The Valley of the Unrighteous Mammon

 Temple Baptist Church - 8-9-2020

Luke 16:10-13; Matthew 6:19-24

 

Introduction:

 

A.  This morning, I want to introduce each of us to a valley of our making: The Valley of the Unrighteous Mammon.

 

Luke 16:9  And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

 

1.  The word “mammon” is only found in two portions of Scripture: Matthew, chapter 6, and Luke, chapter 16.

 

2.  “Mammon” is a Chaldean word which means to have confidence in wealth or greed. 

 

3.  In Luke 16:10-13, mammon is coupled with the word unrighteousness: unjust or wrongfulness of character.

 

Luke 16:10-13  He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.  (11)  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  (12)  And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?  (13)  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

4.  In Matthew 6:19-24, we find listed a series of contrasts.

 

a)  Treasure on earth vs. treasure in heaven.  Verses 19-20

 

b)  Temporal loss vs. heavenly gain.  Verses 19-20

 

c)  Darkness vs. light.  Verses 22-23

 

d)  Two masters:  mammon vs. God.  Verse 24

 

e)  Two conditions:  hate and despise vs. love and hold.

 

B.  This is the most giving church that I have ever been in so, for the most part, I will be “preaching to the choir” this morning.  Then, the question may be asked, “Why preach on finances to such a church?”

 

C.  Because we have young families and teenagers sitting here who need to learn the commandment, responsibility, testing, and blessing of giving.  Often, we fail to remember that our youth will never know the blessings of what we have learned if we fail to pass them one to the next generation.

 

D.  One of the most devastating valleys that the child of God will ever enter is the Valley of the Unrighteous Mammon!  It is a valley of our own making, from the pulpit to the pew, we will own it.

 

E.  Our nation, to this point, has been one of capitalism, not socialism. 

 

1.  Socialism destroys one’s opportunity to succeed in life as the majority become dependent upon the minority for handouts instead of giving the poor the opportunity to achieve personally.  Nothing is free!  I do not know of one socialistic nation that I would want to live in. 

 

2.  Capitalism allows anyone to become someone as you are limited only by your desire to achieve.  You can be what you want to be, and small business is big business in America.  BUT capitalism has its price also.  It generates greed which changes money from a tool to be used to a “god” to be served!

 

ONE CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MAMMON!

 

Matthew 6:21-24  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  (22)  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  (23)  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!  (24)  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

1.  You will hate one and love the other.  You do not want to hate God and love money.

 

2.  You will hold one and despise the other.  You do not want to hold money and despise God.

 

3.  There can be no MIDDLE GROUND!  When you serve money, God cannot be served.  It is as simple as that.

 

THE UNRIGHTEOUS MAMMON

 

1.  The Love of Money.

 

1 Timothy 6:6-11  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  (7)  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  (8)  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.  (9)  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  (10)  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  (11)  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

 

2.  The Uncertainty of Money.

 

1 Timothy 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

 

3.  The Corruption of Money.

 

James 5:1-3  Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.  (2)  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.  (3)  Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

 

4.  The Deception of Money.

 

1 John 2:15-17  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (16)  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  (17)  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

 

5.  The Destruction of Money.

 

Luke 12:16-21  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:  (17)  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?  (18)  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  (19)  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  (20)  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?  (21)  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

 

THE TRUE RICHES

 

1.  The Honor of Tithing.

 

Proverbs 3:9-10  Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:  (10)  So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.  (It honors the Lord!)

 

2.  The Promise of Tithing.

 

Malachi 3:10-12  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  (11)  And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.  (12)  And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

 

2.  The Blessing of Tithing.

 

a.  The Blessing of an Inward Joy.  2 Corinthians 9:6-7  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  (7)  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

 

b.  The Blessing of an Outward Reaping.  Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

 

c.  The Blessing of an Eternal Reward.   Philippians 4:15-19 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.  Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.  For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.