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Sunday, October 15, 2006
Happy ThanksLiving 4: Invest Allen R. Hunt Mount Pisgah
(With thanks to Alcorn, Coy, Stanley, Warren) 10/15/06 Matthew 6.19-21
Matthew 6:19-21 (The Message)
"Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
I. May surprise you - this is my favorite subject – also least popular one for most
Generosity is my favorite subject to preach on because as I have studied the Bible and the life of Jesus – come to realize that this is the fundamental issue of life – stewardship
And it is also my favorite because I have learned in my own experience – that I have grown more in faith, become closer to the Lord Jesus, and had more heart change through giving than any other thing I have done in my spiritual life
So it is a joy to share what I think is the fundamental issue of life while not asking you for anything today – just sharing crucial wisdom from the Bible and my own life
In hope that as Jesus says, Let those who have ears to hear, hear
1 Timothy 6.18-19 (New Living Translation)
Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
Notice – “use their money to do good”
And when you do, you will store up treasure in heaven
You cannot take your wealth with you – but you can send it on ahead
This life is a preparation for eternity – time to get ready, pre-school for what lies ahead
Life here is a few years – maybe 100 at most – compared to trillions and trillions to come
So build treasure for eternity by how you manage and use it now
If you will use money and love people, you will store up great treasures in heaven
But if you love money, you will use people – world’s way
God wants to teach you to use your money for good – invest wisely – your money has a tremendous potential for good
So today – very practical – 5 real ways to store up treasure in heaven
God’s 5 Fund Investment Plan
Based on Rick Warren’s 5 Purposes in the Purpose-Driven Life
1) God’s Treasury Fund
(Job 22.21; Prov. 3.8-9; 2Cor. 16.2; Deut 14.23)
Use your money to express worship
You were made to worship God
Use some of your money to express worship
What this is – give directly back to God as an act of worship – this honors God and gives Him pleasure
Not because God needs your money – but because He wants what it represents – your heart
By giving Him the first portion of what you have – you are expressing to Him that He is first in your life
Money represents your first part – your heart – that is where your treasure is
By giving Him the first – God becomes your treasure
Relax your grip on your money and abandon your gold-plated luxury. God Almighty will be your treasure, more wealth than you can imagine. (Message: Job 22.21)
Shared with you before that your heart follows your money – want to become interested in Ipods, buy Apple stock and you will begin to notice everything that anyone writes or says about Apple
Where you put your money, your heart goes
God wants the first part, because it shows your values and your priorities
For many of us, our treasure is in anything but God – in clothing, in boat, in a hobby, in lake house, in a business
So it is really simple to understand God’s treasury fund
If you feel distant from God, make a worship offering
2 things about a worship offering
1) Undesignated – pure act of worship before God
God – you are first
Like when followers laid their gifts at apostle’s feet in Acts – giving simply to show worship for God
2) Given when and where I worship
Notice this passage in 1 Corinthians where Paul instructs us about this
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income…(NIV: 1Cor. 16.2)
Sunday – first day of week, first amount of money – reminder that God is first
Set aside a sum – planned – not spontaneous or what happens to be in wallet – planned giving
God’s treasury fund – invest here first before other funds – because God wants your heart – He wants to be your treasure
2) God’s Mutual Fund
(Rom. 12.10; Hb. 10.24; Rom. 12.13; 2 Cor. 9.12-15; 3John 5)
Use your money to encourage fellowship
Remember our basic task is to love God, love people – we were created for each other
Love one another with mutual affection (Romans 12.10)
When you cross the line of faith, you become a believer and a belonger
God created the whole universe because He wanted a family – you are special – never feel insecure – you are loved by God and are a part of His family
And God wants His kids to love each other
Use some of your money to encourage fellowship – to encourage other believers
Because you can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving
The very character of God’s love is a giving love
You are a part of a loving family of believers
And when you give to other believers, it draws you close to them
Treasury fund draws you close to God
Mutual fund draws you close to your family
May be paying the doctor’s bill of a church member who is struggling with cancer, may be hosting a Christian in your home while they study in the USA, may be assisting a member of your small group with tutoring tuition for their child, may be paying for Emmaus retreat for a friend
