Money - Luke 19

Money does something funny to the human heart, doesn’t it? As some of you know, I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit - and so the Detroit Lions are my football team. I try not to bring it up too often, not everybody’s sport’s fans, but it’s been an incredible couple of years for the Detroit One Pride. Last year was the greatest season in our franchise history - we broke a bunch of records, we had a great year. BUT we struggled a bit because so many of our defenders got hurt. It was like playing with half a team! We had 16 players on injured reserve, and 6 of them were defensive starters, our top defenders. And so now - in the off season we’re trying to add some defensive talent. We need more guys on the bench in case people get hurt again. And I keep getting these notifications on my phone, all these articles - “we might be making a trade deal over here.” No wait, “we might be making a trade deal over here instead.” And every time I see these articles I can’t help but just stop and marvel at the numbers that are being thrown around. 2 year, 127 million dollar contract extension. It’s hundreds of millions of dollars being thrown around trying to build a team. And you think about it - if they can add to the team, if they can get us all the way to the superbowl - how much are these guys worth? How much are they worth - that’s sort of a strange question isn’t it? We have this weird habit of measuring human beings in terms of how much money they have in their bank account. We have this concept, and it’s socially accepted, that if someone happens to have more money - they are worth more as a human being. At a certain point, the numbers don’t even mean anything anymore - right? Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, is worth 402 billion dollars. Mark Zuckerberg, right behind him, is worth 248 billion dollars. Jeff Bezos is worth 247 billion dollars - they don’t even seem like real numbers. Money does something funny to the human heart, doesn’t it? 

Today we’re continuing our series called The Forces That Control Us, but today we are going to talk about a controlling force in our lives that we actually LIKE. Some of the things we have talked about - things like anxiety, or blame, they’re just all bad. We talked about how we want to take our anxiety and cast it on Jesus. We want to take shame and blame in our lives and just throw it in the garbage. And if I took the same approach this week - and we start talking bout money and I just start going on and on about how we need to cast it all away and throw it in the garbage, every single one of you would start to have this reaction like, “well, now wait, wait, wait, wait, wait a minute.” Because we all agree that money is a force in our world, and we all agree that money can be a force that controls us - but at the same time, money can be an incredibly useful tool in each of our lives. Money can give us security - put food on our table, keep a roof over our head, clothes on our back. It can give us hope and confidence in the future, give us significance and even happiness. Money can buy bacon and reeses peanut butter cups. But the problem is that when money is a source of hope and security and significance in your life, when it goes away - so does your source of hope and security and significance. Money does something funny to the human heart, doesn’t it?

Now before we get into this - I want to help you unclench a little bit. I am not going to ask you for money today. I’m not going to talk about Center’s budget - there’s no big appeal or announcement at the end of this. I don’t have envelopes taped to the bottom of your chair, and there’s no big pitch. That’s not what this morning is about. This morning I want to talk about the fact that money is the number 1 cause of stress in our society. It’s the number 2 cause of divorce. 81% of Gen Z is stressed about money. Did you know that when unemployment goes up by 1%, suicide rates spike by 37,000 people? But most importantly - this is about the fact that money is mentioned over 800 times in the bible, and Jesus talked about it over and over and over, it was over 15% of his total preaching when he was here on this earth. And I’m sure some of you might have heard money messages in church before - but I want to challenge you. If you can stick with me for the next twenty minutes or so - you might leave here today seeing your money a little different. You may be able to cut the wire of control that money has over your life, and you might actually start to see money the way God does.

If you want to grab your bible, we’re going to be working in the book of Luke, chapter 19. If you’re not familiar, you can find it in the table of contents - it’s in the back half, what we call the New Testament. If you don’t have a bible - feel free to grab one off the back wall, or bring it up on your phone. There’s tons of super helpful bible apps. It starts in verse 1, [read v.1-2]. That’s right - we’re doing Zaccheaus. Now, if you’ve never heard this story - you’re in for a treat, this one’s a classic. If you grew up with this stuff - chances are you heard a song as a kid about a wee little man, that’s this guy - and in just the first two verses we have so much to unpack. Jesus is walking by, and Zaccheaus is there - and they tell us two things. First - he was a chief tax collector and second - they tell us he was wealthy. Now if you don’t know how the roman system of taxes worked - it went like this. Rome would take over a region, and then they would advertise for the position. We need local people to collect taxes - and here’s how it works. Let’s say I’m the tax collector, and I work for Rome. Rome told me, we need 100 bucks a month, go get it from the people and give it to us, but anything you collect above that you get to keep. So then I turn around to my neighbors and I say, hey - Rome needs $500 bucks, and then $400 bucks goes into my pocket. And if you don’t like it - straight to jail. I’ve got the power of the Roman army behind me, soldiers at my disposal. So number 1 - nobody liked this system, people HATED tax collectors. They were Jewish people who sold out their neighbors to the oppressors so that they could benefit. But then, number 2 it says he was RICH. So it’s not just that he’s working for the man - it’s not just that he’s the IRS, he’s the CORRUPT IRS. Taking too much and putting the extra in his own pocket. Nobody liked this dude. 

