THE KINGDOM PRINCEPLES OF MONEY

Principle Number One

Understanding Creation

"For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.  Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money." (Matthew 25:14-18)

Whenever the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God is likened unto something, I pay close attention. This was Jesus' way of teaching. He would take natural things and use as teaching aids to explain spiritual concepts. He would in a way be saying, you cannot understand spiritual things if you are still having some difficulties making sense out of natural things. 

In all His parables, Jesus clearly demonstrated that our lives in the natural realm could become much easier if operated on spiritual laws. In real terms, this natural life, difficult as it stands to be when operated by natural laws, can become easy and enjoyable as soon as we begin to operate it on the basis of spiritual principles. The important point to notice is that natural concepts cannot produce spiritual results. However; spiritual concepts produce natural results.  Understanding life only from the natural point of view can only limit and frustrate the promises of God intended for man.

Spiritual things are abstracts. Neither can we see, nor touch with our physical bodies. However, physical things are tangible. We relate much easier to them since we too are physical.  

We learn from the bible that our bodies were formed out of the dust of the earth. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2: 7) It is important to note that before the human body was formed God created the spirit man in chapter one verses twenty-six and twenty-seven. "Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness… so God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" As soon as the "body man" was formed; God blew the "spirit man" into the "body man" by His mighty breath and "man became a living soul." Body man became alive as the spirit man is alive. This body of mine comes out of the earth. The earth (soil) became flesh and flesh with the image of God in it became a "living soul."  We can therefore say man is a package containing the earth and God in itself. Man is an amazing creature equal to none on earth. Man is soil encapsulated with God - a meeting point of heaven and earth. 

My flesh represents the earth and my spirit represents heaven. With my body I relate to the earth and with my spirit I relate to the spirit world. No other member of creation was created to function in both worlds but man. Man was created with the ability to withdraw spiritual laws or concepts from the spirit world and apply them to "rule and … have dominion; and subdue" the earth.  Another translation says "let them reign over … and govern" the earth. (New Living Translation) We are created to govern and manage the earth. The earth with all its resources is put under our control to govern and manager; especially to the service of man and God.

Material things are mirrors of spiritual things. When God created the universe, He did not have any physical material.  This world we live in was created without any raw material. Out of the spiritual world, He called this universe into being. "Let there be… " And out of the unseen, the "seen" came into existence. Stars rushed with great speed to fill the empty sky. Light came rushing at a speed of 299,792,458 km per second to illuminate the universe. In one moment, planets bumped into space, placed themselves around the sun and started their never-ending journey orbiting the sun. (Genesis1: 1-25) Yes, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Our lives on earth are intended by God to be prosperous and; it is when we understand creation and how from the beginning the Creator purposed things to be like. It is when we understand our assignment to rule and have dominion that we begin to command the earth and the world we live in to yield for our sake. Yes; it is when we understand spiritual laws and our right to apply them in our lives that the physical world will begin to take instructions and obey us. 

Jesus used money to explain spiritual things and how they affect our natural lives. I believe Jesus chose money to convey his message because the subject of money would attract many people's attention. It is people's interest in money; or lack of it that makes people listen; hoping that what is said will somehow help transform their lives. 

For this reason, I believe we must talk about money too. We must teach and preach about money too. We must show how money can serve us and help make our lives comfortable while we are still around here waiting for our complete redemption for we will be kept in these mud huts until our Master comes back to take us home.  

Jesus knew the importance of moving His audience from the known to the unknown. With one hand He would grab the physical and say, guys, if you would understand how the natural or the physical functions, you would be on your way to mastering the spiritual principles.
 
The passage of scripture we have opened this chapter with seems to be a turning point in Jesus' messages. It is like He is moving from one layer to another. He is beginning to spend more time talking about his last days on earth in the form of a physical man. He preached this message from Mount Olive; probably on Tuesday of the last week of His earthly ministry. These, we may say, were Jesus' farewell messages. "But what has this got to do with MONEY?" One may say. I think it has everything to do with money or gifts. If we parallel this man's farewell story with Jesus' messages as He prepares for His departure, similarities begin to surface. Jesus began to prepare His disciples for gifts that were to be given to the church after His departure and how they were to be used to ensure fruitfulness and multiplication in their individual lives and also in the body of Christ.

However, Jesus stated it clearly from the onset that He would not give gifts "as the world gives." (John 14:27) For example: when they were expecting Him to restore or reestablish the kingdom of Israel (Acts 1: 6) He told them something else. "But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth" (Acts 1: 8 The Amplified Bible) When they expected a finished product, He gave them power which is translated ability, efficiency and might to bring about the desired product. When they were expecting a gift of the kingdom, He told them to establish the kingdom.

This is the kingdom principle and those who master it will eat the good of the land. We don't need to receive products but the ability to produce such products and many more. We are created in the image of God; we are created in the image of the Creator who created the universe. We too can create our environment as we become fruitful and multiply what was given to us.
   
The Son of God who became the Son of man was about to become the Son of God again. He was God and had all that made God, God. But "…he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:8) But on the third day God raised Him from the dead never to die again; and was seen by many witnesses. He was then lifted up into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father "far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come." (Ephesians 1: 21) According to the scriptures "this same Jesus, which is taken up … into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1: 11)  He will come back to establish a kingdom where He will assume His office as King of kings and Lord of lords.  This is the millennial reign of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  
The parable states that after a long time the lord of those servants came back. He called the three of them to a board meeting and gave each time to present his financial report. It's time to settled accounts. You will understand that in this kind of meeting the sweetest language is profit; and nothing else. You can phrase your story as convincing as you know how but the buzz word is profit; without it your story holds no water. The only sound that catches the attention of the entrepreneur is "chaching."

Every talent that God has given to each and everyone of us comes with a responsibility; to be fruitful and multiply. One day we are going to give account of every ability given to us by our Heavenly Father. Jesus came and gave gifts to men and He is coming back to settle account with each and every one of us.

This was the most difficult concept Jesus had to explain to His audience and He had to use parables.  Our text is one of such parables. In it He used master (employer), servants (employees) and talents (money). I invite you to take this journey with us as the Holy Spirit leads us through this parable.