Rooted Series Week 8: How Does God Want Me to View Money?

Oct 20, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Basketball Held More Heart Than Jesus

The story of a dorm room floor moment reveals how easily good things become ultimate things. God often uses seasons of loss to expose misplaced treasures. When achievements, relationships, or ambitions grip our hearts tighter than Christ, He lovingly disrupts our false security. Surrender happens not when we gain more blessings, but when we release what we’ve wrongly enthroned. True freedom comes when our worth rests in being loved, not in being successful. [06:57]

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: What “good thing” in your life currently feels hardest to hold with open hands? How might surrendering it to Christ deepen your experience of His worthiness?

Day 2: The Rich Young Ruler’s Unclenched Fist

Jesus’ piercing gaze exposed a heart paralyzed by possessions. The command to sell everything wasn’t about poverty, but about dethroning money as a functional savior. Wealth often becomes a barrier not because it’s evil, but because it’s easier to trust visible security than invisible grace. The tragedy isn’t having riches, but letting riches have you. Jesus’ invitation to surrender always flows from love, not condemnation. [17:56]

“Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” (Mark 10:21, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you sense Jesus lovingly asking you to exchange temporary control for eternal trust? What makes this exchange feel costly yet necessary?

Day 3: Zacchaeus’ Wallet and Worship

A cheating tax collector’s radical generosity revealed a transformed heart. True repentance always redirects our resources. When Christ becomes our treasure, money shifts from being hoarded to being harnessed for kingdom impact. Zacchaeus didn’t give to earn salvation, but because salvation had gripped him. Overflowing generosity is the natural fruit of encountering Jesus’ worth. [44:26]

“Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’” (Luke 19:8, ESV)

Reflection: What practical step could you take this week to align your spending/saving/giving with what you say matters most to God?

Day 4: Barnabas’ Field and Eternal Farming

A Levite’s land sale funded eternal investments. Barnabas saw earthly possessions as seed for spiritual harvest. The early church’s radical sharing wasn’t communism, but Christ-communion – tangible love flowing from resurrected hearts. Every financial decision either entrenches us in earthly kingdoms or advances God’s eternal one. Generosity isn’t about amounts, but about allegiance. [47:15]

“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” (Acts 4:36-37, ESV)

Reflection: What “field” has God entrusted to you that could be leveraged to encourage others spiritually? How does eternity reshape your view of ownership?

Day 5: Crowns at the Lamb’s Feet

Heaven’s elders cast their crowns before the throne, modeling ultimate surrender. Our earthly resources and achievements find their true purpose when offered back to the Giver. Every act of generosity here rehearses for eternity’s worship. The Lamb’s worthiness makes all other treasures seem like pocket change. True wealth isn’t measured by what we accumulate, but by what we relinquish to Christ. [58:14]

“They lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.’” (Revelation 4:10-11, ESV)

Reflection: What would it look like today to live as a crown-holder who’s always ready to cast accolades and assets at Jesus’ feet?

Sermon Summary

Money is never just about dollars and cents. Money gets right to the heart of what holds a person’s peace, worth, dignity, and value. Basketball once held a place that only Jesus should have held, and God used disappointment, a bench seat, and a dark dorm room to break that grip. The cost of surrender was not greater than the cross where Jesus bought that life, and the same truth presses on every attachment that sits on the throne of the heart.

God gives money as a blessed tool to showcase His generous character. Money itself is neither good nor evil, but the love of money becomes “a root of all kinds of evil” because it can chain a heart to covetousness, control, and fear. Proverbs honors diligence and hard work, yet Proverbs and Ecclesiastes also expose the lie that wealth can satisfy. Wealth sprouts wings, riches never say “enough,” and chasing money becomes an endless pursuit that ends in misery.

Jesus meets the rich young ruler with love, not manipulation. Jesus sees a man kneeling before Him, asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, while still trusting his own moral record and his great wealth. Jesus tells him to sell what he has, give to the poor, and follow Him because money has become his god. The man walks away sad because temporary riches matter more to him than treasure in heaven.

Jesus makes clear that no amount of money, morality, or human effort can get a person into God’s kingdom. The camel and the eye of the needle reveal the impossibility of self-salvation, while God makes possible what man never can. The rich man in Luke 16 warns that a whole life can be spent building an earthly kingdom only to discover too late that earthly luxury cannot save.

