Chest of Joash, Part One: WHY?
2 Chronicles 24 March 4, 2001
1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem.
His mother¡¦s name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3And Jehoiada took for him two wives;
and he begat sons and daughters. 4And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD.5And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter.
----
8And at the king¡¦s commandment they made a chest,
and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 24.1-5, 8 KJV
This week every family of our congregation received a letter about The Chest of Joash. (I congratulate each of you for being here, knowing I would be speaking about money!)
There are three very important questions (relative to stewardship) which we will explore as we approach our Victory March to the chest on March 18th. The questions: WHY, HOW, and WHEN? One question each of the next three weeks. This morning¡¦s question is ¡§WHY¡¨?
If you are a believer, you have heard many times how it is a Christian¡¦s responsibility and joy to give. If you are human, your heart probably rebelled, alerting you to the fact that you really didn¡¦t want to give.
You might have even had the thought cross your mind, "Who does that preacher think he is, telling me I should put MY money in HIS plate?" There are three responses I¡¦ve come to understand ¡V
a. It¡¦s not my plate;
b. It¡¦s not your money;
c. The preacher is supposed to tell the congregation to put the Lord¡¦s tithe in the Lord¡¦s plate on the Lord¡¦s Day, and in the Lord¡¦s way (cheerfully!!).
The story about the three pre-teen boys is one of my stewardship favorites. The first boy begins the bragging. He says, My Dad is really important. He¡¦s a songwriter. He scribbles a few words on paper, calls it a song, and they pay him $500. The second kiddo, not to be outdone, brags, He ain¡¦t nothin¡¦ ¡V my Dad¡¦s a lawyer. He scribbles a few words on a paper, calls it a brief, and they pay him $1,000. The third little guy takes the cake, Ha! you think your Dads are important? My Dad¡¦s a preacher. He scribbles a few words on a paper, calls it a sermon, an¡¦ it takes six guys to haul in the cash!
Well, the story is funny, but it illustrates the untruth of the matter ¡V it really is God¡¦s plate, not anyone else¡¦s here.
Now that we have dealt with the issue that so-often keeps us from the real issues, Why IS it so important to talk about money in the church? Why can¡¦t we just talk about loving God and let the money issue alone?
Several reasons ¡V but one underlying thought ¡V money is very ¡V even extremely important.
„« We watch the stock market.
„« We hear reports on the news of Government trade agreements.
„« We want a balanced budget and Social Security security.
„« There are robberies.
„« We see the poverty which is the absence of money.
All this about money. Money occupies a vital role in society. What we do about, and with the money, with which God blesses us, expresses much about our life and faith towards God.
In our Bible passage this morning, we read about Joash. He was a good king (righteous, or accepted by God). For 40 years he ruled over God¡¦s people in the late 9th century BC and he repaired the crumbling temple at Jerusalem. His collection plate was a chest, placed to the right of the altar.
That chest was a reminder of the overdue tithes and offerings Israel should have been paying. Nobody likes that kind of reminder.
In the Christian scriptures, Jesus mentioned money often.
„« In fact 16 of the 29 stories (parables) Jesus told were about the use of money.
„« In the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, one verse in six is about money.
„« Jesus talked far more about money than heaven or hell. That alone should alert us to the importance money holds. We cannot ignore that!
What we do with money represents the resources of our lives, and the worship of our souls, and our love of God.
Let me inject my disclaimer at this point. I do not look at the personal giving records of the members of this church. In fact I have never done that in any church. I don¡¦t even know where they¡¦re kept.
Since I know nothing about how much, or how often you give, I want you to cut me some slack this morning. If the sermon seems to point directly to you, be certain the arm that is attached to that ¡§pointer¡¨ is not mine.
So, with all the disclaimers and background duly observed here, come with me to the chest¡Kthree drawers in this chest;
WHY WE GIVE WHAT WE GIVE¡K
HOW WE GIVE WHAT WE GIVE¡K
AND WHEN TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GIVE!
