Redeemer Presbyterian Church

Greetings Redeemer family!

Most of us have negative associations with church and money.  Mention those
two words in the same sentence and a flood of mental images follows.  Suspicion
and cynicism is often close behind.  And some of that is well deserved.  We’ve
all heard stories of charismatic personalities that have used false
religious promises to fool people into funding their luxurious lifestyle.  You
may also have been in churches where guilt and manipulation was used to
convince you to give a little more towards a missions or building campaign.

Yet the fact is that our larger culture is very confused about money.  As a
people group, America has moved from being a nation of citizens to a nation
of consumers.  Advertising has become like oxygen: it’s everywhere, and it
seems as though we couldn’t live for seconds without its assistance.  Barely
a year ago, the average person spent over 100% of their annual income,
making up the difference by going further and further into debt.  Since
then, there’s been a shift in the opposite direction, as the disciples of
budgeting gurus flaunt a smug self-righteousness at their lack of
debt.  Arguments
over money have been a perpetual top reason for strife in marriages.  The
class distinctions created by income differences fracture communities into
those that “have” and those that “have-not”.

It is for all of these reasons that it is so important that we do take time
as a church and study the wisdom God has given in His Word concerning money.
This Sunday, Mike will be continuing our series in Proverbs by examining the
wise use of wealth.

Even so, as we gather on Sunday, we are not just getting together for a
financial health seminar.  Our vision at Redeemer is not ultimately to see
people get spending under control, live under a budget, or eradicate their
debt.  Our purpose is to exalt the name of Jesus, to glorify God, to
celebrate His Kingdom, and to enjoy fellowship by His grace.  Our opening
hymn reminds us of this high calling:

*Jesus Christ, God’s holy lamb,*

*We will laud thy lovely name;*

*We were saved by God’s decree,*

*And all our debt was paid by thee.*

*Thou has washed us in thy blood,*

*Made us kings and priests to God;*

*Take this tribute of the poor;*

*Less we can’t, we can’t give more.*

* *

*Souls redeemed, your voices raise,*

*Sing your dear Redeemer’s praise;*

*Worthy thou of love and laud,*

*King of saints, incarnate God.*

Our call to worship this week comes from Psalm 112, which speaks of the
blessings of provision that God promises to His people.  Notice that the
psalmist’s emphasis is not on personal luxury or creature comforts.  Rather,
the psalmist centers on the stability, security, and freedom from shame that
is found in trusting the Lord.

*Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great
delight in his commands.*

* *

*Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his
affairs with justice.*

* *

*Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.
He will have no fear of bad news;*

* *

*His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will
have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.*

* *

*He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures
forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.*

* *

*The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste
away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.*

Notice also that the purpose behind God blessing His people is found at the
very beginning of the chapter: the praise of God.  It is for His honor and
glory that He provides for His people.  His loving care is a part of what
makes Him worthy of worship.  “Hear Our Praises” repeats this same theme,
asking that God would bless us, that we might return the glory to Him.

*May our homes be filled with dancing*

*May our streets be filled with joy*

*May injustice bow to Jesus*

*As the people turn and pray*

* *

*From the mountain to the valley*

*Hear our praises rise to You*

*From the heavens to the nations*

*Hear our singing fill the air*

* *

*Crown Him with many crowns,*

*The Lamb upon His throne.*

*Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns*

*All music but its own.*

*Awake, my soul and sing Of Him*

*Who died for thee,*

*And hail Him as thy matchless King*

*Through all eternity.*

One of the chief promises that wealth and money presents us with is the
offer of comfort and safety.  So long as you have money, you can buy your
way out of any situation.  We commonly refer to stocks, bonds, and annuities
under the ironic title of “securities.”  This past year, many in our world
discovered the cutting edge of this irony as the safety of wealth was
exposed as a lie.  Our confession of faith this week reminds us that the
only true security and lasting comfort is found in the promises of God in
the Gospel.

*1. Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?*

* *

*A. That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in
death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins
with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the
devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my
heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must
work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also
assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now
on to live for Him.*

* *

*2. Q. What do you need to know in order to live and die in the joy of this
comfort?*

* *

*A. First, how great my sins and misery are; second, how I am delivered from
all my sins and misery; third, how I am to be thankful to God for such
deliverance.*

Notice the insight of the second question and answer: that we need to know
our sins and misery in order to know true comfort and joy.  We live most of
our lives trying to minimize, escape, and forget any kind of discomfort or
suffering.  But denial never fixed anything.  That is one of the reasons why
we take time each week during corporate worship to confess together our
sins.  It is an opportunity to be reminded of the brokenness and hardships
of reality.  And we remember these things not to wallow in sorrow, but as a
pathway to true and lasting joy through the redeeming grace of Christ.  Our
confession of sin this week is adapted from the 10 Commandments.

*God of grace, we confess that we have elevated the things of this world
above you. We have made idols of possessions and people and used your name
for causes that are not consistent with you and your purposes. We have
permitted our schedules to come first and have not taken the time to worship
you. We have not always honored those who guided us in life. We have
participated in systems that take life instead of give it. We have been
unfaithful in our covenant relationships. We have yearned for, and sometimes
taken, that which is not ours, and we have misrepresented others’
intentions. Forgive us, O God, for the many ways we fall short of your glory
and help us to treasure you above all other things that we may desire what
is good, love what you love, and do what you command; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.*

We follow this time of confession with a modern hymn adapted from Psalm 62.
In preparing worship this week, this text is one of the first that I knew I
wanted to sing as we talk about wealth and wisdom.

*My soul finds rest in God alone*

*My rock and my salvation*

*A fortress strong against my foes*

*And I will not be shaken*

*Though lips may bless and hearts may curse*

*And lies like arrows pierce me*

*I’ll fix my heart on righteousness*

*I’ll look to Him who hears me*

* *

*O praise Him hallelujah*

*My Delight and my Reward*

*Everlasting never failing*

*My Redeemer my God*

* *

*Find rest my soul in God alone*

*Amid the world’s temptations*

*When evil seeks to take a hold*

*I’ll cling to my salvation*

*Though riches come and riches go*

*Don’t set your heart upon them*

*The fields of hope in which I sow*

*Are harvested in heaven*

* *

*I’ll set my gaze on God alone*

*And trust in Him completely*

*With ev’ry day pour out my soul*

*And He will prove His mercy*

*Though life is but a fleeting breath*

*A sigh too deep to measure*

*My King has crushed the curse of death*

*And I am His forever*

As I started putting together this service, I became aware of how money has
a tendency to limit my perspective.  I get mired in the details of dollar
amounts, percentages, and goals.  I revert to a very self-protective place:
wanting to make sure I have all my personal interests covered.   As we come
to God’s Word, we pray that He would grant us eyes to see and ears to hear
the greatness of His Kingdom.   Our offertory song this week is a familiar
prayer towards that end.

*Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word;*

*I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;*

*Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son;*

*Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.*

* *

*Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,*

*Thou mine inheritance, now and always:*

*Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,*

*High king of heaven, my treasure Thou art.*

May Christ be the true Treasure of our hearts!

Grace&peace

Tim Sharpe