Man and His Money

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: James 5:1-3Stewardship is the area of life that tells how men make money and, more importantly, how God makes men.Adrian Rogers says, “A man’s character, religion and spirituality may be measured by his attitude toward money more than anything else.”Money is a necessary means of exchange; the Bible warns us that though money is not sinful or evil in itself, the love of money is the root of all evil. God is concerned with our finances because of the many deceptions, disagreements, and disasters traced back to money. James 5 shares invaluable insight on man and his money.First, God is interested in how we save our money.“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! …You have heaped up treasure in the last days” (James 5:1,3). Some people have stagnant wealth, collecting money for money’s sake rather than for living. God wants us to be wise and save money for the future. Riches and honor come from the Lord; however, the Bible condemns heaping up and hoarding wealth. God wants everything—including money—in circulation; there is enough to go around, to take care of everything. There is no need to keep money for the sheer love of money.Second, God is interested in how we secure money.In James 5:4, James calls out men who were suppressing the poor and withholding their wages for economic power. God is against wrongly-obtained gain, especially when it oppresses the poor. There is a curse reserved for ill-gotten gain. We must be careful that we make an honest wage from an honorable business.God also sees how we spend our money.While God takes pleasure in the prosperity and enjoyment of his servants, He is against selfishness, lavishness, and wastefulness. It is so much better to give than to receive, and our money could be used for so much more than earthly possessions.Finally, God sees how we share our money.One day soon, we will see the Lord Jesus and we will give an account of our stewardship.What we give is never lost; in the end, all we have is what we have given away.Apply it to your lifeWhat does your relationship with money look like? Are you wise in how you save it, secure it, spend it, and share it with others?