WHERE IS YOUR HOPE?

WHERE IS YOUR HOPE?

There is nothing wrong with having wealth!

There is something wrong, however, with hoping in your wealth!

Our hope should only be in God!

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

IT IS GOD WHO GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE WEALTH

“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:18)

• Abraham was very rich (Genesis 13:2).
• Isaac was rich (Genesis 26:12).
• Joseph was rich (Genesis 41:37-44).
• David was rich (2 Samuel 7:9).
• Solomon was rich (1 Kings 10:14-25).
• Job was rich (Job 1:3).
• Joseph of Arimathea was rich (Matthew 27:57).
• Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea fulfilling the Scripture that he would be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9).
• It is God who gives you the ability to produce wealth!
• There is nothing wrong with being rich, but there is something wrong, however, with hoping in your riches.
• Our hope should only be in God!
• You cannot worship money and be saved! Jesus said: “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

THE DANGERS OF WEALTH

Paul warned Timothy: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness,. Godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:9-11)

• Lot’s wife died and was turned into a pillar of salt because she looked back at the wealth she left behind in Sodom (Genesis 19:26).
• Lot’s wife is the only woman in the Bible we are commanded to remember. Jesus said: “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! (Luke 17:26-32)
• Achan brought death to himself and his whole family because he lusted after a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold (Joshua 7:20-26).
• Jesus warned: “Woe to you that are rich, for you have already received your comfort.” (Luke 6:24) We should take comfort in God and not our wealth!
• The parable of the sower refers to the way that the deceitfulness of riches can prevent spiritual growth: “The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it and make it unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22)
• Jesus said: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Then he told the story of a rich fool to illustrate the dangers of riches (Luke 12:14-21).
• A rich young man refused to follow Jesus because he loved his money more than he loved Jesus (Mark 10:17-31).
• Money is a good servant, but a poor master. If God allows you to have great wealth you must be constantly on guard to make money your servant and not your master.

RICH PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH

• The church began with 3,000 converts. Many had come to Jerusalem from all over the world (Acts 2:5, 41). There were obviously some rich people in such a large crowd.
• Because of their commitment to Christ these religious pilgrims stayed in Jerusalem much longer than they had planned. This was one reason why they didn’t have enough money to take care of their needs. At this time, however: “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.” (Acts 4:32-35)
• The next verses tell of a man from Cyprus who had some wealth: “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” (Acts 4:36-37)
• Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (Acts 11:24). The Holy Spirit separated Barnabas and Saul from the church at Antioch to a great missionary journey (Acts 13:1-3).
• Later John would write: “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?” (1 John 3:17)
• Mary, the mother of John Mark, was apparently a rich woman. She owned a large house where “many” people gathered for prayer. She also had enough money to have a servant. Peter knew about this house and after he was miraculously delivered from prison by an angel “He went to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, ‘Peter is at the door!’ Your out of your mind, they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, ‘It must be his angel.’ But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. ‘Tell James and the brothers about this,’ he said, and then he left for another place.” (Acts 12:12-17)
• APPARENTLY MARY DIDN’T HAVE TO SELL HER HOUSE FOR SHE HAD ALREADY DEDICATED IT TO THE LORD!
• This may have been the same house where 120 were staying in the upper room (Acts 1:12-17).
• There were obviously rich people in the church or Timothy would not have been inspired to “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth.” (1 Timothy 6:17)
• James had serious warnings for rich people who did not pay fair wages to their workers (James 5:1-6). Jesus commands us to treat one another in the same way we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12).
• Philemon was a rich man in Colosse who was a faithful and dear brother(Colossians 4:9). He owned a slave named Onesimus. Onesimus apparently robbed his master and ran became to Rome where the Apostle Paul converted him to Christ. Paul sent Onesimus back to his master and wrote: “Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.” (Philemon 1:15-19)
• When masters and slaves follow the teachings of Jesus slavery can be eliminated without shedding one drop of blood!
• Everyone, both rich and poor, should always trust in God and not in their wealth!

WE ARE STEWARDS NOT OWNERS

• God told Job: “Everything under heaven belongs to me.” (Job 41:11)
• God owns everything! “If I were hungry I would not tell you for the world is mine and all that is in it.” (Psalms 50:12)
• “For every beast of the forest is mine and the cattle on a thousand hills.” (Psalms 50:10)
• “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” (Psalms 24:1)
• David said to God: “Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.” (1 Chronicles 29:12)
• Since everything in the world belongs to God, we are stewards of wealth and not owners!
• “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2 KJV)
• When Jesus returns he will ask us to give an account of our stewardship (Luke 16:2).
• Jesus said the kingdom of heaven would be like a man going on a journey and entrusting his property to his servants. Those who were faithful in this responsibility will be rewarded, and those who were lazy and worthless will be condemned (Matthew 25:14-30).
• “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” (Luke 16:10-12)
• So - “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
• Even poor widows can hope in the Lord: “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)

HOPE IN THE LORD!

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31)

Yes! Even young men grow tired and weary! Yes! Even young men stumble and fall! Eagles, by contrast, apparently do not get tired.

An Olympic marathon race is 42.195 km long (26 miles 385 yards). The legend behind this famous race involves Greek mythology. When the Greek Army won a crucial battle against the Persians in 490 B.C., a runner named Pheidippides was dispatched to Athens with news of the victory. The battle took place on the plains of Marathon and the distance from there to Athens was 42.195 km. According to the legend Pheidippides delivered the message of victory and then dropped dead.

Eagles, by comparison, do not get tired and weary, nor do they stumble and fall. They stretch out their wings and soar effortlessly upon invisible updrafts of air. This is how people can function if they hope in the Lord!

Paul and Silas, for example, were unjustly beaten and imprisoned in Philippi. Since the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. At midnight, Paul and Silas were not sleeping but somehow had the energy to start praying and singing. “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were

shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.” (Acts 16:26-34)

Paul and Silas apparently went all night long without sleeping and “When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.” (Acts 16:35-40)

THERE IS NOTHING SO DEMORALIZING AND TIRESOME AS BELIEVING YOU HAVE BEEN ABANDONED BY GOD!

THERE IS NOTHING SO EXHILARATING AND EXCITING AND BELIEVING THAT JESUS WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU, AND THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE DEVIL DOES “WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.” (ROMANS 8:28)