God or Money
- Jerry Witham
- Sep 29, 2009
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Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12.33-34
What do you cherish? This is of most importance to Jesus. For what one cherishes shows what is treasured in their heart. The place of cherishing is the heart. This is where one delights. David says, Delight yourself in the Lord (Psalm 37.4). This is what worship is. It is delighting in, cherishing and treasuring. Jesus wants us to worship God.
The question Jesus is asking in the gospel of Luke is what is the object of your worship? Is it money and possessions or God? With Jesus it is one or the other. He says, No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth (Matthew 5.24). Jesus points out what our cherished object of our worship is by revealing outward expressions of worship.
The first thing we see in this passage is we are to sell our possessions and give to those in need. First, who is Jesus speaking to in this text? He is speaking to the disciples. These are followers of Christ who have given up much and do not seem to have much in the way of finances and possessions. So they are not wealthy people. They live simple lives and are to love others by selling what they have so they can give to those in need. For them it is simplicity rather than accumulation, so they can treasure Jesus more. So how much are we to sell and give? For the rich young ruler it was all (Luke 18.22). For Zaccheus it was 50% and if he had defrauded anyone of anything, he will give them back four times as much (Luke 19.8). For Barnabas it was a field that he sold (Acts 4.36-37). So, if you do not have anything to give you sell something to meet the needs of others. Paul put it this way to the church in Ephesus, He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need (Ephesians 4.28). So, we are to not hold tightly to our stuff, but sell it and give what comes from the sell, so the needs of others are met, instead of mere accumulation for ourselves.
Another thing we see here is simply that these are words of Jesus. He says, sell and give. We, just like the disciples in the first century, are to obey His words. This is what followers of Christ do. They obey even when it comes to finances and possessions. Abraham did by honoring an Old Testament principle by means of the tithe (Genesis 14.17-20). The tribes of Israel were also called to obey in such a way by giving a tithe to the tribe of Levi (Numbers 18.20-21). Those of the tribe of Levi ministered in the tabernacle and temple. They are the vocational pastors of those days. The other tribes of Israel, the rest of God’s people (lay ministers), are called to support the vocational pastors and their ministries. Jesus spoke about such with the Pharisees (Matthew 23.23). Paul did as well directing the church at Corinth to give to those do the work of proclaiming the gospel (1 Corinthians 9.13-14). Jesus is not looking for mere sacrifice in the area of money and giving, but obedience. Jesus says, You are My friends if you do what I command you (John15.14). He also says, These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full (John 15.11). Jesus says what he says throughout the Word of God, so that we will obey His words and have His abundant joy dwell within us.
The next outward act of worship revealing the cherishing object of worship in our life is where our treasure is. When we accumulate more and more earthly possessions are treasure is here on earth. Instead we are to sell and give resisting the temptation to have more and more so that we can maximize our heavenly treasure. So, how we use money points out the object of our worship. Just like anything else, if we take something God has created and use it for another purpose other than glorifying God than we commit idolatry. So, this means every time we use our debit card or write a check or pay for something we are worshiping. God created money for the purpose of maximizing our treasure in heaven and not on earth.
Lastly, what you worship is what your heart moves toward. If you cherish money and all its benefits then your heart is here on earth, far from God. If you cherish God and all His benefits your heart will be on the heavenly. Instead of addressing the bottom line or the budget our greatest desire is where your treasure and heart lie.
This is why on Sunday mornings we have plates placed on the front of the stage. This is where we come to give an offering each week. This is an act of worship regardless the amount.
May you cherish God!
Jerry (on behalf of the elder team)
