Luke 19

Read:  Luke 19

In the American church, there is almost always push back when pastors talk about money.  People don’t like to be told what to do with their money. We like our possessions and want to use our money for the things we want.  For many it is just plain selfishness, but there are some who have been burned by a church or have been turned off by the lavish lifestyles of millionaire preachers on television.  Others have decided that they want their money to go to better things than buildings, expensive productions, and excess. Whatever the reason people don’t like talking about money, Jesus talked about it a lot.  He talked about money more than almost anything else. Luke 19 has a lot to say about money.  

First we see a rich man named Zacchaeus.  Zacchaeus “was a chief tax collector and he was rich.”  Tax collectors were basically traitors to their own people for selfish gain.  Instead of standing with his own people, he sided with the Romans to take money from the Jews.  And if that wasn’t bad enough, he likely took a little extra on top just to line his own pockets.  Upon meeting Jesus, his whole attitude changed! Jesus impressed Zacchaeus so much that he became convicted and truly repentant of his selfish ways.  Zacchaeus completely changed directions and went from a selfish extortioner to a benevolent man. He offered to give half of his possessions to the poor and repay anyone he had extorted four times as much as he had taken.  Clearly Zacchaeus had found something new that he valued more than his money. He found the Messiah Jesus Christ.  

After the story about Zacchaeus, Jesus told a parable about a ruler who trusted his money to three men.  The first two were able to use their money so that it grew. The third just hid it in fear of losing it. Many of us today live like the third man.  God has entrusted us with great wealth, but we do not steward it well. Americans live a life of wealth like no people before us, yet instead of investing it in our Master’s work, we hoard it up in fear of losing it or waste it on perishable things.  There is nothing wrong with having money and nice things. But if God has blessed you financially, you need to ask him what he would have you do with it. We need to let God guide us in how to use our money instead of advertisements and coveting our neighbors shiny new things.