It keeps going, [read v.3-5]. Now picture this, if you will. Zaccheaus is a bit of a short king, and so he has to climb a tree in order to be able to see Jesus. But this character is not like most of the people we have heard about in this series. Think about the other people we have met - the blind man, the paralyzed man, the disciples in the boat during the storm - all of them had an obvious need that Jesus could fill. Zaccheaus isn’t blind, he isn’t paralyzed - in fact, if anything, most of us would say that Zaccheaus is the first story we’ve had where he doesn’t really NEED Jesus, right? Zaccheaus doesn’t really have some major issue. And yet, the difference in this story is that Jesus sought out Zaccheaus. The blind man had to call out to Jesus, the paralyzed man had to be lowered down right in front of Jesus - but Jesus went looking for Zaccheaus. Imagine this - Jesus is on his way through Jericho. He’s on his way to Jerusalem. Later in this chapter we get the big palm Sunday triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Ten days from this story, Jesus is nailed to the cross, bleeding. And yet, with his final days Jesus turned aside for one more stop on his way. Jesus is on his way to Easter and he thinks to himself, “I’ve got to stop and take a second - to teach my buddy Zaccheaus an important lesson first.” This shows us something incredibly important - your status and relationship with money in this life, it matters to Jesus. Whatever your financial situation is, Jesus sees you. Maybe you’re living paycheck to paycheck and you feel like there’s just never enough. Or maybe you’ve got a really steady job, but between hobbies and groceries and kids and sports and vacation and life - it always seems like no matter how much you make it’s never quite enough. And it’s weird because ten years ago, you made a lot less - but you still had that same feeling. Or maybe you’re living a life of incredible abundance, and you’re figuring money doesn’t have a hold on me - I’m fine. But we need to see this - our status and relationship with money, good or bad, it matters to Jesus. Because Money does a funny things to the human heart. 

So Jesus turns to Zaccheaus, and he’s like, “I’m coming to your house.” Jesus knows Zaccheaus has a problem. Jesus knows that Zaccheaus needs help, he has turned aside and called him out specifically. But also, I bet Jesus knows that Zaccheaus probably puts out a pretty good lunch. Let’s go to your house, I bet he has steak. So Zaccheaus comes down in verse 6, [read v.6-8]. Four times the amount. There’s actually an old testament law - if you cheat someone, you have to pay back twice as much, but Zaccheaus is going beyond that. Gives half of his wealth to the poor and pays back four times as much. Now think about this real quick - there’s a fairly good chance that this move bankrupted Zaccheaus. We know he was cheating the people, but to cut your wealth in half, to give back four times as much as you cheated - what do you even have left at the end of it all. Zaccheaus might have absolutely nothing left by the end of this day. And you might think, well - no. Jesus wouldn’t do that to him, I mean come on! He doesn’t want us to struggle with finances, he doesn’t want us to be in poverty! But think about this. What did Jesus say to the rich young ruler? Sell everything you own, and give the money to the poor. He tells the guy - “go be homeless and have nothing.” In fact, there is a theme in the teachings of Jesus where he would rather you live in poverty than be controlled by riches. Let that sink in for a second. The more money you have, the greater your danger - the more careful you have to be with generosity in your heart. Money is an incredible force in your life. It gets its hooks in you deep. I think people who struggle with finances - living paycheck to paycheck, they think they’re the ones who are in the worst position. But what Jesus shows us is that it is the people who are living comfortably on their own power and on their own provision - like Zaccheaus, those are the ones in the most danger. 

