Does Money Have Your Heart? Stewardship and Giving

Money is not the bad guy. The love of money is where things get dangerous, because money can start promising what only God can give: safety, security, peace, identity, and confidence about the future. The question is not how much somebody has. The question is, “Do you have money, or does money have you?”

The church’s approach to finances needs to be clear about the thing behind the thing. Financial accountability includes a finance team, a general board, elders, monthly reporting, annual budgets approved by members, receipts, expense reports, and no ability for one person to move money around or raise his own salary. Care for people cannot be tied to what they give, which is why the lead pastor chooses not to know who gives, who does not, or how much anybody gives.

Biblical giving is both worship and a real need for the local church. God does not need anybody’s money, but a church does need financial support to pay staff, fund ministry, serve families, support missionaries, and keep the lights on, even when the lights are doing their own thing. Scripture shows God’s people intentionally setting aside a portion of what God has given them, not just tossing God whatever happens to be left over.

The New Testament pushes giving deeper than a required percentage. Paul calls believers to decide in their hearts, give in keeping with their income, and give cheerfully rather than under compulsion. A tenth can be a helpful benchmark, but the real issue is whether a person recognizes that everything belongs to God and intentionally gives back for His purposes. A small, consistent starting point can be real worship when finances are hard.

Jesus confronts the heart of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19. The young man asks the wrong question: “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Jesus exposes that no one can earn eternal life through outward obedience, because only God is truly good. The man’s question finally becomes honest when he asks, “What do I still lack?”

Jesus sees what nobody else can see: money, position, and possessions have the young man’s heart. Jesus calls him to let go of the thing defining him and come follow Him, but the young man walks away sad because he has great wealth. The tragedy is not that he has money. The tragedy is that he cannot release it to follow the King standing right in front of him.

Identity changes the whole question. A steward does not own what has been entrusted to him; a steward takes care of it faithfully for the owner. Intentional giving loosens money’s grip, keeps hands open, and reminds the heart that money is a tool, not a master. God deserves all of the heart, not just the easy parts.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Money can become a false refuge. Money becomes dangerous when it is expected to deliver safety, peace, and identity. Those are not things a bank account can finally secure, no matter how large or small it is. God alone can hold a life steady when circumstances change. [54:15]
• 2. Giving begins with God’s ownership. Stewardship starts when ownership gives way to faithfulness. Every ability to work, save, build, enjoy, and give has been entrusted by God. The heart changes when the question becomes, “God, what do you want me to do with what you’ve given me?” [68:21]
• 3. Outward obedience cannot save anyone. The rich young ruler can name commandments he thinks he has kept, but his heart remains attached to another master. Jesus does not merely inspect religious behavior; He sees motives, loves people enough to expose them, and calls for wholehearted surrender. Grace saves, not a spiritual checklist. [62:26]
• 4. Intentional generosity loosens money’s grip. Giving is not meant to be whatever happens to be left over after every other desire gets paid. Consistent, decided-ahead-of-time generosity trains the heart to hold God’s gifts with open hands. Responsible saving and enjoying God’s provision can coexist with refusing to worship the gift instead of the Gift Giver. [71:55]
• 5. Jesus asks for the whole heart. The young ruler walks away because wealth has become too connected to his identity and control. Money is only one of many things that can take hold of the heart, alongside pride, anger, pain, betrayal, and hurt. Christ calls every rival out of the place that belongs to Him alone.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [27:48] - Why Talk About Money?
• [31:32] - Who Controls Church Finances?
• [35:14] - People Matter More Than Giving
• [37:00] - Why the Church Asks for Giving
• [38:18] - Biblical Portion Giving
• [45:04] - Growth, Budget, and Real Need
• [52:00] - Do You Have Money?
• [56:27] - The Rich Young Ruler
• [63:23] - Jesus Sees the Heart
• [67:52] - A Steward, Not an Owner
• [71:55] - Intentionality and Open Hands
• [75:01] - What Has Your Heart?

Bible Reading

Matthew 19:16–22
“And behold, a man came up to him and said, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.’ He said to him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said, ‘You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The young man said to him, ‘All these I have kept. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” [56:27] [01:03:23]

1 Timothy 6:10
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” [53:26]

2 Corinthians 9:7
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” [40:48]

Colossians 1:16
“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” [01:09:17]

Observation questions

1. What does the rich young ruler believe he must do in order to receive eternal life, and how does Jesus respond to his question about what is “good”? [58:07]
2. Which commandments does Jesus name, and what does the young man claim about his own obedience?
3. What does Jesus specifically tell the young man to do, and what two responses does Jesus call him to make after giving to the poor? [01:04:18]
4. According to 1 Timothy 6:10, what is described as dangerous: money itself or the love of money? What kinds of results can that craving produce? [53:26]

Interpretation questions

1. Why does Jesus lead the rich young ruler from the question, “What good deed must I do?” to the deeper question, “What do I still lack?” What does this reveal about outward religious obedience? [01:02:26]
2. Jesus does not tell every person in Scripture to sell all possessions. Why might He give this particular command to this man? What appears to have been competing with Jesus for the man’s heart? [01:03:36]
3. What does it mean that money can promise safety, peace, identity, and confidence about the future—things that only God can finally provide? [54:15]
4. How does seeing everything as created “through him and for him” change a believer’s view from being an owner to being a steward? [01:08:21]

Application questions

1. When finances feel tight, or when finances are going well, where is the temptation to look to money for security, peace, identity, or control instead of looking to God? [54:15]
2. Is there a particular possession, financial goal, lifestyle, debt, fear, or desire for control that may be holding too tightly to your heart? What would it look like to bring that honestly before Jesus?
3. Giving is meant to be decided in the heart rather than offered reluctantly or under pressure. What could intentional generosity look like in your current situation: a planned amount, a consistent schedule, or a small first step? [01:12:03]
4. For those in a difficult financial season, what is one wise and realistic way to practice worshipful generosity without neglecting rent, food, bills, or care for family? [48:33]
5. Where have you treated money mainly as “my money,” and how might the question change if it became, “God, what do You want me to do with what You have entrusted to me?” [01:10:28]
6. Responsible saving, providing for family, enjoying God’s gifts, and generosity can all belong together. What would open-handed and responsible stewardship look like in one practical area of your budget this week? [01:13:44]
7. If money does not seem to be the main rival for your heart, what else may be taking that place—pride, anger, past hurt, pain, betrayal, or something else? What would surrendering that area to Christ look like? [01:15:30]