Success and Money
True success is not defined by material wealth, but by our relationship with God.
Charles Stanley preaches about the deception of defining success by material wealth, highlighting the idolatrous attitude many have towards money and the warning against making riches the center of our lives. He emphasizes that wealth is a gift from God to provide for others and meet our needs, not to be worshiped. The sermon urges listeners to seek God's view of success and to protect themselves from the temptations that come with pursuing wealth.
Text
Luke 12:13-21
There is a deception prevailing today, one so powerful it makes people risk their families, their health, and their integrity. The deception is that success is defined by our material wealth. Many of us decide we are a failure without it. And with it, we somehow believe we are automatically a success. To uncover the truth, we need only ask ourselves, What is God's view of us?
God observes that some of us have an idolatrous attitude toward money. Life centers around the topic of money--getting it, keeping it, having enough of it, and bemoaning our lack of it. A godly view of wealth sees money as a medium of exchange given by God so that we may provide for others and meet our basic needs. Riches are not to be worshiped; only He is.
The Lord warns us about our attitude toward treasure. (Matthew 6:24) The pursuit of wealth can set us adrift from God or choke off the power of Scripture in our lives. It can even enslave us as we try to gain "financial security." The Lord states that He is to be the center of our lives--not the pursuit of riches--and our security is to be found in Him alone. We are urged to take steps to protect ourselves against the temptations that come with desiring or having treasure.
None of us are immune from the lure to pursue wealth or the temptation to define ourselves as successful when we have it. Pray and ask God to reveal your attitude toward money and success. Then confess any ungodliness.
Sermon Outline
- God's View of Success
- Idolatrous Attitude Toward Money
- The Lord's Warning
- Protecting Against Temptation
- Pray to reveal attitude toward money
- Confess ungodliness
Key Quotes
“The deception is that success is defined by our material wealth.” — Charles Stanley
“Life centers around the topic of money--getting it, keeping it, having enough of it, and bemoaning our lack of it.” — Charles Stanley
“God observes that some of us have an idolatrous attitude toward money.” — Charles Stanley
Application Points
- We must pray to reveal our attitude toward money and confess any ungodliness.
- Our security is found in God alone, not in material wealth.
- We must not let the pursuit of wealth set us adrift from God.