There is more said about stewardship and finances in the bible than there is about heaven, hell, faith combined. Jesus spoke more about stewardship than He did about anything else in His earthly ministry. There are 250 references to heaven in the New Testament. There are 23 references to hell. There are 215 references to faith. There are 218 references to salvation. There are over 2000 references to stewardship and finances.
Why did Jesus talk about money and a stewardship a lot? Why is this so crucial?
a) Finances affect every single area of our life on this earth in one way or the other. God made us to prosper. Everything within us fights poverty. That’s why people will steal and kill to prosper. The way we prosper is by stewarding the resources whether material or intangible that God gives us. Having money is not enough if you are not a good steward. People do not become rich by being stupid about money.
b) Where your treasure is there is your heart also. God is not after our money. He is after our hearts.
1. THE ISSUE IS TRUST
If you cannot trust God with your money you will not trust Him with anything else. Money is the least form of trusting God.
Mark10
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Jesus didn't always demand that rich people sell their possessions in order to follow Him. When He visited Zacchaeus or other rich men He didn’t ask them to sell their stuff. You don’t have to sell your stuff and be poor to follow God. Throughout scripture we see that those who trusted and served God were always rewarded with blessings of riches and great wealth. Abraham in Gen13:2; 24:35; Isaac in Gen26:12-16; Jacob in Gen 36:7; Joseph in Gen49:26; David in 1Chr22:14-16; Solomon in 1Kin3:13; 2Chro1:12; 9:27 and so many more.
The reason Jesus told this man to sell all his goods and give to the poor was because he trusted in his riches. His riches were his God.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. This man trusted in his money more than he trusted in God. His money was his God. He wasn’t willing to completely commit to God and forsake his great wealth. 23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Imagine that you are holding in your hand a very small sewing needle. Think about the small hole (eye) through which you pass the sewing thread. Now imagine trying to force a fully grown camel to go through that same hole. Would you be accurate in saying that it is difficult? Or very difficult? Of course you wouldn’t. the only accurate thing to say is that it is impossible. This is the idea that Jesus was communicating. It is impossible to enter the kingdom of God if your trust is in riches. It is not difficult, or very difficult, it is impossible.
There’s a myth taught in Christianity that the eye of a needle was a small door in a gate in the wall of Jerusalem and that for a camel to go through they had to first unload it and then make it literally crawl through the small gate. This is a myth.
First of all if it was true then it would not be impossible as Jesus is saying. It would just be very difficult. This means that even those who trust in riches and not in God would be able to enter the kingdom. It would just be very difficult for them. And yet we know this is not what Jesus is saying. He is not saying that it is very difficult. He is saying that it is impossible.
Secondly the Greek word for ‘needle’ used here literally means a sewing needle. Not some small door. Jesus was talking of a literal sewing needle and a literal camel.
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
The Jews associated wealth with righteousness. They assumed that being rich was a blessing from God and that He gave riches to those He was pleased with and those that behaved according to His standards of holiness as revealed in the Law. Therefore it was a shock for them when Jesus said that it would be impossible for a rich person to enter into heaven. If the rich who were perceived as the most righteous weren’t making it then who would? This was a cause of major concern for them.
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
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