Money: A Tool for Purposeful Living
Summary
In today's message, we explored the intriguing idea of what our money might say if it could talk. The premise is that money, while not the meaning of life, can add meaning to our lives when used as a means to an end. This aligns with Jesus' teachings, who spoke more about money than Heaven, yet never asked for it. Jesus' parables, particularly those about money, reveal that He was not after anyone's money but was instead teaching us about the true purpose and potential of our resources.
The parable of the dishonest manager in Luke's Gospel illustrates this point. The manager, upon realizing he was about to lose his job, used his limited time and opportunity to secure his future by reducing the debts of his master's debtors. Surprisingly, the master commended the manager for his shrewdness, not his dishonesty. Jesus used this story to teach that we should be wise and intentional with our resources, viewing them as tools for greater purposes beyond ourselves.
The key takeaway is that money is a means, not an end. It is a tool that can be used to create stories and impact lives, rather than just accumulating stuff. Jesus challenges us to consider how we can leverage our resources for purposes that extend beyond our personal gain. This involves pre-deciding how we will use our money, being generous, and focusing on creating stories rather than accumulating possessions.
Ultimately, the question we must ask ourselves is: To what ends do we want our lives to be a means? By answering this question, we can align our financial decisions with our values and purpose, ensuring that our money serves a greater good and leaves a lasting legacy.
Key Takeaways:
1. Money as a Means, Not an End: Money can add meaning to our lives when used as a means to an end beyond ourselves. It is a tool that can create stories and impact lives, rather than just accumulating possessions. [02:30]
2. The Parable of the Dishonest Manager: Jesus' parable teaches us to be wise and intentional with our resources, using them to secure a future that aligns with God's Kingdom. The manager was commended for his shrewdness, not his dishonesty, highlighting the importance of strategic thinking. [11:38]
3. Pre-deciding Financial Priorities: By deciding in advance how we will use our money, we can ensure that it serves a greater purpose. This involves setting aside a percentage for giving and using our possessions to help others, creating stories rather than accumulating stuff. [20:13]
4. Aligning Resources with Purpose: We should view all our resources as potential means to an end that aligns with our values and purpose. This involves asking how we can leverage what we have for the benefit of others, creating joy and fulfillment. [19:00]
5. Answering the Big Question: To what ends do we want our lives to be a means? By answering this question, we can align our financial decisions with our values, ensuring that our money serves a greater good and leaves a lasting legacy. [31:35]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - If Money Could Talk
- [01:13] - Jesus and Money
- [02:30] - Money as a Means
- [03:18] - Meaningful Life
- [04:50] - The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
- [06:17] - The Manager's Dilemma
- [08:01] - Settling Debts
- [10:08] - The Master's Commendation
- [12:34] - Lesson from the Parable
- [15:20] - Jesus' Command
- [18:23] - Viewing Resources as Tools
- [22:06] - Stories Over Stuff
- [25:47] - Trustworthiness with Wealth
- [31:35] - The Big Question
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Luke 16:1-13 - The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
2. Matthew 6:19-21 - Treasures in Heaven
3. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 - Instructions to the Rich
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Observation Questions:
1. In the parable of the dishonest manager, what actions did the manager take when he realized he was about to lose his job? How did the master respond to these actions? [06:17]
2. According to the sermon, what is the main lesson Jesus wants us to learn from the parable of the dishonest manager? [12:34]
3. How does the sermon describe the relationship between money and meaning in our lives? [02:30]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the way Jesus viewed money and possessions compared to how we often view them? [12:34]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might Jesus have chosen to use a dishonest manager as the central figure in this parable? What does this choice reveal about the nature of wisdom and shrewdness in the Kingdom of God? [11:38]
2. How does the concept of money as a means to an end challenge common societal views about wealth and success? [17:53]
3. What implications does the sermon suggest about the eternal impact of how we use our resources? How does this align with the teachings of Jesus? [16:38]
4. How does the sermon encourage us to pre-decide our financial priorities, and what might be the spiritual benefits of doing so? [20:13]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current financial habits. Are there areas where you might be treating money as an end rather than a means? How can you shift your perspective to align with the sermon’s teachings? [17:53]
