Josh Trombley
February 3, 2019
Josh Trombley
Who Do You Serve?

Money Matters

A Biblical view of how we see, use, give, and save our money

Week 1: Who Do You Serve

Series Introduction: A little sensitive

Money matters. Why? Because we have made it matter.

Jesus talked more about money, by far, than he ever talked about heaven or hell.

Jesus cared more about us living like people who would inherit the kingdom of God than people who are going to escape to it.

 

Who do you serve?

Money is a new form of slavery, and distinguishable from the old simply by the fact that it is impersonal—that there is no human relation between master and slave. ~ Leo Tolstoy

 

 Context

 

A careful reading of the Torah reveals a God who is about a relationship and living our lives based on that. However, due to the selfish nature of people, this becomes a non-reality and Jesus is here now to bring the relationship back to how it should be.

 

Two Masters

When you think about where we store our treasure, we have to look at our behaviours.

What we fear is what we’re subject to; our fears define our master. Where there is no fear, there is no control. ~ Erwin  McManus

For Jesus, the good life is not the quest for happiness but the pursuit of God’s kingdom (Mt 6:33). The good life is living under God’s reign or life in accordance with the will of the King. Even our Lord’s induction ‘believe the gospel’ carried with it an ethical aspect: Those who would respond rightly must be covered by the gospel. ~ Stanely Grenz

 

 

Who Are You Serving

Just as your eyesight determines what you see and how you respond to situations around you, so the status of your heart will determine where your life leads.

Live like slaves

Are you working for your money or is your money working for you?  Our answer to this one question will tell us if we are slaves or not.

 

Hard moments don’t reveal to us how bad our situation is. They reveal whether we are living in the freedom Christ has brought us or still in a  slave mentality.

 

Freedom

I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. ~ John 10:10 MSG.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ~ John  8:36

 

Application

      • Take a look
      • Make a plan

 

next week – Steward/ship: Jesus, Proverbs, and Joseph Anchor Group Questions

 

Hangout Warming up to the topic

  1. As we start the Money Matters series, what are some questions about money that you have?

 

Hear Listen to God through Scripture

  1. Read Matthew 6:19-24
          1. What goes through your mind when you think about verse 19 and 20. Comfort? Fear? Shame?
          2. What might cause a person to have treasures that are not eternal? What are your own experiences with this?
          3. What lessons can we learn from verses 21-24? How does this change how we live?
          4. Read Matthew 6:33-34. According to what we know about God through Jesus, why is worry an enemy to seeking righteousness and God’s kingdom? What are some ways that you can seek God’s kingdom and be righteous?

 

Huddle Make it personal and pray together

        1. What has God been saying to you through this week’s teaching? Talk about the next steps in your life and pray for each other.
        2. How can we be a safe place for others—a place to be known and loved?