In the 3rd Century BCE, there was a Greek King named Pyrrhus. As the Roman Republic came on attack, he dispatched soldiers and defeated them at Asculum and Heraclea. The problem was that the loss of life was so great that the victory wasn’t worth the cost of the fight.
This is known to history as a Pyrrhic Victory. Pyrrhus got what he wanted, but at what cost?
In Jesus’ sermon on the Mount, he taught about a lot of things that would be testimonies of his coming kingdom. Jesus taught on murder, adultury, telling the truth, and dealing with our enemies.
He also taught people how to give, how to pray, and how to fast. In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus teaches on money, wealth, and possessions. Maybe that seems odd to you. Maybe that causes you to get uncomfortable. (People hate talking about money.)
Jesus actually talked about money and wealth A LOT. Not because God needs your money or because God really wants your money. Money is really important to people, and more than your money, God wants your heart.
Maybe students are saying, “Well, David, I don’t even have money.” How does this teaching apply to someone who has a part-time, after-school job, or no job at all? Is this really the time to teach people about money and finances?
I believe the best time to learn about generosity and stewardship is when you have little or nothing. I want to challenge people to tithe off the first paycheck they ever get.
Look at what Jesus says in Luke 16:10, “Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.” The best time to become a good steward is now. The best day to push back against greed and consumerism is today.
As we begin this conversation over the next few weeks, I want to just establish the truth. Money won’t make you happy. Having stuff never leads to fulfillment.
You can fill your bank account and you can chase wealth, but it won’t be all you hope it will. It’s a Pyrrhic victory. It seems like success, but it’s only temporary.
Living for money isn’t worth the cost!
So how do we break off the spirit of greed? How do we not fall victim to the trap of consumerism? First, we need to know what truly matters.
“19 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21 (CSB)
Money is a tool. Wealth is a tool. Tools are not inherently good or bad. It’s all about how you use them.
Money is also temporary. Your stuff doesn’t go with you to Heaven when you die. There’s a reason you don’t see U-Hauls following hearses.
The problem is when we put our hope in our money. The problem is when we find our identity in our stuff. Money is a fine tool; it’s a horrific god. Don’t put your hope in something that isn’t eternal.
Jesus told a tragic story in Luke 12 about a man who was very wealthy. He was successful and he had achieved so much wealth that he, in his pride, built huge storehouses and planned to live off the fruits of his labor for the rest of his days.
The very day he built them, his life came to an end. The problem wasn’t how much he had, or that he was saving some for later. His problem was his security was in his wealth.
This man wasted his life, but it’s important that we understand why. His life wasn’t wasted because he had money; his life was wasted because ALL he had was money.
We can get a raise, win the lottery, make it big, and have our ship come in, but we all end up in the same ground.
Don’t live for temporary things! Our culture lies to us and says, “You’d be happy if you had a bigger house.” Or, “You’d be secure if you could just have this much in the bank.” It’s all a lie! The next trip won’t leave us feeling fulfilled, the new technology won’t be new for long, and the freshest fashion won’t make us fit in.
Don’t believe the lie that consumerism is selling.
You can live for money, but it will cost you more than it is worth.
“Consider the ravens: Jesus continued in Matthew 6, “They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?” (Matthew 6:24 CSB)
The second way we push back against this lie is that we know our true master.
We can’t fully understand God. We can know him, but he operates on a different playing field. I like that about God. How pitiful and embarrassing that would be to have a God that you could do just as good of a job as him.
Money is a bad god, but we can control it, manipulate it, and use it. I think that’s one of its greatest temptations.
October 24th, 1929, is known in history as “Black Tuesday”. It was the day that the American Stock Market crashed. After a decade of growth, much of the investments being made were placed in “speculations” (things they thought/hoped would pay back).
People noticed this combined with growing inflation and in the fall of 1929 began to pull out their money. This led to mass panic, a run on the banks, and when all was said and done, about $14 billion was lost in a single day. The over $30 billion lost in just a short time would be the equivalent of hundreds of billions if not trillions today.
Don’t spend your life serving a god that can be gone in an instant. Know your true master.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the early church and told them that if Jesus’ resurrection isn’t true, then we should live for material gain. We should eat, drink, and be merry.
If the dead are not raised, chase luxury and pleasure. Live just for you and your gain.
If Jesus did rise then it must change everything. Our money is now means of generosity. This worlds pleasures are fleeting and temporary. We have greater things to chase than clout.
Don’t live your life serving one master, and your eternity with another. Don’t live for the temporary things.
