THE REWARD OF THE LONG VIEW

Proverbs 20:21 (KJV)

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

January 24, 1848

A man by the name of James W. Marshall discovered gold outside the Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California.

News of Marshall’s find brought 300,000 people from all over the United States and around the world racing into California to find their fortunes.

Most of them lost more than they ever found:

·   They lost their families

·   They lost their morality and or a good number of them

·   They lost their lives

The California gold rush was such a significant event that California is one of only a few states that when directly into statehood without ever being a territory of the U.S.

The gold rush did create millionaires and reinvigorate the American economy.

But the people who made fortunes were not, for the most part, the prospectors.

The ones who got wealthy were:

·   The store clerks

·   The stagecoach operators

·   The restaurants, saloons and hotels

Though some people made huge fortunes overnight, (and many of them lost them just as quickly) lasting wealth was made by those who took a slower, more long-term approach to accumulate their wealth.

That is the lesson of Proverbs 20:21, conservative financial management.

Doesn’t the verse remind you of the account of the Prodigal son?

Luke 15:11-32 (KJV)

And he said, A certain man had two sons:

And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

There has been this timeless contest between those who go for the fast money and those who choose a more conservative approach.

I have three observations for you this morning:

*I. Profits Can Be Gained Quickly

But it also includes substantial risk.

Proverbs 20:21 (KJV)

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

By the way, I am not talking just now about “get rich quick” schemes. Those are obviously wrong. The only people who really get rich with get rich quick schemes are those who convince others to buy their version of the get rich quick scheme.

There are, from time to time, legitimate opportunities to make a lot of money very quickly

They are not necessarily wrong, they are just inordinately risky and a person is never wise to put too much of their resources into them.

When I first got into the ironworkers I was making more money that anyone in my immediate family could imagine.

I went from earning $2.85 per hour to $7.11 per hour over the weekend and that was raised to $10.50 and hour after six months.

I was young and, had I been wiser, I could have turned that into a huge advantage if I had continued to live on $2.85 per hour and invested the rest of that money into the right things.

I was not wise.

·   I immediately bought and brand new pickup

·   I hired a tax attorney to try to cheat the IRS and

·   I put a chunk of money into silver.

Buying silver is not foolish, but what I got involved in was.

Just about the time I got pretty well established in the Ironworkers, I heard that the price of silver was making unprecedented gains.

A relative of mine and I went together and bought a bunch of silver coins. The price was $22 an Ounce.

Then each night we watched the news to see how our silver was doing:

$25 per Ounce

$30 per Ounce

$40 per Ounce

$45 per Ounce

I remember setting in my relative’s living room the night the News Station announced that my silver had reached $50 per Ounce.

I turned to him and said, “Let’s sell.”

He said, “No. Let’s wait a little longer.”

The next day it was discovered that a pair named the Hunt brothers had been manipulating the price of silver. They were caught an the price of silver plummeted.

I still have that silver.

It was worth $17 per Ounce yesterday.

Silver is a great long term investment – especially for hedging your assets against inflation.

But it was foolish to attempt to get wealth hastily by it.

*II. Conservative Stewardship Has Always Been the Best Way to Get and Keep What We Earn

Proverbs 20:21 (KJV)

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

I am reading a book[1] right now by an author who styles himself as a financial expert and leans to the conservative side of things.

He says there are three things he leans on to generate his income:

·   Real estate

·   Indexes in the Stock Market[2] and

·   Work (he calls it “business”)

He was asked what he thought about the current “cryptocurrency” thing. This author doesn’t involve himself at all but says that if you choose to you should not think of it as investing but as speculating and only get involved to the extent you can afford to lose everything.[3]

What he is saying is, even though it is possible to get quick wealth legitimately through some of these vehicles, it is safer to choose a long term course for wealth creation and venture into these faster moving pools cautiously and with only a small amount of your portfolio.

I think he is right on tune with Proverbs 20:21.

*III. Blessed Profits Are the Best Profits

Proverbs 20:21 (KJV)

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

I am by no means a financial guru.

I have lived by faith my whole Christian life

For a lot of years I could not afford to feed my family except for the generosity of different people in my life.

I was 35 years old before I could buy a house.

Even then I could only do it because:

·   The guy I bought the property from was in our church and he paid to put in the utilities and the road

·   I bought a used manufactured home (I did not qualify for a new one) and had it moved onto the property

·   I knew a contractor who did the foundation and set up for free

My situation is improved today  but I still live by faith.

What I can tell you has happened is this, God has blessed us.

·   He hasn’t blessed us with a fortune in the bank[4]

·   He hasn’t blessed us with expensive things and furniture

He has blessed us with the faith to trust Him.

As we strive to live out what the Bible teaches, God blesses us and meets our needs.

And I am just going to tell you.

That’s the best wealth of all.

---

[1] You Can Retire Early, Deacon Hayes. The title of the book turned me off to the book until I learned that Deacon subscribes to Dave Ramsey’s ideas. Ramsey is off on some things. He is especially off on his doctrine. But his financial advice is sound.

[2] Like the Dow Jones Index, the Fortune 500 Index, etc. Instead of investing in particular stocks, he encourages investing in the indexes.

[3] Because, in his estimation, you probably will.

[4] We’ve laid up our treasures in heaven instead.

HE’LL FINISH WHAT HE STARTED

Philippians 1:6 (KJV)

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Beginnings are always exciting.

·   The opening moments of a championship ball game

·   The starting flag of the Indianapolis 500

·   The beginning sprint of a long distance race

The beginning is always

·   Enthusiastic,

·   Spirited and 

·   Hopeful

At rodeos, it was called “The Grand Entry.”

All of the contestants (at least those with horses) would ride into the arena.

·   The American flag leading us

·   Horses at full run

·   We would go around the arena, following the flag bearers until they would turn into the center and slide their horses to s stop in the center of the arena.

·   The each of us would in turn to the center and slide our horses to a stop in a line behind the American flag

·   We would take off our hats, place them over our hearts and

·   The crowds would stand as the played the national anthem.

Then, the flag bearer would kick his horse into a full run and head for another lap around the arena.

We would each take our place behind him, horses at full run until we made it around the arena and to the gate.

It was – grand.

People would be cheering

Everyone was excited

However,

Truth be told, no one came just for the grand entry.

Almost everyone who comes to watch a rodeo comes to see the last event, the bull riding.

Whether it's:

·   A football game,

·   A car race or

·   A rodeo,

beginnings are exciting, but everyone comes to see the end.

I would like to suggest to you that Christmas is a starting place.

It's the Grand Entry, if you will.

But Christmas is not what Christians came for.

We are looking for the end.

Jesus has begun a good work in you and me.

We are confident that He will perform that work until the very end…

The picture of a sporting event, a race car or a rodeo, fits well into the Word of God where, in the New Testament we find the Christian message likened to terms like:

·   A race

·   Wrestling or

·   Fought a good fight

Christianity is a contest in which we find,

First of all,

I. THERE IS AN EPIC STRUGGLE

And epic is the correct term for this struggle.

The word epic means “a long poem or story.”

The context we are talking about began about 6000 years ago, when Eve gave in to the temptations of the serpent.

Right then God announced, Genesis 3:14-15 (KJV)

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Every word of the Bible from that moment on is a play-by-play description of the contest between:

·   God and Satan

·   The work of the Spirit and the work of the flesh

·   That which is of God and that which is of the world

One of the mistakes we often make, as we observe this contest, is that we think of ourselves as the players.

It’s not true.

We are the pieces.

This is between God and the Devil.

Look, for instance, at 2 Timothy 2:26 (KJV)

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

The devil plays people like pawns on a chessboard.

