What is Mammon?

by the partners and friends of Crelo Dollar Ministries.

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Coming up next on Changing Your World. Mammon's trying to make a deal even today. If I can get you to worship me, I'll give you these things. But you must understand the deceitfulness of those things. They deceive you into thinking that it's all going to end up well. and mammon will always leave you in a pit.

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If you have your Bibles, go with me again to the book of Luke, chapter 16. You ought to have a good dent there by now. uh you know you've heard and you've been hearing this word mammon and yet we have not taken the time to really do a study on what mammon is and so I want to call this uh this study what is mammon I want to start off looking at this word mammon Jesus didn't just throw words around and he used the word mammon at least four times in the new testament meant and when Jesus used the word mammon he was not saying in other words money he had a very specific reason for using it and sometimes the translators don't follow the story and when you don't follow the story that's being told then you can just conclude well mammon means money and I want to show you that Jesus used the word mammon on purpose to try to show you what happens when you are attached to it and what goes on in your life.

And so, let's read verses 10 through 14 out loud together and we'll begin. And and I I believe today this is really really going to bless you. Of course, mammon is going to be completely destroyed in your life today, but it's going to bless you. Amen. Verse 10. Ready? Read. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. And he that is faith unjust in that which is least is unjust also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. And the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him or scorned him. To deride means to to laugh at and scorn.

Now the entire chapter and we mentioned paying attention to the story that's being told and this parable or story that was being told was a story about a steward who was not faithful over his master's goods. Now the reason why he was not faithful over his master's good was because he was influenced by mammon. So you you have to just pay attention to the story. You have to pay attention to the context. Now, I said to you last week that verse 10 where it says, you know, if you if you can be faithful of the least, then you'll be faithful of the much. If you're unjust with the least, you're unjust with the much. You cannot take verse 10 out of context and apply it towards everything else. You can't do that. The application of a scripture, this is what you have to remember when you're studying the word of God, the application of a scripture is always going to be based on the context that that that scripture appeared in. So you you can't take verse 10 and say, well, you know, he says if you're faithful of the least, and then you lift it up out of the context where he's talking about a steward who's not being faithful with his Lord's money, and you decide to say, well, you know what? If you can be faithful with little authority, then you can be uh trusted with much authority. Now, that statement is true, but it's not what Jesus was talking about in context. And that's how a lot of a lot of religious wrong things have come up in the body of Christ. That's how a lot of religious things have happened because preachers and Christians take scriptures out of the context and you lose the application that it was intended for and then you apply it to another application. You know, you might say, you know, Daniel and the lion's den. Okay. Uh but you need to see what the context of that or we'll go around and and every time somebody's got problem, you in your lion's den. Well, you might not be in your lines then, but we understand what you're saying, but you have to respect the context. That's how the whole inequality thing came up where men thought that they could, you know, be in control and dominate their wives and men thought that they could dominate women and and and I guess they're finding out now because women are not putting up with it because that's not God's intent in the first place. But what happened over the years, we kept lifting these scriptures out of context and then making them apply to what our religious belief was. And then down the road, we're way down the road in a bunch of confusion. And that's what the devil wants to happen. He doesn't want you to get the truth within context. Even the word context tells you there's a problem. If you see the word context and you take the word text out of context, you're left with what? Con. And that's what's happened. Every time you lift a scripture out of its context, you're left with a con. And bless God, this church will not be conned. Read it in context. Understand it within its context. Does everybody see what I'm saying?

So then, so this this this parable is talking about like like I said, a steward who is not faithful with his with his Lord's uh goods. And the reason why Jesus explains after verse 10 is because he was under mammon. Now look at this very carefully. Verse 10 says, "He that is faithful in the unrighteous mammon." Excuse me. He that is faithful in that which is least. He that is faithful in that which is least. Now least is not a word that was intended to be, you know, used as a category that you can apply anything to. The whole chapter talks about money. And Jesus comes in verse 10. And he says, "Let's call this money the least." Jesus said that. "Let's call this the least." So he that is faithful in that which is least, money. That's what he's referring to. The least in context is referring to money. He that is faithful in that which is least, money, is faithful also in the much. That's everything else in life. Money is never going to be the much because he just said money is the least. And he that is unjust in the least money is unjust also in the much. Now here's what Jesus just said. He says if you want to know the character of a person, see if they can be trusted with money. And if they can be trusted with money the least, then you know they can be trusted with much. But he says if they are unjust with money, he says they're going to be unjust in the much. Jesus knew that the test to determine your character and the test to determine what you would do in a greater opportunity is going to be based on whether or not you pass the test where money is concerned. And all throughout the New Testament, Jesus keeps teaching parables on money. Why? He knew something here.

