B.L.E.S.S.
The Greatest Investment, 17 March 2024
17 03 24 Filed in: Sermons | God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
The Greatest Investment
God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
Luke 12:13-34
Series Big Idea: Money matters…to God, to us, and to those we love.
Big Idea: The greatest investments will last forever.
Although I love this country, the older I get, the more I see its many flaws. No nation is perfect, of course, but despite our financial wealth, our culture has many weaknesses. One of them is we are impatient. Would you agree? When we stare at the microwave clock wishing it would cook faster…!!! Speaking of fast, have you driven on I-75 lately? If you’ve ever put money in the stock market, hoping the value would double overnight…It reminds me of my grandkids who once planted a garden and checked on it the next morning!
The late Dallas Willard famously gave this advice to his disciple, John Ortberg: “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry.” Good luck!
As we conclude our three-part series “God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do,” we are talking about the greatest investment.
What’s the greatest investment you’ve ever made?
I’m pretty happy with the Apple stock I bought in 2005 before I worked for the company. I bought 4 shares, spending $367. That $367 is now worth over $44,000. Imagine if I bought 100 shares instead of only 4! Truthfully, I’ve done very little investing in the stock market. Most of my very modest retirement account is in mutual funds.
All fruitful investments require time. By definition, the returns are not instantaneous. If you buy something from a vending machine, we call that a transaction. No waiting is required (unless the machine is broken and you have to kick it!). When you order fast food at a drive-thru, you hope and pray it won’t take an hour to receive your order!
But investments are different. There is no instant gratification. This is why many use financial investments to fund their retirement. They know it is years or decades away. They also recognize the value of compounding interest. The Bible has over 2000 references to money. Don’t worry, we’ll only look at half of them today!
God gives us many gifts for our good…that the enemy uses to destroy. Our planet was created filled with beauty, yet pollution taints its splendor. Relationships are God’s design, yet they often bring the greatest pain. Sex is a wonderful gift…within God-given boundaries designed to protect us. Money is another tool that can be used for good or harm.
In case you missed our message two weeks ago, we said
- If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
- Work hard
- Spend wisely
- Give generously
Those are principles for building financial wealth. They also bring us great joy when we honor God with our money, no matter how much we possess…so long as our money doesn’t possess us.
I want to talk about another dimension of money and that is investing. Saving is not only a financial principle, it’s a healthy discipline. Because we live in an on-demand, have it now culture, the mere mention of the word “wait” might be enough to cause some of you anxiety. Who has time to wait?
The same is true with money. It’s hard to wait sometimes. We either see something we want, but it before we have the money, and pay outrageous interest fees (by the way, making the minimum monthly payment will rarely if ever lead to the payment of the debt!)…or we cash our paycheck and spend it all before the next one arrives…with no thought of savings, much less investment.
Many of you have heard of an emergency fund or a rainy day fund. So-called experts differ on exact formulas, but before you spend every penny you own, consider the fact that emergencies will arise. It’s a fact of life. Rain will fall (especially in Toledo). And all of us have a limited number of days on earth…and days when we are able to work.
I realize our church family is very diverse. Some of you know more about money than I do. Many of you have more money than I do! And some of us struggle to save even a little, much less invest. We are so focused on surviving today that we can’t even imagine planning for tomorrow. Then the rain comes and we’re in crisis mode.
I want to remind you of the “spend wisely” principle from two weeks ago. We need to differentiate between our wants and our needs. Advertisements are designed to destroy your contentment. People are paid to convince you that desires are necessities. And you need that new (fill in the blank) now! And if now won’t work, perhaps you can wait for Amazon to deliver tomorrow (or later today!).
Since each household is unique, I want to simply remind you that a budget brings freedom, not bondage…and savings should be in your budget. Whether you save $1/paycheck, 1%, 10%, or more, it’s essential to save…and then invest that money so it can grow.
Jesus told a great story about three men who were given money to invest. In the 25th chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells of a man going on a long trip.