In 2 Corinthians, it says when you help the needs of God’s people, you prove your faith
God’s mutual fund
3) God’s Growth Fund
(Prov. 10.16-17; Isa 55.2)
Use your money to build your Christian character
God wants you to become like Christ
You will not be taking your clothes, your car, your china, or your condo to heaven
The only thing you will take with you is your Christian character
To do so, you invest your time and your money in God’s growth fund
Use your money to enhance your Christian character
When you use your money to pay for Christian books, Bible study materials, mission trips, Emmaus retreats – you are investing in the growth fund
Ways to grow your character
You are buying the truth, wisdom
Why our family spent a week’s vacation on a mission team to Costa Rica two years ago
And plans to spend a week in St. Lucia this summer – helping church there and teaching abstinence in schools
Week of our time, money – investing in our character – God’s growth fund
Unfortunately, we like to invest in our comforts not our character
But God really is not so concerned with your comfort – eternity will be comfortable
And you take your character with you
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (Isa 55.2)
4) God’s Equity Service Fund
(2Cor. 8.13; Mark 9.41; 10.45; John 3.16; 2 Cor. 8.7; Acts 20.35; Prov. 11.24-25; 19.17; James 1.27; 3.14-18)
Use your money to expand your ¬¬¬¬ministry
Use your money to serve other people and their needs – service
Use your money to expand your ministry – meeting needs in the name of Jesus Christ
Even a cup of cold water, Jesus says, builds your treasure in heaven
One Korean church in LA – bought an entire block in downtown LA
At a conference, someone asked the pastor – “Where did you get the money for this?”
“We sold our blood”
“What?”
“We are a poor church – but we have a big mission of offering hope to this city – so our members are so dedicated that when this opportunity came up, we each went and sold blood to give the money to purchase the church God desires us to build here.”
These Christians actually gave their blood
Out of love for the ministry God has called them to
Use your money to expand your ministry
Perhaps it is to the least in our culture – 2000+ verses in the Bible about the poor
Remember you are practicing for heaven – you are building your treasure for eternity
Client Assistance Fund, Beacon of Hope, trinity Soup Kitchen, Habitat Homes
You are sending on ahead what God gives you – by investing in equity service fund
Bible is a book about giving – God who gave His Son
Imagine that you have a father – who is a billionaire
Plans to give you the entire estate
But first he wants to test you – to be sure you can handle it
So he gives you a set amount of money – learn to live on less than this
Use the rest to help others
If you do well, it is all yours
You would be very careful with that money, wouldn’t you?
God wants to give you unimaginable riches in eternity
And He has given you a small amount now as a test
This life is preparation for eternity
Use your money to help the needs of others
The world of the generous gets larger and larger;
The world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.
The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;
Those who help others are helped. (Prov. 11.24-25: Message)
Mercy to the needy is a loan to God,
And God pays back those loans in full. (Prov. 19.17: Message)
5) God’s Global Fund
(Isa. 51.3-5; Rev. 7.9-12; Matt. 28.18-20; Luke 16.9; 2Cor. 9.8)
Use your money to extend your mission with non-believers
As Jesus dies on the cross, He stretches out His arms for the whole world
For God so loved the world
God loves you, and He loves north Fulton – but God has a heart for the entire globe
And He desires that all the world will come to know Him – that is where we are headed
If you are going to follow Jesus, you will care about the whole world also
Use your money to carry the good news all over the world
Use your money to extend your mission
Thank you – many of you gave/pledged over $160,000 to what God is doing globally two weeks ago
The singlemost important thing you can do with your money is use it to help lead people to Jesus, teach them to worship, grow them in faith, help them find their ministries
If anyone knows of more significant way to use money than these 5 funds, invite you to stand now because we need to hear it
I decided a long time ago that I was not going to waste my life – my money or my time
Investing myself for eternity – every day I get a little closer to my treasure
If your treasure is here, every day you are getting a little further from it
Invite you to pray today about which fund God desires you to invest more in
Use your money for good – it is a tool
And you will find great treasure in heaven
I love this subject!
Now the final gift of the series!
