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Have you heard of the term “money grubber”? It’s a comical way to refer to someone who respects money more than themselves. Picture the nefarious “One-Eyed Bart”, the villainous alter ego of Mr. Potato Head from Toy Story 3, who clenches at his bags of money and laughs evilly.
I have never seen a person in real life hold a bag full of money and laugh maniacally (I kind of wish I have). However, the principle of ‘loving money more than oneself’ is much easier to find in our world today. Society loves to hate the 1% billionaires, but it’s not opposed to harming its reputation to gain wealth, or lucre, for that matter (You know, ill-gotten gain).
The methods to the cash-grab madness have changed, but the principle hasn’t. Wealth has become the master.
God calls on us to switch that around- from money-service to God-service. Now, money isn’t the root of evil (an improper way of translating 1 Timothy 6:10). The original wording of the Greek would suggest that money is the root of all kinds of evil. God calls us to guard our hearts against such materialism.
Dwell on that as you read/watch Mr. DeMarce’s sermon on Luke 19:9-19. We are blessed to be workers in God’s spiritual vineyard; we are blessed with the ability and the wisdom to produce wealth for ourselves and others. Ultimately, the fruit of our labors comes from God. It therefore belongs to God. May you use your treasures in service to God, in thanks and praise for the gifts he has blessed you with.
God bless you as you produce wealth by your hard service this week. Remember who it’s all for.
Vicar David Young
P.S. Happy 500th! September 21st marks 500 years since Martin Luther published his German translation of the New Testament. While certainly not the first translation from the original Greek -- not even the first German translation --- this work helped accelerate the production of other translations.
According to "Ethnologue," by 2020 the full Bible has been translated into 704 languages; the New Testament into another 1551, and other portions of Scripture into another 1160, for a grand total of 2,710 different languages.
I have never seen a person in real life hold a bag full of money and laugh maniacally (I kind of wish I have). However, the principle of ‘loving money more than oneself’ is much easier to find in our world today. Society loves to hate the 1% billionaires, but it’s not opposed to harming its reputation to gain wealth, or lucre, for that matter (You know, ill-gotten gain).
The methods to the cash-grab madness have changed, but the principle hasn’t. Wealth has become the master.
God calls on us to switch that around- from money-service to God-service. Now, money isn’t the root of evil (an improper way of translating 1 Timothy 6:10). The original wording of the Greek would suggest that money is the root of all kinds of evil. God calls us to guard our hearts against such materialism.
Dwell on that as you read/watch Mr. DeMarce’s sermon on Luke 19:9-19. We are blessed to be workers in God’s spiritual vineyard; we are blessed with the ability and the wisdom to produce wealth for ourselves and others. Ultimately, the fruit of our labors comes from God. It therefore belongs to God. May you use your treasures in service to God, in thanks and praise for the gifts he has blessed you with.
God bless you as you produce wealth by your hard service this week. Remember who it’s all for.
Vicar David Young
P.S. Happy 500th! September 21st marks 500 years since Martin Luther published his German translation of the New Testament. While certainly not the first translation from the original Greek -- not even the first German translation --- this work helped accelerate the production of other translations.
According to "Ethnologue," by 2020 the full Bible has been translated into 704 languages; the New Testament into another 1551, and other portions of Scripture into another 1160, for a grand total of 2,710 different languages.
