In the business world they say, “Cash is King,” and that is a good thing. The more cash on hand the better. Well, in the spiritual world when “Cash is King,” it is not a good thing.
In yesterday’s sermon from Acts 16 we saw a few “masters” (v. 16, 19) who were actually slaves—ironically. They were enslaved to their own destructive desires for wealth. Their love for money caused them to take advantage of a young slave-girl, using her demon possession with all its physical and emotional misery for their own financial gain. And when that gain was threatened by Paul and Silas who exorcised the demon and set the girl free, these merchants lashed out furiously. They immediately called for Paul and Silas to be beaten up and thrown in prison. Cash was their king and it resulted in hatefulness toward others.
When cash is king for us, we too become hateful toward others. When we worship the false sense of security and satisfaction money gives us, we inevitably mistreat the people around us. It is human nature.
In his book The City of God, the church father Augustine said it well: “The City of God is a place where the inhabitants love people and walk on gold; the city of man is a place where the inhabitants love gold and walk on people.”
When cash is king, miserly husbands look over the shoulders of their wives scrutinizing and criticizing every purchase. When cash is king, extravagant wives go on plastic spending sprees at the mall, utterly disregarding the wishes of their hard working husbands. When cash is king, workaholic fathers neglect their children now, hoping to make enough money to enjoy with them in the future. When cash is king, mothers obsessively protect every square inch of their palatial home and incessantly scold their unintentionally clumsy and messy children. When cash is king, selfish young children steal money from their parents’ wallets, and lazy adult children drain their parents’ retirement accounts, rather than working toward their own. There are countless ways our relationships with others are damaged when cash is king.
That is the bad news. The good news is cash isn’t really our king; Christ is our King! And unlike cash, Christ is a gracious and merciful king. While money is a cruel master, always promising security and satisfaction but never really delivering, Jesus is a gracious Master, delivering everything He promises—everything money can’t buy.
The truth is, everything we look for money to be, Jesus actually is!
We are tempted to think money is the source of SECURITY when only Jesus is. The writer of Hebrews says, “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for [Jesus] Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5). In other words, Jesus says to us, “I will take care of you!”
We are tempted to think money is the source of SATISFACTION when only Jesus is. He says, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst” (John 6:35). Jesus says, “I will satisfy you!”
We are tempted to think money is the source of JOY when only Jesus is. He says, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:11) Jesus says, “I will give you joy!”
We are tempted to think money is the source of PEACE when only Jesus is. He says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27). Jesus says, “I will give you peace!”
Jesus is our real King! And when we bow before Him instead of the almighty dollar bill, He liberates us from the tyranny of wealth and enables us to be gracious toward others. As we bask in His love and generosity, we are empowered to be loving and generous as well.
Let’s remember and give thanks that Christ, not cash, is our King today!