Let me show you what I mean. I know I’ve used this chart before, but it just illustrates things so perfectly. [insert that chart of incomes]. If you can’t see it, it’s a graph detailing incomes. And they asked people in each income range, “how much do you need to feel satisfied?” People who make 25 thousand a year, they feel they would be satisfied if they made 34 thousand.  They need 14,000 more dollars and then they will have enough. And there’s all these green dots on the screen - the current and desired. Problem is, every bracket thinks they need more. The people who make 34,000 - they think they need to make 49,000. And the people who make 49,000 think they need 74,000. And if you notice down at the bottom, the gap is getting bigger! Down at the bottom, those who make 200 thousand think they need a salary of 350 thousand dollars to be happy. It’s almost like more is not the solution. It’s almost like more actually makes the problem of control in our hearts WORSE. And I want to be careful with what you are hearing me say - It’s not wrong to try and earn more money, especially to provide for your family. Money is a very useful tool for providing. But the more of it we have, the bigger chunk of our heart it grabs, the more control it has over our life, and the more careful we have to be. If you are not intentional, it will eat up more and more of your heart. Ask yourself, “what would it take for me to ‘have enough’? Because I promise you, even if you achieve it - the answer will always grow. And there’s actually a reason for that - there’s a reason we have infinite unmet desire. Dallas Willard put it like this, “Desire is infinite because we were made by God, made for God, made to need God, made to run to God. We can be satisfied only by the one who is infinite, eternal and able to supply all our needs; we are only at home in God. When we fall away from God the desire for the infinite remains, but it is displaced upon things that will certainly lead to destruction.” That feeling that you are lacking, that unlimited insatiable desire in your life that keeps you from living a satisfied, content life - it actually points us to the truth. You were made to be satisfied ONLY by a connection to God.

That is the gospel truth for us today. There is nothing that can satisfy you, reassure you, complete you like a connection to Jesus. Like, if you’re in here today - and you don’t know Jesus. You haven’t dedicated your life to follow him as your Lord and Savior - maybe you’re just checking this whole church thing out. You feel that tug in your heart and you’re searching for deeper meaning, for deeper truth, I’ll tell you - money is probably our world’s best offer as a substitute savior. That’s probably the best they can do. You’ll hear teachings like - well, money will take care of you and provide for you and give you security, but I’ll just skip to the end of that teaching - it’s not good enough. Because as useful as money can be as a tool - it cannot and will not ever be enough to substitute for an actual savior. For actually knowing Jesus. You were made to be satisfied only by a connection to God.

And I don’t want to hear any of that nonsense about “well the church just wants my money.” No! That’s why I’m not talking about the budget today, I’m not talking about the needs of our church. Because this is too important for you to reduce it down to a financial campaign. Jesus didn’t take any of that money. Zaccheaus gave it to the poor, he gave it to those he cheated, Jesus didn’t get a penny - because that’s not what this is about. This was an idol, a heart issue for Zaccheaus and he needed to set himself free. Jesus would rather you live in poverty and be free in Him, then to have all the riches the world can provide and be missing out on the true riches of the kingdom of God. Money is a tool, and it needs to stay a tool in our lives. 

A couple of months back, my debit card got hacked. It was no big deal, the bank caught it - we didn’t lose any money or anything, but they voided my card and sent me a new one. I think it took like five days to arrive. [pull out your debit card]. Now I’m a simple guy - my wife and I are trying to live debt free, so we don’t own a credit card or anything like that. This card is my one source of money. This is how I access the funds that I have in the bank. And I didn’t really think about it that much, until I needed gas in my car. I was just driving to a meeting, and realized I didn’t have enough gas. And I thought to myself - no problem. I’m a big boy, I can handle this gas problem all by myself because I have - oh no! I don’t have access to my money right now. How can I put gas in my car? [gasp]. Gotta call my wife - can we switch cars? I need you to put gas in my car. I need to borrow your card. Or something. And all week this kept happening to me. I’m feeling hungry, maybe I’ll stop and grab some Taco Bell or I’ll go get a coffee or I’ll - oh no! I don’t have access to my security blanket! You know, this card’s a little hard for you to see - but let’s see if I can express it like this. I happen to have here a briefcase full of money - you know, like pastor’s so often do. [Pull out briefcase, open it, show the money] So many of us, in order to function normally in life - we need to have our arms wrapped around this briefcase. I don’t have a problem with money, as long as I have it. I’m not scared of a medical diagnosis - because with this briefcase, I can get medicine, I can get surgeries, I can get doctors. I’m fine God, don’t need you on this one. I’m not worried about pipes bursting and my basement flooding - because with this briefcase, I can pay real men, who are good at fixing stuff, to come and make my house normal again. God, we’re good - don’t need you on this one. Don’t have to worry about troubles with my family. They drive me nuts, they get into all kinds of trouble - but if I’ve got my briefcase, I can throw some money at it, pay their bills, pay for the thing they broke, pay for therapy, pay for whatever and then I don’t need to depend on God. You’re good God, just stay on the shelf - I’m doing just fine. I’ve got my briefcase. Couple of weeks ago, I talked about trying to sit in God’s chair - trying to be the savior of my own life, trying to be the savior of this church. And I shared that God told me to get out of his seat. Well what I want to share with you today is that we need to stop trying to put THIS in God’s seat.’ Stop trying to put money in the savior’s seat. 

