(PLACE A BIG STACK OF MONEY ON A TABLE as an illustration at the beginning of the service. NOTE: Some will be real, some will be fake.)

     So, how’d it go last week with living as rich people?  Did you live out the challenge:  Since I AM rich, I will live each day as a generous giver, sharing the blessings I have received from God, so others may come to know Him, too!  How did you live as a generous giver?  Did you generalize to your time and talents as well as your money?  Did you start the 90 Day tithing challenge?  If you weren’t here last Sunday, we started our first “Back to Basics” series titled, “Generous Giving.”  We  acknowledged that we don’t want to be known as STINGY Givers, or as NO Givers, since we’re followers of Jesus.  We want to be like Him.  We want to be known as GENEROUS Givers. 

    Have any of you noticed anything unusual about the arrangements in the room this morning?  Have you noticed the stack of money right here? (Walk over to stack)  I bet you did, didn’t you?  In nearly twenty-four years as a pastor, I’ve never used this much money as an illustration before.  Some of it’s fake, but THIS (hold up) is a stack of 1,000 REAL one dollar bills.  Obviously, it’s a $1,000.  Now, if it were $50’s, it’d be $50,000 and we’d be talking about some serious coin, right?  If it were a stack of $1,000 bills and I don’t know whether they make $1,000 bills any more, since I’ve never really needed to know, but if it were, it’d be $1,000,000.  The money’s here to remind us that each of us has a tendency in our lives, to lean on our “stack”, rather than on God.  In fact, it’s a bit ironic that our nation’s money bears the slogan “In God we trust,” given how many in our culture actually trust in the green paper the statement’s written on rather than God.

     You may remember last week that when we turned to

1 Timothy 6:17-19, I said we’d be using the same Scripture today and the remaining two Sundays of the series. In these three verses addressed to rich people—and remember, last week we established that nearly all of us are rich when compared with the population of the world--The Apostle Paul could have said anything he wanted to say to rich people—ANYTHING—but here’s what he said.  Please, stand and read it with me:

      ¹⁷Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.  1 Timothy 6:13-17 NIV  Let’s pray……..Amen. (Please be seated.)

     ¹⁷Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant   How did he know? How did Paul know that when we get rich in this present world we tend get arrogant, that when we have more than we need we start to feel bigger and better than we are?  Paul knew, because He used to be rich!  Before he became a Christian he was wealthy.  He held a high position in the Jewish world, AND he was a Roman citizen.  Paul knew what it was to be rich and arrogant.   The thing is you can’t see arrogance in the mirror when you take a look, but you can see it in other people. You go to a restaurant and you see it—someone who’s rich in this present world giving the server a hard time, because he thinks he’s better than she is.  He thinks his status and wealth are reason for her to give him her undivided attention.  Paul says, “Don’t do that—that’s not how you be rich.”

    Sometimes as our income goes up we think our importance does as well. We wouldn’t admit it, but we feel it. In our hearts there’s an ugly, dark side that comes with wealth.  Paul says, “Let’s address it.”  Once we’ve established that we’re rich in this present world, then we’d better be on the lookout for arrogance.  When we compare, look down on others, or feel a sense of entitlement because of our worldly riches, Paul says, “SQUASH that.  Don’t let God catch you exhibiting arrogance or pretense, because of something you have.”  We think that as the pile of money gets bigger, it’s a reflection of something on the inside of us.  We identify with our money and our wealth and our stuff, and we define our identity BY our things.  Remember this:  there is absolutely NO correlation between what we have and what we are on the inside.  If you or I lost all of our money today, we’d still be who we are on the inside.  The problem is sometimes our focus on the “stack” distorts our understanding of what’s important, and our “insides” our beliefs go wrong.  Then what we have, our worldly riches DO come to define us.  Paul says, “Don’t ever let that happen!  We’re not necessarily smart or important because we’re rich.  This “stuff” this “stack” is just stuff you have.  It isn’t who you are.  I told you at the outset that the stack of money here on the table was partly real and partly fake.  In the end, it’s ALL fake if it’s the object of our trust, because money makes a great servant, but a terrible master.  If we rely on it, when we lean on it—we’ll fall.