This morning we see the WHY¡K Three reasons why we must keep money stewardship in focus:
Reason #1.
It¡¦s a LORDSHIP MATTER
There are some things God requires.
2 Chronicles 24:5And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.
The Bible passage tells us God wanted the temple repaired. It takes financial support to do that. When the priests were too reluctant to get it done, Joash set up the collection chest and made it a decree. Then the people gave, and the temple work was finished.
2 Chronicles 24:14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.
It costs to do ministry God¡¦s way. It was a worthy project and they got the job done. This was good ¡V that the temple was restored! But, after he finished the project Joash ran into a problem ¡V he found out that obedience is not a one-time-and-then-you¡¦re-done thing! Men stumble¡Kand big men, even like Joash, stumble big.
Think with me through some of the stumbling issues connected with stewardship¡K
1. SOME MEN STUMBLE BECAUSE OF PRIDE
2 Chronicles 24.17Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
Joash had been a good king. But his mentor, Jehoiada passed from the scene, and Joash thought he could handle success. Joash couldn¡¦t pass first grade! He began to believe everyone who told him how smart he was, everyone who flattered him, sucked-up to him ¡V and it led to his downfall.
That¡¦s one of the biggest problems preachers face. Mostly God¡¦s people are so kind, and we get told a lot what a great job we¡¦re doing. Keeping a head-size smaller than the doorway can be quite a trick if you start believing your press reports! Flattery is a dangerous thing because it puffs up pride like a helium-filled balloon.
Like Joash, sometimes we figure we know more than anyone¡Kand we figure we know best what to do with God¡¦s money. Whenever you hear the complaint, That preacher talks way too much about money, I don¡¦t like it¡Kthere are two choices ¡V either the preacher is money hungry, or the speaker has just revealed his own sinful pride.
You can mark this down ¡V Whenever a plan for finances, other than God¡¦s plan, is suggested, the question of Lordship (who is in charge) has not been settled.
That should never be the case here! God¡¦s word is certain. We are to be faithful stewards ¡V our human wants must be secondary to our stewardship. Otherwise we can stumble on our own pride.
2. SOME MEN STUMBLE BECAUSE OF APPETITE
2 Chronicles 24.18And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
In Kings it tells us that Joash became afraid of the Aramaen king and gave tribute to him to save Israel from attack. There is nothing wrong with military alliances ¡V but Joash gave away the golden Temple furnishings, rather than his own money. That was a lack of faith, brought on by an appetite for worldly things, instead of serving God.
Whenever you stop serving God, you will start to be self-serving, because everyone worships something! It depends upon that to which you¡¦ve attached yourself.
Ronald Meredith describes one quiet night in early spring:
Suddenly out of the night came the sound of wild geese flying. I ran to the house and breathlessly announced the excitement I felt. What is to compare with wild geese across the moon?
It might have ended there except for the sight of our tame mallards on the pond. They heard the wild call they had once known. The honking out of the night sent little arrows of prompting deep into their wild yesterdays.
Their wings fluttered a feeble response. The urge to fly--to take their place in the sky for which God made them-- was sounding in their feathered breasts, but they never raised from the water.
The matter had been settled long ago. The corn of the barnyard was too tempting! Now their desire to fly only made them uncomfortable. Temptation is always enjoyed at the price of losing the capacity for flight.
How many of us have lost our capacity to mount up with wings as eagles because we have forgotten the rarified air of giving without strings, denying our appetites?
3. SOME MEN STUMBLE BECAUSE OF ARROGANCE
2 Chronicles 24.19-22 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear. 20And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. 21And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD. 22Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.
Jehoiada was Joash¡¦s mentor. Jehoiada¡¦s son, Zechariah tried to fill up the void left by his father¡¦s death. He pointed out Joash¡¦s sin, and Joash promptly, arrogantly had him killed.
Whenever we mess up (as did Joash), God sends us someone, or some thing to straighten us out. Jim Bakker got that from the Lord. Bakker¡¦s PTL Club came crashing down around him. He didn¡¦t see it coming.
