Okay, look at Luke chapter, did I have your turn to 1 Peter 5?
I don't think we read it, let's look at that before we move on.
It says in verse 1, the elders which are among you I exhort who am also an elder and a witness
of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed, feed
the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint,
but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.
Now what does that mean, of a ready mind?
What it means is that someone who's enthusiastic about the work, not enthusiastic about the
money.
Does everybody understand what that means?
The ready mind, the readiness, picture readiness as enthusiasm, right?
You know, basically being excited, passionate about the mission.
Not passionate about, oh man, this is going to be great, I'm going to just really fleece
the flock here.
Neither is being lords over God's heritage, but being an example to the flock and when
the chief shepherd shall appear, he shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Go to Luke chapter 6, I've got to hurry here, time's getting away from me.
Luke chapter 6, you know the Bible also talks about back in 1 Samuel chapter 8, how Samuel
was a godly man and he was not covetous at all.
He did not love money, he was not a wealthy guy, he did not abuse his position as a prophet
of God.
And he even brings that up at the very end of his life and says look, this does not characterize
me at all.
The sad thing is that the Bible says that his sons, this is 1 Samuel chapter 8 verse
3, his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after filthy Lucre, I'm sorry I added
the word filthy because I'm in New Testament mode, but it was, let me start over, and his
sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after Lucre and took bribes and perverted
judgment.
So here we have a godly man, Samuel, he's not into the love of money, he's not chasing
after all of these worldly wining and dining things, but yet his sons, instead of following
in dad's footsteps, they're into money.
And so as a result of going after Lucre, they end up taking bribes and it ends up ruining
the nation to the point where they get rid of the system of the judges and they get King
Saul and whatever.
Go to Luke chapter 6, it says in verse 20, he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and
said, and who's the he here, this is Jesus, blessed be ye poor for yours is the kingdom
of God, blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled, blessed are ye that weep
now for ye shall laugh, blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate
you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the
son of man's sake, rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy, for behold your reward is
great in heaven, for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets, but woe unto you
that are rich, for you have received your consolation, there's your reward, you rewarded
yourself, woe unto you that are full for ye shall hunger, woe unto you that laugh now
for ye shall mourn and weep, woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you for so
did their fathers to the false prophets and there's nothing new unto the son.
And so the Bible says here, woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you, woe unto
you if you're front and center at borders, woe unto you you're front and center at Barnes
and Noble, woe unto you you're front and center in the Christian bookstore, woe unto you when
you're number one on Apple iTunes, woe unto you when all men speak well of you because
that's what they did to the false prophets so you better look in the mirror and take
a long look at what you are and who you are and who you're serving.
Is it God or is it mammon?