WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.319 Let's pray. Let's ask God for help as we look 00:00:03.319 --> 00:00:07.879 at his word now. Heavenly Father, we thank you 00:00:07.879 --> 00:00:10.419 that you speak to us in your word. We thank you 00:00:10.419 --> 00:00:13.640 that your word is full of life -giving wisdom. 00:00:14.380 --> 00:00:16.519 And we pray, Father, that you would help us to 00:00:16.519 --> 00:00:21.620 see how to have true riches this morning. And 00:00:21.620 --> 00:00:28.140 we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Well in 2016 00:00:28.140 --> 00:00:32.320 a new book came out written by an Aussie actually 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:37.439 it was a smash hit sold over 2 million copies 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:42.700 Many families found this book to be a lifesaver 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:45.659 Anyone know for a free cup of coffee what that 00:00:45.659 --> 00:00:53.259 book is? No, it's the Barefoot Investor by Scott 00:00:53.259 --> 00:00:58.259 Pape And the book aims to help people be smarter 00:00:58.259 --> 00:01:03.820 and wiser with what they've got. It does so by 00:01:03.820 --> 00:01:07.579 challenging false scripts. So we've got false 00:01:07.579 --> 00:01:10.980 scripts, according to Scott Pape, that we rehearse 00:01:10.980 --> 00:01:14.900 around money. Think like false narratives, beliefs 00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:17.519 and assumptions. And we have these false scripts 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:20.239 and we internalise them and we never question 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:24.760 them. Things like... I can't get on top of my 00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:27.680 finances because I'm just not good with money. 00:01:28.439 --> 00:01:32.140 Or I don't earn enough so investing is not for 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:37.040 me. Or I've left it too late to invest and save. 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:41.640 And what Scott Pape does in the book is he confronts 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:45.519 those false scripts and he reshapes how people 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:49.340 see themselves and their money. And he helps 00:01:49.340 --> 00:01:54.269 them become wise with their wealth. Well today, 00:01:54.269 --> 00:01:56.609 I kind of want to do the same thing as we look 00:01:56.609 --> 00:01:59.349 at Proverbs and as we look at the whole Bible. 00:02:00.469 --> 00:02:03.230 There are some things here in the Bible that 00:02:03.230 --> 00:02:06.549 I reckon would make Scott Pape nod his head and 00:02:06.549 --> 00:02:12.009 go, yeah, that's pretty wise. I think there are 00:02:12.009 --> 00:02:16.250 things here that Scott Pape would find very confronting 00:02:16.250 --> 00:02:19.849 as well. I think all of us probably will. I know 00:02:19.849 --> 00:02:24.389 I did as I was preparing this. We've all got 00:02:24.389 --> 00:02:26.669 these false scripts, these false narratives, 00:02:27.629 --> 00:02:30.909 and we need to see what our false narratives 00:02:30.909 --> 00:02:35.710 are about money. And the big one we need to see 00:02:35.710 --> 00:02:40.490 that we tend to get stuck in is we see money 00:02:40.490 --> 00:02:44.990 as only for this life, as it's only a thing for 00:02:44.990 --> 00:02:49.490 this material world. Let me show you how to be 00:02:49.490 --> 00:02:53.849 wise with wealth. Here's the big point for today. 00:02:54.949 --> 00:02:59.610 We use our wealth wisely when we have an eternal 00:02:59.610 --> 00:03:02.930 perspective. You want to be wise with wealth? 00:03:02.969 --> 00:03:06.050 That's the key. We use our wealth wisely when 00:03:06.050 --> 00:03:10.270 we have an eternal perspective. We're going to 00:03:10.270 --> 00:03:12.990 look at three things about money that Proverbs 00:03:12.990 --> 00:03:18.270 is teaching us. Money can be a useful tool. Money 00:03:18.270 --> 00:03:22.159 can be a deadly trap. and money is not everything. 00:03:22.300 --> 00:03:24.039 Three things we're going to look at about money, 00:03:24.520 --> 00:03:26.960 and the big overarching thing is we use our wealth 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:30.300 wisely when we have an eternal perspective. So 00:03:30.300 --> 00:03:34.199 let's start with the first one. Money can be 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:39.800 a useful tool. I mean, money makes the world 00:03:39.800 --> 00:03:44.000 go round in many ways. Have a look at this. A 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:48.680 man's gift makes room for him and brings him 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:53.639 before the great. So Proverbs is telling us that 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:59.939 money opens doors. I think of my uncle, he used 00:03:59.939 --> 00:04:04.300 to be a senior partner at KPMG and he would go 00:04:04.300 --> 00:04:07.659 out on the most exquisite expensive lunches. 00:04:08.020 --> 00:04:10.580 He had a cool little company credit card and 00:04:10.580 --> 00:04:12.860 he'd go out and he'd take people out on expensive 00:04:12.860 --> 00:04:16.279 lunches to get potential new clients because 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:18.560 Yeah, oh, they took me out to lunch. I think 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:20.759 I'll go with them, you know. Or I remember a 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:24.379 few times going out with my dad to the SCG and 00:04:24.379 --> 00:04:27.600 watching the swans and some test cricket in one 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:32.040 of those fancy boxes. Now, I actually reckon 00:04:32.040 --> 00:04:35.120 they're overrated. All the good food is found 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:37.620 down in the other area. They have all these, 00:04:37.620 --> 00:04:40.399 like, little hand things that, you know, you 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:42.759 need a solid meat pie when you're at the footy. 