If I were a millionaire
Selected Scripture
Introduction-
I’ve titled the sermon if I were a millionaire.
How many have thought about that? What would I do with a million dollars?
The rest of you… I don’t know.
We have all probably thought about what we would do if we came into a lot of money.
Some are skilled and talented and they are thinking of ways that they will use their skill and make monster money.
Some think, I hope I get a structured settlement somehow. I want to sue somebody but not be hurt enough that I cannot enjoy the money I get from them. Don’t look at me like that!
Society wants fast money.
Money that will come to us and we don’t have to work hard to get it.
We look at Rich people and their lifestyle and we make cute remarks about wasting all the money with their jet setting and all the while most of us want to be them.
What if I told you that God was looking for people to bless like that?
You’d say, here I am Lord, Send it my way.
The God of the universe who has unlimited resources
What would you say if I asked you if that kind of money would change you?
Would it change who you are in Christ?
Would it change your faith and the way that you lived your life?
Would it cause you to stumble?
Could God trust you with that kind of money?
I want to talk about money for a minute.
Sit on your wallets guys and don’t get off of them, then I will not be able to get in.
Honey, close your purse and don’t tell anybody that you have money in there.
You talk about money and everyone puckers up.
Preachers talk about money and people may stop coming until “that series is over” asking their friends if he stopped talking about that 5 letter bad word.
Money is something that you need to survive. Jesus talked a lot about money.
Jesus doesn’t care that we have money, He just doesn’t want money to have us. (repeat)
Luke 16:13
"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
You cannot serve God and money- You cannot have two masters. You cannot have two Lords.
You are to serve God and use money as needed. You should not worship money. You cannot allow money to influence and change the way that you view God.
Think about this-
I have had people say to me that if they win the lottery that the church would get a big check. If I ever get into some real money, I won’t forget the church.
I won’t ever win the lottery, because you have to play to win.
This isn’t a message on gambling, it is to show you in God’s word what place that money should have in your life.
I want you to think hard- If you do not give to the church, or help people who are in need now, or care about others, you will not give if you come into a lot of money.
If you have ten dollars and you cannot give one, you will not give 10 if you had a hundred. You could not possibly give 100.00 if you had a thousand.
Why? Because you have the wrong priority of money and who’s money it is.
I have said before that 10% is Gods and He lets you keep 90%. That is not quite accurate. He owns 100%, 10% is a tithe back to him but if He wants more of you, He has that right to it because He is the giver of the gift.
If that just ruffled your feathers a little, you may have the wrong idea of money.
Money is not the enemy here.
It is not evil to have money, or wrong to desire to have enough money to meet the needs of your family.
The problem is when money has you and your family and your values suffer because of it. When money becomes the objective.
There is nothing wrong with having things, things cannot have you.
It is not wrong to enjoy the blessings that God has provided. Just make sure that the payment book you pay from every month is also part of the blessing and does not become the curse.
Remember that we are part of the kingdom of God and everything we have comes from Him. Every blessing we get is not so we can move up to the next level of achievement. Sometimes it is a way for us to help someone else.
Illustration
One Wall Street executive shares that his last year on Wall Street that his bonus was 3.6 million, and he says I was angry because I felt it was not enough. I was 30 year old, had no children to raise, no debt to pay, no generosity plan in place. I wanted more money for exactly the same reason an alcoholic wants another drink- I was addicted. He goes on to say it was staggering that in few years, he went from being thrilled at his first bonus of 40,000, to disappointed by his second of 1.5 million.
Now, most of us will never see that kind of money, but it is no difference in your life if you suffer from the same addiction of more.
It is a condition of the heart and always wanting just one more and not being thankful for what you have.
Beware Of Materialism/ materialism is addicting.
Hebrews 13:5
"Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have."
First step to putting money in proper perspective-
I. Loosening Your Grip
Mark 10:21:-
“Jesus looked at him and loved him. One thing you lack, he said, go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Would you Follow if Jesus Asks you to Enter Poverty For a Season?
The Test of Riches and The Test of Poverty
The rich say that it would be easy if you have nothing to give it up and follow Jesus?
The poor say that the rich have lost touch with reality and cannot live like most people.
Proverbs 30:8-9
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, "Who is the Lord?" Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
The condition is still from the heart.
If you are clutching every dollar and stockpiling, if you are always looking for one more dollar and you work night and day to get it, and everything is based upon money you have the wrong attitude about money.
If you are short and you have always been short of money and you dream of the big payday, that big break, that will take you out of poverty and into that dream life, that dream house, and you are never satisfied with where you are at, and you don’t care about others, you have the wrong attitude about money.
If you do not care about people now, you will not care with more money. if you do not give now, you will not give when you have more.
The more you have, the harder to let go.
The least you have, the more you want more.
Same problem, same temptation, different perspective. Same heart condition.
If poverty is accompanied by physical dangers, prosperity is accompanied by spiritual dangers.
Phil 4:11-13
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Phil 4:12 (NAS)
I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
Loosening the grip-
Letting God take and give as He sees fit.
God cannot bless a clinched fist.
He cannot put anything in a closed hand.
God will always have the bigger shovel.
He has the most resources.
Aren’t you glad that God gives you more than you give Him?
Are you not glad that you don’t live on the 10% and He takes 90%?
God’s concept of money is that it all belongs to Him and we are the managers of it.
Here’s the catch- when God can trust you with more, He may give you more. We need to be faithful with what He has already given us and not wait till we are rich- till we have more.
What are we going to do with what He has already given?
God was pleased with the Macedonians because they gave out of deep poverty.
God acknowledge the poor widow who gave all she had.
George Muller is remembered as a man who received millions of dollars to support his orphanage, in response to secret prayer, without making any needs known to others. What many don’t know is that Muller gave away vast amounts to the Lord’s work out of funds that were given for his personal support. From 1870 on, he personally contributed the full support for about 20 missionaries with the China Inland Mission. From 1831-1885, he gave away 86 percent of his personal income! As the Lord prospered him, he could have lived in style. But he lived simply and gave away the rest.
Closing
This morning I am not telling you to sell the house and give all to the poor. I am asking you to let loose of your finances and open you fist. Allow God to bless you as you bless others. Everything you get and have is not only for your own use. You and your family may be the blessing that someone else has been praying for. No matter where you are today, God wants to speak to you.
Amen.