2. Consider the question posed in the sermon: "To what ends do you want your life to be a means?" How can you begin to align your financial decisions with your answer to this question? [31:35]
3. The sermon suggests pre-deciding a percentage of your income to give away. What percentage might you feel called to set aside for generosity, and how can you implement this decision in your financial planning? [20:13]
4. Think about a recent financial decision you made. How might you have approached it differently if you viewed your resources as tools for creating stories and impacting lives? [22:06]
5. Identify a specific resource or possession you have. How can you use it to benefit others and create meaningful stories rather than just accumulating more stuff? [22:06]
6. The sermon challenges us to consider the legacy we want to leave. What steps can you take this week to ensure your financial decisions contribute to a lasting legacy aligned with your values? [31:35]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt joy from using your resources to help others. How can you recreate that experience in your current financial practices? [19:27]
Devotional
Day 1: Money as a Tool for Meaningful Impact
Money, while not the ultimate goal, can significantly enhance the meaning of our lives when used as a tool for purposes beyond personal gain. It is not about accumulating wealth but about creating stories and impacting lives. This perspective aligns with Jesus' teachings, who emphasized the importance of using resources wisely. By viewing money as a means to an end, we can focus on how it can serve others and contribute to a greater purpose. This approach challenges us to rethink our financial priorities and consider how our resources can be used to make a positive difference in the world. [02:30]
"Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven." (Proverbs 23:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: How can you use your financial resources today to create a meaningful story that impacts someone else's life?
Day 2: Strategic Stewardship of Resources
The parable of the dishonest manager in Luke's Gospel teaches the importance of being wise and intentional with our resources. The manager, despite his dishonesty, was commended for his shrewdness in securing his future. This story illustrates the need for strategic thinking in how we manage our resources, ensuring they align with God's Kingdom. It encourages us to be proactive and thoughtful in our financial decisions, using our resources to secure a future that reflects our values and purpose. [11:38]
"Whoever is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." (Luke 16:10, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your financial life where you can apply strategic thinking to better align with your values and God's Kingdom?
Day 3: Pre-deciding Generosity
By deciding in advance how we will use our money, we can ensure it serves a greater purpose. This involves setting aside a portion for giving and using our possessions to help others. Pre-deciding our financial priorities allows us to be intentional about generosity, focusing on creating stories rather than accumulating stuff. This approach encourages us to think beyond ourselves and consider how our resources can be used to bless others and contribute to a lasting legacy. [20:13]
"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)
Reflection: What percentage of your income can you commit to giving, and how can you start implementing this decision today?
Day 4: Aligning Resources with Purpose
We should view all our resources as potential means to an end that aligns with our values and purpose. This involves asking how we can leverage what we have for the benefit of others, creating joy and fulfillment. By aligning our resources with our purpose, we can ensure that our financial decisions reflect our deepest values and contribute to a greater good. This perspective challenges us to think creatively about how we can use our resources to serve others and make a positive impact. [19:00]
"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10, ESV)
Reflection: How can you align your financial resources with your personal values and purpose to create joy and fulfillment in your life and the lives of others?
Day 5: Defining Your Legacy
Ultimately, the question we must ask ourselves is: To what ends do we want our lives to be a means? By answering this question, we can align our financial decisions with our values, ensuring that our money serves a greater good and leaves a lasting legacy. This involves reflecting on the impact we want to have and how our resources can contribute to that vision. By defining our legacy, we can make intentional choices that reflect our purpose and create a meaningful impact in the world. [31:35]
"Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'" (Jeremiah 9:23-24, ESV)
Reflection: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind, and how can your financial decisions today contribute to that vision?
