spiritual Trust & Savings.

For example, people last forever. Time and effort and assets that go into helping people become followers of Jesus and into building those people up—that is an investment in eternity. Sharing your faith with a friend, supporting a missionary, giving a believer dinner to encourage him—all those are deposits into your account at Spiritual Trust & Savings. Sometimes it may seem like you wasted your time, because people did not respond, or because you couldn’t see a difference in their lives. But time spent as an investment in eternity is never a waste.

The character qualities that you develop will last forever. Time and effort and assets that go into becoming more like Christ and into helping you and helping others to grow spiritually—that is an investment in eternity. So supporting your church and other ministries, investing in Bible Study books and tools, using your time to develop patience and love—all those are deposits into your account at Spiritual Trust & Savings.

God’s Kingdom will last forever. So time and effort and assets that go into promoting, advancing and serving God’s Kingdom—that is an investment in eternity. So praising God, worship, prayer, giving, fasting, obeying God’s instructions, losing money because you were following the teachings of the Bible—all those are deposits into your account at Spiritual Trust & Savings.

Love lasts forever. So time and effort and assets that are used to express real love to God and to people—that is an investment in eternity. So acts of kindness, mercy, and generosity—all those are deposits into your account at Spiritual Trust & Savings.

And all those deposits are guaranteed to last forever.

The Bible says in

1 Peter 1:4 (New Living Translation) God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

The assets that we sock away in heaven cannot be lost. That’s why it’s so important that we keep our eye on that bank account and set our priority to make deposits in that account.

2 Corinthians 4:18 (New Century Version) We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever.

For every asset we control—whether it’s time, talent or money—we have a choice of where it will be deposited. We cannot avoid using some of it just to live life, but what really matters is what will last forever.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NIV) Each one should be careful how he builds. … [13] fire will test the quality of each man's work. [14] If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. [15] If it is burned up, he will suffer loss.

The amazing thing to realize is that we can transfer our balance from one account to another. We can actually take cold, hard, temporary, unreliable cash and turn it into something that will last forever. Think of it as a type of currency exchange. Here’s how Jesus described it:

Luke 16:9 (New Living Translation) Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven.

The “friends” he’s talking about are people that come into a relationship Jesus because you spent some of your worldly assets helping them to get to know Him. You successfully transferred your assets from one account to another. You exchanged currency.

What’s the Balance in Your Accounts?

We have a choice. We all have something to put in the bank. The question is, which bank will you choose to hold your assets.

Deposits to the World Bank are disappearing and one day they will be completely gone. Deposits to Spiritual Trust & Savings will last forever. The path to financial security lies in choosing the right bank whenever we’re making deposits.

Each one of us has an account at each of these institutions. Have you looked at your passbook recently? What’s the balance in your accounts?

This is a constant process.

My Dad came from a fairly wealthy family. He inherited some pretty good money from his parents. He went to medical school and became a surgeon, capable of pulling down a great salary. He invested his inheritance in real estate, building offices, motels, and even a hospital.

But when I was 18, ready to go to college, the oldest of seven children bound for college over the coming seven years, my Dad declared bankruptcy. My Dad was honest and a hard worker. It wasn’t what he deserved. It was entropy. Deposits in the World Bank are unstable and unreliable. They cannot be trusted. They disappear.

Additional Scripture Reading

1 Timothy 6:7 (NIV) For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

1 Timothy 6:18-19 (NIV) 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.

Proverbs 11:4 (NIV) Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

¹ Copyright © 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the Kingdom Economy series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on September 12, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Summary And Conclusions of the Third Day Motif

Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot
heal.
THOMAS MOORE

The concept of “three” with its three step process of beginning, middle, and end is natural to life itself. The above study has noted the wide use of the number three in the literatures of the ancient world as well as its appearance in selected literature of the later western world. The Scriptures also often present items in groups of three, whether in groups of people, things, or time periods such as a day, a month, or a year. The biblical authors call particular attention to the third month and third year as a time in which significant happenings or spiritual activity took place.

The concept of “three” also appears as a stylistic literary pattern as noted in the case of Hosea. Indeed, many biblical writers presented things in a threefold way with special emphasis on completeness or as a climactic step, which though complete in itself anticipated further ramifications or results.

