Word of Salvation – September 2024
Money Matters (1) – Ownership
Sermon by Peter Smit B.D. on – 1 of 5 on Stewardship
Readings: Psalm 24; Colossians 1:15-23
What do you think about money? Should you see it as an obstacle to faith or a blessing of faith? Should we hate it and reject it. Or should we see it as a reward for faithfulness?
Is wealth as sign of God’s blessing or a curse to be avoided?
Over the next five weeks we’ll seek to build a biblically grounded,
God honouring view of money and wealth.
We’ll look at the key themes on how we deal with money.
The bible is packed with over 2,000 scriptures about money and possessions. That’s twice as many bible verses about money than faith and prayer combined.
- 16 out of 38 of Jesus’ parables deal with money and possessions.
- Nearly 25% of Jesus’ words in the New Testament deal with biblical stewardship
- 1 out of 10 verses in the Gospels deal with money.
So it is important to consider what the Bible says about money.
Gaining and accumulating wealth can very easily become and idol (Matt 6:24) therefore it’s vital that we regularly reflect on money and how to think about it and use it.
God calls us not worship money but worship him with our money.
If you are just checking church and the Christian faith out, today you’ll be introduced to some foundational truths of the Christian faith.
Be open and ask God to light up your mind and heart to what he says.
Fact: = if you fall in love with the accumulation of money it will betray you.
Today in our Money matters series we will think about the issue of “ownership”.
It is easy for Christians to think, I earned my money and its mine.
But ownership begins with who made it
Many people believe that the world came into being by a cosmic accident.
The Bible, however, teaches that…
1) God created the world.
God is the creator. He made all things, he designed all things. It was God’s vast intelligence, unlimited power and authority that brought this universe into being.
God spoke and made everything out of nothing. Every solar system, planet, star or black hole came into existence at God’s command.
The opening line of the bible states it clearly.
Genesis 1:1–3
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be… light,” and there was light.
Genesis 1:26–27
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Isaiah 40:28
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth…his understanding no one can fathom.
New Testament affirms that God is the creator.
Ephesians 3:9
God… created all things.
God appointed his Son, Jesus Christ, to act as God’s agent in creating this world and everything in it.
Colossians 1:16
16 For in him (Jesus Christ) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
God created all things, on earth, in heaven, the whole cosmos.
God made it all though his Son, Jesus Christ – Jesus God’s agent.
Jesus has priority, pre-eminence, and sovereignty.
The cosmos was created through Jesus and for Jesus.
Because God made it all…
2. God owns everything.
God created everything and he owns it all.
God tells us that in the Bible.
Psalm 24:1
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
In the Hebrew Bible the first word of this Psalm is God’s name ‘Yahweh’.
Literally it reads… “To God the earth belongs”.
The Psalmist is emphasizing the point.
God owns the earth and everything in it.
Everything that exists in the created world, living and non-living is God’s.
Exodus 19:5
“the whole earth is mine…!”
Job 41:11
11 Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me.
Psalm 50:9–10
9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
Haggai 2:8
8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.
So God says…
the whole earth is mine (all the silver and gold)
everything under heaven belongs to me
every animal insect is mine
Because everything was made by God
he is the rightful owner of it all.
If as an artist you created the most beautiful painting in the world,
it would belong to you.
In the same way…
God created the universe and it all belongs to him.
He owns everyone and everything – all things are dependent on him – for existence.
He has authority over all.
So he is sole and absolute owner.
Psalm 89:11
11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.
The Bible says…
God has graciously given people the privilege of using what he owns,
for good and for blessing.
3) God entrusts us to use what he owns for our good and for blessing.
In the beginning God created all things,
but the crown of his creation were people; Adam and Eve.
God entrusted the world to Adam to work it and take care of it.
Genesis 2:15
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Adam was given the task of caring for the world, protecting the earth, guarding and using it to bring glory to God.
You could say that Adam was a steward.
A steward is someone who looks after and cares for someone else’s property.
Adam was a steward – and so are you.
Application:
In summary then,
God is creator, he made it all and owns it all.
Our world, money and our possessions belong to him.
We are just stewards or caretakers of God’s world.
If that’s the case, then is your money, yours by right, simply because you earned it?
Deuteronomy 8:17–18
17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…
Even your ability to produce wealth is a gift from God. All you have belongs to him.
God, in his kindness, has given us the privilege of using wealth and his resources for good and to bless others.
Money, possessions, material wealth are all good gifts from God.
1 Timothy 4:4–5
4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
You have been entrusted with money and resources – it is how you use it that matters…
So how do you use the money God provides for good and for blessing?
That is something we will answer in coming weeks.
But for now, if you are a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ,
You have one overarching goal with your money and with your life.
God wants you to use all he has provided to bring glory to Him through Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1 that we read earlier shows us that everything in life,
everything was created by Jesus (John 1:3; Heb 1:2; 1 Cor 8:6)
everything was created for Jesus.
In Jesus everything holds together.
(Jesus sustains and maintains the world by his word of power)
That is true for you.
You were created by Jesus,
you were created for Jesus and
in Jesus you are being held together.
(Jesus sustains your life and provides you with all you need)
You owe Jesus everything… you were alienated from God because of your sins.
Yet God sent Jesus to reconcile you to himself.
Jesus lived the perfect obedient life,
And his death paid for your sins.
You were bought with a price… (1Corinthians 6:19-20)
You were redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Now God says, live your life, use his resources with deep gratitude to God.
Remember, all you have belongs to him.
You are a steward of his resources.
So ask God to show you how to use his finances
to glorify God, honour Jesus bless others
and seek first his Kingdom.
Make Jesus first in your heart
and everything else finds its proper place.
Prayer – We thank you that we were created by Jesus for him.
Help us use all our resources for your glory and the good of others. Amen