BULLETIN STUDY OUTLINE:
. List some reasons why local giving makes sense. List some texts to show it’s also biblical.
. Name the 3 A’s of money.
. Name the three books that tell if it’s well with your soul.
. What is one of the biggest ways you can tell the evil spirit of mammon is involved (same way you can tell Satan is involved)? Name a situation where the reaction was way out of proportion to the situation.
. What does the “bad eye” of Matt 6:23 mean? Can you name two different directions your eyes are focused these days?
. Explain the difference between “prosperity theology” and “blessings for obedience.”
. What are some practical ways you can fight the spirit of mammon at Christmas and not come off like a Scrooge?
I. Intro
II. (Mt 6:19-24).
A. I’ve already shared many times that Jesus’ second most preached about topic is money. But the question is “Why?” Could it be because money, and the 3 A’s, are a picture window into our soul? Doesn’t He say that outright here? How many things blow away the smoke and break the mirrors that we use to confuse others and ourselves about the condition of our soul/heart better than money and the 3 A’s? Not many.
B. I will often challenge people to look at the 3 key books in their lives: their datebook, the book on their nightstand and their checkbook. “Where you money is; that’s where your heart is.”
C. I’ve actually been encouraged to show the 6 part DVD series one of our SS classes viewed in its entirety instead of my sermon in the morning worship service. That did not come from someone who didn’t like my preaching…I don’t THINK??? I’d like to think it’s because the teacher of that series, Robert Morris, is so GOOD.
D. He is. I listened to the whole series--some twice. One three times (slow learner/quick study) on the spirit of mammon. A couple things you need to know about this man. At least once he gave away his entire pension fund. At least once he gave away the car/van he drove, I think it was the only car he had at that time. At least once he gave away his house. Several times he gave away the paycheck he got for speaking at a time his ONLY income came from speaking. Robert Morris is the real deal, esp when it comes to talking about giving. Secondly he is so biblical. Third he is so truthful, even when the truth hurts.
E. Remember Jesus said “The truth will set you free…” but it will rough you up first.
III. He talks about tithing, one of those TOUGH TOPICS that I’ve titled this series. He talks about “storehouse giving” from Malachi 3:10. This means you should give 10% (that’s what “tithe” means) of your income, actually the “firstfruits” of it (before you pay your other bills), to the local church. He can say that. I’ll get stares, glares & grumbling if I say that.
A. But it’s biblical (Neh 10:38-39; Num 18:21).
B. It makes sense from a secular & common sense standpoint. When I go to pay my city income taxes I will OFTEN tell the ladies there (I know two well, Mary Ann Carper and Sandy Antonasaunti) that I don’t mind paying local income taxes because I get the most bang for my buck locally. I SEE how the money is used. I can get a REAL person on the phone if I have concerns, Qs or comments w/o waiting hours on hold sometimes like when I call IRS. I can TALK to a real person who is making decisions about my tax money, i.e. my council person or the mayor. I can get involved on local boards or civic orgs that actually spend this money; they get public funding for doing things to better the community.
1. Long time congressman, Sam Rayburn said: “all government is local.” I’m not sure all he meant, but I think I just hit a few.
2. The local church is also a great place to give for the same.
IV. Robert Morris warns of the dangers of hearing (& screaming) “legalism,” and writing him off. But it’s always a matter of the heart. Jesus said that over and over (Mt 5:20, 43-44; 6:3-4, 19-25, 31-34).
A. Weeks ago I gave some definitions of “legalism” for you to consider. Probably the best one is trying to take something that isn’t yet internalized and forcing it in your life. Taking something that’s outside only (you don’t “own” it) and trying to make it something that’s inside (you “own”). Only God can do that as you open your heart to Him and His Spirit. Giving should flow from the inside (heart) out. So having someone tell you to give 10% when your heart isn’t in it can be viewed as legalism.
1. So, you say, IF I can’t put my heart in it, if giving doesn’t flow from my heart, then I don’t have to give. Right? No. It means something needs changed in your heart. It’s a heart test. Your treasure tests your heart” (Mt 6:21 P ).
2. The biblical norm is to give out of your heart according to how you’ve been blessed (Dt 16:10, 16-17; I Cor 16:1-2). If we link these w/ all the ones on tithing, that means the starting point is 10%.
V. Robert Morris does an excellent job making the spirit of mammon a very real evil spirit that is out to steal, kill and destroy by making you think material things will make you happy, or feel significant and secure.
A. I realized mammon is a real evil spirit several weeks ago. Largely thanks to Robert Morris I recognized his attack. I shared a little w/ you all about an envelope I got in the mail that raised all sorts of anxieties and insecurities WAY beyond what it should have raised. That tipped me off to the intense spiritual warfare I was in; feelings and fears were WAY bigger than it should have been. The letter produced an irrational response.
