2002.12.01. A Christian and Money (4) - Rev. Young Jin Cho

You cannot serve two masters

Matthew 6:24-34

Since the first week of November, I have started a series of sermons under the title of "A Christian and Money." I have finished three sermons and I would like to ask you how much you remember about them. What was the title of first week's sermon? On the base of the scripture Luke 19, I said our faith on God should be confessed through our checkbooks. What was the second title? With the reading of Genesis 1, in order for our wallet to be born again, we need conversion in our perception. We are not the masters but just stewards and managers of our possessions while living on earth. What was the third one? ''Beyond the tithes" was the title. Jesus praised the widow's offering in Mark 12. The offering of the tithes is confession of our faith on his Lordship that it is the minimum goal of giving not the maximum goal. If we have experienced his amazing grace, our offering should go beyond the tithes that Israelites has offered in Old Testament.

A few years ago, Gallup, a famous research institute in U.S has made a research on the relationship of the money and the faith. According to the results, 55% of Americans answered that (1) having more money damaged one's faith and 32% answered that (2) the money and the material abundance elevated one's faith. But the % of the result of having more money damages one's faith was higher as you made more money. Those who earned less than $15,000 a year answered yes and no equally to (1). 53% of those who earned between $15,000 and $30,000 a year answered yes to (1) and 30% answered no to that. 49% of those who earned between $30,000 and $50,000 a year answered yes to (1) and 39% said no to that. 62% of those who earned more than $50,000 answered yes to (1) and 25% said no to that.

My brothers and sisters, what does it mean that money damages one's faith? Why is the money damages one's faithful life?

I

This morning, we have read a part of Jesus' sermon on the mountain. In this sermon, Jesus reminded his disciples or rather us that we cannot serve two masters. Just like loving, hating, and caring for one person we cannot serve God and the money together. We cannot serve neither or nor.

We can think of the Gallup's research on the bases of this sermon. What does it mean when the money damages one's faith? Why is the money damages one 's faithful life? There might be a lot of answers. But one of them might be that we are the ones tempted to serve money and God. There is the temptation to serve God and money. There is temptation to serve God who does not take part in the money matter. We do not only put the money and the possessions under God's control but also refuse to acknowledge Lordship as far as the money is concerned. We limit his Lordship on the spiritual area and become own masters as far as the money is concerned. God is "Off limit " on the money. We serve God and the money like this.

But that is not the faithful Christian life. God does not want divided faithfulness. The faith that hovers over serving God and the money is an insult to God. Why is that? You believe that the money is an equal to God. If you are going to believe in God like that, give it up at once. If you are going to believe in God who is just an equal to money, you do not have to believe in God. It will only be a burden.

But God in the Bible is not like that. A Christian is the one who has chosen God on a crossroad. Being a Christian means admitting his Lordship over the money as well. A Christian serves God faithfully. A Christian stops hovering over God and money and turns himself only to God. A Christian admits and invites God in all the areas of life. A Christian plans and manages the money according to God.

II

I would like to discuss this in detail. How are we who serve God as the master different in the aspect of the money? What has to be different in the aspect of the money?

First of all, the purpose for making the money should be different.

Why do you make money? What is the purpose of making the money? For food, clothes and shelter. But is that all? After we settle that, it's for more food, clothes, house and perhaps to live comfortably in old age. But is that all? Some of you may say the job is the way to self-realization that we make money to enjoy life and to solve the necessities of life. My brothers and sisters, is that all?

For a Christian, making money cannot be the purpose in life. In today's scripture, that might be the purpose for those who do not have faith. But we have to ask first while making the money. That is to ask for His kingdom and His will. Making money is one of means to build His kingdom and His will that it cannot be the sole purpose in our lives. We need to be clear on that.

In Ahn San, Kyung Gye Do in Korea, there is a president of a company, which manufactures compressor, is a Christian. He said the first purpose in running his business is to give proper salary to his workers. His purpose is to build God's kingdom and seek God's will first in doing his business. This president has built the restrooms and the shower rooms like the hotel for the workers and even built better ventilation for clean air for his workers in factory. He even established a scholarship fund to support the children of his workers going to middle school to the college. He lends money to his workers without charging any interests and lets them pay off with their bonuses and his workers almost all of them own a house.

There's something different about this, isn't there? The purpose for making money is not to enjoy oneself, not to pile up but to share more. For a Christian, the purpose in life is not making money. Making money is one of means to live a life that glorifies God who is almighty and precious. Making money cannot be the purpose in life.

(2) Secondly, for a Christian, how we make money should be different just as the purpose for making money should be different. It's not the Christian way to make money in every means. That's the leading a life of whose master is money. If you have God as a master of your life, how you make money should fit God's will. Then what does it mean to make money that is right with God's will?