00:04:44.490 --> 00:04:47.250 You know, my dad got invited to these fancy boxes 00:04:47.250 --> 00:04:49.910 because people were trying to win his business. 00:04:50.810 --> 00:04:52.910 You know, people go, there's a law of reciprocity. 00:04:52.970 --> 00:04:55.449 You know, if I treat you well, you're probably 00:04:55.449 --> 00:04:57.910 going to go with me for the business. If the 00:04:57.910 --> 00:05:00.629 deal's good, it might just get me over the line. 00:05:02.209 --> 00:05:06.269 See, money can be used to buy gifts and lunches 00:05:06.269 --> 00:05:11.230 and things like that that gets you noticed. Now, 00:05:11.230 --> 00:05:15.829 is that manipulative? Possibly. Doesn't have 00:05:15.829 --> 00:05:19.629 to be. If your motive is loving, it definitely 00:05:19.629 --> 00:05:24.370 isn't. But it can be. But it's also wisdom, isn't 00:05:24.370 --> 00:05:28.629 it? Money can be used to win favour. It can be 00:05:28.629 --> 00:05:32.930 used to help influence people. Yet the reverse 00:05:32.930 --> 00:05:37.889 is true as well. Have a look at this. Many curry 00:05:37.889 --> 00:05:41.009 favour with a ruler. And everyone is the friend 00:05:41.009 --> 00:05:44.620 of one who gives gifts. The poor are shunned 00:05:44.620 --> 00:05:47.459 by all their relatives. How much more do their 00:05:47.459 --> 00:05:50.699 friends avoid them? Though the poor pursue them 00:05:50.699 --> 00:05:53.420 with pleading, they are nowhere to be found. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:58.839 So if you're rich or powerful, it's saying, you're 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:01.860 probably going to be more popular. Because people 00:06:01.860 --> 00:06:03.579 are all trying to curry favour with you. They 00:06:03.579 --> 00:06:06.199 all want to get a bit of influence from you. 00:06:06.379 --> 00:06:09.639 That's why it's very hard when you're rich and 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:14.160 powerful. to make authentic friends, isn't it? 00:06:14.500 --> 00:06:17.120 Because are they loving me for my money? Are 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:19.980 they loving me for me? You know, it can be really 00:06:19.980 --> 00:06:22.079 tricky, especially when someone's, you know, 00:06:22.259 --> 00:06:24.439 people who are celebrities and rich and things 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:26.699 like that, they love to go back to their roots, 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:28.879 the friends they had before they became famous 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:31.639 or before they came rich. Because it's like I 00:06:31.639 --> 00:06:34.560 at least know they'll treat me for me, or more 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:39.620 likely to anyway. But the poor and the needy, 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:43.480 it's saying here, they often drive people away. 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:46.600 I'm not saying we should like that, I'm not saying 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:48.800 that's a good thing, but it's trying to tell 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:52.480 us how the world works, isn't it? Especially 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:55.300 if these folks are seeking a handout all the 00:06:55.300 --> 00:06:59.279 time. I remember a couple of years ago, we went 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:02.980 down to Sydney and we had a little stave as a 00:07:02.980 --> 00:07:06.360 family in a Airbnb enduro and we were out in 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:09.540 the bush. and there was a nice little creek and 00:07:09.540 --> 00:07:12.079 I said to some of our kids, let's go for a bush 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:16.199 walk. Well, this little short bush walk, we got 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:18.819 lost and it turned into an hour and a half bush 00:07:18.819 --> 00:07:22.180 walk and it started to rain and we're in by the 00:07:22.180 --> 00:07:25.980 creek and we get back and we find all over our 00:07:25.980 --> 00:07:28.279 legs and things there are leeches everywhere. 00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:31.160 And so we had to like get them off and it was 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:35.649 like, oh, you know. But rightly or wrongly, that's 00:07:35.649 --> 00:07:38.910 just how the world works. No one wants to be 00:07:38.910 --> 00:07:42.529 leeched off of. And it's the same with actual 00:07:42.529 --> 00:07:45.110 leeches and it's the same with money, isn't it? 00:07:45.470 --> 00:07:50.449 That sort of leeching repulses people. And so 00:07:50.449 --> 00:07:54.470 the wise person understands this and acts accordingly. 00:07:55.709 --> 00:07:58.649 They see money as a useful tool and they try 00:07:58.649 --> 00:08:02.009 to wield it with skill so that they can reach 00:08:02.009 --> 00:08:06.139 their goals. If in need, they try to sort it 00:08:06.139 --> 00:08:09.220 out themselves or they ask sparingly or they 00:08:09.220 --> 00:08:12.620 try to reciprocate in some way. I mean, even 00:08:12.620 --> 00:08:15.920 Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4, 11 and 12 that 00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:18.100 Christians should seek not to be dependent on 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:21.339 anyone. So there is a good side here, isn't there? 