     Let’s look at that word Paul tells us not to be one more time:  Arrogant.  Tell those who are rich in this present world NOT to be arrogant (put a LINE through ARROGANT )  That’s NOT how you be rich, that’s how you be BAD at being rich.  Paul goes on to qualify his statement:  Command those who are rich in this present world NOT to be arrogant, NOR TO PUT THEIR HOPE IN WEALTH, WHICH IS SO UNCERTAIN,  Does anybody here have any doubts that wealth—worldly wealth—is uncertain?  If you have any doubts let me say two words:  STOCK MARKET.  Once we begin to gain wealth—once we have more than we need—does anyone here have more than you need?  (If not many hands go up—ask:  Do you have more than one set of clothing?  Do you have any food in the refrigerator, freezer or pantry that you aren’t going to eat today? Do you have enough money to buy gas to take you farther than you’re going to drive today?  Do you have a house for your car?  Do you have a car?—Okay, then you have more than you need.)  Paul tells us that once we begin to gain wealth—once we have more than we need, the tendency is to lean on the “stack” rather than on God.  We begin to lean on what we own, as if it will support us.

     One of the richest men who ever lived, by far the richest man of his own time said this about the “stack”  ¹¹The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; (Proverbs 18:11a NIV)  The man who said that was King Solomon.  He said that the rich see their money as a source of security.  Poor people never put their hope in wealth.  They know that they need God or they’re in trouble. But the wealthy as the remainder of King’s Solomon’s words put it:  they imagine it [their wealth] an unscalable wall. (Proverbs 18:11b NIV)  Do you see the VERB in that sentence?  IMAGINE.  The rich IMAGINE their wealth to be a fortified city, an unscalable wall.  It isn’t.  It’s just your imagination.  Do you know how much money you actually need to be TOTALLY secure financially?  I’m going to tell you.  You may want to write this down:  MORE THAN YOU CURRENTLY HAVE!  More than you currently have is ALWAYS the answer to that question, because IMAGINING that worldly riches will provide you with security is an illusion.

     The problem with worldly wealth is:  eventually, without ever making a conscious decision, our identity becomes wrapped up in it.  We think, “I just need a bigger ‘stack.’” That kind of thinking is fatally flawed, because looking for security in something where it cannot be found is an illusion.  If our life is based on an illusion, then when problems come and we lean in hard—the stack collapses and we collapse along with it.  King Solomon gave us another piece of advice concerning the attempt to make money our security.  He said, Whoever loves money, that is whoever is leaning hard into their “stack” for security” never has money enough.  (Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV)  The pursuit of security through the pursuit of money is more than a dead end.  It’s a false god.

     Friends, it’s okay to have wealth---I hope your stack gets higher and higher—I really do, but no matter how high it gets it isn’t high enough.  When you lean into it, it leans away from you, and you think you need more.  Paul offers a solution—not just “a” solution, but “THE” solution. 

Command those who are rich in this present world NOT to be arrogant, NOR TO PUT THEIR HOPE IN WEALTH, WHICH IS SO UNCERTAIN, but to put their hope in God,  Remember, Paul was writing to Timothy, and Timothy was the pastor of a church. That means Paul was directing these words to CHRISTIANS!  Paul was saying that even though we believe in Jesus, we must make sure that we don’t accidentally, over time lean on our wealth instead of God.  If you’re a Christian then the number one competitor for your heart is MONEY.  You need to know that.  It isn’t the devil.  It’s money.

     Last week, I pointed out what Jesus said about money and its potential to take over in our lives.  Think about it.  When Jesus offered His teaching on what is most likely to take over as master in our lives, when He said, “No one can serve two masters…” (Matthew 6:24a NLT)  He didn’t say, “You cannot serve God and Satan.  He said, “You cannot serve God and MONEY.” (Matthew 6:24c NLT)  You’d think it would be Satan. You’d think it would be something else, but nothing competes harder or more effectively than your money for your trust, for your allegiance, as a source of security for your life.  Know this—that struggle will never completely go away in this life. It’s a daily decision to put God first and to submit money, worldly riches to Him.

     If we’re rich—and nearly all of us are—we need to put our hope in God EVERY, single day—not in wealth.  We need to say, God, I won’t lean into what you have blessed me with, I’ll lean into you.”  In fact, would you say that with me right now:  God, I won’t lean into what you have blessed me with, I’ll lean into you.”  Paul reminds us that rich Christians will always be tempted to lean into our wealth, and says, “That’s not how to be rich.”