Now he makes this very plain here and he goes to the next verse which I didn't see this earlier and he says now if therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon. Now why did he use mammon? Why didn't he just say therefore if you've not been faithful in the money? Because here he was trying to say something. He was saying unrighteous mammon. Mammon on mammon is most most There are some translations that will translate the word mammon is they they'll go riches and they'll go money. We've all done that. Mammon, which means money. Well, mammon. No, really, it's money. No, no, no. The original translation says mammon is deceitful riches. So Jesus says, "If therefore you cannot be trusted with deceitful riches," what was he trying to say? Money that has a spirit of mammon on it is now deceitful money. And people who have a spirit of manment on them, cuz that's the only way the money can get that spirit on it. See, money is not good or bad by itself. So money being bad is based on you being bad. Amen. Money being good is based on you being good. Money having spirit of mammon on it is based on if you have a spirit of mammon on you. Money having God's influence on it is based on God's influence on you. So what was Jesus saying? He was saying if the mammon if the if the mammon is on the money then the mammon is on the person and you cannot be faithful. Amen. Amen. You cannot be faithful with money if mammon is on you and money. So he goes to that next verse and he says, "If you therefore have not been faithful in unrighteous mammon, what he is saying is that if mammon is deceitful riches, then it didn't come from anywhere. It came from the person. And you who have mammon on you will not be faithful." What is he what is he saying? You will never be faithful with money if you're influenced by the spirit of mammon. You will never you will never be able to be trusted with money if you're under the influence of mammon. He was not just saying if therefore you have not been faithful in money, who will commit to your trust of true riches? No, what he was saying was if if mammon is on your money, it's on you and you'll never be faithful with money. And that's what he said. Who will commit to your trust the truth? Nobody's going to commit to your trust, the true anything because you're under the influence of mammon. And people who are under the influence of mammon are always going to be people who cannot be faithful. You cannot be faithful. Mammon is designed to make sure that you're not faithful to God, that you're not faithful to the truth. It's that spirit of mammon that causes you not to be faithful. If you understand that, say amen. Amen.

Now, let's go to the next verse. Verse 12. And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? The implication again is faithful men are men who are who are being directed by God. Unfaithful men are men who are being directed by the spirit of mammon. That's what it's saying. You have your your your faithfulness is going to be because you're under God's influence. Your unfaithfulness is going to be because you're under Mammon's influence. People who are under the influence of Mammon will not be faithful. Okay? So, here's what he's saying. If you find that person who can't be trusted with money, then most likely he's under the influence of mammon and he will not be faithful. Okay?

Verse 13. He says, "No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other." You cannot serve God, who is a spirit, and you cannot serve mammon, which is a spirit. Jesus was using the word mammon intentionally. He was not saying, you know, if you can't serve God, you can't serve God and money. No, he's saying you can't serve God and mammon. He was directly speaking of the spirit but that that will get on money because it got on you. The spirit of mammon you cannot serve God and the spirit of mammon at the same time because the spirit of mammon is in opposition to the spirit of God. Everything God says mammon opposes it. Everything God talks about, mammon oppose it. Everything God instructs you to do to money with money, God uh mammon opposes it. So if God tells you to give, Mammon is going to say keep and hide. Mammon is in opposition to everything God stands for. Mammon has the job of trying to get you to oppose God and replace God.

And look at verse 14. So the Pharisees were there hearing this. And the Pharisees also who they were covetous. They were covetous. Covetous people who are covet people who covet things. Not only they were covetous in what they had, but they were covetous in what you have. See, you not only are going to be tested with how you deal with your stuff, you're also going to be tested with how you deal with other people's stuff. Okay? A covetous person now becomes one who desires what somebody else has and becomes envious of what somebody else has. And so that word deride means to mock at and lit literally to laugh at, to poke fun of, to try to they the Pharisees heard what Jesus said and said, "This is ridiculous." Haha. He don't know what he talking about. Don't even pay that attention. Mammon wants to protect its operation and it doesn't want you to recognize the truth about it. Because if you ever unmask mammon and see it working in your life, you will cast it out and you'll say, "Well, no longer will you control my life." And now God controls your life and then he can bring you to that life which is abundant life. Amen.

