Outline // The Battle for Control #3: The Treasure(r)
This series has been about the battle for control, particularly control of our wallets. Because if we don't trust God with our money, we don't trust God.
- 172 times scripture tells us to "remember the Lord"
- 1/10 lepers came back to THANK Jesus. Praise is rare! Gratitude, even among the people of God, is rare!
1. Mary – The Unashamed Worshipper (out of true understanding of who Jesus is)
Mary moved from disappointment and frustration with Jesus to a deeper understanding of who He truly was.
She realized that Jesus didn't owe her anything. He deserved everything.
Her extravagant worship was an expression of love, gratitude, repentance, and surrender.
She was willing to look foolish in her sincere worship of Jesus.
She saw honoring Jesus as a privilege, not an obligation or a way to gain recognition.
When we truly understand who Jesus is, we will want to give Him everything.
2. Martha – The Grateful Servant (because a love for Jesus always turns into a love for others as well)
Martha continued to serve, but this time without the complaining we saw previously.
Her gifts hadn't changed, but her heart had.
She learned to see serving Jesus and others as a privilege.
Serving with a grateful heart changes how we approach even the most ordinary tasks.
A dirty church is often a used church. When people gather, there will always be work to do.
Our love for Jesus should overflow into how we love and serve the people around us.
3. Judas – The Judgmental Thief (because spending time around Jesus is not the same as giving Him control)
Judas criticized Mary's extravagant worship, disguising his greed as concern for the poor.
Judgment and skepticism can reveal deeper issues in our own hearts.
We must be careful not to judge others without first examining our own motives.
Doing and saying all the right things does not necessarily mean our hearts belong to Jesus.
Judas spent time with Jesus but never truly surrendered to Him.
We can be close to the things of God while remaining resistant to the transformation of God.
What we treasure reveals where our hearts truly are.
4. Jesus – The People Treasurer (because people are the real treasure)
Jesus knew Judas was stealing from the ministry's moneybag, yet He continued to show patience and grace.
Jesus demonstrated that His security was never found in earthly possessions.
Our treasure reveals our hearts, and the wrong treasure can blind and harden us.
Jesus valued people more than possessions.
Money is a tool, not our source of security.
Saving and being financially wise are not wrong, but our hope must never rest in our resources.
God is our provider, our security, our rock, and our ever-present help in times of trouble.
Generosity – Beyond the Tithe
Tithing is returning to God what belongs to Him. It is an act of faithfulness and trust.
Biblical generosity goes beyond the tithe. God calls us to give our entire lives to Him.
We cannot treat generosity as a box to check while withholding our compassion, time, and resources from others.
God calls us to love people in ways that sometimes cost us something.
True surrender means giving God control over our money, possessions, time, and security.
People are the real treasure. Our greatest investment is in what matters eternally.
Who Has Control?
When we surrender our need for control to Jesus, He can transform us:
Like Mary: From angry manipulators to unashamed worshippers.
Like Martha: From ungrateful servants to grateful servants.
Unlike Judas: From judgmental thieves to generous, surrendered givers, if we are willing to repent.
Is there a place where I am still skeptical?
Is there a place where I am withholding?
Is there a place where I am stingy or angry with God?
Is there a place where I am complaining about serving?
Is my treasure in the wrong thing?
Closing Scripture: Psalm 139:23–24
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."