He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. (Matthew 25:15, NLT)
“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. (Matthew 25:16-18, NLT)
“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ (Matthew 25:19-20, NLT)
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:21, NLT)
“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ (Matthew 25:22, NLT)
“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:23, NLT)
“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ (Matthew 25:24-25, NLT)
“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ (Matthew 25:26-27, NLT)
“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:28-30, NLT)
There’s so much that could be said about savings and investments. A great resource is https://faithandfinance.org, a ministry of the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Of course, some of you will be meeting with David Munn of Munn Wealth Management today at noon. His company is built upon biblical principles and has been extremely generous to First Alliance and many Christian organizations throughout our community. David is a personal friend and a great resource. There are many others, too, including the Ron Blue Institute which partners with Orchard Alliance.
But I want to go back to Jesus’ story of investing. It’s a great picture of investing money—silver—but the greatest investment in the world is people.
A biblical example of investment
Who wrote the book of Timothy? Actually, there are two books called Timothy…1st and 2nd Timothy…and they were written by…Paul. These short letters were written from a mentor to an apprentice, a teacher to a student, a discipler to a disciple.
Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. (2 Timothy 1:3, NLT)
Paul invested prayer. Night and day he prayed for Timothy.
I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again. (2 Timothy 1:4, NLT)
Paul invested passion. He cried when they parted and longs for a joyous reunion.
I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. (2 Timothy 1:5, NLT)
Grandma and mom invested, too.
This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. (2 Timothy 1:6, NLT)
The Holy Spirit invested in Timothy with a spiritual gift.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT)
That’s the fruit of the investment…power, love, and self-discipline. Who doesn’t want that?
A few verses later, Paul tells Timothy to…
Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. 14 Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:13-14, NLT)
So What?
The greatest investment you can make is not in real estate, Bitcoin, or Microsoft. It’s in people. We do that through our time, talent, and treasures.
We must spend time with people. This is the core of discipleship, of investment, of friendship. Love is spelled t-i-m-e! There are no shortcuts or hacks. You simply need to invest time in people, listening to them, eating with them, having fun with them! When is the last time you chose to spend an hour with a non-Christian with no agenda, just to be with them?
Another way to invest in people is through your talents, your abilities. This might include volunteering with one of our Home Missions partners from last Sunday, cooking food for Dinner Church, assisting on the next Alpha Course, joining the music or tech teams, or any number of other things to get involved around here. What do you love to do? How can you do that with others, for others, for God’s glory?
You can also make a financial investment in people through giving your treasures to First Alliance, FAC Missions, and the Alliance Great Commission Fund. These three accounts are used to impact lives for eternity by supporting this local congregation, serving our ministry partners in our city and world through church planting, Home Missions, and Faith Missions, and contributing to the global work of our Christian & Missionary Alliance family, including Germany and the Dominican Republic.
Conclusion
Financial investments are great, especially as we age and become unable to work and earn income. Starbucks stock was worth more than eleven times its year 2000 value in 2016. Monster Beverage stock was worth 24 cents in 2001 and grew to $150 in 2015.
But despite the bumper sticker that says, “He who dies with the most toys wins,” there’s only one investment that’s eternal, and it’s not about money. It’s about people…and Jesus. The greatest investment you can make is investing in people, loving people, serving people, praying for people, introducing people to Jesus.
Several weeks ago, my sermon was entitled evangelize now, meaning “share good news now, tell others about Jesus now.” It is true that tomorrow could be too late…for you or them!
Investing in people always begins with prayer. Pray that God would lead you to the right people, that He would prepare their hearts, and that He would give you wisdom and words.
The next step is to listen…listen to them. Don’t bombard them with information. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Eat with them. Grab coffee. There’s something powerful about food and relationships. The Bible is packed with examples, including the very manner in which we are to remember the death of Jesus.
Serve them. Put your faith into action.
Finally, share your story. After you’ve listened to theirs and served them, you’ve likely earned the right to share your story…God’s story. If you began the process with praying for them, there’s a good chance they’ll be interested in learning more.
B.L.E.S.S.
There's even a free BLESS app for your smart phone. Search for it.
But we must be intentional. It takes time. Sometimes years or decades! It requires sacrifice. This is true of all investments, but I promise you there is no greater investment than people. The returns are eternal!
