Throughout history there have been many heresies that have tried to attach themselves to the church. Some surround the nature of Jesus — denying the deity or humanity of Christ. Some focus on salvation — attempting to add human works as a requirement. All such false teaching is extremely serious, as Paul pointed out to the Galatians. But the false teaching that has been the most costly in terms of human physical life, is centered on the Early Church.

As a child I loved replacing burnt out incandescent light bulbs with new vibrant ones. I was fascinated by the fact that you could shake the dead bulb and hear the filament rattling — a musical confirmation that the bulb was indeed broken and no more light could be extracted from it. Most of all, I loved to see light shining again in a space where once there had been darkness.

In addition to being the central figure of all history, Christ Jesus is also one of the most controversial. Some believe Christ was “a good moral teacher.” According to others, “he was an ideal; an example.” But sadly, few outside or even inside the Church have ever taken the time to listen to what he actually taught! Let’s look at three key moments from the gospels to learn the most vital elements of Jesus’ lessons on money…

When God called Samuel to anoint David as future king he had to correct him because Samuel was looking at the outside appearance. Jesus similarly corrected his disciples about what defiles a person (Matthew 15:10-20) when he said “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”

In the same way, Proverbs teaches us to look at the heart on economic issues.

We’re in the midst of a hot summer, and last evening my seven-year-old son came into dinner drenched from head to foot. I was surprised and asked him, “How did you get all wet?” Again to my surprise he replied, “I didn’t think I would get wet, I went under the sprinkler.”

Maps show us the best way to get to where we want to go. They show us potential dangers to avoid. And without maps we might get terribly lost or delayed. This is also what God’s Word does for our life. It guides us to where we want to go. It shows us the best way to get there. It cautions us on dangers to avoid.

Only one generation ago, before going on a long journey, it was important to first study a printed map to plan a route, get an idea of the distance and time required for the trip, and plan out any additional stops along the way… Maps show us the best way to get to where we want to go. They show us potential dangers to avoid. And without maps we might get terribly lost or delayed.

Seeds are incredible. They are small and may not appear at first to have any special value, but their potential is incalculable. Kept dry on the shelf, they will never grow or increase. They will never become what they were meant to be. They will never produce fruit. Why not? Because seeds, like everything else, require the proper conditions and nourishment to grow. It is the same way with economics…

Imagine the wisest person you can think of, writing in the wisest book of all time, about an ideal person. What do you think they would say about them? Perhaps the author would focus on their bravery in battle, or their skill in the arts, or their brilliant intellect, or their physical beauty, or their acts of religious piety or charity?