Man, the title of my sermon tonight is Rich Preachers.
Rich Preachers, and let me just start out
by making something very clear,
and I'm gonna prove this in the sermon,
I'm gonna go through a lot of scripture,
is that every single rich preacher is a false prophet,
100% with no exception.
I mean, the only possible exception could be
if they got wealthy some other way
before they became a preacher.
But any preacher who becomes rich while being a preacher,
while being a pastor,
while supposedly being a minister of Jesus Christ,
anybody who becomes rich in the process of that
is a false prophet, period.
And you know, if people would just understand
this basic truth,
it would avoid all of the televangelist,
radio, TV preachers from influencing them.
If they would just give this quick acid test,
is this guy a multi-millionaire, filthy rich?
Well then, I should just automatically assume
that this guy's a false prophet.
Now when I say things like that,
some people, they get offended,
or they think that I'm wrong about this,
but you know, I'm gonna show this to you from scripture,
but let's just use a little logic
before we approach the word of God here,
and stop and think about this.
This is just like a politician.
You know, when you see somebody go into politics,
and they're not rich,
they're just middle class or whatever,
but then they come out of politics,
a multi-millionaire, billionaire,
well then that tells you
that there's corruption going on there.
Well, it's the exact same thing
with going into the ministry.
You know, you go into the ministry,
and you come out filthy rich,
there's corruption there, okay.
Now here's the thing, like I said,
you know, the only way I could see in theory,
a pastor or a preacher being very rich
without being a false prophet would only be
because he made money in business or something,
like let's say somebody started a plumbing business
or something and just made a fortune
in the plumbing industry or in the landscaping industry
or whatever the industry, the drywall industry,
real estate, whatever, and then later started preaching
or something, then okay, maybe he's not a false prophet.
But how can you legitimately be serving God,
preaching the word of God, living for Christ,
and come out filthy rich?
There's no legitimate way to do that.
Just like there's no legitimate way to do that
in politics either.
And people fall for these guys,
and we need to just stop and examine
whether it's reasonable for a pastor or a preacher
to be just super rich.
It's unbelievable that people would fall for this.
So let's look at the scripture here,
beginning in Colossians chapter three,
and what the Bible says here,
give me a second to get there myself.
But it says in verse number one,
if ye then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above,
not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ who is our life shall appear,
then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth,
fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection,
evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry.
So the Bible tells us here to set our affection
on things above, not on things of the earth.
Think about where the Bible says lay not up
for yourselves treasures upon earth.
Lay up treasures in heaven.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
So let me ask you this.
If I see some preacher with the super expensive cars,
super expensive homes, super expensive clothing.
Where is his treasure?
It's right here on this earth because I'm looking at it.
So then answer me this, where is his heart?
Oh, no, no, no, his heart's on the things of God.
I mean, his heart's in heaven.
His affections are in heaven.
Really, that's funny because it looks like
his affections is in his garage.
It looks like his affection is in his three luxury homes.
It looks like his affection is in his wardrobe
because that's where his treasure is,
that's where his heart is,
because where your treasure is there will your heart be also.
Jesus didn't say, hey, where your treasure is,
you might have your heart there.
He said, where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also.
So if you have some huge amount of wealth on this earth,
your heart is going to be on this earth,
your affections are gonna be on the things of this earth,
and you're not gonna preach the same way
as a guy whose affections are on heavenly things
and whose affections are not of this world.
So we're to set our affections on things above,
not on things of the earth.
And I believe Christ when he said,
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."