In his arrogance he cashed the millions of dollars in contributions ¡V he just didn¡¦t know his arrogance had cashed-in the patience of God!
Later, Bakker wrote a book entitled, I WAS WRONG. How right ¡V Jim Bakker could have saved himself untold grief and humiliation if he had stayed on his knees in humility before God, instead of building air-conditioned dog houses for his pets. How glad we are to see him now restored and doing God¡¦s work in a humble way. May his tribe increase!
4. SOME MEN STUMBLE BECAUSE OF ERROR
2 Chronicles 24.23-27 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus. 24For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash. 25And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.
Joash¡¦s folly finally came to an end. A small army of Israel¡¦s enemies slaughtered the best army money could buy. The problem was that Joash had lost sight of the Lord. Joash is remembered for his collection chest. He had succeeded in the rebuilding project. But he left serving God, and it was the worst error of his life. Now God had forsaken Joash, and all Israel paid for that! They got whipped in the battle!
One of the reasons I am committed to telling you the truth from this Word of God (even when it hurts) is the example of Joash. If I simply pat you on the back and try to keep everyone happy ¡V offend no one ¡V there will be an enemy to rise up and destroy this church. God will see to it.
Proverbs 27:6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
A¡Kmythical story about the lighthouse makes a great point: The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message: "Alter your course 10 degrees south." Promptly a return message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north."
The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am the captain!" Soon another message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am seaman third class Jones."
Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am a battleship." Then the reply came: "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am a lighthouse."
There are a lot of voices that cry out in the darkness, telling you this is the right way¡Kthis is better¡Kyou¡¦ll like this way. Joash listened to his press reports, and he missed heaven.
The Lordship matter is a question of whose direction you will follow. Your own? Your accountant? The market? Or God? Settle the issue of Lordship, and there will be no question about giving! There are some things God requires!
Reason #2.
It¡¦s a HEART MATTER
Giving is not a matter of the checkbook¡Kgiving is much more personal than that. Listen to the words of Jesus:
Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The famous psychiatrist, Karl Menninger has stated that one sign of mental health is the ability to release money -- give it away. Think -- How many generous people do you know who exhibit mental instability? It is often the stingy, controlling person who is neurotic. God created us to be healthy. One way to contribute to your mental health is to practice generosity.
Our hearts follow our money. Some people understand Jesus¡¦ statement backwards. They think that wherever you have a fondness (a heart-affiliation), that¡¦s where you¡¦re going to put your money. That may be true ¡V but the truest sense of what Jesus said is that wherever your money travels your heart is certain to follow.
Just ask some of the folks in this church who have gone on mission trips. Ask John Hayes if he doesn¡¦t think about the impoverished people in Honduras. Why is his heart there? He invested his money (time, talent and labor) there.
A mission team from our church last year invested in young black kids from an East St. Louis ghetto. The hearts stayed there. One in particular, Jennifer, left so much of her heart there, she¡¦s going to give up her summer to work with them for 6 weeks as part of the camp staff. Where your money goes, you¡¦ll find the heart.
And so this morning I¡¦m encouraging you to understand that giving is making a decision of the heart. Just don¡¦t confuse that with emotion. A decision of the heart involves the head too.
My 3 year-old granddaughter, Samantha will come up to me, and sit in my lap, hug my neck, and give me sugar-sweet kisses¡K. SOMETIMES! When does she do that? When the mood strikes her. If I haven¡¦t pleased her recently, or if there is something else that attracts her attention more, well¡K. Buddy, get your own sugar! Elizabeth, on the other hand, has decided she will kiss the old fella anytime¡Kin spite of what I look like. You see, that¡¦s the mature decision of love.
Some folks will give to a project, because of emotion, not a heart-decision of love. The preacher has plucked just the right cord and resonated with their tear-squeezing ducts. And so they open the wallet. Others give because the timing is right, and they¡¦ve got a few extra bucks. Folks, that is not Lordship or Heartship ¡V that¡¦s convenience!
