John 19:30 "Debt Free"

DEBT FREE!!!

Romans 13:8 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

• How many of you have credit cards?

• How many of you have a mortgage?

• Are any of you currently paying for a car?

• Is there any adult among us that is not carrying some monetary debt?

In ancient times the borrowing and lending of money was not anything like it is today. 

• Borrowing and lending did not exist as a business. 

• It was unusual to borrow money even for business purposes. 

• There was nothing like what we know as banks today. 

• What business lending that did exist was done between individuals and was more like barter or pawning than credit. 

• Those that did engage in such lending were looked down upon, much like loan sharks are today.

In those days if you found yourself in the need to borrow money you were in very serious circumstances. 

• If it were a small debt, your cloak might be used as collateral. 

• This seems like a simple thing, but one’s cloak was a very precious item. 

• They were not only used for warmth, but often constituted one’s bed. 

• Remember the homes of that day did not have central heat and air. If you wanted to stay warm you needed your cloak. 

• So, to take and keep someone’s cloak was to put them at risk of death.

That is why the law, set out in Deuteronomy: At C24, Beginning at V10, says:

(10) When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into their house to get what is offered to you as a pledge. (11) Stay outside and let the neighbor to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. (12) If the neighbor is poor, do not go to sleep with their pledge in your possession. (13) Return their cloak by sunset so that your neighbor may sleep in it. Then they will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the LORD your God. [Deuteronomy 24:10-13 NIV]

If it were to be a larger debt, typically the collateral for the loan would be your life.

• If you failed to repay the loan, you became the lender’s slave or were put into prison until the debt was paid.

• This is why we see a prohibition against charging usury or interest in the OT.

• It was considered overreaching, taking advantage of someone who was already in a desperate situation - someone who likely would have difficulty paying off what was owed much less interest.

That is kind of how we feel about late fees on a credit card or car loan when we are late making a payment. 

• It is not enough that they continue to calculate the interest but now they are charging an extra fee as well. 

• We feel like they are piling on. 

In ancient times when such debts were made, they were recorded in a document and oaths were made before the city elders. 

When (and if) the debt was paid, the document was nailed to the debtor’s door and the words, “It is finished” were written across the document so that everyone would know the debt had been paid. 

Turn with me to the Gospel of John, C19, Beginning with V28.

NOT proclaiming NOT proclaiming the end of His life. 

• He was proclaiming to each of us that our sin debt is paid in full. 

• More than that He proclaimed it to the whole world.

• The person who pays a debt is the redeemer.

We become free of our sin debt by accepting what Jesus did for us on the cross as payment in full for our sin and so accepting Him as our redeemer, our Savior.

• Under the law the duty of redemption fell to a person’s nearest relative. They were known as the kinsman-redeemer

• So Jesus, not only paid our sin debt, but in doing so He also claimed us His brothers and sisters.

God intended, from the very beginning, and has always desired, that we should be debt free. 

• But God desires that we should not only be free from our sin debt, but also that we should be financially debt free. 

• There are over 2300 verses in the Bible that deal with money and debt. 

• There are more verses on this topic than any other subject in the Bible.

Being debt free, in all aspects of our lives, is critically important to our life and relationship with God.

Romans 13:8 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

God’s desire for us is that we are to be free of every kind of worldly debt.

Proverbs; At Chapter 22; Beginning at verse 7.

It says, as “the rich rules over the poor so does the borrower become slave to the lender.”

When you become significantly indebted you are no longer working for yourself or for God. 

• Until the debt is paid you are working for the lender. 

• The lender becomes your “master”. 

• When you accept the debt payment that Jesus made on your behalf you accepted Him as your “Master”. 

In the Gospel of Matthew, and there go to Chapter 6… at verse 24.

We are told, “No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Money.” Matt. 6:24.

With Jesus as our Redeemer and if we are carrying a heavy worldly debt we become a Matthew 6:24 person, a person with two masters.

• Every month when you see that charge card bill, or car payment or mortgage who do you despise? Is it God or is it the bank? 

• While we work to pay off our debt, we actually despise those that gave us the money. 

• We feel very much like a slave under a heavy burden, wondering will it ever end. I remember those days in my life very well. 

