Monday's follow-up to Sunday's message: You can't take it with you, but you can sure send it on ahead!

I mentioned something almost in passing during yesterday’s message.  Today I want to focus on it.

Our money should tell a story.

It should.  It should say something.  Our money should be used to proclaim that we do still trust in God, that His Son is our redeemer, that money is something we spend, but eternity is something we invest in. 

There are ways to use money to benefit this earthly life.  Some of those are good, some are appropriate.  After all, one of the ways God provides for you is by giving you money to purchase the things you and your family need.  You can’t fill your family’s bellies by looking at a pile of $1 bills, but you can if you spend them.   God gives you money to spend, not hoard.  Frankly, it is a sin to sit on stacks of money while your family goes without food, shelther, or clothing, but spending it wisely proclaims that you trust God as a gracious giver.

So yes, it is true that money is to be used for this earthly life.  But is that the only life it is good for?  Certainly not!  No, there’s no way you can take money with you into eternity, but you can certainly send it on ahead!

Jesus counsels us to use money in a way that builds an eternal dwelling.  He says that we can make an investment in eternity.  Eternity for ourselves.  Eternity for others.  How can we do that?  By investing it into the proclamation of His Gospel.

A bit of money towards missions, and a missionary buys 50 Bibles for his students.  A bit of money towards a seminary student, and he goes on to be a Gospel-preaching pastor.  A bit of money on a roof and the church building stands for four more generations as a place where Christ’s Gospel is proclaimed weekly.  A bit of money, and people hear how Jesus Christ died for them, how He rose again to conquer death, how He lives today to intercede for them.

Just the way He did for you.  You heard, you believed, and now you trust God to do as He promised: to forgive you through Christ’s shed blood, to raise you to new life.  To bring you to your eternal home.

Money spent as an investment in eternity.  That’s money that tells a story: The story of Christ’s redemption for all who would hear and believe.