Quotes
If your money started talking, and if money could talk, one thing for sure it would tell us is this. I, I being money, I can add meaning to your life, but I'm not the meaning of life. I can add meaning to your life, but I'm not the meaning of our life. Money, your money and my money would remind us that money doesn't get much play at funerals, other than in relationship to how much of it might have been given away. Money would remind us that it is a much better means, than an end. [00:02:24]
Being a means to an end is what makes anything meaningful. Being a means to an end is what makes anything meaningful. This is why we don't have segways. You didn't get that. Okay, have you ever ridden a segway? It's like if you've ever ridden a segway, you think this is the coolest thing in the world, I need one and you can never come up with a reason for why you should have a segway. Even if they were less expensive, they just didn't catch on, because we just couldn't figure out a meaning, so they became meaningless. [00:03:20]
When you decide to be a means to an end, your money becomes a means rather than an end as well, and you will begin to view all of your money, you will begin to view all of your resources, you'll begin to view your net worth, you'll begin to view everything, as a tool, and this is exactly we shouldn't be surprised. This is exactly what Jesus taught in one of his, are you kidding me? Did he really say that? Parables. [00:04:28]
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. He commended him in the parable because this guy had thought it through. He thought it through with the future in mind. He thought it through with his limited opportunity and his limited time and mind. He thought it through with his own future in mind and of course Jesus' audience may be like you the first time you've read this story. Maybe this is the first time you've heard it. Jesus' audience is very confused. [00:11:37]
The people of this world, he said, are more shrewd. That is, they are more thoughtful. They think things through better. They are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light, and the people of the light in that particular context, he was talking about the Jewish people who had an eternal promise from God that God was gonna do something fabulous through the nation. He's saying the people who have the covenants, the people who have the promises of God, sometimes aren't as thoughtful, and don't think things through as well as the people that just assume that all there is to this life is this life. [00:13:17]
Jesus' point is the reason this guy was commended, it's not because he was dishonest. He was commended because he took full advantage of his little bitty time, and his little bitty opportunity, and Jesus' point for you and for me, is simply this, that we are to do the same. That when it comes to our money, and when it comes to our wealth, and when it comes to our income, We are to view it within the context, not simply of this life, but the broader context, and we're to ask the question, how do I get maximum use out of it in light of my little bitty time on this planet and the little bit of opportunity that comes my way. [00:14:23]
Use worldly wealth, to which we might be inclined to say what other kind of wealth is there? Aha, the question. You're paying attention. Use worldly wealth, this is a command, to gain friends for yourselves like the money manager so that when it is gone, because it will be gone, actually, you'll be gone, but anyway. When it is gone, you will be, and this is so strange, welcomed into eternal dwellings. Now don't ask me to explain this, because I can't explain this, and in fact, isolated to the teaching of Jesus at this particular time in his life, this really doesn't make any sense, because the implications are unmissable. [00:15:58]
The implication is that our right now resources, that our right now resources, that your right now resources, have the potential to make a forever difference. That we can't take it with us. We've heard that our whole lives, right? We can't take it with us, but there is a way for us to have something to show for it beyond this life. It's a means to an end. As Jesus would say, it is a tool. Now, if Jesus is right, and I think he's right. If Jesus is right, it means, and I know this is a little different. Maybe if you've not heard this before. Different. A little disconcerting. [00:18:03]
The question that we should all ask at some level is how can I leverage more of what I have as a means to an end that's not me? How can I leverage more of what I have as a means to an end that is outside of what benefits me? Because as most of you already know, because all of us have experienced just enough of this to know, that is where joy is truly found, isn't it? [00:19:00]
Through the years, what actually happened, what actually transpired, is that we turn stuff into stories, and we don't miss the stuff. The stories are still very emotional for us. There are some stories that we can't tell to this day and years ago some of these things happen that we just don't tear up. When we think about the opportunities we had because we decided ahead of time. We decided ahead of time. It is all in play. It's all available. How do we use more of what comes our way and what sits in our bucket of resources to do things that are not simply for us? [00:22:00]
If being a means to an end, if being a means to an end, is what gives life meaning. If being a means to an end, is what makes anything meaningful. If something is not a means to an end, it has no meaning. It has no purpose. If being a means to an end, is what gives your life meaning and purpose, to what ends do you want your life to be a means? If being a means to an end goes beyond you is what gives your life purpose and meaning, to what ends? [00:31:35]
When you answer the big question and you start wrapping your heart around the answer to the big question, your money will follow, because money is a means to an end. Money is a tool. It's not the goal, and we've all lived long enough to have seen that in the lives of other people. We've all experienced just enough joy to know it's true. When you answer the big question, something begins to happen in your heart, but listen, until you answer the big question, until you answer the big question, you may just end up following your money and that would be shame, because live for yourself. [00:33:47]
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