Text: Epistle of James 2:17–18

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone… shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

AMP:

“Faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead.”

MSG:

“God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense.”

Faith is not just something we say.
Faith is something we do.

One of the clearest ways faith shows up in real life is through how we handle money.

Disclosure

Twice a year we talk about the importance of biblical giving.

We believe money is spiritual because it reveals where our heart truly is.

We also take financial accountability very seriously. That is why we have a CPA firm reviewing our finances every month. This helps ensure that every dollar that comes into this church is stewarded properly.

As a salaried employee of this church, I have no personal financial gain from increased giving.

My prayer today is simple. That you catch the vision of why we give biblically and the impact it can have in your life, your family, our city, and around the world.

First, Let Me Say Thank You

If you are here today and you have aligned your finances with God by putting Him first in your giving, thank you.

You have chosen to go against the current of the culture.

The world says spend more, borrow more, buy more, and upgrade more.

But the Bible warns about becoming “slave to the lender.”

You chose discipline instead of normal.

That is not easy.

The Elephant in the Room

Many people today live paycheck to paycheck.

Some cannot even make it to the next paycheck.

I recently received an email from QuickBooks saying they now offer paycheck advances one to three days before payday.

If that excited you, I want to help you.

Because most fear, anxiety, and stress comes from financial pressure we have placed on ourselves.

We bought things on minimum payments that maximized our stress.

What we thought would bring happiness actually brought pressure.

If you think more money is the answer, you may have fallen into another trap.

If you cannot manage a little, you will eventually mismanage a lot.

According to CNBC:

• About 60 percent of former NBA players go broke within five years of retirement.
• Around 78 percent of former NFL players experience bankruptcy or financial stress within two years.

Money is not the solution.

The heart is the issue.

What Jesus Said About Wealth

In the Gospel of Luke Jesus warned:

Luke 12:15

“Beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

Wealth itself is not evil.

But measuring your value by your wealth is dangerous.

Jesus followed this teaching with the parable of the rich fool.

This man built bigger barns and stored up more possessions, thinking he could relax and enjoy life.

But God said to him:

Luke 12:20–21

“You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?”

The goal is not to be rich in possessions.

The goal is to be rich toward God.

The Honest Struggle of the Heart

In the Book of Psalms, Asaph expressed something many people have felt.

He looked around and saw the wicked prospering.

Psalm 73 shows his struggle.

He envied them.

He questioned whether living righteously was even worth it.

Everything changed when he entered God’s presence.

Psalm 73:17

“Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood their destiny.”

Money can make your heart bitter toward God if you let it.

But it can also strengthen your faith if you trust Him.

Never allow money to control your emotions, control your decisions, or control your life.

Learning Contentment

The apostle Paul the Apostle wrote to the church in Philippi:

Philippians 4:11–13

“I have learned how to be content with whatever I have… whether with plenty or with little.”

This verse is often used about sports victories.

Paul was actually talking about winning in life.

He said he could do all things through Christ when he had a lot and when he had very little.

Your worship should never depend on your wallet.

Where Your Treasure Is

Jesus also said in the Gospel of Matthew:

Matthew 6:21

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

What you treasure most will reveal what your heart loves most.

I want my life to show that God is my greatest treasure.

The First Action of Faith

If someone realizes their heart has drifted, the first step is repentance.

Make it right with God.

Then take action in how you handle money.

One of the first acts of faith after repentance is tithing.

Giving the first tenth back to God.

Not the leftovers.

The first.

Because God deserves first place.

Stewardship

Everything we have ultimately belongs to God.

We are not owners.

We are managers.

I recently read the book Simple Money, Rich Life by Bob Lotich.

He said he stopped using the phrase “net worth.”

Instead he uses the phrase Assets Under Management.

Because it is not really ours.

We are simply managing what God entrusted to us.

The Parable of the Talents

Jesus told a parable in the Gospel of Matthew about servants entrusted with talents.

Each servant received a different amount.

But the master expected action.

Two servants invested what they received.

One buried it.

The only servant judged harshly was the one who did nothing.

Some people believe their small amount cannot make a difference.

Remember this truth.

Little is much when God is in it.

A Practical Step

We are offering Financial Peace University starting in April.

This class will help you:

• build a budget
• get out of debt
• change the way you think about money
• put God first in your finances

Freedom is possible.

But it will take work and discipline.

Worship Over Obligation

Bob Lotich wrote:

“God doesn’t need your percentage. He wants your heart. Worshipful giving doesn’t just change your money. It changes you.”

Giving should never come from guilt.

Giving should come from worship.

The Tithe

The tithe means one tenth.

Not just any tenth.

The first tenth.

We give God our first and our best, not our leftovers.

Tithing is a principle found throughout the Bible.

One of the clearest passages comes from the Book of Malachi.

Malachi 3:10–12

God invites His people to test His faithfulness through obedience.

A Challenge

If you are not currently tithing, I want to challenge you to a four month giving challenge.

Test God’s promise.

If you already tithe, consider taking the next step through offerings:

• Offering
• Missions
• Building

These help fuel the work God is doing through this church.

Closing Thought

Faith that is alive does something.

Faith shows up in how we live.

Faith shows up in how we trust.

Faith even shows up in how we give.

Because where your treasure is, your heart will be there also.