Send It Ahead
Read: Matthew 6:19-34 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth. (v. 19) My wife and I lived in the Netherlands from 2009 to 2010. When we decided to return to the United States, we did a number of things anyone in our position would have done. We evaluated which of our possessions we would […]
The Man Who Couldn’t Let Go
Read: Mark 10:17-31 Sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. (v. 21) One of the problems with possessions is that we can become enslaved to them. Think of how differently you behave after putting new carpet in a room. Shoes, pets, food, […]
The Last Cent
Read: Mark 12:38-44 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins. (v. 42) Context is crucial when interpreting Scripture, and I’ve included a few verses preceding the story of the widow’s offering to help place it into context. Many commentators believe that Jesus was criticizing a corrupt religious system for taking this poor […]
What is Money For?
Read: Luke 16:1-10 Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth. (v. 9) I pay special attention to every sermon I hear on this text, and without fail the pastor inevitably says, “It’s hard to say exactly what this parable is about.” Challenges arise because on the surface it appears that Jesus is praising dishonesty. […]
The Stewardship of Pain
Read: Matthew 25:14-30 I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. (v. 25) A compelling nonfinancial interpretation of the parable of the talents comes from the pastor and writer Frederick Buechner in an essay called “The Stewardship of Pain.” Buechner says the parable asks, “How do we get the most out […]
Do Something!
Read: Matthew 25:14-30 Enter into the joy of your master. (v. 21) The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 is one of the most often-used stewardship texts. I’ve heard of pastors who have given members of their congregation amounts of money and a limited time period to see what they can do for the kingdom […]
The God of Abundance
Read: Matthew 14:13-21 And they all ate and were satisfied. (v. 20) When it comes to how Christians should relate to their money, I’m uncomfortable with the word stewardship. That may sound surprising, since stewardship is the word Christians use most when talking about money. But I hear stewardship being used to justify stinginess. “I’m just […]
In What (or Whom) Do You Trust?
Read: Matthew 6:24-34 No one can serve two masters. (v. 24) On the way to church one Sunday morning, our six-year-old daughter said, “I need some money for the Sunday school offering.” Searching her purse, my wife asked our four-year-old son if he needed money for the offering too. “Nope,” he said. “They let me come […]
Retirement?
Read: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-17 Do not grow weary in doing good. (v. 13) The gospel calls us to endure to the end. It does not envision and cannot tolerate the idleness of the people Paul described in his letter. Some in Thessalonica thought receiving Christ meant they could take it easy and wait around for Jesus. […]