Zacchaeus, Joseph of Arimathea, and Barnabas show a different response. Jesus changes hearts, and changed hearts move from “Do I have to?” to “God, thank You for letting me be a conduit of Your grace.” Generosity does not purchase salvation, but it reveals where allegiance has gone. God owns everything, and His children are called to hold money with open hands.

Revelation lifts every crown, every honor, every bit of wealth, and every sacrifice before the throne of the Lamb. Jesus alone is worthy because He was slain and purchased a people for God. This world is sour now, but heaven is coming sweet. Christians are not living to last here. They are living to leave.

Key Takeaways

1. Money reveals what holds the heart. Money can quietly become the place where a person looks for security, value, and peace. The issue is not merely having resources, but allowing resources to become a little god. Jesus does not compete for a corner of the heart; He calls for ultimate allegiance. [07:39]
2. Wealth cannot purchase eternal life. The rich young ruler had morality, influence, and great possessions, but none of them could save him. Human effort cannot make a person righteous before God. Only the scarred hands and feet of Jesus can pay the price of redemption. [24:14]
3. Generosity flows from changed allegiance. Zacchaeus did not give in order to make Jesus love him. Jesus entered his life, captured his heart, and his money lost its grip. A generous life becomes a visible witness that Christ is more valuable than what can be stored, spent, or protected. [43:56]
4. Earthly treasures cannot endure forever. Riches can disappear, bodies grow weak, and earthly kingdoms crumble. God calls His people to remember that this life is a vapor and that eternity is not. The heart set on pilgrimage can sacrifice now because heaven’s reward is real. [50:41]
5. Jesus is worthy of open hands. The Lamb was slain, purchased His people by His blood, and alone is worthy to receive wealth, honor, glory, and praise. Every sacrifice finds its true meaning at the cross. The cost of surrender will never be greater than the cross where Jesus bought His people. [1:01:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:21] - How Does God Want Us to View Money?
[01:41] - What Holds Your Heart?
[02:05] - When Basketball Became an Idol
[08:05] - The Cost of Surrender and the Cross
[09:17] - Money as a Tool of Blessing
[11:44] - The Love of Money
[14:21] - The Endless Pursuit of Wealth
[16:24] - The Rich Young Ruler
[20:19] - Jesus Calls for Surrender Because He Loves
[28:13] - Walking Away Sad
[34:53] - The Rich Man and Lazarus
[41:25] - From “Do I Have To?” to “Thank You”
[42:27] - Zacchaeus and a Changed Heart
[46:30] - Joseph, Barnabas, and Open-Handed Generosity
[49:04] - Living to Leave
[53:22] - Give Me Neither Poverty Nor Riches
[56:36] - Worthy Is the Lamb
[1:00:05] - Jesus Alone Is Worthy

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Mark 10:17-23
“And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, 'Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' And Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: "Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother."' And he said to him, 'Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.' And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.' Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” [16:24]

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.” [11:45]

Revelation 5:12-13
“saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!' And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” [56:36]

Observation questions

In Mark 10:17–23, what does the man ask Jesus, and what does his question reveal about how he thinks eternal life is received? [23:15]
What does Jesus do and say before calling the rich man to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him? [17:51]
According to 1 Timothy 6:10, what is identified as dangerous: money itself or the love of money? What painful results can follow from that love? [11:45]
In Revelation 5:12–13, what are the Lamb and the One seated on the throne declared worthy to receive? [01:01:41]

Interpretation questions

Why is it important that Jesus looks at the rich young ruler with love before confronting the place wealth holds in his heart? How does that shape the way believers should understand Jesus’ calls to surrender? [26:27]
The rich young ruler had a strong moral record, yet he still depended on himself. Why can morality, hard work, and financial success become substitutes for trusting Christ alone for salvation? [24:07]
Why does wealth create a particular spiritual danger, even though money can be used for good? What kinds of security, control, or identity can wealth falsely promise? [33:30]
Zacchaeus’ generosity followed his encounter with Jesus. What does his response show about the difference between giving in order to earn salvation and giving because one’s allegiance has changed? [43:49]