1) First, make money in an honest way.
For a long time, Koreans believed that they should lie to run a business. They thought it was all right to lie as they see it fit to make money. Where does this thinking lead us? It builds the wall of distrust between the buyer and the seller. The buyer tries to bargain down not to get overcharged and the seller tries to blow up the price not to get bargained down later on. Nowadays things have gotten better, but the thought that it's ok to lie to run a business still exists.

My brothers and sisters, it is not entirely wrong to make proper profit running a business. But it's not honest to make excessive profits running a business. That's not the Christian way to go. It might look impossible to run an honest business and to make honest money in this age and time. But there is something more important than making money. If it is more important to lead a life that is right before God, shouldn't we pursue the honest and truthful way? That is to carry on the life of the cross?

2) Secondly, a Christian should boldly refuse to make money unethically. Even if you make a ton of money, if God is not pleased with the way, you should turn away from that path. The extreme way would be making money off selling marijuana. But making profits off a bribe or giving bribe would be the example. If you serve money as a master, it might be ok to make money immorally. But if you serve God, the way you make money should fit God's will.

3) Thirdly, turn away from making money gambling or selling arms and weapons.

What God is pleased is the way we try to live earnestly and faithfully. It's not the mature Christian way to think about becoming rich over night buying lottery ticket without working. It's foolish to think about making money off gambling. I will tell you clearly this. Not only gambling is not God's way but it also ruins one's family once addicted. I have never heard of anyone getting rich by gambling. Even so, will God be please with the way? Will God be proud of the way? It has not been apparent in Korean society, but I feel bad at the sight of the gambling around us.

Last May, there was meeting for all the Korean United Methodist Church Alliance Committee in Las Vegas. When I first heard this, I joked that the theme of the meeting should be "Lead us not into temptation." Even though Las Vegas is now transforming its image from gambling city to the family resort, there still are slot machines and casinos from the moment you step into the airport. During the time there, I thought of spending $20 on a slot machine for fun. I couldn't do it or rather I didn't do it. Leaving Las Vegas without even doing that was in a way sad but I didn't actually have much time to sit and also didn't feel like doing that at all. I self-criticized about not having any fun but I have no regrets.

The obsession over money can be seen in a way of speculation - a speculation in real estate and a speculation in stocks. But you have to be clear on the difference on a speculation and on an investment. You have to know the danger of starting with the investment and find its way to a speculation. Making an investment is not a shame before God, but a speculation is not the way God is pleased about. It's not right with God to make speculation in order to make money.

Professor Lee, Soo Un who teaches economics in Miami university in Ohio and serves KUMC in Cincinnati has written a book called "Christian financial technology." In his book, he has pointed out things to keep in mind in making an investment. First, restrain yourself from making money over one night. Second, even if you lose money in an investment, it shouldn't threaten your living. You shouldn't make an investment on borrowed money. Third, Don't invest before you know for sure. Fourth, just like the words of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 11:2 " Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land." Divide your investments. Fifth, an investment shouldn't damage God's will. Sixth, always consult a professional before making an investment. The best consultant is learning the right way. In Jewish Talmud, if a husband cannot explain and make his wife understand what he is investing, he shouldn't even consider going forward with his plan.

Making money that is right with God's will is the way. It's not the Christian way to make money off gambling and on a speculation.

III

It's not easy to serve God as your Lord in this age and time. The world is tempting you to serve God and the money together. But the Christian cannot live like that. The purpose for making money and the way to make money should be right with God's will. These ways could bring the loss and the disadvantage to you, but God promises. Seek first his will and seek first his kingdom, and all these things will be given to you.

Faith is living according to the priority. Leading a life that God is the master is not giving up on this priority. This might seem difficult. This might look unrealistic. This might look impossible. But if you live by faith, live earnestly, seek the material according to God's will, the master of our lives, God will fill our need. He will provide.

A good example would be the president Park Sung Soo of E Land company. He ran his company according to God's way not giving bribes and paid taxes accordingly. He stood firmly by his belief and his own way. He said the shoe business was the toughest because of the gift certificates. The government at that time forbids the gift certificates. But the other companies using a short cut, circulated the gift certificates. If they were found, they would be fined about $40,000. It was profitable to circulate the gift certificates even if they were fined but he refuse to make a short cut and abided by the law. He said doing a business with those who used short cuts was like being in a race with hands and legs tied. But he insisted on God's way. Besides the shoe business, it was difficult throughout all the other businesses. But he was determined to make it or lose it all with God's way. Before he knew it he was the number one in his business.

You will not go down doing things God's way. God will provide. You will not perish even if you seek first God's will and God's kingdom. He will provide and will give more. You don't have to serve two masters to live well. If you really want to live well, you need to serve one master. You need to serve God as your Lord. God is the master in the area of money as well. God should be the master in making money.