Is Jesus against wealth? |Colin D Cruz

These messages was preached  Colin D Cruz at Word of Grace Church on the October 4th, 2015.  To listen/download the audio please click here  . To listen to the Sunday's worship and prophetic contributions please click here.

Is wealth a bad thing? Should we save? Should we gain wealth? How do we use it? 

Every year companies release something known as the IPO which is their Initial Public Offer and make their shares available to the Public at a certain price. Usually it’s a  company that is doing very well. You apply for 1000 and end up with 100. Why do people queue up to buy these shares? Initially, after purchasing it, the share price shoots.

Today I’ll give you another opportunity to participate in something here, not an IPO but our Annual Gift Day offering. This is over and above your regular giving. Why am I relating this to the IPO?

Matthew 6:19-21 “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 your selves 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.”

Jesus is not against storing up wealth. It's the location that is important. He says store them up in heaven. Earthly treasures will fade away. What was precious thirty years ago is not today. Technology and time make it takes lose value.

Q. How do we store treasures in heaven?

There is no western union branch in heaven. One of the ways is by investing our time, talents and treasures into the kingdom- especially to the poor and the work of the church.

Q. What kind of offering can we collect?

Many years ago, there were 5 of us praying in a small room. Our church was about 15 members. We had a figure of Rs. 50,000 which was a huge sum then. We prayed in faith and believed God and that money had come in. Subsequently, it went on to Rs. 5 lakhs. I know many people who have given not just generously but sacrificially as well.

Jesus says where your treasure is there your heart will be also. This is an incredible statement.
Jesus gives the solution. It’s the above statement. As we put our money into the kingdom our heart will follow. For example if I tell you on Friday that the price of the shares of a company have gone up by a substantial amount, it doesn’t make any difference to you. But if on Thursday you bought shares from this company, it matters to you that the price of the shares has gone up. Because you’ve invested into it your heart follows. I want to encourage you to obey Jesus’ clear instructions. When we do this our heart will warm up towards the things of the kingdom.

Giving is an act of worship. Consider what you may give and store up treasures in heaven.

2 Corinthians 8:2 Paul is commending the Macedonian Church who though poor, they were generous. Today we are not in extreme poverty. But even their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. The result is overflowing joy. Have you seen rich people who are unhappy?
As we give joy will come into or lives. So let’s watch the attitude with which we give. The Macedonians had great attitude. Entirely on their own, they pleaded for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.

Why do we want to give like this? Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 8:8- 9- “I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

The reason we want to give generously and sacrificially is because Jesus who though rich became poor. Give and it will be given to you pressed down and shaken together. 

The heavenly IPO is opening up. And it’s good to do things together. Everything we do without faith is sin. So let’s do this with faith, with rich generosity and with a heart like the Macedonians. All of us have an opportunity to give. When we come to church and we give it’s not because someone is pleading with us to do it. We gladly give because Jesus saved you.

Today if you are struggling financially, money is coming in and going out, major expenses coming up, check how is your giving? It’s the heavenly principle, you give and it will be given to you. Ask God to help you give beyond your ability. When you give generously and with the right attitude, it pleases God, it shows that the grace of God is operating in your life and there are definitely blessings that follow. 

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.