Money Matters

Have you ever had an Amazon box show up on your front porch… and you have no idea what’s inside?

That happens to me. And if I’m honest, it happens a little too often.

It’s usually something I clicked on late at night, convinced I needed it. Some gadget. Some book. Some “deal of the day.” Nothing major. But it adds up. Not just financially—but spiritually. Because behind every impulsive purchase, there’s often a restless heart looking for something. Comfort. Control. Contentment. We might be scrolling for something to solve a problem or fill a void—but what we’re really doing is searching for peace.

And money—whether we realize it or not—has a way of revealing what we’re really seeking.

As a pastor, I’ll be honest: I’d rather preach a dozen sermons on prayer, grace, or even suffering than give one message about money. It’s awkward. People squirm. Defenses go up. And let’s face it—talking about money can feel like meddling.

But here’s the truth: if we let the Word of God set the agenda, we can’t avoid this topic.

The book of Proverbs includes over 100 verses directly related to money, wealth, work, poverty, and generosity. If you expand that to the whole Bible, you’ll find over 2,300 verses on money and possessions—more than on heaven and hell combined. The only subject Jesus talked about more was the kingdom of God.

That should tell us something: money matters deeply to God.

Not because He needs our cash—but because He wants our hearts. And nothing tests the affections of our heart quite like money. That’s why Proverbs 13:14–15 reminds us that the teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, and that good sense wins favor. In other words, wisdom around money is not just practical—it’s spiritual. It’s about walking in the kind of wisdom that reflects the heart of God.

We tend to ask ourselves very surface-level questions:"Can I afford this?" "Is this a good deal?" "Will this make my life easier?"
But Proverbs invites a deeper, more honest evaluation.

Questions like:
What does my spending say about what I trust?
Where is my heart finding comfort—God or stuff?
Is generosity a rhythm in my life or just a reaction to guilt?

Let’s get real:

Greed might not look like Scrooge McDuck swimming in coins. It might look like needing the newest gadget so people think you’re relevant.

Fear might not be stockpiling gold bars. It might be obsessing over your savings account like your life depends on it.

Discontentment doesn’t always show up loud. Sometimes it just quietly fuels your Amazon Prime habit and your dream of a different zip code.

If money is the mirror, what is it showing you?

This is where the gospel enters—not with condemnation, but with clarity. Not with guilt, but with grace. The gospel doesn’t just tell you to do better with your money—it tells you who you are, whose you are, and what’s already been done for you. And when that truth takes root, everything changes.

Jesus talked about money constantly. Why? Not because He was short on cash. Not because He was building a capital campaign. But because He knew what money tends to do to our hearts.

He knew how money promises control but delivers anxiety.
How it whispers security but breeds scarcity.
How it offers status but never satisfies.

That’s why He said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). That’s not just financial advice. That’s spiritual diagnosis. Your budget is a map. And if you follow it, it will show you what you really believe about God—whether He’s generous or stingy, trustworthy or not, enough or never quite sufficient.

And yet, into all our mess and misuse of money, Jesus comes—not to scold, but to save.

In 2 Corinthians 8:9, Paul writes,
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

That is the gospel of generosity.

Jesus—eternally rich in glory, seated in perfect fellowship with the Father—stepped into poverty. Not just material poverty, but spiritual bankruptcy. He entered a world driven by greed and enslaved by scarcity, and He emptied Himself. He took the form of a servant. He gave up heaven’s riches to redeem rebels with empty hands and broken wallets. He didn’t give 10%. He gave everything.

He poured out His blood. He canceled our debts. He paid what we owed and credited us with the full riches of His righteousness.

And He did it not to model a budgeting system, but to secure our salvation.

That changes everything.

When Jesus becomes your true Treasure, money stops being your master.
When you remember you’ve already been given everything in Christ (Eph. 1:3), you stop chasing peace through purchases.
When you believe you’ve been adopted by the King of heaven, you stop grasping like an orphan and start giving like a son.

The gospel frees you from the lie that more is the answer.
It reminds you that Christ is your portion—and your peace.

It means you can work with integrity, not to prove your worth, but because you’re already called valuable.
You can spend wisely, not to feel in control, but because God is in control.
You can give generously, not to earn applause, but because grace has made you rich.

And when you live like that—when your financial life begins to echo the music of the gospel—you become an outpost of heaven in a culture of greed. A story of sufficiency in a world of scarcity. A sermon on grace preached not from a pulpit, but from your wallet.

Let’s get practical. If we’re going to walk in wisdom, here are three soul-shaping steps you can take this week:

1. Pray Through Your Purchases. Seriously. Sit with your bank statement or budget and ask God: “Where am I trusting in money more than You?”
This isn’t about guilt. It’s about grace-fueled awareness. Invite the Spirit to speak through your spending.

2. Choose Generosity on Purpose. Don’t wait until you feel “ready” to give. Start small if you have to. Generosity isn’t about the amount—it’s about the direction of your heart.
Practice the discipline of giving in a way that actually costs something. Let it hurt a little. That’s where the joy breaks through.

3. Talk About It in Community, Find a trusted friend or mentor and ask: “How have you grown in wisdom with money?” Money grips in secrecy. But when it’s brought into the light—when it’s processed with gospel friends—it loses its grip.

Here’s what I want to leave you with:

If you are in Christ, you are already rich.
Not in things—but in grace.
Not in status—but in security.
Not in cash—but in the cross.

You don’t have to spend your way to peace.
You don’t have to save your way to significance.
You don’t have to earn your way to freedom.

It’s already yours.

So now, let your money tell the truth about your heart:
You have more than enough—because you have Jesus.
And He’s not just your Provider. He is your Treasure.