(The audio recording of this sermon will be uploaded here after the Sunday service.)
The Bible tells us about many people who were rich but also believed in God and lived godly lives. For example… Let’s think about the book of Genesis. Who was rich in Genesis? Abraham! Abraham was rich. His son Isaac was also rich, and his grandson Jacob was rich, too. There’s an old saying:‘Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.’ This saying means that the first generation works hard and becomes wealthy. The second generation inherits the wealth and enjoys a comfortable life. But by the third generation, the family loses its wealth and becomes poor again. But Abraham’s family remained wealthy for four generations. We can see that Jacob’s son Joseph also was very rich as the ruler of Egypt.
Another rich man in the Old Testament was Job. Job was extremely rich, but he trusted God more than his wealth. At the beginning of his life, Job enjoyed many blessings. But in the middle of his life, he went through terrible pain and suffering. However, in his later years, God blessed him even more than before. David was also a rich man. But the richest man in the entire Old Testament was… Solomon.
The Bible teaches us that material blessings are also one of the blessings that God gives us. So, we do not choose to be poor on purpose. Of course, there are some Christians who choose to live a poor life because they want to follow Christ.
One famous example is St. Francis of Assisi. He was born into a wealthy family. His father was a successful businessman. But in his early twenties, Francis met God, and his life completely changed. He gave up his wealth and honor. Around 1206, he had a conflict with his father over money. In front of the bishop of Assisi, he even took off his clothes and gave them back to his father. He gave up his right to inherit his father’s wealth. He declared: “From now on, I will call my Father in heaven my father.” After that, he spent his life serving the poor and caring for people with leprosy. He also shared the gospel with others.
Some people use the wealth God gives them to serve His kingdom. Others willingly give up their wealth to follow God. What counts is not how much we have, but what we value most in life.
The Bible also gives us a direct warning not to work too hard just to become rich. Let’s read Proverbs 23:4–5.
“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”
This passage does not mean that becoming rich is wrong. Rather, it warns us not to work too hard for money or depend too much on it. Let’s also read 1 Timothy 6:9.
“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.”
Paul warns us that the desire to become rich can lead us into temptation and danger.
The Bible does not say it is wrong to be rich. But it clearly warns us not to live for money or put money before God and other people. God does not necessarily want us to be poor. But He does not necessarily want us to be rich, either. What matters to God is not how much money we have, but how we think about money and how we use it.
Interestingly enough, the Bible also teaches us some general principles about how to become financially successful. Are you curious? Today, I want to share five of them with you.
Number 1, the Bible tells us to work hard. Let’s read Proverbs 10:4. “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” If you want to become rich, you need to work hard. You should not be lazy.
Number 2, we should trust God and expect Him to provide material blessings. Let’s read Proverbs 10:22. “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” This verse teaches us that God is the source of true material blessings. The money and wealth we have do not come only from our own ability or hard work. They also come from God’s grace and blessing. God’s blessings are not simply about having more money. They also include the peace of God as we enjoy what He gives us. So, we should not depend on money itself. We should trust the God who gives us blessings.
Number 3, we should share what God gives us with others. Let’s read Proverbs 11:24–25. “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” When we bless others, God also blesses us and makes our lives richer.
Number 4, we should save money little by little. Let’s read Proverbs 13:11. “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” Money earned honestly and saved little by little grows over time.
Number 5, we should make wise financial plans. Let’s read Proverbs 21:5. “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
When we set goals, make careful plans, and keep working hard, we have a better chance of seeing good results. On the other hand, people who want to make a lot of money too quickly may end up losing what they have.
Most Christians already know these five principles. There is nothing special or new about them. To be honest, whether we believe in Jesus or not, most of us spend a lot of time thinking about how to make more money. Perhaps that is just the way we live.
But there is something I want you to think about. Does God want us to become rich only in material things? Of course, it is important to work hard, earn money honestly, and enjoy a comfortable life. But for Christians, there is something more important than being rich in money. What I am saying is that there are other areas of life that are even more important than making money. If so, what are they? In what areas does God want us to be rich, rather than just materially wealthy? Today, I want to talk with you about three things.
First, let us read Luke 12:21. “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Jesus said these words at the end of the parable of the foolish rich man. This man stored up a lot of wealth for himself, but he was not rich toward God. He made careful plans for his future, but he had no real interest in his relationship with God. The problem with this man was not that he had a lot of money. His problem was that he was only interested in storing up wealth. He forgot to think about what kind of person he should be before God. Brothers and sisters, becoming rich in this world is important, but becoming rich toward God is even more important.
Secondly, let us read James 2:5. “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
What kind of rich people is this verse talking about? That’s right! People who are rich in faith. To be rich in faith means to trust and depend on God completely. It does not matter how much or how little we have in this world. What matters is whether we depend on God more than our own ability or possessions. It means trusting God’s promises in every situation. James teaches us that even people who are poor and seem unimportant in this world can be rich toward God. A person who is rich in faith trusts God’s Word, makes decisions by faith, acts by faith, and lives by faith. Such a person has great faith!
Thirdly, let us read 1 Timothy 6:18. “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”
What does it mean to be rich in good deeds? It means becoming a person who does many good things in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul tells Timothy to teach believers how to use their money. God does not give us money just for ourselves. He wants us to use what we have to do good for others. We should love to share and are generous toward others. In the end, the wealth God gives us is not just for ourselves. God wants us to use it to serve others and share His blessings with them.
I would like to close my sermon here. Bothers and sisters, let us work hard and do our best to live a financially healthy life. But more importantly, let us become rich toward God, rich in faith, and rich in good deeds. I pray that we will use the blessings God gives us to bless and serve many other people. May we become people who make others rich through the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Let us pray.
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