Application questions

Where is the temptation strongest to measure personal worth by net worth, possessions, career success, savings, or the ability to provide? What would it look like to root that worth again in Jesus? [33:30]
Is there a financial fear, possession, goal, or lifestyle expectation that is difficult to hold with open hands? What makes surrendering it to Jesus feel costly? [08:57]
Money is a tool meant to display God’s generous character. What is one specific need—within the church, a neighbor’s life, or the wider community—where the group could prayerfully consider being a conduit of grace? [47:39]
When generosity feels inconvenient or painful, does the heart tend to ask, “Do I have to?” What could help move that response toward gratitude for the opportunity to participate in God’s work? [41:41]
What practical habit could help loosen money’s grip this week: giving intentionally, helping someone in need, reviewing spending, practicing contentment, or thanking God for His provision? [54:27]
Jesus alone is worthy of wealth, honor, glory, and praise. How does remembering the cross and the coming reality of heaven change the way believers can make financial decisions today? [01:02:12]

Sermon Clips

36s

#GodMakesAllThingsPossible

“All things are possible with God. What Jesus is trying to get these guys to understand is that there's no way that you, yourselves, and I are gonna get your way to heaven. There's no amount of wealth. There's no amount of riches. There's no amount of work. There is nothing you can do. It's like a it's like a camel going through the eye of a needle if we are depending upon ourselves to enter into the kingdom of God.”

65s

#TreasureYourHeart

“Like, my heart, guys, I expressed this last week. Like, I want none of us in this room to have the fate of the rich man who walked away sad, who who put all of their worth, all of their value on what they had on this earth. Because all of this here is gonna be eaten away. It's gonna be destroyed. We are gonna be here, and then we are gonna be gone tomorrow, so to speak. What kind of treasure are you accumulating for yourself? What ultimately holds your heart? Our money cannot give us righteousness. Our money cannot give us sanctification. Our money cannot give us ultimate redemption. Only Jesus can do that.”

64s

#SavedByGrace

“We understand that none of us could do enough to earn, to deserve, to inherit eternal life. The goodness and favor of God, none of us could do enough. We could work tirelessly every single day. And if we get to the throne of God and we loft up our works and say, God, this is what I've done for you. Look at what I have done. And our hearts are dependent upon the work instead of the heart of our savior. Those works add up to a pile of filthy before our God. When we get to heaven's throne, all we have to do is point at the work of our savior. To point at his his his scarred wrists and feet and say, that man paid my price. He paid my way.”

50s

#MoneyAsABlessing

“God, just give me what I need. And whatever you give me, God, give me enough so that I can give some away. Give me opportunities. Give me your grace with the time, the talent, the treasure that I have. God help me by the power of your holy spirit to be a vessel, to be a conduit of your character. That's how God wants us to view money, not something to hoard, not something to put on the throne of our lives, but a tool of blessing that he wants us to distribute, to showcase his character.”

52s

#RepentanceChangesEverything

“But now that Jesus had entered his life, he had something far more valuable, some far far far more worthwhile than the riches and wealth that that he had cheated his way to have. And he says, Jesus, I'm gonna give four times more back to the people that I have cheated. I'm gonna give half of what I've accumulated to the poor. Because in that moment, his allegiance, his covetousness, his chasing, his love of money transferred in repentance to loving Jesus and seeing Jesus as his king, as his lord. Jesus now held his heart.”

54s

#JesusIsWorthIt

“He is worthy of our sacrifices. He is worthy of our praise. What he has given to us, the finances, the the blessings that that he has put in front of us, they're not ours to hoard. They're ours to use as tools of blessing to showcase to people that Jesus worthy. That Jesus is worth it. That he is the king. That there is a heaven. That there is an eternal reward. That can be had for anybody who simply looks at Jesus and says, Jesus, I trust You are the strength of my life. You are the hope of my future.”

49s

#SecurityInChrist

“Like, why did you forfeit? Why did you sacrifice eternal riches in the kingdom of God for for some temporary things that the moths will one day eat up and destroy? We need to consider this for ourselves. This man walks away sad because his worth, his dignity, his value, it was attached to what he had earned. And the reality is this, our enemy, he wants us to find our security in our net worth and not in the priceless gift of Jesus Christ.”

52s

#GenerousLiving

“Because what he was witnessing God do within the church was more worthwhile to him than holding a piece of land. When our hearts are changed, we will respond in generosity. We will consider what God has given to us, and we will thank, we will process, we will thoughtfully pray. God, how do you want me to use this? God, how do you how do you want me to distribute this? How do you want me to display your character with this? Because, God, I recognize that all that I have, it is not ultimately from me. It is it is from you, the giver of good and perfect gifts.”

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