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Syllabus

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Acts 17:11

“Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the LORD. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

Jeremiah 23:28-29

Why Is Money So Important to

God?

Jesus Christ said more about money than about any other single thing because, when it comes to a man’s real nature, money is of first importance. Money is an exact index to a man’s true character. All through Scripture there is an intimate correlation between the development of a man’s character and how he handles his money.

Richard Halverson

Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

  Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house…” Luke 19:8-9

Matthew 19:21-22

“Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Matthew 19:23-25

Luke 3:7-14 John the Baptist to the crowds

coming to be baptized:

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. …. every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut  

down and thrown into the fire.” “What should we do then?”

the crowd asked.   John answered, “1) The man

with two tunics should share with him who has none, and 2) the one who has food should do the same.”

Tax collectors also came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked,

“what should we do?”   3) “Don’t collect any more

than you are required to,” he told them.

Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”       He replied, “4) Don’t extort money and 5) don’t accuse people falsely—6) be content with your pay.” Luke 3:7-14

Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Acts 19:18-20

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.…All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had….

Acts 2:44-45

With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

Acts 4:32-35

Mark 12:41-44

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 fraction of a penny.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, 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

Luke 12:16-21The land of a rich man produced plentifully…“I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”

But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?

This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:16-21

Questions:

How would you have counseled the poor widow? The rich fool?

How does the rich fool’s worldview and financial planning differ from ours?

How does the poor widow’s differ from ours?

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Romans 14:12

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

2 Corinthians 5:10