British missionary C.T. Studd (what a great name!) penned a powerful poem entitled, “Only One Life, Twill Soon Be Past.” Here’s a sample:
God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
Luke 12:13-34
Series Big Idea: Money matters…to God, to us, and to those we love.
Big Idea: The greatest investments will last forever.
Although I love this country, the older I get, the more I see its many flaws. No nation is perfect, of course, but despite our financial wealth, our culture has many weaknesses. One of them is we are impatient. Would you agree? When we stare at the microwave clock wishing it would cook faster…!!! Speaking of fast, have you driven on I-75 lately? If you’ve ever put money in the stock market, hoping the value would double overnight…It reminds me of my grandkids who once planted a garden and checked on it the next morning!
The late Dallas Willard famously gave this advice to his disciple, John Ortberg: “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry.” Good luck!
As we conclude our three-part series “God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do,” we are talking about the greatest investment.
What’s the greatest investment you’ve ever made?
I’m pretty happy with the Apple stock I bought in 2005 before I worked for the company. I bought 4 shares, spending $367. That $367 is now worth over $44,000. Imagine if I bought 100 shares instead of only 4! Truthfully, I’ve done very little investing in the stock market. Most of my very modest retirement account is in mutual funds.
All fruitful investments require time. By definition, the returns are not instantaneous. If you buy something from a vending machine, we call that a transaction. No waiting is required (unless the machine is broken and you have to kick it!). When you order fast food at a drive-thru, you hope and pray it won’t take an hour to receive your order!
But investments are different. There is no instant gratification. This is why many use financial investments to fund their retirement. They know it is years or decades away. They also recognize the value of compounding interest. The Bible has over 2000 references to money. Don’t worry, we’ll only look at half of them today!
God gives us many gifts for our good…that the enemy uses to destroy. Our planet was created filled with beauty, yet pollution taints its splendor. Relationships are God’s design, yet they often bring the greatest pain. Sex is a wonderful gift…within God-given boundaries designed to protect us. Money is another tool that can be used for good or harm.
In case you missed our message two weeks ago, we said
- If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
- Work hard
- Spend wisely
- Give generously
Those are principles for building financial wealth. They also bring us great joy when we honor God with our money, no matter how much we possess…so long as our money doesn’t possess us.
I want to talk about another dimension of money and that is investing. Saving is not only a financial principle, it’s a healthy discipline. Because we live in an on-demand, have it now culture, the mere mention of the word “wait” might be enough to cause some of you anxiety. Who has time to wait?
The same is true with money. It’s hard to wait sometimes. We either see something we want, but it before we have the money, and pay outrageous interest fees (by the way, making the minimum monthly payment will rarely if ever lead to the payment of the debt!)…or we cash our paycheck and spend it all before the next one arrives…with no thought of savings, much less investment.
Many of you have heard of an emergency fund or a rainy day fund. So-called experts differ on exact formulas, but before you spend every penny you own, consider the fact that emergencies will arise. It’s a fact of life. Rain will fall (especially in Toledo). And all of us have a limited number of days on earth…and days when we are able to work.
I realize our church family is very diverse. Some of you know more about money than I do. Many of you have more money than I do! And some of us struggle to save even a little, much less invest. We are so focused on surviving today that we can’t even imagine planning for tomorrow. Then the rain comes and we’re in crisis mode.
I want to remind you of the “spend wisely” principle from two weeks ago. We need to differentiate between our wants and our needs. Advertisements are designed to destroy your contentment. People are paid to convince you that desires are necessities. And you need that new (fill in the blank) now! And if now won’t work, perhaps you can wait for Amazon to deliver tomorrow (or later today!).
Since each household is unique, I want to simply remind you that a budget brings freedom, not bondage…and savings should be in your budget. Whether you save $1/paycheck, 1%, 10%, or more, it’s essential to save…and then invest that money so it can grow.
Jesus told a great story about three men who were given money to invest. In the 25th chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells of a man going on a long trip.
