Emptying Self and Finances

Introduction

It is at this time of the year that we realize the impact of money on our lives. There is an increased demand on us to spend during the time of the year that has just passed. Even if one budgets carefully for any spending during the holiday season, there are additional demands made. As a congregation you were asked to provide additional funds for our missionaries and to assist with an effort to provide for the homeless and now to give further assistance to the Whaleys as they begin their work in Australia.

This says nothing about the cost of everyday living. With gas prices coming down, we have experienced some relief but there are still the expenses of food, house, utilities, and entertainment. And most of us want to contribute to the work here. Today I want to talk about money and our attitude toward it. Before you come to any preconceived conclusions, let me be absolutely clear—our study time together is not about denouncing wealth or trying to guilt you into giving more. Our time will focus on attitude toward wealth and if we understand the biblical view toward money then as God’s people we will come closer to what God wants from us.

Scripture

Preaching forces the one speaking to not only prepare a lesson for others to hear but to be forced to think about that lesson in a very personal way. The better lessons are those in which the speaker is challenged along with the hearers. Such is the case today. Let’s start with our text. As Dwight and I have tried to flesh out our vision statement the past several Sundays, this text has served as a springboard for our thinking. Thinking like Jesus thinks is never easy. Over the next several weeks, we will try to demonstrate how Jesus’ thinking impacts several areas of life. How did Jesus think? He emptied himself. He chose to limit himself for the sake of others.

To think like Jesus means to choose to limit self. Jesus had ultimate power and control, but he chose to limit himself. While we do not have the same kind of level of power and control as Jesus, we do have power and control. In Genesis 1:28 as God completes his creation, he gives human beings the power to rule over the earth. This power illustrates the dilemma. God grants us power. What do we do with that power is the question? Some believe this idea of ruling over the earth is indicative of authority and ownership. But what we fail to see is that this “rule” was given to us by the ultimate ruler. By his gift, God limited himself. He gave to his creation power and control; thus, limiting his own power and control for our sake. The earth, however, didn’t become ours but a place for us to utilize God’s gift.

In other words, God’s self-limiting gift provides the insight we need to understand our own view toward this earth. We imitate God in limiting our power as well. But this is not just my thinking. Notice that in Genesis 3, we have human beings trying to become like God. Instead of imitating God in limiting self, they chose to ignore God and become their own god. The result was clear—the ground became cursed and grew thorns and thistles. The point—to see our existence on this earth as more than gift is to do so to our own detriment. The earth is not ours. We have been granted an opportunity to enjoy and have dominion over this earth but not to be used selfishly. Instead, like God we are to limit ourselves for the benefit of others.

This is what Jesus did. To think like Jesus means that we like him learn to limit our power. Jesus limited the use of his power although that power was available to him. In his temptations, he could have turned stones to bread or had all nations bow to him. But he limited his power for our benefit. He didn’t heal everyone although he could have. He limited his ministry to three years although he could have lived longer. But his mission was not to relieve human suffering but to make it possible for all to be in relationship with Father. He didn’t call a legion of angels to set him free although he had the power to do so. He limited himself to increase relationship.

If we understand the intent of God, then limiting our power in relationship to this world is done for the opportunity to engage others. We do not seek the accumulation of things in order to become self-sufficient; we no longer have to be anxious and worried about having enough; we can learn to be content because God has provided and we limit our use of those provisions.

Concrete

Let me make this concrete. In the parables of Jesus an idea is found again and again. It is the idea of stewardship. In Matthew 25 in a set of parables designed to make the point for God’s followers to be constantly ready for God’s return, Jesus tells the parable about the talents. Three men are given a sum of money and when God returns an accounting is demanded. This is the idea of stewardship. The money was given but accountability was demanded. The money was given. Each man knew it was a gift. Each man knew there was responsibility associated with this money. And each man knew that when the time came they were to be prepared to explain how they had used the money. This is stewardship.

In Luke 12, the master leaves and places much at his manager’s disposal. The wise manager uses the master’s wealth to help those who are in need. The foolish manager uses the master’s wealth for his own benefit. When the master returns, the foolish manager is punished. The master is not pleased when the manager uses the master’s wealth for his own benefit. The wise manager did not use the master’s wealth for self but instead limited its use to increase relationship. This is stewardship.

Stewardship is recognizing that material things are gifts from God. They can be used for self or we can limit our accumulation and access to these gifts in order to increase relationship with those who do not have the same access to these gifts. The danger of possessions is that a person will tend to trust them and not God. This was the issue for the rich young ruler in Luke 18. Stewardship is about our attitude toward this world and the master who gives us his gifts.

The story of the Rich young ruler demonstrates that it is our attitude which is at stake. Nothing in the story is said about the poor’s needs. What is stressed is that the ruler needs to change his attitude toward wealth. There are two ways in which a Christian may view his money—“How much of my money shall I use for God?” or “How much of God’s money shall I use for myself?”

This world belongs to God. Ownership has never been the issue except in our own minds. How do I know that God owns this world? He sent his ultimate servant, Jesus, to this earth. By doing so he not only revealed that he owned the earth but once again demonstrated how he thinks about this earth and how he wants us to think. He limited himself. When we act like the world is ours, then we lie to ourselves and develop an attitude which does not reflect the thinking of Jesus. As Jesus limited himself for the sake of others, then we limit ourselves for the same reason. The result—exaltation. Not in this life but in the life to come. Just as every knee will bow down to Jesus as we have shared in his thinking so shall we share in his glory. We will all have been held accountable for our use of God’s wealth. Let us limit self for the sake of others.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.