• I wonder if the Interbank Card Association comprehended the Biblical significance when they named their credit card, “MasterCard” – a credit card that becomes you master.

Such debt certainly makes tithing a challenge. 

• We will give a bank 10, 18 25 percent, but we can’t find the means to give God even 5 percent, much less the full tithe.

I knew of a young couple who truly understood God’s call on their life and so they went to college to study and become ordained as missionaries. A sad thing happened when they graduated – they had accumulated so much debt in student loans and other debt that they could not afford to answer God’s call to mission.

When we can find ourselves deeply in debt. even if we are deeply committed to our God, we may find that we cannot serve Him as He might call us to do because of the debt we owe to another master.

Most people die having never even come close to paying off all their debt. 

• They end their life having been slave to a bank for most of it. 

• This is starting to sound a lot like where we began. With people pledging their lives as collateral.

• There is a crucial difference between the then and the now. 

• People of ancient times did it because they had no choice. 

• We do have a choice, because so much of what we go into debt for is not essential for life.

• We made the choice to buy that new car or truck and finance it for 7 years. 

• We made the choice to charge up our credit cards to the limit and to make only the minimum payment each month,

So, we love the One we do not serve and despise the one we do. 

Why do we despise the lenders? 

We despise them because there is no joy in the work, we do to pay the debt. 

Do we get joy from the car, the house, new clothes? 

I am honest with you; the things of this world do bring us enjoyment for a time. 

But that is the hook isn’t it. The world tells us buy this new car it will make you happy. Buy this new perfume, it will make you happy. Buy a big house, it will make you Happy. Buy new clothes, they will make you happy.

And maybe these things do give us a sense of pleasure for few days, a few weeks or even a few months, but then we go looking for that next” joy” fix. Out comes the wallet. Out comes the credit cards and deeper in debt we go.

1 John 2: 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. [NASB]

But God has always warned people against this kind of thinking. In Prov. 11:28 God tells us “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.” We must not seek our security in earthly possessions and we must not allow “easy credit” to create that false sense of security.

God’s desire for us is that we are to be free of every kind of worldly debt.

Young rich man (Matt 19:16-22)

16 And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" 17 And He said to him, … if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." 22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. (NASB) 

Do you hear what Jesus said to the young man, “If you wish to be complete….” 

Usually when we talk about making something “complete” it requires adding something to it. In this case completeness is achieved by taking something away.

What was the young man’s worry or concern?

We are told, “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” (Matt 19:22)

Wealth in the time of Jesus had somewhat of a different meaning that it does today.

• In that time wealth was more than being rich, it was a sign of God’s blessing.

• The more wealth the greater God was blessing you and by extension the more righteous you were, because God only blessed the righteous. 

• Furthermore the prevailing theology of the day was that whatever happiness there was to be had was to be received in this life. 

• There was not a life after death in the sense that we know it. 

• Sheol was a place of darkness, cut off from God, that everyone went to regardless of righteousness. 

• It was not a conscious existence. 

• The Pharisees believed in a resurrected life, but it was not widely accepted and the theology was not fully formed around it.

Jesus was coming at just the perfect time and marked the transition from darkness to light. 

• God’s revelation of the resurrected life was just being revealed through the Pharisees and Jesus was bringing it to full understanding. 

• Before Jesus there was only Sheol a place of darkness, separated from God, with His resurrection we are given access to the very throne of God. 

• In fact, the theology of the early church held that Jesus descended into Sheol to bring the righteous to Heaven at His resurrection.

So, for this man to give up all his wealth did not only mean becoming poor, but it also meant denying God’s blessing. 

• If he gives up everything how will his needs be met? 

• How will he experience God’s blessing? 

• And this life is it, can God want a truly righteous man to give up the only happiness he will ever know.

• He did not realize that being in the very presence of Jesus, being in the very presence of God, all of his needs would be met, and he would have an even richer and fuller life. 

• He would experience completeness, which has nothing to do with wealth.

Are we not falling into a similar type of thinking today? 

Not so much that wealth is a sign of God’s blessing, but that happiness in this life is tied to the things we own.

We know the truth here - the joy in our life does not come from the world and its things, it comes from serving our Lord and Master. 

Our financial debt keeps us from our joy. 

Our debts sap the joy from life and weigh us down and that is why we despise our financial master.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19-21: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The whole problem with debt is a matter of focusing our lives on the wrong things.

• Our focus should not be on things at all. 

• But it is really hard in this day and time not to have our attention drawn away.

• Our lives are invaded with things. 

• The world and its things push in on us from the TV, radio, Internet, smart phones, billboards, the people we interact with. 

• If we are not firmly rooted in our faith and the things that God calls us to, we will be swept away. 

Hebrews 13:5 tells us “Keep your lives free from the love of money….” 

And Col 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

God’s desire for us is that we are to be free of every kind of worldly debt.

Jesus made it very simple to focus. He gave us just two rules.

When Jesus was asked what the two greatest commandments are He responded:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

We do not always love ourselves as we should so we are not able to love our neighbors very well either. 

• One of the worst ways that we fail to love ourselves is by allowing ourselves to get into debt. 

• We think we are loving ourselves when we buy a car, house, TV, clothing, jewelry and any number of other things – but if we buy these things with money, we don’t have we punish ourselves in the long term. 

• And we certainly cannot show love to our neighbor we if have neither money to give nor time to spend because we have to work two jobs to pay off our debt.

Romans 13:8 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

If we will keep our focus on God and His purposes the world will not be able to tempt us into substituting a cheap joy that fades and rusts for joy eternal.

Let me ask you - On a day to day basis are you “happy”? If not – as a Christian – why not?

Could it be that the state of your happiness is somehow tied to what you have or don’t have?

• I would encourage you this week to give yourselves over to pray about this matter. As you pray do these things. Meditate on Romans 13:8.

• Review your checkbook and credit card bill. Good for budgeting because you become aware of where your money is going. 

• Which of these expenses are needs and which are wants (or things you could do without)?

• It will tell you what is most important in your life.

• It will also tell you if you have 2 masters or just the one true master – our Redeemer and Savior – Jesus Christ.

What’s next then? 

• If you are heavily in debt - there are many resources available to help you address your financial debt. 
• 
  
• Many of these are Christian based and most of these are free. 

• One resource I would recommend is Crown Financial Ministries. They can be found at www.crown.org.

I am a debt counselor.

There are choices in life that we make and consequences that follow us for the rest of our lives. 

• Thankfully being in financial debt is not one of those. 

• Neither is the sin debt we owe God. 

We must always remember as important as it is for us to have our earthly finances in order, we must never forget that it is more important that we set establish and maintain our heavenly bank account. 

God’s desire for us is that we are to be free of every kind of worldly debt.

Let us acknowledge it is foolish to spend money we do not have. 

God wants us to be full of His wisdom and trust in Him that He will provide for all our needs and that He will bless us with many of our wants.

Let us pray.

Strite, Jeff. "The Bondage of Debt." SermonCentral.Com. N.p., Jan. 2006. Web. 04 Aug. 2012. <http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-bondage-of-debt-jeff -strite-sermon-on-money-87369.asp?page=6>.

Dave Ramsy noted that studies have shown that when people pay for their purchases with credit cards, they spend 30% more on average than when they pay with cash.

Maybe that’s what we need to do in the church to increase giving, instead of passing the offering plate we just pass a little credit card machine down the aisle, and everyone can swipe their card. We could put a sticker on the front door that says, “Mastercard & Visa accepted here.”

I want to talk about tithing for just a moment. One of the last areas of submission and obedience for most Christians has to do with our money and possessions. Many of us grow spiritually in so many ways with prayer and Bible study and worship and service but when it comes to the tithe we stumble. It is hard for us to understand how we can give away so much and be better off, but I believe tithing is a critical aspect of experiencing the abundant life that Jesus speaks of. 

Part of the reason we stumble on this point is because we fail to truly acknowledge the source of all that we have.

Deuteronomy 8

17 You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."  18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

We are stewards. In ancient times stewards were rewarded for a productive year by receiving 1/10 of the proceeds. God has turned that upside down and as a reward He gives us 90%.

Malachi 3

8"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings.”

