The Value of Wealth
Sermon Purpose: To call the hearer to enjoy labor’s fruit as God enables
Sermon Proposition: There are 3 realizations that help people to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
Ecclesiastes 3:13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor -- it is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 5:19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor -- this is the gift of God.
The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. – Author Unknown
Work becomes worship when done for the Lord. – Author Unknown
II. Realize that enjoyment of wealth is a gift from God. V.19
1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
“God only and not wealth, maintains the world; ruches merely make people proud and lazy.” – Martin Luther
Wherever riches have increased, the essence of religion has decreased in the same proportion. – John Wesley
The most terrifying effect of Christian corporate riches is that faith in God is substituted by business know-how and dependence on technical methodology. – John White
III. Realize that enjoyment of life is a gift from God. V.20
Psalm 39:4 "LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am.
Matthew 6:25 " Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
If life is a comedy to him who thinks and a tragedy to him who feels, it is a victory to him who believes. – Author Unknown
I asked God for all things, that I might enjoy life. God gave life, that I might enjoy all things. – Author Unknown
Conclusion: “Life can seem ungrateful and not always kind, Life can pull at your heartstrings and play with your mind, Life can be blissful and happy and free, Life can put beauty in the things that you see, Life can place challenges right at your feet, Life can make good of the hardships we meet, Life can overwhelm you and make your head spin, Life can reward those determined to win, Life can be hurtful and not always fair, Life can surround you with people who care, Life clearly does offer its ups and its downs, Life’s days can bring you both smiles and frowns, Life teaches us to take the good with the bad, Life is a mixture of happy and sad . . .
Take the life that you have and give it your best, Think positive, be happy, let God do the rest, Take the challenges that life has laid at your feet, Take pride and be thankful for each one you meet, To yourself give forgiveness if you stumble and fall, Take each day that is dealt you and give it your all, Take the love that you’re given and return it with care, Have faith that when needed it will always be there, Take time to find the beauty in the things that you see, Take life’s simple pleasures, let them set your heart free, The idea here is simply to even the score, As you are met and faced with life’s Tug of War.” – Author Unknown