Of the Lord the Bible says, Titus 3:4-6 (KJV)

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

As in any contest, the winning line looks like it shifts back and forth between the contestants.

But that’s a little deceptive in this competition.

I am reminded of the old Rush Limbaugh line, “With one hand tied behind my back, just to make it fair.”

Truth of the matter is, there is no contest between God and the Devil.

The Word of God clearly tells us that in the last days evil men will wax worse and worse.

I think that is VERY IMPORTANT to remember these days.

·   The Bible promises us that God is going to win but

·   The Bible also warns us that it will appear as if He is losing

Do not take your eyes off the game yet.

It may sometimes look like evil has the upper hand. But this contest is far from decided!

Christianity is a contest in which we find secondly,

II. THERE IS A TRIUMPHANT VICTORY

Revelation 1:1-3 (KJV)

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

You talk about an epic contest – the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ beats any event you have ever witnessed.

The main text of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ covers a period of just over 1000 years.

There is the seven years of Tribulation where the devil, having no restraints, unleashes all of the evil he can muster.

To the chagrin of the Serpent, God uses it all for His purpose and glory

One after the other

·   The seven seal judgments then

·   The seven trumpet judgments then

·   The seven vial judgments and then

·   The seven woes

are poured out upon the earth.

The devil deceives men and women by making it appear that his antichrist has died and is resurrected.

As stars fall from the sky and

Water turns into blood

Antichrist:

·   Controls the kingdoms of this world

·   Commands the exchange of commerce and

·   Condemns all who will not receive his mark

Jews and Gentiles alike, all who profess the name of Jesus Christ are hunted down and massacred by the beast and the false prophet.

But God has 144,000 witnesses who are supernaturally protected, scouring the earth and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So many people get saved, out of every nation and kindred and tongue, that no man can count them.

Antichrist certainly can’t kill them all.

Just when you think the devil has reached his zenith, suddenly a brightness appears in the eastern sky.

Jesus Christ and the hosts of heaven come riding in glory toward the earth.

Antichrist calls together the forces of evil – kings and princes, with their armies assembled rush to Israel to face off with Jesus Christ in the valley of Megiddo.

The battle unfolds for us in Revelation 19:11-21 (KJV)

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

It’s a “no-contest, contest.”

Jesus speaks and it is so.

The armies are slain and the beast and the false prophet are cast into the bottomless pit with the Devil.

And Jesus Christ sets His throne in Jerusalem.

But the contest isn’t over.

After 1000 years, Satan is loosed from the bottomless pit.

Inexplicably, he is able to assemble from among those who have lived in paradise and been ruled by Jesus Christ, another army.

Almost nothing is said of the battle.

Satan’s armies surround the camp of the saints then fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them.

The devil is cast into the Lake of Fire where the Beast and the False Prophet are, never to be released again.

Is that not an unbelievable triump?

·   Who could have called it?

·   Where else, but the Bible would you find an outcome like that?

There is an epic struggle

There is a triumphant victory

Christianity is a contest in which we find finally,

III. THERE IS A GLORIOUS REWARD

Revelation 21:1-3 (KJV)

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Whether it’s:

·   An all around buckle

·   A Superbowl ring or

·   A winner’s cup

every winner has its reward.

The same is true in the contest between the Lord and the Devil.

The difference is, when Jesus wins, you and I get the prize.

You see the Devil uses people as pawns in his battle, but God sees us as children.

When Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, finally defeats Satan, you and I, who are born again by faith and adopted into God’s family, share in the spoils of the victory.

·   We get to be joint heirs with Jesus

·   We get a mansion prepared for us in glory and

·   We will live with God for eternity

Conclusion

Philippians 1:6 (KJV)

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

I am telling you today that I am confident.

·   I am confident that the Bible is true

·   I am confident that heaven and hell are real

·   I am confident that you will live in one or the other forever

·   I am confident that faith in Christ is the way into heaven and

I am confident that, if you will ask Him to, He will save you right now!