Look at the stack (point to the money).  Let’s say that one day through effort, perseverance and God’s blessing the stack gets “high enough.”  Our financial advisor says, “You have enough.” Okay.  We’re good. But the next day, one of your children runs away.  Or the doctor calls and says, “You have a disease, and unfortunately we don’t have a cure for it at this time.”  Or your spouse says, “It’s over.” In any of those situations, you can’t buy the way it used to be.  In that moment you’ll realize that if you were hoping in your “stack” that your hope was misplaced.

     Paul’s warning is to those whose kids haven’t run away, whose health is good, whose marriages are fine--- TRUST GOD NOW!  That’s how you be rich.  That’s how you be rich. One more phrase for this morning from 1 Timothy 6:17-19: Command those who are rich in this present world NOT to be arrogant, NOR TO PUT THEIR HOPE IN WEALTH, WHICH IS SO UNCERTAIN, but to put their hope in God,  who richly provides us with everything for our _________________ for our what? For our enjoyment.  Don’t put your trust in wealth—put it in the one who so wealthily or richly provided it for you!

Why would we depend on the gift when we have the

opportunity every single day to declare our dependence on the giver?  God has given it all to us for our enjoyment—and we will enjoy it once we understand that it’s all His, and everything we have comes from Him! Here’s the question, How do I know, how do you know which way you’re leaning?  How do we know who or what we trust when push comes to shove?  Andy Stanley, who did a series very similar to this one at Northpointe Church in Atlanta, Georgia last summer, and whose points I’ve piggybacked on for this series came up with 4 questions that he shared with his congregation designed to discover which way we’re leaning. They’re great questions.  I couldn’t come up with better ones, so here they are.  Remember, this isn’t about guilt.  It’s about gratitude, about being eternally grateful to Jesus for what’s He’s done and all He provides us in our lives for our enjoyment.

     Here’s the first question:

                        1) Which of these statements creates the                                                        most anxiety in you?

                        There is no God.

                        There is no money in the bank.

     If I’m leaning hard into my wealth and I find out there’s no God, I say, “Oh, well, too bad for those Christians, but I’m good.”  But if I’m leaning hard into God and I find out there’s no God—then my life’s over. There’s no meaning, no purpose, no point.  On the other hand if I find out there’s no money in the bank, and I’m leaning hard into my wealth, then it’s over.  I’m worthless, because my worth is gone.  But if I’m leaning hard into God and I find out there’s no money in the bank, I can say, “²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  (James 1:2-4 NIV)

Trials of any kind, but often particularly financial trials, give us the opportunity to lean hard into God, and to put our absolute dependence on Him.

     Here’s the second question:

            2)  Does fear of not having enough impede your                                 ability to give generously?

One of the ironies of building a bigger “stack,” is that the bigger the stack gets, the harder it is to give.  When the stack’s small you have to rely on God.  You KNOW that God is the one who’s supplying everything for your enjoyment.  But as the stack gets bigger, the tendency is to rely on the stack.  There was once a man who was in financial trouble.  He went to his pastor and said, “I’m going to start tithing, and giving God control of all my resources.  Will you hold me accountable?”  The pastor gladly agreed.  Over the years, the man’s situation changed.  He became not only rich, but very rich.  He went back to his pastor and said, “I just can’t tithe anymore.  When I was giving $20 a week out of my $200 pay check, it was hard, but it was a blessing.  Then when I was giving $200 a week out of my $2000 pay check, it was okay.  But now I’m making millions of dollars a year, and I just can’t write those checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars.  It’s just so much money.  Pastor would you pray for me?”  The pastor said, “I’d be glad.  Let’s pray.”  The pastor prayed, “Dear Lord, please reduce my brother’s income back to $200 a week, so he’ll be able to trust you enough to tithe again.”