00:08:22.500 --> 00:08:24.480 But when it comes to money, just as a skilled 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:27.939 craftsman looks after their tools so they work 00:08:27.939 --> 00:08:31.920 well, it's the same with the wise. They look 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:35.340 after their money and grow their wealth so it 00:08:35.340 --> 00:08:39.340 can be a useful tool for them. And here's how 00:08:39.340 --> 00:08:42.799 they do it. Look at this first. Dishonest money 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:47.080 dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little 00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:52.519 by little makes it grow. So the wise person doesn't 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:57.340 steal or con to get more. They squirrel away 00:08:57.340 --> 00:09:01.179 their money. They save it. Some might have a 00:09:01.179 --> 00:09:04.960 budget. You know, it's a great thing to plan 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:08.639 it out and have a budget. I think it's even a 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:10.980 good thing to do with your kids is to at least 00:09:10.980 --> 00:09:13.259 try and teach some of the concepts and the principles. 00:09:13.580 --> 00:09:15.059 So you could do something like this. You could 00:09:15.059 --> 00:09:18.240 get three buckets in front of your kids and you 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:20.000 say, okay, with your money, have you ever thought 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:21.940 about what you want to do with it? You want to 00:09:21.940 --> 00:09:24.460 put your money into three different buckets. 00:09:25.320 --> 00:09:28.470 You want to have a bucket for spending? So that 00:09:28.470 --> 00:09:31.250 would be your bills and your fun things. Maybe 00:09:31.250 --> 00:09:34.850 you put 70 % in that bucket and then 20 % in 00:09:34.850 --> 00:09:38.429 the savings bucket and then 10 % in the giving 00:09:38.429 --> 00:09:42.509 bucket. Now, that's just one idea, one way to 00:09:42.509 --> 00:09:46.230 teach it to kids. But you want them to learn 00:09:46.230 --> 00:09:50.090 how to be wise and we all want to be wise. We 00:09:50.090 --> 00:09:52.309 want to try and avoid debt. We want to sharpen 00:09:52.309 --> 00:09:57.830 our tool and grow our wealth. Now, don't get 00:09:57.830 --> 00:10:02.570 me wrong. I'm oversimplifying something very, 00:10:02.590 --> 00:10:07.269 very complex. I mean, I haven't talked yet, and 00:10:07.269 --> 00:10:09.789 probably won't, about the state of the economy 00:10:09.789 --> 00:10:16.250 or the wage to house price ratio. I'm still kicking 00:10:16.250 --> 00:10:18.769 myself that I didn't buy property in Sydney when 00:10:18.769 --> 00:10:21.830 I came out of the womb. That would have been 00:10:21.830 --> 00:10:27.000 really good. All you can do... is be wise with 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:29.720 what you've got during the times you live in. 00:10:31.259 --> 00:10:34.080 But the wise see the value and the help that 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:38.460 money can give. And so they think about how to 00:10:38.460 --> 00:10:41.320 grow it, how to steward it and how to best use 00:10:41.320 --> 00:10:47.480 it. Now let me ask, what false scripts do you 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:51.759 have about money? I think for some Christians 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:57.860 one would be It's all too hard. I know, I struggle 00:10:57.860 --> 00:11:00.240 with that one. It's all too hard. Oh man, there's 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:02.659 that many bills and there's that thing to navigate 00:11:02.659 --> 00:11:04.679 and oh, I've got to deal with that and how do 00:11:04.679 --> 00:11:08.740 I? If it's all too hard, hey, you know, it's 00:11:08.740 --> 00:11:11.000 great to get a bit of help, get someone to come 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:15.220 alongside you, or maybe just start with one thing 00:11:15.220 --> 00:11:19.320 you can change. Okay, I'm just gonna work on 00:11:19.320 --> 00:11:23.360 cancelling unnecessary subscriptions. Do I need 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:27.419 Netflix, Stan, Prime, Apple TV? I might just 00:11:27.419 --> 00:11:32.399 take it down to 27 or to maybe two, whatever 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:39.360 it might be. Maybe another false script is stewardship 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:44.179 doesn't matter. Well, no. I hope you've seen 00:11:44.179 --> 00:11:48.659 money matters. It's a useful tool. It's got a 00:11:48.659 --> 00:11:50.799 purpose. We want to be wise. We want to use it 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:54.710 well. So it's important to reflect on how we're 00:11:54.710 --> 00:11:57.590 using our money and seek to improve it where 00:11:57.590 --> 00:12:03.230 we can. So money is a great tool. We want to 00:12:03.230 --> 00:12:07.889 wield it well, but with that said, there's a 00:12:07.889 --> 00:12:11.929 dark side to money too. Because money can be 00:12:11.929 --> 00:12:17.690 a deadly trap. Money can be a deadly trap. And 00:12:17.690 --> 00:12:21.820 both physically and spiritually. Have a look 00:12:21.820 --> 00:12:26.559 at this. The ransom of a man's life is his wealth. 00:12:27.460 --> 00:12:33.200 But a poor man hears no threat. Many, many years 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:37.279 ago, I was an Ozkink umpire. Do you know what? 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:40.460 In all my years as an Ozkink umpire, I never 00:12:40.460 --> 00:12:45.480 got violently robbed. I used to also be a bank 00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:49.759 teller. I did get robbed as a bank teller. Guy 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:52.620 ran in with a screwdriver and pushed someone 00:12:52.620 --> 00:12:55.840 out of the way, got past the teller door and 00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:59.840 took a bunch of money. And that's nothing. I 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:02.039 had it easy. I had one colleague I worked with. