Preparing for the Next Life (II): Giving, Saving, Spending

Luke 12:13-21

This was the most expensive sermons I’ve prepared. And I hope it will be so for you as well.

Last week we looked at the parable of the rich fool, and today, I’m going to spend some time reviewing the main ideas from last week.

A good number of us were away last weekend,

I want to talk about some of the practical, financial implications that come out of this parable, but it is very important for us to understand the theological background/foundation. What we believe is the real issue.

1. Jesus emphasizes a different perspective: Live like He’s coming back.

Last week we looked at the context of this parable and saw that Jesus emphasizes his second coming, the day of reckoning, a day of accountability.

Jesus repeatedly urges us to always be prepared for His return.

We’re to be like a homeowner always prepared for the thief.

How many times has your computer frozen, and you thought, just give me 2 seconds to save my file! But it’s too late. How many people regularly save their files, back up their hard drives?

Never know when, you have to be prepared. Christ is coming back, and we’re to be ready.

The parable of the 10 virgins emphasizes how we must always be ready, even if we have to wait a long time.

The parable of the talents and the parable of the sheep and the goats emphasize a day of reckoning, where we will have to give an account of how we’ve used our Master’s resources, of what we have or haven’t done to the least of these brothers of mine.

“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done”. . . Come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev 22)

The rich fool is a parable about the one who was not prepared for Christ’s return, for the day of reckoning. Here is a man who only thought about this life.

In particular, this story is about a man who was unprepared for the day of reckoning with regard to his finances. We will have to give an account of how we managed our money, whether we were rich toward God or just rich toward ourselves.

To live in light of Christ’s return means to know that God will audit our finances. God wants to see that we were rich toward Him, not ourselves.

We should spend less on ourselves. Don’t buy so much, don’t always get the best. Live below your means.

We should be rich toward God. Give to the poor, Kingdom ministries.

2. Jesus points to the deeper problem: a wrong view of life

Jesus says, “Man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Some people are greedy because they believe life is about money and what money can buy. Happiness is found in possessions, power, pleasure, comfort, etc.

Life is about getting as much as you can. (some of this from Affluenza, a PBS show from 1997)

And so people spend far more than they should; we’re in a materialistic, consummeristic culture

§ 80% of Americans owe more than they own (negative net value).

§ In 1996, more Americans declared bankruptcy than graduated from college.

§ 85% of people age 65 have less than $250 in available cash.

§ On average, Americans shop six hours a week and spend only 40 minutes playing with their children.

§ 1996, Americans, who make up only five percent of the world's population, used nearly a third of its resources and produced almost half of its hazardous waste.

§ Since 1950 (to 1996), Americans have used more resources than everyone who has ever lived before them.

We live in a society that completely embraces this view of life. American consumerism.

We are the wealthiest society that has ever lived on this planet, and yet we all feel like we’re “just” getting buy. We need more.

If you think you’re living an average American lifestyle, you need to recognize “average” is consumeristic and materialistic.

You’re probably always thinking about the next thing you want to buy, next upgrade, home improvement project, gadget, vacation, etc.

This life is to prepare for the next life

This life is just a short, temporary, 50, 70, 90 years that has a huge and direct impact on how we spend our million, billion, trillion year eternity. [visual]

We take this life too seriously and eternity too lightly.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose” (Jim Elliot)

It is out of this view of life that we eagerly await Christ’s return, that we prepare for that Day of Reckoning, that we store on treasure in heaven not on earth.

3. Jesus has given us the Kingdom.

There is an interesting tension between this parable and the following section.

Jesus is both urging us to prepare for that day of reckoning, to know there are consequences to our actions and choices.

But He is also assuring us of the Father’s love, care, provisions. V. 32, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.”

The posture of the Christian is not poverty but wealth. We’re not ascetics as much as we are billionaires. This is the gospel dynamic: we already have, Christ has already richly given.

§ If someone gave you $1,000 of Microsoft stock in 1990, it would be worth $50,000 in 2004.

§ If someone gave you $1,000 of Cisco Systems when it went public in 1990, it would be $200,000.

§ If someone gave you a West Philly house 6 years ago, probably worth about $140,000, that was in the Penn Alexander school catchment area, that house could very well be worth $500,000 today.

If we only knew yesterday what we know today!

Christ says, “I didn’t give you Cisco Systems stock or a West Philly house. I’ve given you the Kingdom! You don’t understand the value of what I’ve given you.” I believe in heaven, we’ll be reeling in wonder at the riches of the kingdom, and we say, “If only I understood back then what I know see today—it would have changed my life!”

The Gospel is about what we already have in Christ, what Christ has secured for us. Gospel living is living in the freedom and joy that comes from all that we already have in Christ.

Let me address some practical issues that this text might raise.

What about saving?

This passage looks like its condemning saving. Should we not save?

Several Proverbs celebrate the virtue of saving:

In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil,

but a foolish man devours all he has. (Pr 21:20)

⁶ Go to the ant, you sluggard;

consider its ways and be wise!

