Finding Financial Freedom

Give GenerouslyCheerfullyHilariously 

Our Goal

• To live in the joy and freedom of serving only One Master.

Simplicity Prayer

Father, teach me the freedom of devotion,the power of simplicity,

the peace of an undivided heart,and the joy of wanting only one thing!

The Prayer of St Craig of Hilton

Interdependent Truth

• Work Gloriously• Wait Patiently• Live Simply• Give Generously• Celebrate Community

Luke 16

• The parable of the shrewd manager• 16 Jesus told his disciples: ‘There was a rich

man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, “What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.”

Luke 16

• 3 ‘The manager said to himself, “What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg – 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.”

Luke 16

• 5 ‘So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, “How much do you owe my master?”

• 6 ‘“Three thousand litres of olive oil,” he replied.

• ‘The manager told him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifteen hundred.”

Luke 16

• 7 ‘Then he asked the second, “And how much do you owe?”

• ‘“Thirty tons of wheat,” he replied.• ‘He told him, “Take your bill and make it

twenty-four.”

Luke 16

• 8 ‘The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

Luke 16

• 10 ‘Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

Luke 16• 13 ‘No one can serve two masters. Either you

will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.’

• 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

Confusing Parable?

• Is Jesus endorsing unethical behaviour?

Confusing Parable?

• Is Jesus endorsing unethical behaviour?

• Does God accept cronyism?

What does it mean?

• Recognise the lesson may be in the contrast

What does it mean?

• Recognise the lesson may be in the contrast

• Focus on the punch-line Jesus Himself delivers

• “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

The parable reveals what we don’t see

The parable reveals what we don’t see

• The parable is confusing to those who think that the riches they have at their disposal belong to them.

The parable reveals what we don’t see

• The parable is confusing to those who think that the riches they have at their disposal belong to them.

• We take offense because this manager is using someone else’s money for personal benefit.

But the truth is...

• You are always giving away something that is not yours!

But the truth is...

• You are always giving away something that is not yours!

• You are always using your Master’s money to make friends in eternal dwellings!

But the truth is...

• You are always giving away something that is not yours!

• You are always using your Master’s money to make friends in eternal dwellings!

• Your Father wants you to use the very gifts He gave in the first place!

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life/ the life of the ages.”

Cheerful Giving...

• Think – Why would someone be happy to give something away?

• Joy comes to the giver because the giver loves the one to whom they are giving.

Cheerful Giving...

• Think – Why would someone be happy to give something away?

Cheerful Giving...

• Cheerful giving to God is always the fruit of loving Him.

• God doesn’t want or need your money – He wants your heart.

According to Jesus

• My heart is where my treasure lies.

Giving reveals my heart

• What and how I give tells you more about me than about who I am giving to:– My love– My trust– My hope

Generous Giving

• The amounts given reflect not on the merits of what we give to as to what we hold dear to our hearts.

Generous Giving

• The amounts given reflect not on the merits of what we give to as to what we hold dear to our hearts.

• The amounts/ proportions we give reveal more about us than about the one/s we give to.

Made in His Image... Matthew 22

“Whose image is this? Whose written on it?”

“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Made in His Image... Matthew 22

“Whose image is this? Whose written on it?”

“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

You give according to the likeness and image you want to reveal and represent.

Made in His Image...

• God does not need our money

Made in His Image...

• God does not need our money

RATHER

• He wants to train us to be like Him!

• “God so loved... that He gave...”

Generosity in spirit is seen in:

• Gratitude• Praise• Encouragement• Mercy• Compassion• Honour

“Freely you have received, now freely give.” Jesus, Mt. 10:8

• Give sacrificially – John 3:16

“Freely you have received, now freely give.” Jesus, Mt. 10:8

• Give sacrificially – John 3:16• Give freely – Mt. 10:8

“Freely you have received, now freely give.” Jesus, Mt. 10:8

• Give sacrificially – John 3:16• Give freely – Mt. 10:8• Give confidentially – Mt. 6:2-4

“Freely you have received, now freely give.” Jesus, Mt. 10:8

• Give sacrificially – John 3:16• Give freely – Mt. 10:8• Give confidentially – Mt. 6:2-4• Give regularly – 1 Cor. 16:2

“Freely you have received, now freely give.” Jesus, Mt. 10:8

• Give sacrificially – John 3:16• Give freely – Mt. 10:8• Give confidentially – Mt. 6:2-4• Give regularly – 1 Cor. 16:2• Give proportionally – 1 Cor. 16:2

“Freely you have received, now freely give.” Jesus, Mt. 10:8

• Give sacrificially – John 3:16• Give freely – Mt. 10:8• Give confidentially – Mt. 6:2-4• Give regularly – 1 Cor. 16:2• Give proportionally – 1 Cor. 16:2• Give cheerfully – 2 Cor. 9:7

“Freely you have received, now freely give.” Jesus, Mt. 10:8

• Give sacrificially – John 3:16• Give freely – Mt. 10:8• Give confidentially – Mt. 6:2-4• Give regularly – 1 Cor. 16:2• Give proportionally – 1 Cor. 16:2• Give cheerfully – 2 Cor. 9:7• Give expectantly – 2 Cor. 9:11