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:07.700 She'd been robbed five times at gunpoint. See, 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:12.679 poor footy umpires are rarely targets for robbery. 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:16.179 They're targets for verbal abuse. I've got plenty 00:13:16.179 --> 00:13:21.169 of that. But banks, they hold a lot more money. 00:13:21.909 --> 00:13:24.850 And so they're a common target. Actually, when 00:13:24.850 --> 00:13:27.009 I worked at the bank, we had 10 robberies in 00:13:27.009 --> 00:13:29.710 nine months in our 16 branches. It was nuts. 00:13:32.090 --> 00:13:34.269 But see, like, our money, in many ways, paints 00:13:34.269 --> 00:13:36.789 a target on us. It reminds me a bit of this far 00:13:36.789 --> 00:13:38.210 side picture. I don't know if you've ever seen 00:13:38.210 --> 00:13:41.570 this one. I love that. Bummer of a birthmark 00:13:41.570 --> 00:13:43.409 howl. And there you've got Howl, who's this deer 00:13:43.409 --> 00:13:46.269 with a giant target on his chest. I think that's 00:13:46.269 --> 00:13:51.190 awesome. But that's the thing with money. In 00:13:51.190 --> 00:13:52.929 one way, we never think about this, but money 00:13:52.929 --> 00:13:57.289 paints a bullseye on our chest. That's why people 00:13:57.289 --> 00:14:00.409 invest so much in insurance and security systems, 00:14:00.450 --> 00:14:05.169 isn't it? Yet the danger of money is not just 00:14:05.169 --> 00:14:07.830 physical, actually more importantly, it's spiritual. 00:14:08.889 --> 00:14:12.809 Have a look at these verses. Whoever mocks the 00:14:12.809 --> 00:14:17.340 poor insults his maker. He who is glad at calamity 00:14:17.340 --> 00:14:21.039 will not go unpunished. Whoever closes his ear 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:24.500 to the cry of the poor will himself call out 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:29.700 and not be answered, presumably by God. Proverbs 00:14:29.700 --> 00:14:32.639 is littered with passages that show that God 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:37.840 is serious about caring for the poor. Those who 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:41.740 have no heart for the poor are actually angering 00:14:41.740 --> 00:14:46.799 and insulting Yahweh. So how we treat the poor 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:53.779 is no small thing to God. And the reason people 00:14:53.779 --> 00:14:56.559 often ignore this and we're tempted to ignore 00:14:56.559 --> 00:15:00.759 this is because we often become self -deceived 00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:05.460 into idolatry. Have a look at this verse. The 00:15:05.460 --> 00:15:08.240 name of the Lord, the name of Yahweh is a strong 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:12.940 tower. The righteous man runs into it and is 00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:18.269 safe. A rich man's wealth is his strong city 00:15:18.269 --> 00:15:23.830 and like a high wall, he's the key bit, in his 00:15:23.830 --> 00:15:29.429 imagination. Some people trust money to keep 00:15:29.429 --> 00:15:33.570 them safe. If I have enough dollars I can get 00:15:33.570 --> 00:15:36.210 enough fences and enough good doctors and enough 00:15:36.210 --> 00:15:39.049 things that will handle the problems of life. 00:15:40.590 --> 00:15:45.429 And look, there is some truth to that. Yet, if 00:15:45.429 --> 00:15:48.169 we're being real, we need to remember that money 00:15:48.169 --> 00:15:52.730 is so fragile. Money can't always protect us 00:15:52.730 --> 00:15:58.049 from war or betrayal or death or crime. Plus, 00:15:58.230 --> 00:16:02.889 money can disappear very quickly. You know, think 00:16:02.889 --> 00:16:04.450 of some of the economies, like I think it was 00:16:04.450 --> 00:16:07.669 Argentina and Greece where just the dollar devalued 00:16:07.669 --> 00:16:12.970 instantly. Big market crash. Not worth the paper 00:16:12.970 --> 00:16:16.730 it's written on. See, money reminds me a bit 00:16:16.730 --> 00:16:20.330 of the three little pigs. Think of the three 00:16:20.330 --> 00:16:22.710 little pigs. You know, you've got the straw house 00:16:22.710 --> 00:16:27.190 and the wood house, and money is a bit like those. 00:16:28.549 --> 00:16:31.070 We think, yeah, I'm safe from the big bad wolves 00:16:31.070 --> 00:16:35.789 out there. No, actually, you're not. It's very 00:16:35.789 --> 00:16:40.870 fragile. The only thing that is like brick is 00:16:40.870 --> 00:16:45.850 God. And actually to be on the wrong side of 00:16:45.850 --> 00:16:52.769 him is scarier than any wolf as well. Only God 00:16:52.769 --> 00:16:58.309 can protect us. And only God can give us treasures 00:16:58.309 --> 00:17:04.230 that won't rust, corrode or wither away. Only 00:17:04.230 --> 00:17:06.990 God can give us eternal riches that can't be 00:17:06.990 --> 00:17:13.089 stolen or lost. I mean money... You know, it's 00:17:13.089 --> 00:17:15.170 got some great things. It can keep death at bay 00:17:15.170 --> 00:17:20.710 a bit longer. It can buy you more time. But only 00:17:20.710 --> 00:17:25.970 Jesus, only the risen Jesus can give you life 00:17:25.970 --> 00:17:33.109 after death with eternal heavenly riches. See, 00:17:33.150 --> 00:17:39.730 money can be a trap. We've got a bug zapper in 00:17:39.730 --> 00:17:43.420 our backyard. I think here in Cairns it works 00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:49.059 over time. And for flies, have you ever tried 00:17:49.059 --> 00:17:52.539 to get yourself into the head of a fly? I think 00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:54.259 that's what the people who made the bug zapper 00:17:54.259 --> 00:17:58.900 did. But for the flies, it's glorious. They see 00:17:58.900 --> 00:18:02.460 this light and it's like, whoa, I can't wait 00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:05.940 to get there. But for them, it's a deadly trap, 00:18:05.980 --> 00:18:11.799 isn't it? And they're gone. But that's the danger 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:16.259 of money for us, isn't it? We think, it's glorious. 