Have you seen the series of television commercials for an investment firm, with toddlers as the main characters? In the ads, one bright little guy in a high chair extols the virtues of online trading. The ads are humorous and, apparently, effective; one even ran during the Super Bowl. These ads illustrate that one way to leave a memorable impression is to connect an idea, in this case online stock trading, with an image that is both pleasing and absurd. So, while no one truly expects a toddler in a high chair to be discussing the benefits of online trading and 401Ks, a positive association is made with this company. These ads also illustrate an important biblical reality, though probably […]
Money
We have been looking at the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-31. A man came to Jesus seeking his support. This man wanted his brother to give him his fair share of their inheritance, and he sought out Jesus’ advocacy for his claim. From an earthly perspective, this man was concerned about one of the most important issues in life–his financial security. His position in the community would no doubt be determined by securing what he believed to be his proper inheritance. There is, however a certain irony to this demand. The portion of Luke’s gospel where this is recorded is a section called the Travel Narrative, Luke 9:51-19:27. This narrative describes Christ’s final journey back to Jerusalem […]
Of what does life consist? We are looking at Christ’s teaching in Luke 12 on possessions and money. In the last post we looked at verses 13-15 of this chapter. Christ makes a dramatic observation to a man who was quarreling with his brother about his inheritance. He says that one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. This was a counter cultural proposition then–and it certainly still is now in the 21st century! But Jesus does not leave us hanging with that statement. He tells a parable to go along with his teaching to the man in the crowd. In the gospels, a parable is a literary device used to underscore a particular truth. The point of […]
Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. Financial security is one of life’s universal concerns. So it is not surprising that the issue of financial security was raised to Jesus by a worried Israelite. A man had a dispute with his brother about an inheritance he thought was due him. He asks Jesus to settle the dispute. But the response that Jesus gives is not what the man was expecting. Instead of issuing a ruling or giving a formula by which to settle the dispute, Jesus uses the opportunity to warn the man and the crowd around them about the dangers of covetousness. At first glance, Jesus’ reply seems to be a strong reaction to this man’s request–he […]
Money seems to be on everyone’s mind these days. There are fears and concerns about the economy that are constant topics of talk radio and cable news. Your children will undoubtedly hear some of these concerns as they listen to adults who listen to television, radio and the search the internet. In the midst of all the concerns about money and wealth it is a good idea to help your kids develop a biblical worldview about these subjects. One good place to start to do this is Chapter 12 of Luke’s gospel. Here is an excerpt: