Sermon Study Guides

Concerning Your Finances – Fear, Faith and Finances Part 3
Dr. Henry Schorr
May 24 / 25, 2025

More than half the world makes less than $2.00 a day. They look at our wealth and find it mindboggling that we are anxious about our finances and generally discontented with life.

The world’s economic principles are all about looking out for number 1, getting and accumulating as much as possible. God’s economic principles are all about loving others and giving, sharing and serving others. God has chosen to involve us in meeting the needs of others in order to grow our character and our faith in Him and to give us purpose in life by investing our time, abilities and money in the only thing we can take to heaven with us—PEOPLE!

In Matthew 25 Jesus taught about God’s economic plan using a parable. In this parable a wealthy man entrusted three of his servants with a significant chunk of change. The money belonged to the MASTER, not the servant, and was to be used to advance the MASTER’S interests. The master is the owner and the servant is the manager.

What Jesus is saying to us through this parable is essentially this: All we have is given to us by God. When we trust God and hold what He has given to us with an open hand and live a life of generosity, our faith in Him will grow as we witness God do amazing things IN US and do amazing things in the lives of others THROUGH US.

What prevents people from being generous? (1) Some believe they are the center of the universe, so they are takers rather than givers. (2) Others don’t believe God will provide what they need if they risk being generous. (3) Still others define their worth by what they own. (4) Many are up to their eyeballs in debt. They couldn’t be generous even if they wanted to be.

Keys to financial freedom:

  1. DECIDE TO LIVE SIMPLY. Hebrews 13:5 says this: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”

Resist the temptation to emulate those who have more. Live within your means. Avoid debt. “The borrower becomes a slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). God is totally trustworthy in what He says about our stuff, our achievements and what really matters in life. We have to make a choice: EITHER we believe Him and follow His way, OR we don’t, and we follow the way of the world.

For most of us the problem isn’t one of income; it is an unwillingness to live happily within our means. It’s a refusal to discipline ourselves and say NO to the DESIRE FOR MORE. It’s a refusal to LIVE SIMPLY. And the result too often is indebtedness, bondage, guilt and frustration.

  1. LEARN TO BE CONTENT. Contentment is coming to that place in your life where you can genuinely say, “I have all I need.” Contentment is not apathy, laziness or settling for mediocrity.

Paul’s driving motivation was to know and follow Jesus and to make Jesus known (even while in prison) and therein he discovered the secret to being content in life.

Paul LEARNED to be content by focusing on and following CHRIST. The events you attend, the material you read, the music you listen to, the shows and movies you watch, the conversations you have with friends – these are shaping your mind and character and your CONTENTMENT. Love people over things. Seek to please Jesus rather than trying to impress others. Fall back into the arms of Jesus and say, “Jesus, I’m satisfied! You are all I need!”

Study Questions
IN - PURSUE RELATIONSHIP
  1. What’s the most generous thing someone has ever done for you?
  2. What talents has God given you?
UP - PURSUE GOD
  1. Read Matthew 25:14-30. Discuss what each servant did with the talents from their Master. How did the Master respond? Why? How does the parable relate to our day?
  2. Read Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 3:13, 4:8-12; Romans 12:2. What do each of these verses teach about contentment in all circumstances? What is the secret to contentment?


OUT - PURSUE MISSION
  1. What does living simply look like today? Share practical ways to live a simple life in order to be generous.
  2. How can you use the talents God has given you? As a group, encourage each other to do it this week.
Personal Reflection

What prevents you from being generous? Ask God to release you from this and show you what steps to take. Share this with someone you trust who will support and encourage you to follow through.

The Word (NIV)

Matthew 25:14-30 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Philippians 3:13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

Philippians 4:8-12 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

This Week's Writers: Elsa Henderson, Mark Eckstein, Deb Matiko, and Jorel Quemuel