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:20.660 I'll have ultimate safety, security and satisfaction 00:18:20.660 --> 00:18:27.140 if I just have enough money. But those things 00:18:27.140 --> 00:18:30.900 are only found in the grace and salvation of 00:18:30.900 --> 00:18:38.380 the risen Lord Jesus. So how do you stop yourself 00:18:38.380 --> 00:18:42.670 from being trapped by money? Well, we've got 00:18:42.670 --> 00:18:45.769 to expose the false scripts the world is telling 00:18:45.769 --> 00:18:50.069 us. I mean, that's what the advertisers and marketers 00:18:50.069 --> 00:18:53.690 are all trying to do, aren't they? You'll be 00:18:53.690 --> 00:18:56.829 happy, your life will be satisfied, you'll be 00:18:56.829 --> 00:19:01.450 secure if you have this product, if you bank 00:19:01.450 --> 00:19:04.329 with our bank, you know, whatever it might be. 00:19:05.809 --> 00:19:08.569 And we need to keep reminding ourselves as God's 00:19:08.569 --> 00:19:12.089 people. that actually satisfaction and security 00:19:12.089 --> 00:19:18.210 are found in Jesus alone. But not only that, 00:19:19.329 --> 00:19:21.529 we've got to put our money where our mouth is. 00:19:22.869 --> 00:19:24.750 We can't just think the right things, we've actually 00:19:24.750 --> 00:19:28.490 got to do things that will help us. And that 00:19:28.490 --> 00:19:32.930 involves joyfully giving our money away. Because 00:19:32.930 --> 00:19:35.650 here's what happens, if you hold money too tightly, 00:19:36.650 --> 00:19:40.009 It sinks into your bloodstream and runs up into 00:19:40.009 --> 00:19:46.069 your heart. And it takes over. Well, of course 00:19:46.069 --> 00:19:48.650 you're saying that, Brendan. Your income comes 00:19:48.650 --> 00:19:53.150 from our giving. True. But it's not based on 00:19:53.150 --> 00:19:56.009 commission. If the giving goes up, I don't get 00:19:56.009 --> 00:20:01.549 a bonus. But no, I mean, maybe we could work 00:20:01.549 --> 00:20:05.829 that. No, no, no. See, I'm so glad when people 00:20:05.829 --> 00:20:09.470 give to Northern Hope. Because I believe in our 00:20:09.470 --> 00:20:13.990 mission. Remember our mission? We exist to see 00:20:13.990 --> 00:20:17.289 souls from Cairns and beyond saved on the last 00:20:17.289 --> 00:20:23.309 day. Now, I hope you give to that. I hope you're 00:20:23.309 --> 00:20:27.769 invested in that. But I want to encourage you 00:20:27.769 --> 00:20:32.049 to give, not because just, I mean, I want to 00:20:32.049 --> 00:20:34.890 encourage you to give for that. But I want to 00:20:34.890 --> 00:20:37.990 encourage you to give for the sake of your own 00:20:37.990 --> 00:20:42.029 heart, to protect your own heart. And if you're 00:20:42.029 --> 00:20:45.170 going, well, that Brendan's a sleazy, you know, 00:20:45.509 --> 00:20:48.569 scumbag, okay. For the sake of your own heart, 00:20:48.630 --> 00:20:53.410 give to something else. Give to Compassion. Great 00:20:53.410 --> 00:20:57.670 organisation. Helping kids all over the world 00:20:57.670 --> 00:21:02.190 through the local church. caring for their physical 00:21:02.190 --> 00:21:05.990 needs as well as their spiritual ones. Give to 00:21:05.990 --> 00:21:08.509 open doors. I'd love you to give to our church. 00:21:08.589 --> 00:21:12.170 I believe in that. I hope you do too. But there 00:21:12.170 --> 00:21:14.230 are so many ways you can protect your heart by 00:21:14.230 --> 00:21:20.609 giving. Don't let money trap you and capture 00:21:20.609 --> 00:21:27.809 your heart. So money can be a tool and it can 00:21:27.809 --> 00:21:31.289 be a trap. But there's one last thing that Proverbs 00:21:31.289 --> 00:21:33.630 teaches us about being wise with our wealth. 00:21:34.670 --> 00:21:39.609 And it's that money is not everything. And this 00:21:39.609 --> 00:21:43.529 applies to life now and also to the life to come. 00:21:44.470 --> 00:21:48.390 Here's how it applies to life now. Better a little 00:21:48.390 --> 00:21:52.549 with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with 00:21:52.549 --> 00:21:56.970 turmoil. And better a small serving of vegetables 00:21:56.970 --> 00:22:01.490 with love than a fattened calf, which is like 00:22:01.490 --> 00:22:04.250 rich, indulgent luxury in the ancient world, 00:22:05.349 --> 00:22:07.250 better a small serving of vegetables with love 00:22:07.250 --> 00:22:12.809 than a fattened calf with hatred. See, as important 00:22:12.809 --> 00:22:18.230 as money is in this life, I hope we all know 00:22:18.230 --> 00:22:22.769 other things are far more important. But sometimes 00:22:22.769 --> 00:22:27.430 we need that reminder, don't we? I mean, I'd 00:22:27.430 --> 00:22:32.990 rather be a poor Christian who takes God seriously 00:22:32.990 --> 00:22:39.630 and trusts Jesus, who has a loving family, but 00:22:39.630 --> 00:22:44.829 struggles to put food on the table, than be a 00:22:44.829 --> 00:22:50.910 rich, agnostic hedonist. I'd rather know God, 00:22:50.990 --> 00:22:53.390 I'd rather know the hope that is found in Jesus, 00:22:53.410 --> 00:22:55.950 I'd rather have the love that comes from knowing 00:22:55.950 --> 00:23:01.490 him. Because the money stuff doesn't sort out 00:23:01.490 --> 00:23:06.789 those deeper heart problems. There was some American 00:23:06.789 --> 00:23:08.769 billionaire, I can't remember if it was Henry 00:23:08.769 --> 00:23:11.509 Ford or Rockefeller, but one of them, and they 00:23:11.509 --> 00:23:13.250 said, how much money would ever be enough? And 00:23:13.250 --> 00:23:17.769 they said, just one dollar more. It's never going 00:23:17.769 --> 00:23:25.079 to satisfy. But knowing the infinite God gives 00:23:25.079 --> 00:23:30.079 me so much. And that's now, isn't it? It's so 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:33.500 much better to have spiritual riches than material 00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:38.980 ones. But it's also beneficial for the future, 00:23:39.019 --> 00:23:43.559 not just now. Riches do not profit in the day 00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:47.539 of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. 