He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. (Matthew 25:15, NLT)
“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. (Matthew 25:16-18, NLT)
“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ (Matthew 25:19-20, NLT)
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:21, NLT)
“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ (Matthew 25:22, NLT)
“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:23, NLT)
“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ (Matthew 25:24-25, NLT)
“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ (Matthew 25:26-27, NLT)
“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:28-30, NLT)
There’s so much that could be said about savings and investments. A great resource is https://faithandfinance.org, a ministry of the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Of course, some of you will be meeting with David Munn of Munn Wealth Management today at noon. His company is built upon biblical principles and has been extremely generous to First Alliance and many Christian organizations throughout our community. David is a personal friend and a great resource. There are many others, too, including the Ron Blue Institute which partners with Orchard Alliance.
But I want to go back to Jesus’ story of investing. It’s a great picture of investing money—silver—but the greatest investment in the world is people.
A biblical example of investment
Who wrote the book of Timothy? Actually, there are two books called Timothy…1st and 2nd Timothy…and they were written by…Paul. These short letters were written from a mentor to an apprentice, a teacher to a student, a discipler to a disciple.
Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. (2 Timothy 1:3, NLT)
Paul invested prayer. Night and day he prayed for Timothy.
I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again. (2 Timothy 1:4, NLT)
Paul invested passion. He cried when they parted and longs for a joyous reunion.
I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. (2 Timothy 1:5, NLT)
Grandma and mom invested, too.
This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. (2 Timothy 1:6, NLT)
The Holy Spirit invested in Timothy with a spiritual gift.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT)
That’s the fruit of the investment…power, love, and self-discipline. Who doesn’t want that?
A few verses later, Paul tells Timothy to…
Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. 14 Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:13-14, NLT)
So What?
The greatest investment you can make is not in real estate, Bitcoin, or Microsoft. It’s in people. We do that through our time, talent, and treasures.
We must spend time with people. This is the core of discipleship, of investment, of friendship. Love is spelled t-i-m-e! There are no shortcuts or hacks. You simply need to invest time in people, listening to them, eating with them, having fun with them! When is the last time you chose to spend an hour with a non-Christian with no agenda, just to be with them?
Another way to invest in people is through your talents, your abilities. This might include volunteering with one of our Home Missions partners from last Sunday, cooking food for Dinner Church, assisting on the next Alpha Course, joining the music or tech teams, or any number of other things to get involved around here. What do you love to do? How can you do that with others, for others, for God’s glory?
You can also make a financial investment in people through giving your treasures to First Alliance, FAC Missions, and the Alliance Great Commission Fund. These three accounts are used to impact lives for eternity by supporting this local congregation, serving our ministry partners in our city and world through church planting, Home Missions, and Faith Missions, and contributing to the global work of our Christian & Missionary Alliance family, including Germany and the Dominican Republic.
Conclusion
Financial investments are great, especially as we age and become unable to work and earn income. Starbucks stock was worth more than eleven times its year 2000 value in 2016. Monster Beverage stock was worth 24 cents in 2001 and grew to $150 in 2015.
But despite the bumper sticker that says, “He who dies with the most toys wins,” there’s only one investment that’s eternal, and it’s not about money. It’s about people…and Jesus. The greatest investment you can make is investing in people, loving people, serving people, praying for people, introducing people to Jesus.
Several weeks ago, my sermon was entitled evangelize now, meaning “share good news now, tell others about Jesus now.” It is true that tomorrow could be too late…for you or them!
Investing in people always begins with prayer. Pray that God would lead you to the right people, that He would prepare their hearts, and that He would give you wisdom and words.
The next step is to listen…listen to them. Don’t bombard them with information. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Eat with them. Grab coffee. There’s something powerful about food and relationships. The Bible is packed with examples, including the very manner in which we are to remember the death of Jesus.
Serve them. Put your faith into action.
Finally, share your story. After you’ve listened to theirs and served them, you’ve likely earned the right to share your story…God’s story. If you began the process with praying for them, there’s a good chance they’ll be interested in learning more.
B.L.E.S.S.
There's even a free BLESS app for your smart phone. Search for it.
But we must be intentional. It takes time. Sometimes years or decades! It requires sacrifice. This is true of all investments, but I promise you there is no greater investment than people. The returns are eternal!
British missionary C.T. Studd (what a great name!) penned a powerful poem entitled, “Only One Life, Twill Soon Be Past.” Here’s a sample:
Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill.
living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.