Do you give emotionally? Or do you give, because you know your heart will follow? Do you love giving to God¡¦s work? I didn¡¦t always.
In fact I used to be ashamed of how much I resented putting my offering in the plate. I was a grudge-giver. Then something happened about Jesus¡¦ words¡Kwhere your treasure is¡KI finally got it. I began to ¡¥follow¡¦ my money. I began to investigate what was happening to that money I dropped in the plate. I found out about the missionaries, and the ministry, and the hunger projects. My heart began to change about giving.
If you have those feelings of resentment, or just plain can¡¦t see the benefit of giving from the heart¡KAllow me to suggest that if you will do that ¡V begin to give regularly ¡V the word of the Lord is just as valid for you as it was for me.
You put your treasure in¡Kand follow it¡Klet your heart investigate just what that treasure is doing¡Kit will change your heart! And that¡¦s because giving as a steward is not only a Lordship Matter, and not only a Heart Matter¡K
Reason #3.
It¡¦s an ETERNAL MATTER
The ministry that is enabled by tithes and gifts given here each week reaches eternal souls for Christ. I don¡¦t have to tell you how wonderful it is to see the baptistry filled ¡V lives changed. Eternity is a long time. When a person accepts Christ, his eternal destination is radically changed. It¡¦s an eternal matter!
Many folks here would agree that, when it comes to giving, our eternal wealth is at stake. But, not everyone would agree. How do I know that? According to statistics, in American Churches the breakdown of giving looks like this:
20% of members Give 80% of all funds
30% of members Give the other 20%
50% of members Give nothing ¡V ever!
It seems that ¡V at the least ¡V half the church members in America don¡¦t think it matters that they never contribute to the finances of the church.
Now, let me see if I have it right ¡V
„« It doesn¡¦t matter that I don¡¦t care about the church Jesus died-for¡K
„« It doesn¡¦t matter that God commanded that I bring my tithes into the storehouse, this local church Jesus died-for¡K
„« It doesn¡¦t matter that without my tithes and offerings there will be people who will never be reached for Christ and will go to an eternal hell¡K
Now, I do not stand here to condemn anyone. But the problem is glaring, and continues. Martin Luther said, I have tried to keep things in my hands and lost them all, but what I have given into God¡¦s hands I still possess.
It does matter what you give, because your giving is an eternal matter. How you give here on earth will make a difference about your rewards in eternity. Jesus said, Give and it shall be given you. If God will give the way we do, the way current statistics prove-out, 20% will be rewarded, and 50% will be on welfare¡Keternally!
We all know the saying; You can¡¦t take it with you. But the Biblical reality is, you CAN SEND IT ON AHEAD! A sailor was shipwrecked on a South Sea Island. He was seized by the natives, carried shoulder-high to a rude throne, and proclaimed king. He learned that according to their custom the king ruled for a year.
The idea appealed to the sailor until he wondered what had happened to all the previous kings. Then he learned that when a king¡¦s reign ended, he was banished to a lonely island to starve to death.
So, knowing he was king for the year, this sailor began issuing orders. Carpenters were to make boats. Farmers were to go ahead to this island and plant crops. Builders were to erect a home. When his reign finished, he was exiled, not to a barren isle, but to a paradise of plenty.
Now, that¡¦s a story I¡¦m certain you¡¦ve heard before. It is always followed by an appeal to send your money on ahead of you. That¡¦s a good appeal¡Kbut let me end a slightly different way.
Remember the words of Jesus, about how our hearts follow after our money? Two realities:
„« Throw your money into self-gratification, and your heart will follow after it¡Kall the way to the final destination of that pathway¡Kdissipation, the bloated death of self-absorption and hell. That¡¦s a wide path!
„« Commit your money to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and watch your heart follow wonderfully after His eternal glory.
That¡¦s better than being king for a year!