00:23:49.420 --> 00:23:53.920 So think of monopoly money. Monopoly money, it's 00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:57.259 fun, but it's only valuable during the game, 00:23:57.319 --> 00:24:01.200 isn't it? It's no good trying to buy a house 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:03.940 in Cairns with monopoly money. I mean, you might 00:24:03.940 --> 00:24:07.740 want to try, see how it goes, but you'll only 00:24:07.740 --> 00:24:10.599 be able to buy Mayfair. You can't get anything 00:24:10.599 --> 00:24:16.180 else. And after the game, it's worthless. It 00:24:16.180 --> 00:24:21.319 has no value. Well, it's the same with money 00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:27.019 in this life. There will come a day when the 00:24:27.019 --> 00:24:32.819 money we have now will be worthless. When we 00:24:32.819 --> 00:24:36.140 stand before the Lord Jesus, our money will have 00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:40.799 no value. You can't slide Jesus a 50 under the 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:44.000 table and get into heaven. It doesn't work like 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:51.369 that. But you know what? Jesus' death and resurrection 00:24:51.369 --> 00:24:55.730 proves just how serious this is. Because the 00:24:55.730 --> 00:25:00.930 game is ending. There's an ultimate GFC that 00:25:00.930 --> 00:25:05.329 is coming. A global financial crisis is coming. 00:25:07.309 --> 00:25:12.029 An eternal one. And being ready for that day 00:25:12.029 --> 00:25:17.980 is what ultimately matters. Have you got heavenly 00:25:17.980 --> 00:25:19.859 riches? Because they're the riches that count. 00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:25.779 They're the things that have real value. See, 00:25:25.799 --> 00:25:27.720 some Christians have a false script that money 00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:29.700 doesn't matter at all. And I hope you've seen 00:25:29.700 --> 00:25:33.900 it's a tool for eternity. But some Christians 00:25:33.900 --> 00:25:37.319 struggle with a false script that money matters 00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:45.420 way too much. And looking at the cross is what 00:25:45.420 --> 00:25:51.160 reorients us. back into balance. When money is 00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:53.740 becoming too important in my heart here's a verse 00:25:53.740 --> 00:25:57.880 I come back to. For you know the grace of our 00:25:57.880 --> 00:26:03.359 Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:09.819 for your sake he became poor so that you by his 00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:16.720 poverty might become rich. It's saying We were 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:21.420 spiritually bankrupt. We were facing God's wrath 00:26:21.420 --> 00:26:24.359 for eternity because of our idolatry and our 00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:29.579 sin. And Jesus, he had infinite riches because 00:26:29.579 --> 00:26:32.640 he's the second person of the Trinity. He's God's 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:36.559 only begotten son. But what did Jesus do? He 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:40.880 did a swap at the cross. He traded places with 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:48.839 us. He experienced ultimate poverty for us. He 00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:53.559 took our punishment, God's wrath, for our idolatry. 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:58.160 And then, as if that wasn't enough, he gave us 00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:03.819 eternal riches that we could have what he deserved. 00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:10.940 Eternity in paradise. When I reflect on that, 00:27:10.920 --> 00:27:17.420 When that is my beating heart, I have a new perspective 00:27:17.420 --> 00:27:22.519 on my money. It puts money back in its place. 00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:26.119 Yes, it's important, but it's not everything. 00:27:28.700 --> 00:27:30.660 Do you have a verse like that that you can go 00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:33.559 back to? Do you remember to put money in its 00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:35.759 place? Because sometimes that's what we need 00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:42.230 to do. All right. Well, let's draw some threads 00:27:42.230 --> 00:27:46.390 together. We saw three things that Proverbs is 00:27:46.390 --> 00:27:48.269 telling us about how to be wise with wealth. 00:27:48.849 --> 00:27:51.309 We saw that money can be a useful tool. We saw 00:27:51.309 --> 00:27:53.950 that money can be a deadly trap. And we saw that 00:27:53.950 --> 00:27:57.670 money is not everything. And what binds these 00:27:57.670 --> 00:28:03.289 things together is eternity. We use our wealth 00:28:03.289 --> 00:28:09.670 wisely when we have an eternal perspective. We 00:28:09.670 --> 00:28:12.289 use our worth wisely when we have an eternal 00:28:12.289 --> 00:28:16.089 perspective. But, Brenda, what's all this mean 00:28:16.089 --> 00:28:20.349 for us? How's this shaped my day to day? Well, 00:28:20.349 --> 00:28:23.970 it depends. Because there's two types of people 00:28:23.970 --> 00:28:27.150 here in the room today. Two different heart postures. 