True Wealth: Investing in God's Kingdom, Not Possessions

In a world on the brink of the greatest transfer of wealth in history, it’s easy to believe that more money will solve our problems and secure our happiness. Yet, sudden wealth often brings unexpected dangers—addictive behaviors, broken relationships, and family divisions. The real question is not how much we have, but what our hearts are set on. Jesus, when confronted with a dispute over inheritance, refused to settle the matter directly. Instead, He pointed to a deeper issue: life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. Covetousness, the desire for what others have, can blind us to the blessings already given by God and distort our sense of contentment.

Scripture does not condemn wealth itself, nor does it demand that we live in poverty. Rather, it challenges us to examine whether our pursuit of wealth draws us closer to God or pulls us away. We are called to be stewards, not owners, of what God has entrusted to us. The danger lies not in having money, but in making it our life’s goal, believing that happiness and security are found in what we possess. Jesus’ parable of the rich man with overflowing barns illustrates this truth. The man’s problem was not his success or prudent planning, but his self-centeredness and exclusion of God from his plans. He lived for the temporary, forgetting the eternal reality that awaits every soul.

True riches are found in what money cannot buy: salvation, loving relationships, health, joy, and purpose. These are gifts from God, not commodities to be acquired. The story of Stanley Tam, who gave his business to God and used its profits for the kingdom, reminds us that generosity and eternal investment are the marks of a heart aligned with God’s purposes. Ultimately, we must decide whether we will live for ourselves or for God. Our time, resources, and energy are a diary of our true values. When our lives end, only what we have invested in God’s kingdom will last. The call is clear: live with eternity in view, be rich toward God, and let contentment and generosity define your legacy.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Sudden wealth can be a spiritual hazard, exposing the heart’s true affections and often leading to destructive behaviors and fractured relationships. The pursuit of more, without spiritual grounding, can unravel the very fabric of our lives and families. True security is not found in abundance, but in a heart anchored in God’s purposes. [00:49]
• 2. Jesus redirects our focus from material disputes to the deeper issue of covetousness, warning that life’s meaning is not measured by possessions. Coveting blinds us to God’s blessings and breeds discontent, shifting our gaze from gratitude to what we lack. Contentment is a spiritual discipline that protects our hearts from the endless cycle of comparison and desire. [04:26]
• 3. Wealth is not inherently evil, nor is planning for the future unspiritual; the issue is whether God remains at the center of our stewardship. Wise planning and diligence are commended in Scripture, but when our plans exclude God, we risk building a life on a foundation of self-sufficiency and pride. Stewardship means recognizing that all we have belongs to God and is to be used for His glory. [19:21]
• 4. The brevity of life and the certainty of eternity demand that we invest in what truly lasts. Living only for the present and for ourselves is called foolishness by God, for we cannot take our wealth with us. The wise person lives with eternity in view, seeking to be rich toward God by investing in His kingdom and purposes. [34:22]
• 5. Generosity and kingdom-minded living are the antidotes to the self-centered accumulation of wealth. Stories like Stanley Tam’s challenge us to surrender our resources to God, trusting that He can multiply their impact far beyond what we could achieve alone. Our legacy is not measured by what we keep, but by what we give away for God’s glory. [28:09]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:49] - The Dangers of Sudden Wealth
• [01:48] - The Cost of Accumulation
• [02:30] - Greed, Jealousy, and Family Division
• [03:31] - Jesus Confronts the Inheritance Dispute
• [04:26] - Life Beyond Possessions
• [06:01] - Misconceptions About Money and the Church
• [07:23] - What the Bible Really Says About Wealth
• [08:24] - Stewardship and the Heart
• [10:12] - The Trap of Coveting
• [12:00] - A Mental Exercise in Contentment
• [15:21] - True Riches: What Money Can’t Buy
• [17:45] - The Parable of the Rich Fool
• [19:21] - Wise Planning and God’s Role
• [20:39] - The Real Problem: Excluding God
• [22:17] - The Snare of Wanting to Be Rich
• [25:54] - The Story of Stanley Tam
• [32:50] - The Eternal Perspective
• [34:22] - Living for What Lasts
• [36:49] - Serving Two Masters
• [39:43] - The Final Question: What Will You Do With Your Wealth?

Bible Reading

Luke 12:13-21 (NKJV) — > Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
> Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’
> But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
> “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Observation Questions

1. What was the dispute that brought the man to Jesus, and how did Jesus respond to his request? ([03:31])
2. According to Jesus in verse 15, what is the real danger behind the man’s request for his share of the inheritance? ([04:26])
3. In the parable, what did the rich man decide to do with his abundant harvest, and what was God’s response to his plan? ([19:21])
4. What does Jesus say about the relationship between life and possessions? ([05:25])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus refused to settle the inheritance dispute directly, and instead warned about covetousness? What deeper issue was He addressing? ([04:26])
2. The rich man in the parable planned for his future and was successful. According to the sermon, what was his real mistake, and how can planning for the future become spiritually dangerous? ([20:39])
3. The sermon mentions that wealth itself is not condemned in Scripture, but the pursuit of wealth can be hazardous. How does the desire for more affect our relationship with God and others? ([21:30])
4. What does it mean to be “rich toward God,” and how is this different from simply having material wealth? ([36:49])

Application Questions

1. The sermon described how sudden wealth can lead to addictive behaviors and broken relationships. Have you ever seen or experienced how money (or the desire for more) has affected relationships in your family or community? What happened, and what could have been done differently? ([00:49])
2. Jesus warns against covetousness and says that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. Are there things you find yourself comparing with others or wishing you had? How does this affect your sense of gratitude and contentment? ([04:26])
3. The parable’s rich man left God out of his plans. When you make decisions about your finances, career, or future, how do you include God in the process? Is there an area where you tend to rely on your own plans instead of seeking God’s direction? ([20:39])
4. The sermon shared a mental exercise about stripping away comforts to help us appreciate what we have. What is one thing you take for granted that you want to thank God for this week? ([12:00])
5. Stanley Tam’s story was about giving his business to God and using its profits for the kingdom. What is one resource (time, talent, or treasure) you could surrender to God’s purposes in a new way? ([28:09])
6. The sermon said our time, resources, and energy are a diary of our true values. If someone looked at your calendar and bank statement, what would they say you value most? Is there something you want to change about how you invest your time or money? ([31:49])
7. The call is to live with eternity in view and be rich toward God. What is one practical step you can take this month to invest in God’s kingdom—whether through generosity, serving, or building relationships? ([34:22])