ECONOMY 11 – Wealth & First Fruits

ECONOMY 11 – WEALTH & FIRST FRUITS

Questions around wealth

  • Is poverty God’s goal? Is wealth God’s goal?
  • Are the rich rich because others are poor?
  • Are resources limited?
  • Does God limit wealth in the law?
  • Does God want ‘equal distribution’?

What are the blessings of a degree of wealth?

  • I can meet my & my family’s needs (food, shelter, medical care)
  • I do have increased choice
  • I do have some mental peace > I can think about other things
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What are the problems with wealth?

  • Habits of ‘good life’ … habits of luxury … hard to forego later
  • Reliance on or security in wealth … in self … > independence
  • Carelessness, waste, laziness
  • Stinginess, control, pride
  • All these are hard to escape, they ‘sneak in the back door’
  • All these are ‘continums’:
    • not having to worry daily   > > > carelessness
    • knowing I can meet needs > > > laziness
    • not having to fight / beg    > > > security in self
    • being able to meet needs   > > > independence

How to handle the blessing of wealth? What attitude prevents pride?

  • How can I get the blessing without falling into the dangers?
  • How can I learn to truly ‘handle’ blessing?

De 8:6-10 … “Therefore keep the commandments of the LORD by walking in his ways and by fearing him …for he is bringing you into a good land … You shall eat your fill and bless the LORD your God for the good land…”

  • Keep obeying!    > Be thankful!    > Acknowledge the Giver!

De 8:11-14 … “Take care that you do not forget the Lord by failing to keep his commands. When you have eaten … built fine houses … possessions multiplied … then do no exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord…”

  • Be aware! Take care!
  • Remind yourself! Remember!
  • Don’t exalt yourself! Acknowledge God!

De 8:17 “Do not say to yourself: “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth” But remember the Lord, for it is he who gives you the power to get wealth”

  • No self-security! No self-sufficiency!
  • No independence! No pride! Remember God who made possible
  • Warning: Example of the affluent West turning godless
  • How do keep this right attitude? How do I keep myself from sliding?

First Fruit Laws

Deuteronomy 18:4, 26:1-11

De 18:4 … “The first fruits of your grain, your wine, and your oil, as well as the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him …”

  • Acknowledging God as Giver by giving back the very first portion
  • Giving when I don’t have guarantee of the harvest yet
  • Giving before my needs are met

De 26:1-11 … “When you have come into the land … take some of the first fruits of all the fruit of the ground … go to the priest / temple … Declaration of history / God’s grace / how I got the land … together with aliens & Levites celebrate and eat”

  • Thankfulness, declaration of history, dependence
  • Share! Feast! Enjoy!

 

Why give first fruits?

  • Remember & acknowledge the Giver …be aware where it came from
  • Upfront giving back to God … cuts greed and possessiveness
  • Trusting God with further income … trusting God with unmet needs
  • All is God’s, this is only a token … acknowledging his authority
  • Stating my dependence on God … acknowledging my need of him
  • Checking my motivation … evidence of an attitude
  • No defined amount > heart question

 

When to give first fruits?

  • Law: one time first fruits (entering land) & yearly first fruits (harvest)

 

How could this look today?

  • a new job, a salary increase, a new thing received, an inheritance
  • First fruit is more an attitude … the attitude is more important than the ‘how’
  • taking things thankfully as from God
  • treating everything as his
  • dedicating things to him … asking: How this could be used?
  • holding on loosely … willing to share or give away … enjoy

Paul’s advice to the rich

1 Timothy 6:17-19

“As for those who in the present age are rich, command then not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.”

  • Check points … do not be prideful … do not set hope on wealth but on God … do good … be generous … be ready to share …
  • if this is being met, then wealth is okay and cannot hurt us

Warning to the rich

James 5:1-6

  • What is the problem? unused money, stored away, not righteously gained money, life of luxury and pleasure, overbearing & pressuring
ECONOMY