00:28:28.849 --> 00:28:31.049 Remember, we had extra bang for your buck. You 00:28:31.049 --> 00:28:33.049 got three Bible readings today, two from the 00:28:33.049 --> 00:28:35.789 New Testament. We had the one about the rich 00:28:35.789 --> 00:28:40.359 fall and the one about the shrewd manager. So 00:28:40.359 --> 00:28:43.519 the rich fool, he's not rich toward God, and 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:45.920 the shrewd manager, he's one who plans for the 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:50.380 future. See, what did the rich fool do? He stored 00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:54.559 up possessions for himself. He was not rich toward 00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:57.220 God. I mean, many would say he was very wise. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:59.380 I mean, he was an astute businessman. I mean, 00:28:59.420 --> 00:29:03.140 he got to early retirement, living well, living 00:29:03.140 --> 00:29:08.079 it up. I mean, it sounds great, doesn't it? And 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:13.000 in some ways, he used wisdom. But ultimately, 00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:17.880 it was foolish. Because he was too short -sighted. 00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:22.660 Ultimately, he died. And when he did, he wasn't 00:29:22.660 --> 00:29:27.599 ready to meet his maker. He lived for comfort 00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:32.940 and stuff, not for God. Not for eternity. And 00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:38.779 that's why God calls him a fool. how well you 00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:41.039 can grow your wealth in this life if you're not 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:44.900 living for God. You can make more money than 00:29:44.900 --> 00:29:50.299 Elon Musk and Bill Gates combined and it's of 00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:54.099 no value if you forfeit your soul. What did Jesus 00:29:54.099 --> 00:29:57.299 say? What good is it to gain the whole world 00:29:57.299 --> 00:30:04.099 if you lose your soul? Don't be foolish. There 00:30:04.099 --> 00:30:06.859 might be some of us in this room who are living 00:30:06.859 --> 00:30:13.799 like that rich fool. But what we want to be doing 00:30:13.799 --> 00:30:18.359 is living like the shrewd manager. Now the shrewd 00:30:18.359 --> 00:30:20.779 manager in Luke 16, it's a fascinating little 00:30:20.779 --> 00:30:23.839 one and the point here is not to be dishonest. 00:30:24.759 --> 00:30:28.700 It's Jesus not commending dishonesty. It's saying 00:30:28.700 --> 00:30:33.170 to be wise and to be shrewd. And the key to that 00:30:33.170 --> 00:30:36.910 is seeing the big picture and acting accordingly. 00:30:37.210 --> 00:30:41.309 It's preparing for the future. I mean, the application 00:30:41.309 --> 00:30:44.289 Jesus makes is this. He says, and I tell you, 00:30:44.490 --> 00:30:47.369 make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous 00:30:47.369 --> 00:30:52.069 wealth, worldly material possessions and money, 00:30:52.450 --> 00:30:56.309 so that when it fails, they may receive you into 00:30:56.309 --> 00:31:01.710 the eternal dwellings. Jesus saying, using money 00:31:01.710 --> 00:31:07.849 and possessions as a tool to save souls. That's 00:31:07.849 --> 00:31:12.109 what it's there for. And it stops money being 00:31:12.109 --> 00:31:14.490 your master and your idol. It helps you be rich 00:31:14.490 --> 00:31:17.130 toward God because God's heart is for the lost 00:31:17.130 --> 00:31:20.170 and so if you're using your money toward saving 00:31:20.170 --> 00:31:23.490 the lost and seeing people know and love Jesus 00:31:23.490 --> 00:31:26.750 then you're on about the things God's on about. 00:31:28.990 --> 00:31:34.150 At least with your money. But are you doing that? 00:31:35.750 --> 00:31:40.569 What's it look like to be doing that? Now let 00:31:40.569 --> 00:31:42.609 me say it doesn't mean liquidating everything 00:31:42.609 --> 00:31:46.230 you've got and giving it to the church. Because 00:31:46.230 --> 00:31:49.309 far out that would mean I'd have a much bigger 00:31:49.309 --> 00:31:51.630 pastoral care list that I'd have to deal with. 00:31:53.369 --> 00:31:56.089 No, it's okay if you've got responsibilities 00:31:56.089 --> 00:31:57.869 to look after yourself. That's good and right 00:31:57.869 --> 00:32:04.099 and proper. But what it does mean is stewarding 00:32:04.099 --> 00:32:09.519 all you have for the cause of Christ. So yes, 00:32:09.660 --> 00:32:14.119 give. I hope you do. Give to the cause of Christ. 00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:18.660 But use everything you have for the cause of 00:32:18.660 --> 00:32:23.660 Christ. Back in Broken Hill, we had some friends 00:32:23.660 --> 00:32:27.160 who were school teachers, Jesse and Mez. And 00:32:27.160 --> 00:32:29.500 at their school, they had a few other teachers 00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:33.420 who were interested in finding about Jesus. And 00:32:33.420 --> 00:32:36.099 so they went, OK, we're going to do something 00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:38.380 about that. And they went, I've got an idea. 00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:41.900 We're going to do Bible Book Club. That's what 00:32:41.900 --> 00:32:44.240 they came up with, Bible Book Club. And they 00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:46.720 all got together, and they had dinner together, 00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:49.240 which Jessie and Mez paid for and organised. 