May 2025 Sermon Highlights and Key Takeaways:
Root Cost: Dangers of Loving Money
The May month series entitled, “Root Cost: The Dangers of Loving Money,” explored the spiritual and practical dangers of loving money, uncovering how misplaced affection for wealth can distort our values, relationships, and faith. Each message confronted the subtle ways money can become an idol, offering biblical wisdom on contentment, stewardship, generosity, and eternal perspective.
Sermon Summary and takeaways:
Earthly vs Heavenly Treasure
In a world that is becoming more materialistic, our tendency is to focus on these new and instant things. Yet as believers, we are called to be different. Instead of investing in worldly treasures, we are to save up for heavenly treasures.
Earthly or worldly treasures - these represent the material possession and worldly pursuits that often capture our hearts and distract us from the eternal. They are temporary, fleeting and unreliable sources of satisfaction.
Heavenly treasures - are eternal rewards that are sourced from God’s Kingdom. These treasures are imperishable and everlasting, rooted in our relationship with God and our obedience to His will.
We can still enjoy the blessings and favor that God gives. The key is contentment - not to focus on the blessings but the One who blesses. Let it be our goal to invest in treasures in heaven because we cannot obtain complete joy and satisfaction from earthly treasures. We can only obtain that when we have the Lord in us. As what 1 Peter 1:4 says, “and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for His people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away.”
Takeaways:
“As followers of Christ, we are to pursue what He values and live with a mindset shaped by His Kingdom - motivated not by material gain, but by heavenly mindset.”
“Whatever we invest our time on, we seek to achieve, we put importance to, it is where our heart is and reflects our ultimate desire. As believers, may others see from us, most importantly, may God see in our hearts, that He is our topmost priority.”
“Investing all our time, energy and emotion into material gain is short-sighted. The way we look at the world shapes our entire life. If our perspective is focused on greed or fear, it distorts our decisions. Trying to chase both spiritual values and unchecked material gain creates conflict. Jesus is challenging us to examine what we value, where we focus our attention, and whom we truly serve. Material things are not evil in themselves, but when it becomes the main pursuit, it displaces deeper, lasting values. We can only serve one Master, it’s either God or the world.”
The High Cost of Hidden Sin
The second week of the theme series reminded us how to be wise in handling our possessions and to be obedient to God through the story of Achan (Joshua 7:1-26). From this story, Achan’s sin was the reason for their fall. He violated God’s command by taking devoted things which God reminded them not to take (Joshua 6:18-19) and the whole of Israelites suffered from this. Yet at the same time, God wants Achan to confess and come forward to Him which He didn’t do. He kept silent and only confessed when he was singled out (Joshua 7:19-21). This taught us that God will always bring sin to light and He takes our sins seriously. He values obedience and holiness.
As Proverbs 28:13 says, “whoever conceals their sins does not prosper but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. May we ask ourselves, “are there things in our lives that’s keeping God’s blessing flowing from us?” The story of Achan is a good example for us to learn to confess and repent to God. Jesus already took our sins and is more than willing to forgive. Let us surrender and not wait for the consequences that may happen.
Takeaway:
Nothing that we do is hidden from God. May we confess and repent our sins to Him and let Him restore us and favor will be upon us.
How to Wisely Handle Finances
The message shared on the 3rd week of the month’s series highlighted the importance of handling our finances wisely. Managing budget, setting financial goals, being organized, prioritizing savings are some of the things we need to learn and apply but most importantly, putting God first. As Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other, You cannot serve both God and money.
Takeaway:
Money is an important tool we use to live. Yet if mishandled, it can use us instead. Therefore, we must continue to seek God’s guidance in stewarding His blessings. At the end of the day, everything we have is from Him and for Him.
Glitter of Money
God commanded for man to work (Genesis 1:26) therefore, it is part of His design for us to work in order to earn money for a living. The lesson revolved in not falling into the trap of the “glitters’ of money. People can tend to have excessive desires and it may result in turning our faith away from God, causing grief and dissatisfaction. Just like the stories of Esau, who sold his birthright, Ananias and Safira, who kept the money received from the land for themselves, and Judas, who sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver - all of them lost the most important thing - their relationship with God.
Matthew 16:26 says, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” May we truly know what really matters and not be blinded by the glitter and extravagance of money.
Takeaway:
The luxury, extravagance and splendor of what money can bring can blind us from what truly matters. May we not exchange temporary things from eternal life we have ahead of us as followers of Christ.
As we close out “Root Cost: The Dangers of Loving Money,” we’re reminded that the pursuit of money is not just a financial issue—it’s a heart issue. Scripture doesn’t condemn wealth, but it does warn us that loving it can lead us far from God. The love of money distorts our values, fuels our anxieties, and distracts us from our true calling.
But there’s another way. God calls us to live differently—to trust in Him as our Provider, to find contentment in what He’s given, and to be generous stewards of His resources. When we loosen our grip on money, we discover that it loosens its grip on us.
The question we must each answer is: What’s driving my decisions—faith or fear? Eternity or excess? God or gold?
Let’s be a people who:
Seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33)
Find our joy in Christ, not in our accounts
Invest in what lasts forever
Use money as a tool—not a master
In the end, we can’t take our wealth with us, but we can send it ahead by living generously and faithfully. So let’s live with open hands and hearts, fully surrendered to the One who owns it all.
Let us pray:
“Lord, Thank You for reminding us through Your Word that our security, identity, and purpose are found in You—not in wealth. Forgive us for the times we've trusted in money more than in Your provision. Cleanse our hearts from greed, pride, and fear.
Teach us to live with open hands and generous hearts. Help us to steward well what You’ve given, to be content in all circumstances, and to invest in things that have eternal value. May we serve You, not money—and may our lives reflect Your goodness, generosity, and grace.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Call to Action:
As you leave this series behind, don’t just leave the lessons behind. Take action:
Evaluate your heart. What role does money play in your decisions, desires, and direction?
Take one step toward generosity—give, share, or serve in a way that stretches your faith.
Declutter your priorities. What are you pursuing more than God?
Seek financial freedom not for comfort, but for Kingdom impact.
Let the legacy of this series be not just what we’ve learned—but how we live differently. Let’s choose to love God more than money, and use money to love God and others well.