The true teaching of the story of Zaccheaus is that Jesus wants you to depend entirely on him. Can I just level with you on something? In my life, when I think about money in this church, but also in my personal life. When I’m struggling financially - and I’m calling out on God, God please provide. In those moments, and they have come and gone over the years. We’ve been blessed with years of feast and years of famine. But when I am struggling, I grow a lot closer to God. And in this season of prayer and fasting - I have never felt so close to Jesus before. He has wrapped me in his presence with his powerful arms and shielded me from the world when I am all out of ideas, when I am at the end of all my resources. [pause]. And I’m actually a little bit afraid, that when God provides - because I know he will. I know that. But when he provides - will I stop leaning on him? Will I pull away? Will I start to lean on my own understanding, on my own resources? As God pours more and more resources into this church to do his work in our kids ministry, in our mission partners, in getting a new worship space, or expanding like we need to - will we stop leaning on God? And if that’s what’s going to happen - I would rather stay poor. I would rather this church struggle with money, struggle with resources but stay connected to Jesus than have all the money in the world, but forget who belongs in the savior’s seat. It doesn’t matter how much money is in your bank account - the truth is that Jesus wants you to depend entirely on him. To depend on Jesus with your whole life. [read v.9-10]. This is not just “yay Zaccheaus is going to stop cheating his neighbors.” Jesus says putting money in its proper place in Zaccheaus’ life, that brought salvation to his house. Money does funny things to the human heart, and so we need to make sure that money is a tool and not a savior in our life. 

So coming off of all of this, I only have one challenge for you this week. One application for you to work on this week and every week after. Put your money in its proper place. Submit all of your life to God. Ask God to show you where money is in the wrong seat in your life. It’s going to be different for everyone - depending on the role money plays in your life currently. So start by asking God: “where is money more than a tool in my life?” Ask him that this week. Carve out some time, pray and see what he shows you. And when you see it - make a change. Maybe it means when you’re facing some sort of struggle in life - you need to first run to God in prayer, before you run to your wallet for solutions. We talk a lot in this church about how giving as a practice develops generosity. It pushes back against the greed of our money obsessed culture to be generous. So maybe what you need to do is be so generous in your life that you really start to feel it. Be so generous that you have to cut something ELSE off the budget. Put God at the top of your budget - rather than saying “I don’t have anything left at the end of my month” put God first, so the priority is clear. Or maybe you’re trying to submit everything to God, but you’re nervous about letting go of the briefcase. If that’s you this morning, here’s what I want you to do - take some time in prayer, carve out an hour. List every time that God has already been faithful in your life.

Let me show you what I mean. A year ago, when we moved to Grand Rapids - that was a time of financial struggle for my family. Moving is expensive, and the housing market is insane. And my bank account was being a crappy savior of my life. It was not enough. And in the midst of the move, we needed a second car. We’d been a one car family for a long time, but with our new situation - we needed a second car. Some of you remember this, because I complained about it a year ago to you. And I was stressed because I know God is faithful and God will provide. But God never promised me a new car. I know he’s faithful, but his promise was to walk with me in the valley, not drive me through it. What if that wasn’t his will - what was I going to do? Certainly he’s not going to drop a lexus in my lap! And I was feeling really overwhelmed, and so I remember I would do this practice where I just would list where I already can see the hand of faithfulness from God in my life. I look at my five beautiful children, my brilliant and amazing wife. We had five complication free pregnancies. My last three children were born at home, they’ve never set foot in a hospital, ever. Do you have any idea how rare that is? Talk about winning the lottery. I’ve won the lottery, five times. We have a roof over our head. Food on our table. Family who love us. A church that we love. The list of God’s provision is long - we had all of that… AND a neighbor who just happened to be trying to get rid of his 20 year old Lexus. Now don’t get the wrong idea - it’s 20 years old and all rusty, but yes - I drive a lexus. My bank account was being a really crappy savior, and God could have sent me a check. But instead he gave me a neighbor.

Money does funny things to the human heart, doesn’t it. It’s a great tool to get things done in God’s world, but if we’re not careful it can easily be a force that controls us. So let me leave you with this - in your life, may you put money in its proper place. May you surrender and submit all of your life to God - find complete satisfaction in your connection to God. In practice I pray that you will be so generous with what God has given you that you really notice it, start to feel that squeeze, and always depend on God, no matter how much you have. And if you find yourself struggling, and you’re not sure what he’s going to do in these moments of provision - I pray that you be reminded of every time God has been faithful already in your life. Let’s pray.