In the time period we live in, it’s tough not to see the goals in America. It doesn’t matter if one has wealth or doesn’t, the obsession appears to be to try and achieve it for the majority of people.
What does the New Testament have to say on these issues? Where does it indicate we should be putting our resources? Where are some the hints that we should take note of?
Matthew 13:44-46 – 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Luke 12:33-34 – 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 18:22-30 – 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, 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.” 26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”
In all of those verses mention above it doesn’t sound like, get a great job, invest, build an empire on earth, build up wealth, and also just acknowledge Jesus.
No I think it’s warning pretty clearly that we are to not concentrate solely on ourselves, but to live for the Lord and show love to others. Our King didn’t come down with a gold spoon in his mouth as His example. He was fully capable of doing so, He’s made everything and certainly powerful engough. No, He came down as an example of how He wants us to live.
Matthew 23:11-12 – 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
We’re not to exalt ourselves. We aren’t supposed to take ego classes and build up our self esteem. We’re to be humble and servants.
Now that we see how we can invest above. Let’s see the warnings on trying to invest mightily down here.
Luke 12:15-21 – 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Matthew 13:22-23 – 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Luke 16:13 – 13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
It takes faith to deny yourself today and invest into what you can’t see yet. Do you think God likes that kind of faith?
Hebrews 11:6 – 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
It’s pretty elementary. If love yourself, your going to invest everything into yourself. If you love the Lord you’re going to invest into Him.
As you can see the Word of God really isn’t silent on the issue. The problem is man and his sinful nature wants to believe we can believe Satan and God at the same time. Have the cake and eat it too.
God wants our obedience. He wants us to faithfully believe His Word and serve Him.
Let’s invest into the Lord and not ourselves.