…My justice will become a light to the nations…(Isa. 51.4)
(With thanks to Alcorn, Coy, Stanley, Warren) 10/15/06 Matthew 6.19-21
Matthew 6:19-21 (The Message)
"Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
I. May surprise you - this is my favorite subject – also least popular one for most
Generosity is my favorite subject to preach on because as I have studied the Bible and the life of Jesus – come to realize that this is the fundamental issue of life – stewardship
And it is also my favorite because I have learned in my own experience – that I have grown more in faith, become closer to the Lord Jesus, and had more heart change through giving than any other thing I have done in my spiritual life
So it is a joy to share what I think is the fundamental issue of life while not asking you for anything today – just sharing crucial wisdom from the Bible and my own life
In hope that as Jesus says, Let those who have ears to hear, hear
1 Timothy 6.18-19 (New Living Translation)
Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
Notice – “use their money to do good”
And when you do, you will store up treasure in heaven
You cannot take your wealth with you – but you can send it on ahead
This life is a preparation for eternity – time to get ready, pre-school for what lies ahead
Life here is a few years – maybe 100 at most – compared to trillions and trillions to come
So build treasure for eternity by how you manage and use it now
If you will use money and love people, you will store up great treasures in heaven
But if you love money, you will use people – world’s way
God wants to teach you to use your money for good – invest wisely – your money has a tremendous potential for good
So today – very practical – 5 real ways to store up treasure in heaven
God’s 5 Fund Investment Plan
Based on Rick Warren’s 5 Purposes in the Purpose-Driven Life
1) God’s Treasury Fund
(Job 22.21; Prov. 3.8-9; 2Cor. 16.2; Deut 14.23)
Use your money to express worship
You were made to worship God
Use some of your money to express worship
What this is – give directly back to God as an act of worship – this honors God and gives Him pleasure
Not because God needs your money – but because He wants what it represents – your heart
By giving Him the first portion of what you have – you are expressing to Him that He is first in your life
Money represents your first part – your heart – that is where your treasure is
By giving Him the first – God becomes your treasure
Relax your grip on your money and abandon your gold-plated luxury. God Almighty will be your treasure, more wealth than you can imagine. (Message: Job 22.21)
Shared with you before that your heart follows your money – want to become interested in Ipods, buy Apple stock and you will begin to notice everything that anyone writes or says about Apple
Where you put your money, your heart goes
God wants the first part, because it shows your values and your priorities
For many of us, our treasure is in anything but God – in clothing, in boat, in a hobby, in lake house, in a business
So it is really simple to understand God’s treasury fund
If you feel distant from God, make a worship offering
2 things about a worship offering
1) Undesignated – pure act of worship before God
God – you are first
Like when followers laid their gifts at apostle’s feet in Acts – giving simply to show worship for God
2) Given when and where I worship
Notice this passage in 1 Corinthians where Paul instructs us about this
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income…(NIV: 1Cor. 16.2)
Sunday – first day of week, first amount of money – reminder that God is first
Set aside a sum – planned – not spontaneous or what happens to be in wallet – planned giving
God’s treasury fund – invest here first before other funds – because God wants your heart – He wants to be your treasure
2) God’s Mutual Fund
(Rom. 12.10; Hb. 10.24; Rom. 12.13; 2 Cor. 9.12-15; 3John 5)
Use your money to encourage fellowship
Remember our basic task is to love God, love people – we were created for each other
Love one another with mutual affection (Romans 12.10)
When you cross the line of faith, you become a believer and a belonger
God created the whole universe because He wanted a family – you are special – never feel insecure – you are loved by God and are a part of His family
And God wants His kids to love each other
Use some of your money to encourage fellowship – to encourage other believers
Because you can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving
The very character of God’s love is a giving love
You are a part of a loving family of believers
And when you give to other believers, it draws you close to them
Treasury fund draws you close to God
Mutual fund draws you close to your family
May be paying the doctor’s bill of a church member who is struggling with cancer, may be hosting a Christian in your home while they study in the USA, may be assisting a member of your small group with tutoring tuition for their child, may be paying for Emmaus retreat for a friend
