Monday, November 9, 2009

AM Sermon Outline from Yesterday


For those who attended the morning worship service at WBC yesterday, you will know that I flew through tons of material and verses from the book of Proverbs relating to money.

The sermon should be up on our web-site today or tomorrow. The outline will be there as well. Below I am posting the outline, with the Scripture references, and some extra quotes. Some of the quotes I gave during the message, some I had to leave out for the sake of time.



“God Or Money: No One Can Serve Two Masters” Series

“A Godward View of Money According to Proverbs”
Various Scriptures from the Book of Proverbs



I. The Diverse Angles Proverbs Has on Wealth and Poverty

A. Wealth is understood as a wonderful blessing from the LORD.

Proverbs 10:22
Proverbs 15:6
Proverbs 22:4

B. Wealth is understood as a horrible and worthless thing.

Proverbs 1:10-19
Proverbs 11:7, 16
Proverbs 28:8, 20, 22

C. Poverty is understood as a good and better thing.

Proverbs 15:16-17
Proverbs 16:8
Proverbs 17:1
Proverbs 19:1
Proverbs 22:22-23

D. Poverty is understood as a sinful and evil thing.

Proverbs 10:4-5
Proverbs 13:4
Proverbs 14:23
Proverbs 19:15
Proverbs 20:4, 13
Proverbs 24:30-34


II. Saving is Encouraged If and ONLY If…

A. Proverbs pointing to saving for the future as NOT being a sin.

Proverbs 6:6-8
Proverbs 13:11, 22
Proverbs 20:21
Proverbs 21:20
Proverbs 27:23-27

B. Proverbs pointing to riches being worthless to hope in.

Proverbs 13:8
Proverbs 23:4-5

C. Proverbs pointing the wisdom of one’s security being in the LORD, not money.

Proverbs 10:3, 16
Proverbs 11:4, 28
Proverbs 19:23


Saving is encouraged and wise, if and only if your purpose in saving is for the ultimate good of others and the exaltation of God’s name.



III. Giving is ALWAYS an EXPECTATION for God’s people; Taking is ALWAYS CONDEMNED.

A. Honor the LORD with your wealth – Proverbs 3:10-11
B. Giving increases wealth, hoarding brings suffering – Proverbs 11:24
C. Giving generously to the poor brings blessing from the LORD – Proverbs 14:20-21; Proverbs 22:9
D. Giving generously to the poor is like lending to the LORD Himself – Proverbs 19:17
E. Not heeding the cry of the poor will prevent God heeding your cry – Proverbs 21:13
F. A characteristic of those who are righteous is that of giving – Proverbs 21:25-26
G. Oppressing the poor or giving gifts to those who are rich will bring poverty – Proverbs 22:16
H. Giving to the poor will ensure all your needs being met – Proverbs 28:27



Implications:

1. If the wealth you currently have is due to righteousness, integrity, and hard work, save wisely and give both generously and sacrificially.


2. For those who are thinking there is no way you can give generously and sacrificially as well as save for the future, be radically intentional and ask hard questions.


3. Seek after wisdom like you would $10 million.

Proverbs 2:1-7


4. Pray for a Godward balance in your everyday lifestyle.

Proverbs 30:7-9

5. Jesus, the wisdom of God Himself, is the only way for a life to be transformed to operate this way joyfully.



Quotes:


Richard Halverson said: “Jesus Christ said more about money than about any other single thing because, when it comes to a man’s real nature, money is of first importance. Money is an exact index to a man’s true character. All through Scripture there is an intimate correlation between the development of a man’s character and how he handles his money.”


Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected. Hoarding is idolatry.”

Randy Alcorn says, “The distinction between financial responsibility and financial foolishness is this: Saving becomes hoarding when it is exercising our own sovereignty and financial independence so that God doesn’t have to come through for us.”

Larry Burkett, while he was still alive, said this about saving for retirement:
“Retirement planning so dominates the thinking of Christians who have sizable incomes that they overkill in this area enormously. The fear of doing without in the future causes many Christians to rob God’s work of the very funds He has provided. These monies are tucked away in retirement accounts for twenty or forty years. God’s Word does not prohibit but rather encourages saving for the future, including retirement, but the example of the rich fool, given in Luke 12:16-20, should be a clear direction that God’s balance is ‘when in doubt-give; don’t hoard.’”


John Wesley said, “Make as much as you can, save as much as you can, and give as much as you can.”

William MacDonald said:
“Reserves are crutches and props which become a substitute for trust in the Lord. We can’t trust when we can see. Once we decide to provide for our future, we run into these problems. How much will be enough? How long will we live? Will there be a depression? Will there be inflation? Will we have medical bills?
It is impossible to know how much will be enough. Therefore we spend our lives amassing wealth to provide for a few short years of retirement. In the meantime, God has been robbed and our own life has been spent seeking security where it cannot be found.
How much better it is to work diligently for our current necessities, serve the Lord to the maximum extent, put everything above present needs into the work of the Lord, and trust Him for the future?”


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