⁷ It has no commander,

no overseer or ruler,

⁸ yet it stores its provisions in summer

and gathers its food at harvest. (Pr 6:6-8)

The problem for many American is that they’re too impulsive and consume too much that they don’t have much in savings.

§ Despite being the wealthiest society in the history of civilization, 80% of Americans owe more than they own (negative net value).

§ In the event of a job loss, average American family is 3-6 weeks away from bankruptcy.

If we look closely, these verses applaud savings as opposed to indiscriminate consumption and laziness.

If we’re not saving because we just keep buy things or because we’re lazy, then Proverbs calls us fools.

1. We should practice simplicity and diligence and save money.

A quick word on credit card debt: this is a biblical no-brainer.

To devour all we have, and then borrow against tomorrow to devour more, this is utter foolishness.

Biblical wisdom suggests we’re to spend less than we earn and save, not more than we earn and go into debt! Credit cards make it too easy to overspend.

The Bible also condemns hoarding.

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³ Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. (James 5:1-2)

The rich fool wasn’t condemned for being a spender; he was condemned for being a saver, a hoarder.

We’re to save but not hoard. So what’s the difference?

Alcorn suggests one essential difference is faith. Saving means we take appropriate responsibility for our future needs (expected and unexpected needs).

Hoarding means we no longer have to trust God. In the midst of savings, we need to make sure we’re still trusting in God and not our savings accounts.

The person who has enough to never need God to provide is in a dangerous place.

⁷ “Two things I ask of you, O LORD;

do not refuse me before I die:

⁸ Keep falsehood and lies far from me;

give me neither poverty nor riches,

but give me only my daily bread.

⁹ Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you

and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’

Or I may become poor and steal (Proverbs 30:7-9)

We don’t want to be in a place where we don’t need God.

The very next passage, Lk 12:22-34, is all about trusting our Heavenly Father. Don’t worry like the pagans. Your Father who takes good care of lilies and ravens will take good care of you. We don’t worry about what to eat or drink because we trust our Heavenly Father will take care of us. Seek His kingdom first, and all these things will be added.

Our money management should reflect that we trust God.

2. We should depend on God, not our savings (that would be hoarding).

Dad: never saved for retirement, house, kids college.

Amazingly all three of his kids went to college, they bought a house, and they have now retired, and they’re going to be okay! God faithfully provided for them.

We need to be responsible and save. But more than that, we need to seek God and trust Him.

Let’s talk about retirement/savings.

Personally, I’m on the other side of my dad. I’ve been conscious of my retirement fund. I’ve talked with a financial planner and he showed me how, if I want to have a certain level of income, starting at a certain age, with a life expectancy of such, I need to be putting away this much today.

And then we having something for our kids college education. If we want to send three boys to college and give x amount per child per year of college, then we need to put away z amount each month.

My conservative, saver side kept feeling, Honey, maybe we could try to save a little more each month, maybe we could keep our spending down and save as much as we can.

But now I think I don’t need to save the whole amount. I don’t have to stress about trying to do that. I should not worry saving all that I think I need, and I shouldn’t let that keep me from being more generous with others.

I need to be rich toward God, and trust He’ll provide for my needs. Seek first His Kingdom and all these things will be added to you as well.

Giving comes before saving/spending. That is, we don’t make sure we have everything we need before we start giving. No, we give and trust that God provides.

We might add this is another aspect of hoarding: hoarders don’t give. They just keep for themselves.

This actually freed me this week. I feel a lot less stressed about having to save for retirement and about kids education. The Bible says my job is not to save all money. I should save, but more than that, I should give, be generous, and trust God.

3. We want to be rich toward God: we’re to give.

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18)

We’re to give to those in need.

“When I hoard, I’m unwilling to part with what I’ve saved to meet others’ needs, because my possible future needs outweigh their actual present needs.” (Alcorn, 332-333)

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (Eph 4:28)

We’re to earn money (not to spend on ourselves, not to hoard) so we can give more away.

Janette and I have a little account set aside for giving. Beyond our regular tithes to the church, we budgeted an amount that we know we’re going to give away. It makes it a lot easier for us to give when we’ve already set aside that money. And that’s why I say this is the most expensive sermon I’ve prepared.

For some of us, we don’t give because we spend too much money.

For others, we don’t give because we’re trying to save too much money.

What is it that keeps you from being more generous?

In practical terms:

Spend like a saver.

Give like a spender.

4. We want to be careful of judgmental attitudes.

These are personal decisions, and it is not for one person to tell another person where savings ends and hoarding begins or where reasonable expenses ends and self-indulgence/materialism begins.

5. This is not about our money, this is about our faith.

We focus on the internals:

We want to live like He’s coming back, be prepared to give an account.

We want to be found rich toward God, to give to others, not be rich toward ourselves

We want to spend this life preparing for the next life.

We want to depend on God, not our money.

We want to manage our money in the context of the riches of the Kingdom we already have

Communion

We’ve been given the Kingdom. We have a God who takes care of us and calls us to trust Him.

We know we can trust Him, we know He loves us because, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

May these element strengthen your faith that you might trust Him more, and that trust would be reflected in our lives.