In 2 Corinthians, it says when you help the needs of God’s people, you prove your faith
God’s mutual fund
3) God’s Growth Fund
(Prov. 10.16-17; Isa 55.2)
Use your money to build your Christian character
God wants you to become like Christ
You will not be taking your clothes, your car, your china, or your condo to heaven
The only thing you will take with you is your Christian character
To do so, you invest your time and your money in God’s growth fund
Use your money to enhance your Christian character
When you use your money to pay for Christian books, Bible study materials, mission trips, Emmaus retreats – you are investing in the growth fund
Ways to grow your character
You are buying the truth, wisdom
Why our family spent a week’s vacation on a mission team to Costa Rica two years ago
And plans to spend a week in St. Lucia this summer – helping church there and teaching abstinence in schools
Week of our time, money – investing in our character – God’s growth fund
Unfortunately, we like to invest in our comforts not our character
But God really is not so concerned with your comfort – eternity will be comfortable
And you take your character with you
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (Isa 55.2)
4) God’s Equity Service Fund
(2Cor. 8.13; Mark 9.41; 10.45; John 3.16; 2 Cor. 8.7; Acts 20.35; Prov. 11.24-25; 19.17; James 1.27; 3.14-18)
Use your money to expand your ¬¬¬¬ministry
Use your money to serve other people and their needs – service
Use your money to expand your ministry – meeting needs in the name of Jesus Christ
Even a cup of cold water, Jesus says, builds your treasure in heaven
One Korean church in LA – bought an entire block in downtown LA
At a conference, someone asked the pastor – “Where did you get the money for this?”
“We sold our blood”
“What?”
“We are a poor church – but we have a big mission of offering hope to this city – so our members are so dedicated that when this opportunity came up, we each went and sold blood to give the money to purchase the church God desires us to build here.”
These Christians actually gave their blood
Out of love for the ministry God has called them to
Use your money to expand your ministry
Perhaps it is to the least in our culture – 2000+ verses in the Bible about the poor
Remember you are practicing for heaven – you are building your treasure for eternity
Client Assistance Fund, Beacon of Hope, trinity Soup Kitchen, Habitat Homes
You are sending on ahead what God gives you – by investing in equity service fund
Bible is a book about giving – God who gave His Son
Imagine that you have a father – who is a billionaire
Plans to give you the entire estate
But first he wants to test you – to be sure you can handle it
So he gives you a set amount of money – learn to live on less than this
Use the rest to help others
If you do well, it is all yours
You would be very careful with that money, wouldn’t you?
God wants to give you unimaginable riches in eternity
And He has given you a small amount now as a test
This life is preparation for eternity
Use your money to help the needs of others
The world of the generous gets larger and larger;
The world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.
The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;
Those who help others are helped. (Prov. 11.24-25: Message)
Mercy to the needy is a loan to God,
And God pays back those loans in full. (Prov. 19.17: Message)
5) God’s Global Fund
(Isa. 51.3-5; Rev. 7.9-12; Matt. 28.18-20; Luke 16.9; 2Cor. 9.8)
Use your money to extend your mission with non-believers
As Jesus dies on the cross, He stretches out His arms for the whole world
For God so loved the world
God loves you, and He loves north Fulton – but God has a heart for the entire globe
And He desires that all the world will come to know Him – that is where we are headed
If you are going to follow Jesus, you will care about the whole world also
Use your money to carry the good news all over the world
Use your money to extend your mission
Thank you – many of you gave/pledged over $160,000 to what God is doing globally two weeks ago
The singlemost important thing you can do with your money is use it to help lead people to Jesus, teach them to worship, grow them in faith, help them find their ministries
If anyone knows of more significant way to use money than these 5 funds, invite you to stand now because we need to hear it
I decided a long time ago that I was not going to waste my life – my money or my time
Investing myself for eternity – every day I get a little closer to my treasure
If your treasure is here, every day you are getting a little further from it
Invite you to pray today about which fund God desires you to invest more in
Use your money for good – it is a tool
And you will find great treasure in heaven
I love this subject!
Now the final gift of the series!
…My justice will become a light to the nations…(Isa. 51.4)