B. Have you seen irrational responses in people? You say you really look nice today, and their response is: “Why? Don’t you think I look nice EVERY day?!!! That was a good sermon today…”Don’t you think EVERY one is great!??” You could just tell me what one dear brother says: “Everyone is better than the next one…” Get the idea? Our reaction is way out of proportion to the situation. When you see that it’s like seeing cloven hoofprints (of satan and his spirits) all over that situation. They are out to steal, kill and destroy (Jn 10:10).
C. We all have a big challenge coming up in a month or so w/ Christmas and the way the spirit of mammon works its way into so many situations and families at this most wonderful time of the year that for so many turns into the most miserable time of the year because of mammon. How do we fight the spirit of mammon w/o coming across as Scrooge?
D. One way is to direct all your giving for the adults and even older teens, to World Vision or World Relief who gives your family member a neat certificate indicating what the money you would have spent on their gift went for, from chickens, to cows, to wells, to micro-enterprises that allow them to provide for their families.
VI. Another major challenge is what is the difference between covenant blessings for covenant obedience and prosperity theology?
A. The Bible clearly teaches there are blessings, often material, for obedience (Gen 12:1-3).So what’s the difference between that and prosperity theology that Jesus so often speaks out against (Lk 16:19-31)?
B. One of the BIG differences is it’s not wealth and great riches that’s GUARANTEED for obedience; it’s blessings. Another difference is the blessings may come as material things, but they may not. A third diff is the blessings may come to different people in vastly different ways depending on God’s purpose for your life. There are people who need a big expensive car to do the jobs they do. If so, God will give them that. They may need a big house to fulfill their gift of hospitality. There’s someone in the church that if I’d mention 1/3 the congregation would instantly confirm that’s why they have a big house, because they use it so faithfully and constantly for ministry. Others here, God has blessed with pretty nice incomes, but they give so much of it…WAY beyond 10%, to Christ’s causes and use it to share and bless others. On and on. Hopefully this helps.
VII. When Jesus says: “Lay not up treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt…” He uses a fascinating word for “lay up.” On the surface it simply means: “Don’t lay up horizontally.” Big deal, eh?
A. But it is the laying up of the miser who says the coin is made flat so I can lay it down and store it. The investor says it’s round to roll, to work, to do some good.
B. This word is a passive word. It’s a word of possession. That’s the first problem. It’s the attitude of the person who thinks it’s his to start w/. Everything belongs to God…EVERYTHING…breath, aptitudes, health, wealth…ALL.
C. This passive word is about storing, hoarding = accumulating. Savings is a good word. This is not. It’s laying it flat to keep it out of use, for ourselves, for some rainy day because we have to do it all to take care of ourselves. God can’t do it.
D. Things we “lay up flat” in this sense WE have to take care of. This is maintenance. How many of us are slaves to our possessions. We know some folks that are slaves to their dogs. It seems they can never travel anywhere because no kennel is good enough, they can’t afford boarding them at that time, they have umpteen vet bills so they can’t afford other things. On and on. But lest ye think I don’t like dogs (I really like dogs…I DO!), many people are like that about their stuff. They don’t have much time for people or Christ’s causes, because their stuff takes so much care, maintenance, use to make it worth having, etc.
E. Possession, maintenance, accumulation, which leads to anxiety. That’s what Jesus is warning against here. The “take no thought” is an unfortunate translation. It means “Don’t be anxious.” Singleness of eye and simplicity are related here. The laying up is the exact opposite of the simple life, the life that is not anxious.
VIII. The next contrast Jesus gives is the good eyes vs. the “bad” one. The words here are not good and bad in the sense of righteous and evil, but more in the way an optometrist would use them. The first, good eye, is the “single” eye. It focuses one image on the retina. You can walk straight with this eye. The second is the “double” eye. The meaning here is that two images are cast on the retina so the person is confuses, they’re double-visioned.
A. Ever talk to someone double-visioned? It has to be one of the most nauseating, miserable experiences known to man. They can’t function. To open their eyes is to stumble and fall, to get sick from the double vision.
B. Spiritually this is the person who has two images of on their heart (the eye is the lamp of the whole body). They have their eyes/heart on the world’s values and vision. They also have their eyes set on the things of Christ. But you can’t function that way. It makes you miserable. You look to money/things to make you happy, to give you status and security, then you look to Christ at the same time. Double visioned. It results in the whole body being full of darkness.
C. The answer here is to keep our eyes on Jesus, laying up treasure for Him. That becomes our happiness, security and status.
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