     The reality is here in America, the more money you make—the less you’ll give percentage wise. That’s not how to be rich! If you’re leaning in the direction of your heavenly Father, why wouldn’t you give generously—because you’re depending on him to provide everything for you anyway?  People say, “I’d give more to the work of the Lord, but what if something happens?”  When you ask the what if something happens question, because you’re relying on your stack instead of God, IT’S A GOOD QUESTION, Because who controls what happens?  I’ve been asked so many times over the course of my twenty plus years as a pastor, “You keep saying, ‘Give to God’s work.  Give sacrificially.’  That’s all well and good but what if we go into a depression? What are we going to do then?”  What if we do go into a depression?  Will God be any less able to provide?  You’re looking at a person who walked away from financial “security” nearly seven years ago, with no job, no church, no worldly security to a total dependence on God.  We haven’t missed a meal, or a mortgage payment yet.  We also have continued to give generously over those years, because we don’t fear not having enough.  God WILL provide, if we put Him first. Please hear this—we have done without many things that the world sees as necessary over the years in order to maintain a generous lifestyle, but we have not sacrificed anything.  Everything’s His in the first place. Never let the fear of not having enough get in the way of being generous. 

     Here’s the next question:

            3)         Do you have money in the bank, but no peace                       in your heart?

Do you know how much peace, you can squeeze out of that (stack of money)  -- NONE.   You can’t squeeze peace, or joy, or love out of money!  People say you can.  Money can buy a lot of good times, but not the enjoyment of them.  Money can buy a lot security devices, but not peace.  If you have money in the bank, but no peace in your heart, then you can be sure that you’re leaning on the stack instead of God.  This one’s simple.  How many of you have been to places where people have NOTHING?  What’ the one thing that amazes you about such people?  I’ve heard it over and over and over again, upon returning from missions trips.  “They didn’t have anything, but they were happy.”  That’s right!  Things don’t make us happy, or joyful.  Sometimes they just make us busy.  Let me say again:  this isn’t a message against having wealth.  It’s a message about being good at having wealth.

     Let’s move to the final question:

            4)         How hard is it for you to do the right thing,                             when it’s going to cost you financially?

At work—do you do the moral thing, even if it might mean you lose your job?  Do you do the right thing, even if it might cost you customers?  Do you work “under the table,” or do you pay taxes on everything you earn?  I guarantee you, if you’ve put your trust in your Father in heaven, you’re going to be tested and tempted on this one!  The more money you have the more issues there are going to be.  In those moments you’ll find which way you’re leaning.  In the end, Paul’s message to those of us who are rich in this present world is about a transfer of trust.  He tells us to lean on GOD, not on the “stack.”  We need to be able to say, “God, I’m going to place ALL my trust in YOU for my security—for all my hopes and dreams.”

     Last week we practiced saying this:  God has blessed me with more than I need.   I’m rich!  Remember?  We’re going to add a little more to that this week:  God has blessed me with more than I need.   I’m rich!  But I will not trust in my riches. I will trust in Him who richly provides.  Say that with me:  God has blessed me with more than I need.   I’m rich!  But I will not trust in my riches. I will trust in Him who richly provides. 

     At the end of the day, when you settle the issue of where the money comes from, you won’t depend on it, but on HIM!  When you settle the issue of where the talent comes from to make the money, you won’t depend on the talent, but on HIM!  When you settle the issue of who ultimately owns it all – you won’t lean on money.  You’ll lean on HIM!  Think of it this way: Have you ever seen a sixteen year old driving around in a brand new BMW, or Porsche, or Corvette?  Have you?  When you see that do you think, “Wow! That young person must have a lot of talent.  They must have made a lot of money, to be able to drive a car like that?”  No, you don’t.  What you think is, “They’re Daddy bought that car.”  Our Father in heaven must look down at us sometimes and say, “Oh, Good grief!” Why are they taking the credit again?  It’s my stuff. Can’t they just say, ‘Thank You!’ and enjoy it?”

     Let’s learn to be rich!  Let’s learn to be good at being rich.   Let’s not be arrogant.  Let’s not put our hope in wealth that is so uncertain, but in God who richly provides us all things for our enjoyment.  Folks--MEN especially – as soon as we walk out these doors no one is going to reinforce this message are they?  Our whole culture reinforces THAT message (point to the stack)—that money is security--that leaning on our stack will hold us up.  It won’t.  Only God will hold us up in every situation in life! So here’s TODAY’S CHALLENGE:    For one week --- I will not trust in my riches, but in GOD who so richly provides. Say that with me.  TODAY’S CHALLENGE:   For one week --- I will not trust in my riches, but in GOD who so richly provides.   Let’s pray…….  Amen.