This study has demonstrated the use of the third day as a special literary motif, which though not necessarily setting aside any conventional meaning nonetheless carried with it special implications be it the conveyance of special information/instruction, the importance of the day as completing a designated period of waiting to be followed by an expected decision or activity, or as a day of special—even spiritual—activity including the necessity of purity or healing.⁵²

Perhaps it is not too much to suggest that conventional, literal meaning and rhetorical use find their union and harmony in God’s providential activity. Berkhof appropriately defines providence as “that continued exercise of the divine energy whereby the Creator preserves all His creatures, is operative in all that comes to pass in the world, and directs all things to their appointed end.”⁵³ Thus many specific acts in connection with three days or the third day may well owe their occasion to a divine design, which provided a rhetorical pattern that was to prepare and alert those familiar with God’s revelation for the culmination to which the motif pointed. This is especially true of the third day as expressing spiritual activity.

Indeed, most importantly spiritual activity was to find its culmination in the resurrection of the long-awaited Messiah, a fact rehearsed again and again by Jesus and realized in His own resurrection on the third day. In a distinct sense Christ’s resurrection not only stands as a historical fact but Jesus’ use of the third day motif to call attention to it conveyed the assurance of a completed redemptive act.

Yet the fact of a completed redemption carries with it an expectation of more to follow. For because of Christ’s resurrection on the third day, full provision for personal salvation for all who through repentance and faith accept Christ as Savior and Lord has been made (Acts 3:26; 5:31-32; 1 Cor 15:50-57; 1 Pet 1:3). Moreover, Christ’s resurrection challenges the believer to live in the conscious appropriation of His resurrection power, which stands available to him. For the resurrected Christ has taken up His abode in the Christian in vital, spiritual, organic union with Himself (Gal 2:20). This reality should result in genuine godliness and holy living by each believer (Col 3:1-4). The truth of the resurrection on the third day also gives a further challenge:

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again… . And all this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:14-15, 18-19).

⁵²The importance of these same scriptural nuances to literature based upon scriptural texts and themes has been demonstrated in the case of Milton’s Paradise Lost.

⁵³L.Berkhof, Systematic Theology (4^th rev. and enlarged edition; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959), 160. Berkhof points out further (168) that God’s providence extends even to “things seemingly accidental or insignificant.” Notable scriptural examples of this truth may be seen in Solomon’s observations such as: “The LORD works out everything for his own ends” (Prov 16:4); “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps” (Prov 16:9); and “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Prov 16:31).

Shalem Prayer Hall Nidubrolu

Monday, August 31, 2009

Lifestyles of the Poor and Nameless (Matthew 5:1-5)

Introduction

The Jesus Curriculum

Kingdom Character

1. Spiritually Bankrupt

2. Deeply Dismayed

3. Completely Inadequate

Conclusion

Sunday, August 30, 2009

First Things First Make saving a priority

Introduction

What does your faith mean to you?

Series: Finding Security in a Shaky Economy

1. Choose the Right Bank.

µ 2. Stick with long-term investments.

3. Count on social security.

4. Make saving a priority.

First Things First

God knows your needs. (31-32)

Make his kingdom your priority (33)

Don’t worry about your future (34)

What’s Your Priority?

Deposit Slip

People you wish to impact

Character traits you wish to build

Kingdom services you wish to perform

Currency ExchangeEarthly Resources you wish to convert to heavenly resources

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Per Diem Count on Social Security

Introduction

Series: Finding Security in a Shaky Economy

1. Choose the Right Bank.

2. Stick with long-term investments.

3. Count on social security.

Don’t Worry About “the Essentials” (25)

food and clothing

God feeds the birds (26)

and you are more valuable.

Worry can’t lengthen your life (27)

God clothes the flowers (28-30)

and you last longer.

So, Don’t Worry About It (31-32)

What are you worried about?

Other Reading:

Friday, August 28, 2009

Let it Ride - Stick with long-term investments

I. Introduction

II. Choose the Right Bank

You have a choice.

III. Stick with long-term investments.

Let it ride.

IV. Single Heart

V. Single Vision

B. Wealth can change your sense of direction.

VI. Single Allegiance

VII. Where is Your Loyalty?

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Money in the Bank - Choose the Right Bank

Introduction

Money in the Bank

The Kingdom Handbook

Series: Finding Security in a Shaky Economy

1. Choose the Right Bank

The World Bank

In the World Bank, your deposits disappear.

Spiritual Trust and Savings

At Spiritual Trust & Savings,your deposits are guaranteed. …forever

What’s the Balance in Your Accounts?

Additional Scripture Reading

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Summary And Conclusions of the Third Day Motif

English Old(Read) Testament Downloads

English(Read) New Testament Downloads

Telugu Old (Read) Testment

Telugu New Testment==Read only Download

COUNTER

Clock(India)

Live Traffic

Currency Exchange
Earthly Resources you wish to convert to heavenly resources

At Spiritual Trust & Savings,
your deposits are guaranteed. …forever