Posted on April 14, 2024 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
Jesus and Money
by Allison Antrim
In American culture, we are way past the practice of carving idols and bowing down to them. Yet we have never stopped looking to things other than God to save us. Money might be the number one thing that people believe will save them. Money can be very helpfull; it can improve life and bring us some measure of happiness. But like Brad pointed out, it also can cause dissatisfaction and ruin if we place it on the throne of our hearts as our lord and savior.
According to Jesus, we must choose between serving God and serving money. It’s that simple and that complicated. To have the proper perspective of money requires turning away from the world’s way and looking at it like God does. Everything we have has been given to us – we can’t say we earned it all by ourselves. Treasure in heaven is far superior to the most valuable possessions we can accumulate on earth. Where you invest your money has the power to make you more – or less – like Jesus. And we have to handle money with a firm hand to keep it from running our lives.
Looking at money in God’s way reduces it from an alluring idol to a useful tool – not only for ourselves but also for God’s kingdom. When our eyes see ways to be generous with our money, and we take those opportunities, we can participate more fully in what God is doing in the world. Money loses its power over us because we trust God will provide for us.
Have you ever had an unhealthy view of money? How do Jesus’s words affect how you look at money today? What opportunities for generosity await you?
In this passage, Jesus invites his audience to consider where they store their treasures and whom they serve: God or money. Verses 22-23 may seem unrelated to these topics. However, there is a reason for Jesus to talk about eyes in relation to treasures and masters. Last year in Heartland’s Women of the Word Bible study called Jesus and Women, author Kristi McLelland explained that the Hebrew idiom of having “a good eye” described a person who is generous to those in need. Conversely, having “a bad eye” described as someone selfish and stingy who does not help others. With this in mind, how do verses 22-23 tie the whole passage together? What would it look like for you to have “a good eye” this week?
Passion and praise emanate from these verses. The author of Hebrews is painting a picture of glory and beauty that belongs to all who believe in Jesus, “the mediator of a new covenant, and…the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (v. 24). The author is referring to the infamous incident in Genesis in which God confronts Cain for murdering his brother Abel. God says to Cain that “your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). If Abel’s blood was a plea for God to bring justice, what is the “better word” spoken by Jesus’s blood? When you read today’s passage about where and to whom we have come as believers, what phrases bring you comfort or inspire you?
Perhaps Peter thought of Jesus’s words from the Sermon on the Mount when he wrote these verses. Our greatest treasure in heaven is the inheritance awaiting us as children of God, in which the riches of all of God’s goodness will become ours when Jesus returns. What aspect of your inheritance in heaven are you most looking forward to? How can you find encouragement in what awaits you as you live on earth?
The idols described in this passage are made of precious metals and look human but aren’t. They are inanimate and lifeless, unable to do anything for those who worship them. Although most of us don’t make or pray to idols as described in this passage, idolatry is still alive and well. Many things can become objects of worship and devotion, taking the place that rightfully belongs to God. What are some modern-day idols you see in our culture? Have you been tempted to trust in any of them?
Since God had chosen Israel out of all the nations to be His own people, their laws needed to reflect His righteousness. Thus God declares special protections for the poor, and He commands for others to be generous toward them. The reward for obeying is that “the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to” (v. 10). Have you experienced any blessing from God after being generous toward the poor? What would it look like for you to be openhanded toward them this week?
In Luke, Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who brings in a surplus of his crops. The man’s response to his abundance is to increase his storage to hoard it all. In both this story and in Hebrews, we are instructed to watch out for the obsession with money, the influence of greed, and the accumulation of possessions. Why do you think Jesus finishes the parable in Luke with God requiring the life of the rich man? How does God’s promise in Hebrews apply to avoiding the love of money and choosing contentment?
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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