I have to tell you there is something amazingly powerful about tithing. Magical.  When you begin to give 10% of your gross income things begin to happen in your life and your relationship with God. You attain a new level of maturity in your Christian walk. God makes incredible promises to us if we will only be obedient with regards to the tithe.

Proverbs 3:9-10

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops: then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

Malachi 3

10Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Deut 15:10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.  

Right now, in the midst of these economically difficult times, tithing does not seem like a reasonable thing to do. We feel like we need to hold on to every cent we can so that we can survive.

Matthew 16:25

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

We say that we believe, well tithing is putting our money where our mouth is.

As for your financial debt I would strongly suggest that you cannot begin to overcome it until you take these first steps to address your sin debt.

Step up to tithing 1% - 2%- 3%- 4% and so on. It may also make you aware of how very little you give to the church.

10% of windfalls, tax returns, etc.

1Cr 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.  

THANKS ---- PRAY---- QUESTIONS

Lynn, who didn't want her last name used, purchased a two-bedroom on Tampa Bay in 1998 for $135,000.

As the waterfront property's value skyrocketed, eventually reaching $750,000, she refinanced twice (once to expand a business) and took out a second mortgage. She now owes more than $600,000 on the home, which is worth only $235,000.

Living in this foreclosure limbo is "Hell," Lynn said. "I feel like I'm locked in a box. I work for a financial organization and if this came out, it could cost me my job."

Christie, Les . "Foreclosure limbo: Staying without paying. - Yahoo! Finance." Yahoo! Finance - Business Finance, Stock Market, Quotes, News. Cable News Network and Time Inc, 9 June 2011. Web. 10 June 2011. <http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Foreclosure-limbo-Staying-cnnm-989137852.html?x=0>.

As for the sin debt we owe God -that’s a simple one. There are only four things that you must do:

1. Admit that you are a sinner

2. Acknowledge that you cannot address your sin by your self

3. Accept the sacrifice of Jesus’ blood on the cross as payment for your sin

4. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and be the savior of your life.

ADMIT, ACKNOWLEDGE, ACCEPT, ASK - This can be done in a matter of seconds. You can do it this very second and your sin debt will be paid, and you will hear the Lord speak into your heart, “It is finished.”

ALTAR CALL

I need everyone to close their eyes right now and I want you to begin praying and praising God quietly for the next few moments.

Is there anyone here today that needs to be unburdened from the debt of sin in their lives – if there is please just step out and come down to the front and let us pray with you.

Maybe you’re shy or perhaps a little scared – if that’s the case then let me just ask you to raise your hand for a moment and put it down.

Everyone open your eyes.

ALTAR CALL

Let me ask everyone to close your eyes again and pray and praise God quietly for a few moments.

Now if there is anyone here today that is struggling with financial debt, I want you to come down front and let us pray with you.

Perhaps you are a little embarrassed to admit that you have this problem in your life. That’s alright, you are among your brothers and sisters in Christ – no one will judge you because you are dealing with this problem. So please come down to the altar and let us pray with you for God to heal you of your debt.

If you are struggling with debt but can’t bring yourself to come down to the Altar let me ask you just to raise your hand for a moment and put it down.

Open your eyes.

ILLUS: A tax assessor came one day to a poor Christian to determine the amount of taxes he would have to pay. The following conversation took place: 

"What property do you possess?" asked the assessor. 

"I am a very wealthy man," replied the Christian. 

"List your possessions, please," the assessor instructed. 

The Christian said: 

"First, I have everlasting life, John 3:16 

Second, I have a mansion in heaven, John 14:2 

Third, I have peace that passes all understanding, Philippians 4:7 

Fourth, I have joy unspeakable, 1 Peter 1:8 

Fifth, I have divine love which never fails, 1 Corinthians 13:8 

Sixth, I have a faithful pious wife, Proverbs 31:10 

Seventh, I have healthy, happy obedient children, Exodus 20:12 

Eighth, I have true, loyal friends, Proverbs 18:24 

Ninth, I have songs in the night, Psalms 42:8 

Tenth, I have a crown of life, James 1:12 

The tax assessor closed his book, and said, "Truly you are a very rich man, but your property is not subject to taxation." (Strite 6)