DON’T! – Read: Matthew 6:19

1. Pastor Connor opened today by asking us to consider a set of ‘money’ questions and to do a bit of ‘taking stock’ of our posture and attitude towards money: What comes to mind when you think about money? How often do you think about money? Why do you think about money? How important is money to you? Are you generous with money? How do you know? Do you see your posture towards money as something fundamentally connected to your apprenticeship under Jesus? How confident are you that you are using your money well? As you consider each question, how do answer each of them at this time? Have your answers changed over time? How and why?

2. Connor shared that part of the reason for this sermon series topic is that God makes a big deal about money in His Word, and has much to say about it – some 2,350 verses in the Bible address money, wealth, and material possessions, outnumbering verses about faith and prayer combined! From a Gospel Coalition article, Connor shared: “Money is a big deal in the Bible. We’re given more instruction in the Bible about money (more than 2,000 verses) than almost anything else.” – Chris Cagle; 5 Lies Christians Tell About Money. Does this amount of focus surprise you? If so, how and why? What do you think are some of the reasons for this much attention by God to the subject?

3. Connor put it this way: “In the Bible, money matters. It is a theme that comes up over and over and over again as a subject that really matters. And so, I hope this series is really helpful to you…that it leads you to greater freedom, joy and life. I hope together (myself included) we grow into a more healthy perspective on money and a more Christlike posture towards money.” Does this make sense to you? How so? And, as he shared, we have to start with the goal, using games of any sort as an analogy…you can’t put strategies and tactics for a game into action if you don’t first know what the goal is…and that’s where we start today – with the goal – and we’ll get to strategies and tactics in future messages in the series.

4. As Connor suggested, from a Christian perspective, we’ll find the goal most clearly in Jesus’ most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew Chapter 6. And we will begin where Jesus begins…verse 19. What does Jesus say to those gathered? What is Jesus saying that we are not to do? Is He clear? How so? When you read this verse, do you, like many, begin to search for ‘exceptions’ to His command? ‘Yes, but…’ Why do we do that? Connor said it this way: “According to Jesus the goal isn’t accumulation of material goods… more stuff, better stuff… Jesus straight up says don’t do it. Don’t store up for yourself treasure on earth. Which leads us to ask, Am I doing this? Is my money posture one of accumulation? Am I continually endeavoring to store up more stuff, better stuff, bigger bank accounts, more toys, more clothes, jewelry, more and better screens, more memorabilia, more properties, more, more, more. Follower of Jesus, you are told not to do this.” Is this hard to hear? If so, why? So, what are we to do?

DO! – Read: Matthew 6:20-21

5. Fortunately, as we would hope and expect, Jesus has the answer for us in the very next verse. What does He say to the crowd in verse 20? Connor summarized it this way: “Jesus seems to think that what you do now can have future implications past this life – that literally humans can make temporal investments with eternal payoffs. How amazing is that…treasure that can’t decay or be stolen from you, treasure that will last forever!” Does this make sense to you? Does it ring true? How so?

6. But there is a reason Jesus gives us for why we should “store up treasures in heaven.”, and it’s in the next verse – what does verse 21 say? As Connor said, the point is not actually the treasure itself – that is merely a ‘means to an end’…so, what is the point? Do you see that it’s the condition and nature of your heart towards God? And that investments through our lives in heavenly things are what will reverberate for eternity? Note, importantly, that in Jewish understanding, ‘the heart’ represents the person’s whole being – we might say, their ‘whole self’, and so this message of Jesus contrasting earthly treasure with heavenly treasure reveals where our whole being is focused on…our purpose statement, if you will. Do you see this? What do you make of this? And so, this becomes our ‘goal statement’ for our approach to money – do store up treasures in heaven, because that is where your whole self will be also. Do you see this? Connor said it this way: “If you are trying to store up treasure here your heart will be here with your stuff, but if you treasure the things in heaven your heart (in some way I haven’t fully wrapped my mind around) will be there…what do you want your heart to be like?” Does this make sense to you?

BELIEVERS WHO HAVE DIED – Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:8-16

5. The question was submitted, “What about the believers who died before Christ returns and the Thessalonians concern that they have missed out on eternal life? How was that answered?” Pastor Mike read the 1 Thessalonians passage, and helped us see that what Paul told this congregation is not to worry – that those who have died will see Jesus again and have eternal life with Him. It’s important to note that the word ‘sleep’ here is a Jewish idiom for ‘death’, not sleep in the sense we think. And the key is that they have faith, or trust, in Jesus, even as the Genesis verse indicates that Abram’s faith was counted, by God, to him as righteousness. And the Hebrews 11 passage helps us see this too. Does this make sense to you?

ONLY ONE MASTER – Read: Matthew 6:24

7. And we close the teaching today by letting Jesus close for us – in verse 24, He says it as plainly as possible…what does He say? Notice the strong language He uses…love and hate, devotion and despise…and as Connor said, this is binary – “the values of the kingdom of money and the Kingdom of God are mutually exclusive.” Does this make sense for you? How so?

8. Connor summarized it this way: “Who you serve gets your time, your energy, your passion. If money is master, you do what money demands. You look to money for security, hope, fulfillment, joy and purpose – money takes priority over relationships, health, work-life balance, generosity, over your kids, over God. However, if God is your master, money doesn’t call the shots in your life – God does. God is your master, God is your hope, God is your security, God is your source of meaning, identity and purpose. ” Does this ring true for you? How so?

9. In closing, Connor said, “So I want to ask you the biggest question I can think of related to this topic – Who are you devoted to: God or money?” This is the question we will unpack together in the coming weeks of the series, but for now, consider the question and your answer.

10. Connor ended the service today by sharing a benediction prayer with us that we said together, with the goal plainly stated. The prayer is found in the reflection below. Let this continue to be your prayer this week.

Prayer: Pastor Connor closed our service with a corporate prayer that we shared together. For this coming week, use this prayer as your prayer as you approach God on this subject of money and who has the last word in your life. “God, I choose you over wealth as the master of my life. While many in our culture are worshipping at the altar of money, may we be different, may we choose to follow Jesus through whose death and resurrection there is forgiveness from sin and life eternal. Forgive me for the times I have served the lessor master. Money could never do for me what you have done through Christ. May our collective posture here at EAC towards wealth increasingly reflect the values of your Kingdom. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.” And as always, pray that the Holy Spirit would give you ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to respond to His call to you, in order to be His hands and feet in this world, affirming and proclaiming our one and only master, all for God’s Glory! Amen.

Previewing Sermon Discussion Questions September 6, 2026 Email