Best Year Ever - Lesson 1

We’re starting a new series today called “Make this the best year ever.” Show of hands: how many of you think getting more stuff or money will help make this the best year ever?

Well, I want to talk about a time where I got something.

The Two Briefcases

My mom and I were shopping at goodwill. I think my mom bought clothes, I really don’t remember. As a kid, goodwill is like the imagination’s playground. All the random junk there is potentially the prop for the next epic adventure your imagination can create. This one particular time, I was like 9 or 10. I was looking for a briefcase. I was in a big spy/secret agent phase and was convinced I needed a briefcase to stash my spy stuff in.

Well there at the Hendersonville Goodwill, they had 2 exquisite briefcases to choose from. I was stuck. I wanted, nay —needed both of them. They each had their value and would add to my spy repertoire nicely. However, my mother gave me ultimatum every indecisive and ungrateful child hates: you can get one, but you can only get one. (sigh). Reluctantly, I chose the more expensive one and went home.

Unfortunately, for my mother, I was bit with the selfish bug. For the next few days all I could think about was the OTHER briefcase I didn’t chose. It wasn’t that I regretted my decision, it was that I wanted them BOTH. I was ridiculous! I was like a dog on a bone. I would not let this go. You know what happened? I wore my poor mother down and she eventually took me to the store and I got the second briefcase. I was, after all, a spoiled-rotten, only child brat.

Guess what happened after I had obtained both magnificent super-spy briefcases? NOTHING. I played with them for maybe a week. Then they sat in my closet, where I’m pretty sure they still live to this day.

Now, it may not be spy-gear anymore, but my wife can tell you- I’m still pretty selfish. Sometimes I can be ridiculous with the way I spend my money.

We’re all selfish

I think the reality is, if we’re not careful, all of us can naturally become selfish. Think about it! Put one toy in the middle of a room with two babies. Nobody has to teach the babies to fight over it, right? They naturally will want the toy! Right?

It’s not just little kids either. Let me ask you guys a question: How many of you think you can do a better job of hanging onto your money by holding your hand in a fist [make a fist], than by holding your hand open like this [hold your hand wipe open]? We all naturally have a closed grip on stuff, just like babies, just like me when I was younger and was so fixated on getting more. We all are naturally selfish, which looks like this. [closed fist]

How you hold money can influence making this the best year ever.

But today we’re going to look at how money, and the way you hold it, can influence whether this is the best year ever, or just another mediocre year.

What is a steward?

Steward

In the first century, a steward was somebody who managed the money and possessions of wealthy people. Stewards managed crops, crop rotations, household affairs and money. So when the Bible was originally written, those who read it would they would understand what the word “steward” meant. It was common language in that day. However, nowadays, it’s not so common, is it?

So a steward is someone who manages someones resources in their place. Like a substitute.

I need two people to come up here.

[Choose two students to come up to the front of the room. Give person A $10 in ten $1 bills.] You, [Person A], have ten dollars. How great is it to have 10 dollars? Now, let’s say [Person A] has $10 and, he [or she] is going to go to the bank and put my money in a savings account. [Person B], you’re the bank. [Have Person A hand their 10 dollars to the person B]. Now you hang onto the money. This is what most Americans do: we put our money in the bank.

Let’s say [Person A] goes down to the bank and says, “Hey! I want one of my dollars, please!” What if the person in the bank said, “Well, you know, I was hungry, and I forgot to pack my lunch to work today, and I saw your $10 lying there, so I decided I would run to McDonalds and buy a McRib, and also buy nine more McRibs for all my other bank co-workers. And I’m really sorry, but I spent your $10.”

How would you respond if you were [Person A]? I’d be like, “GIVE ME MY MONEY!”

Why do we feel this way? Because [Person A] right here is the rightful owner of the $10, and this bank person, [Person B], is just the manager, or the steward of the money, right?