00:32:50.240 --> 00:32:53.230 They opened up their home, and they bought their 00:32:53.230 --> 00:32:55.329 friends' Bibles, as well as some other books 00:32:55.329 --> 00:32:57.089 as well, and they sat together and they read 00:32:57.089 --> 00:33:01.170 Mark's Gospel. They used their money, they used 00:33:01.170 --> 00:33:04.190 their home, they used the resources they had 00:33:04.190 --> 00:33:10.670 to try and help people know and love Jesus. Or 00:33:10.670 --> 00:33:13.849 think of a dad. He's trying to be a good dad 00:33:13.849 --> 00:33:16.609 with his kids. He reads the Bible with his kids. 00:33:16.609 --> 00:33:19.309 He prays for them. He sets routines. You know, 00:33:19.430 --> 00:33:21.150 sometimes they're like, Dad, you're always so 00:33:21.150 --> 00:33:23.009 harsh, you know, but he's just trying to love 00:33:23.009 --> 00:33:26.289 them and lead them well. But he's there and he 00:33:26.289 --> 00:33:28.910 feels like, gee, work's busy and I'm not connecting 00:33:28.910 --> 00:33:33.410 with my kids. So he uses his money to take them 00:33:33.410 --> 00:33:36.390 out for a milkshake. Occasionally, maybe they 00:33:36.390 --> 00:33:38.950 go go -karting up at Smithfield, whatever it 00:33:38.950 --> 00:33:43.170 might be. because he wants to connect with them, 00:33:43.210 --> 00:33:46.829 because he wants his kids to grow up having a 00:33:46.829 --> 00:33:51.549 great time in a Christian family. That's a wise 00:33:51.549 --> 00:33:55.430 way to use money, isn't it? Or think of a Christian 00:33:55.430 --> 00:33:59.990 at work. They buy coffee for the co -workers 00:33:59.990 --> 00:34:04.049 occasionally. They take some of their co -workers 00:34:04.049 --> 00:34:06.990 to lunch because they're going, I want to build 00:34:06.990 --> 00:34:12.150 relationships with these non -Christians. And 00:34:12.150 --> 00:34:14.929 just as, you know, Jesus here, he says, you know, 00:34:15.949 --> 00:34:18.550 in Luke 16, I thought this is a fascinating one, 00:34:18.769 --> 00:34:20.510 for the people of this world are more shrewd 00:34:20.510 --> 00:34:22.889 in dealing with their own kind than are the people 00:34:22.889 --> 00:34:26.369 of the light. Just saying, we've got to get better 00:34:26.369 --> 00:34:30.210 at this. God's people need to get better at this. 00:34:31.289 --> 00:34:33.630 Is that we're shrewd with our money. You know, 00:34:33.849 --> 00:34:35.889 this is the one time in the Bible, I think, where 00:34:35.889 --> 00:34:38.150 it tells us, hey, maybe go read the business 00:34:38.150 --> 00:34:42.159 section of the newspaper. Go find out what other 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:44.500 people are doing in the world, how they're shrewd, 00:34:44.599 --> 00:34:47.300 how they're wise, and then copy some of those 00:34:47.300 --> 00:34:49.619 ideas as long as they're godly, but copy them 00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:53.360 so that you can help people know and love Jesus. 00:34:56.119 --> 00:34:58.300 I mean, it's going to look different for each 00:34:58.300 --> 00:35:04.119 Christian, but the heart is the same. There's 00:35:04.119 --> 00:35:07.980 an eternal perspective where to have driven by 00:35:07.980 --> 00:35:11.559 God's generosity to us. That's what shapes us, 00:35:11.559 --> 00:35:15.860 that's what controls us. So which one are you 00:35:15.860 --> 00:35:19.440 like? Are you like the rich fool or the shrewd 00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:23.260 manager? If you're like, if you think, yeah, 00:35:23.260 --> 00:35:26.679 I might be like the rich fool, let me or another 00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:31.039 Northern Hope person buy you coffee. I'd love 00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:34.239 to take you out for coffee and let's talk about 00:35:34.239 --> 00:35:37.960 if you have a false script or not. You can convince 00:35:37.960 --> 00:35:40.219 me and try and convince me that I've got the 00:35:40.219 --> 00:35:45.960 false script. Well, I'm happy to do that. But 00:35:45.960 --> 00:35:48.460 if you're trying to be like the shrewd manager, 00:35:48.539 --> 00:35:52.780 keep going. Keep growing in wisdom. Keep thinking 00:35:52.780 --> 00:35:58.500 it through how you can invest in eternity. Because 00:35:58.500 --> 00:36:01.960 Jesus' death and resurrection gives us confidence 00:36:01.960 --> 00:36:07.840 it will be worth it. Let me close with this. 00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:11.940 Imagine for a second you could jump into a DeLorean 00:36:11.940 --> 00:36:16.000 and go back to the future. Michael J. Fox style. 00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:20.059 You've got your own time machine. How good would 00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:23.860 it be to go back into the past and buy shares 00:36:23.860 --> 00:36:28.000 in Apple or Google, or maybe buy some of those 00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:33.480 Sydney properties? But I want to suggest as cool 00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:37.099 as that would be, What if you went to the future 00:36:37.099 --> 00:36:39.460 first? I mean, the movie is called Back to the 00:36:39.460 --> 00:36:41.559 Future, right? They're always going back to the 00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:45.199 past. Go to the future for a bit. See what it 00:36:45.199 --> 00:36:50.800 would be like at the last day. I wonder how that 00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:54.980 would shift how you use your money, how you think 00:36:54.980 --> 00:36:59.059 about your money. I even reckon it would shift 00:36:59.059 --> 00:37:02.639 how Scott Pape, the barefoot investor, sees his 00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:10.630 money. Let's keep eternity in sight as we use 00:37:10.630 --> 00:37:16.929 our money. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank 00:37:16.929 --> 00:37:19.409 you so much for the riches you've given us in 00:37:19.409 --> 00:37:22.489 the Lord Jesus. And we ask that you would help 00:37:22.489 --> 00:37:25.989 us to use the things of this world well in the 00:37:25.989 --> 00:37:29.389 light of eternity. Please keep us from greed, 00:37:29.429 --> 00:37:35.300 guard us from covetousness and help us. to enjoy 00:37:35.300 --> 00:37:39.559 you more than anything else. Amen.