Your Money Talks… (11 of 13)
Series: Balance: A Study of the Book of James
Scott Maze
James 5:1-6
Your money talks. In fact, it says volumes about what we really think is important. Our money is so much reflection of what is inside of us that Jesus frequently spoke about money. One out of every three of Jesus' parables deal with possessions. Jesus told thirty-eight parables and one-third of them had to do with money. On one occasion Jesus said: ''For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also'' (Matthew 6:21). Jesus was a diagnostician. In a very real sense, the accountant who prepares our tax returns knows more about spirituality than our Sunday school teachers or prayer partners.
How we deal with our money is a reflection of our spiritual health. Yet, there is much confusion within American Christianity today about the relationship between their Bible and their possessions. The cover story of the September 18, 2006, edition of Time magazine asked, ''Does God Want You to Be Rich?'' In researching for the article, Time phoned 770 ''self-reporting'' Christians across the United States and asked them whether they agreed or disagreed with several statements:
61% agreed that God wants people to be financially prosperous.?73% of people disagreed that Material wealth is a sign of God's blessing.?While 45% percent said that poverty can be a blessing from God.?
Approximately two out of three people disagreed with the following statement: ''If you give away your money to God, he will bless you with more money.''?
The Christians Time interviewed were split when asked if Christians in the U.S. do enough for the poor.?
Agree: 49 percent?Disagree: 43 percent
Lastly, 57% disagreed that Giving away ten percent of your income is the minimum God expects. These snapshots reveal a lack of consistency on the part of Christians and Christian communicators when it comes to what the Bible has to say about our money.
But the text we read today ...
Series: Balance: A Study of the Book of James
Scott Maze
James 5:1-6
Your money talks. In fact, it says volumes about what we really think is important. Our money is so much reflection of what is inside of us that Jesus frequently spoke about money. One out of every three of Jesus' parables deal with possessions. Jesus told thirty-eight parables and one-third of them had to do with money. On one occasion Jesus said: ''For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also'' (Matthew 6:21). Jesus was a diagnostician. In a very real sense, the accountant who prepares our tax returns knows more about spirituality than our Sunday school teachers or prayer partners.
How we deal with our money is a reflection of our spiritual health. Yet, there is much confusion within American Christianity today about the relationship between their Bible and their possessions. The cover story of the September 18, 2006, edition of Time magazine asked, ''Does God Want You to Be Rich?'' In researching for the article, Time phoned 770 ''self-reporting'' Christians across the United States and asked them whether they agreed or disagreed with several statements:
61% agreed that God wants people to be financially prosperous.?73% of people disagreed that Material wealth is a sign of God's blessing.?While 45% percent said that poverty can be a blessing from God.?
Approximately two out of three people disagreed with the following statement: ''If you give away your money to God, he will bless you with more money.''?
The Christians Time interviewed were split when asked if Christians in the U.S. do enough for the poor.?
Agree: 49 percent?Disagree: 43 percent
Lastly, 57% disagreed that Giving away ten percent of your income is the minimum God expects. These snapshots reveal a lack of consistency on the part of Christians and Christian communicators when it comes to what the Bible has to say about our money.
But the text we read today ...
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