Here’s what we need to actually understand when it comes to God’s ways of handling money. [Person A] here isn’t actually represent you! GASP! [Person A] is actually God. God is the owner. And you, [Person B], are simply the manager, or the steward of the money. You can go ahead and sit down. Let’s give them a hand.

If we believe God is the creator of everything. Then everything belongs to him. Even, if you say, hold-up, my $ isn’t his. i worked to earn it. Where did you get the skills to work? Where did you work, was it on the planet you created?

Psalm 24:1 CSB

The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord;

Through our parents, our jobs, later our careers, gives us money to use wisely. We are stewards. We don’t own anything. It’s God’s that he has loaned us.

God is generous with us. God expects us to be generous with what he’s given to us. He expects us to give to others.

Proverbs 3:9 CSB

Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest;

So if you’re the owner of the money, it might be harder to give back the money that you spent on food, shoes, iPhones and such. But if you’re just the manager of your money, how much easier is it to give it away, or more correctly, to give it back to God? It’s not our money in the first place.

If you choose to hold your money with an open hand, rather than with a clenched fist, you become more like God. So, this year we need to transform our giving habits.

Now, I wonder, why does God ask us to give? Is it because He needs our money? NO. We’ve been over this. Everything in this world belongs to God.

Here’s why I think God wants us to give. We’re made in His image. And God himself is a giver. When we give, we’re more like God.

John 3:16 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

God gave His only Son for me and for you; for us and for our sins. God is a giver. Jesus is the biggest and best gift that has ever been given in the history of the universe—and if we’re made in God’s image, and He gave us His son, we too should be givers.

What Should We Give?

What should we give? Doesn’t God deserve it all?

Money - however you get it. Jobs, chores, gifts, etc.

Give to the church - to help people or to pay for the stuff we do.

Give to someone in need.

Time - helping other people.

Helping the church?

The more often we give, the more often our hearts are broken and strengthened, and the more we’re transformed into God’s image. It’s hard to say we’re Christ-like if we don’t give! God is a giver! The reason God asks us to give is because He redeemed us and wants to transform us and to make us into the image of His Son.

God is a giver.

Every time we go through the act of giving, we move down the spectrum from selfish to selfless.

So let’s put a bow on this message here. How does becoming a giver make this the best year ever?

As we just said, giving is a part of our spiritual growth. When we give, we will experience a transformation in our spirit. We will truly be changed into the likeness of God.

Some of you might be thinking, that you still don’t see how giving makes this the best year ever. Well, here’s the truth, and we’re going to be studying this for four weeks: if you will implement into your lives these things called disciplines, or practices, or habits, you will start to see yourself grow.

It’s really easy to coast, isn’t it? It’s pretty easy to take things easy, and not try too hard when things get tough. We like taking the easy road. But the writer of Hebrews reminds us:

Hebrews 12:11 CSB

No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

The things we are going to talk to you about this month aren’t going to be pleasant. Some might even be painful, like giving! But, even though these things are painful in the moment, later on, they will yield the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

God uses the act of giving some of your money/time to train you and to make you more like Him. And if you’ve said that you want to be more like Him, if you are a Christian then growing in your relationship with Him should be your lifelong goal.

So now what? What do we do from here? Well, I want to challenge you. Whether you work a part-time job, or all you do is make an allowance from your parents, I want to challenge you: the moment you get paid, take your “first fruits” and set them aside in an envelope. We’ve even providing envelopes for you, and once you’ve done that for a month, every time you’ve gotten a paycheck, or an allowance, or birthday money from your grandma, bring in the envelope and give it to God. Let the envelope be a reminder to use what God has given you for someone else. Think about how you use your time. There are ways that the church can use your help. We can use your time. But even without being at the church building, you can help the church. Set time each week to reach out to someone from church you don’t see often and check on them. Write someone an encouraging note. GIVE your time to help someone else.

Doing this will help you live with hands wide open, and not a clenched fist.

Let’s pray.

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