Unrighteous Mammon
The sermon teaches that true wealth and riches come from faithfulness in earthly matters, not from material possessions.
William MacDonald emphasizes the distinction between earthly wealth, referred to as 'unrighteous mammon,' and true spiritual riches. He illustrates this through the story of John, a caretaker who foresees the death of a wealthy man, highlighting that material possessions do not equate to true security or richness. The sermon challenges the common perception of wealth and encourages believers to focus on eternal values rather than temporary, material gains. Ultimately, MacDonald calls for faithfulness in handling earthly resources as a reflection of one's trustworthiness in spiritual matters.
Text
Â"If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches.Â" (Luke 16:11)
Unrighteous mammon here refers to earthly riches or material treasures. No illusion is more prevalent than that the man who has a lot of material possessions is rich. We speak of houses and land as real estate because we think they are real wealth. We speak of stocks and bonds as securities because we think they provide security.
But in Luke 16:11 the Lord distinguishes between the unrighteous mammon and true riches. The things men think are wealth arenÂ't wealth at all.
John was a godly Christian who served as caretaker for a wealthy aristocratÂ's estate. One night John had a vivid dream in which he was told that the richest man in the valley would die before midnight the following evening. When John met his employer the next morning, he shared the dream with him. At first the millionaire pretended to be completely unconcerned. He never felt better. And he didnÂ't believe in dreams anyway.
But as soon as John left, he called his chauffeur to drive him to the doctorÂ's office. He told the doctor he wanted a complete physical checkup. As expected, the tests revealed that he was in splendid condition. And yet he was still worried about JohnÂ's dream, so as he was leaving the doctorÂ's office, he said, Â"By the way, Doctor, could you come to my house for supper tonight and for a visit afterwards.Â" The doctor agreed to come.
The supper went on routinely and they talked over a wide range of subjects. Several times the doctor made a start to leave, but each time the host prevailed upon him to stay a little longer.
Finally when the clock struck midnight, the godless rich man, greatly relieved, said goodnight to the doctor.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. When the gentleman opened the door, the adult daughter of old John stood there and said, Â"Please, sir, my mother wanted to let you know that my father had a heart attack and died a little while ago.Â"
The richest man in the valley had died that night.
Sermon Outline
- I. Introduction to Unrighteous Mammon
- A. Definition of unrighteous mammon
- B. Contrast with true riches
- II. The Illusion of Wealth
- A. Material possessions are not true wealth
- B. Examples of earthly riches
- III. The Story of John and the Wealthy Aristocrat
- A. John's dream and its warning
- B. The millionaire's reaction and demise
- IV. Conclusion
- A. The importance of faithfulness in earthly matters
- B. The fleeting nature of earthly riches
Key Quotes
“If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches.” — William MacDonald
“The things men think are wealth aren't wealth at all.” — William MacDonald
“The richest man in the valley had died that night.” — William MacDonald
Application Points
- We must be faithful in our earthly responsibilities in order to be entrusted with true riches.
- Material possessions are not a measure of true wealth or riches.
- Faithfulness in earthly matters is essential for spiritual growth and prosperity.