So let's take some time and let's look at mammon. What is mammon? And why did Jesus use mammon instead of continuing to use the least or at best continuing to use money? Because in a lot of scriptures in the old in the New Testament, he just says money. Okay? And then heri describes mammon's influence around it. Well, look at he look at this first thing. I want to give you some facts. Mammon is an an Aramaic word which means deceitful riches. I discovered it doesn't just mean riches. It means deceitful riches. This word mammon comes from the Syrian god of riches. Now Jesus wasn't simply referring to riches. He was referring to a false god that they knew. The Syrians had a god called Mammon. And it was the god of deceitful riches. So when Jesus decided to use this word mammon, he was saying, "You guys know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about your god, the god of mammon." See, mammon has its roots in the Babylonian history and essentially means, get this, sown in confusion. Babylon came from the towel of Babel. You remember that? A group of people who thought they can reach heaven on their own effort. I don't need God to reach uh heaven. So, the Tower of Babel was a system where they believed they didn't need God. They believed their own work could get them high enough to get to heaven. So the spirit of Mammon says, "We believe we don't need God if we have money." That's what Mammon says. We believe we don't need God if we have money. And you can see that today. You take a young guy who's 22 years old. He makes it to the NBA. He signs a $90,000 contract. He grew up in the church. He went to church. He depended on God. But now he doesn't believe he needs God. Don't need to go to church. Don't need to write read the Bible. Don't read none of that because I have money. That's what mammon does. You see, mammon is more than just money. And that's what I'm trying to say. So to for somebody to conclude that and even for the translators to and and I think they're just gutless for them to conclude that mammon just equals money. Uh-uh. You're missing the whole reason why Jesus used it.

Now, some translations of the Bible translate uh this verse in in in Matthew 6:24, the one here in Luke, uh that you cannot serve God and and money. They say you cannot serve God and money. And I thought that for the longest. You cannot serve God and money, but he's not talking about serving money. And I understand what the intent is. They're talking about money after it's been influenced by mammon. Okay? But like all not all money has mammon on it. That's why you have to go back and look at it because if you have God's influence in your life, then God's influence is on that money. But if you have mammon's influence on your life, then mammon's influence on that money. And since most of all mammon uh in Babylon had that spirit of mammon on it, it's easy to see how they can conclude that you can go ahead go ahead and say money. But is that what Jesus is teaching? Mammon comes from that Aramaic word. It also refers to the desire to pursue wealth as a primary purpose or a goal in life. And boy, life would be very weak if the only purpose in your life was to pursue stuff. When the Bible simply says, "Seek him first, the kingdom of God, and then the stuff would be added to you while you're seeking him." The origin of the word mammon comes from a Calaldian uh society, the Calaldanss in Babylon. And the spirit of Mammon is a spirit of Satan who tries to seduce us by getting us to put money before God. Mammon tries to get you to put money before God or Mammon tries to get you to to to put, you know, all operations to get money before God. People will do things for money in this society and in this country way more than they would be willing to do things for God. So money has become this thing of idolatry because we replace our efforts to get it in first place and put God in last place. He used to be first place in your life, but then Mammon's trying to convince you, you don't need God. You just need me and then I'll give you the money that you need. Are you listening to what I'm saying? So, he tries to seduce us by getting us to put money before God. You see, the devil tried to seduce Jesus with a mammon spirit. When he offered Jesus the wealth and the kingdoms of this world, remember that? Let's go there. Matthew 4. Matthew 4:es 8-9. He offered Jesus the wealth and the kingdoms of this world. Mammon tried to seduce Jesus. Why in the world do you think he won't try to seduce you? He tried to sed He tried to seduce Jesus. Look what happens. And again, they're in the um wilderness and Jesus is fasting 40 days and 40 night. And again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of those. And look what happened in verse 9. and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee if thou will fall down and worship me. Mammon's trying to make a deal even today. If I can get you to worship me, I'll give you these things. But you must understand the deceitfulness of those things. They deceive you into thinking that it's all going to end up well. and mammon will always leave you in a pit.

Even in Exodus chapter 19 when when the word of the Lord came and and and he and he gave that word to the to the Israelites and they said, "Lord, we don't need your help to do what you just said." Now, how do you think you're ever going to be able to do anything without God? I mean, there are people in this world who think, "I don't need God." They said, "We don't need you, Lord. We don't need your merit." That's what mammon does. The first thing to recognize about Mammon is it wants to convince you, you don't need God. They were convinced they didn't need God. And it was God and his grace that set them free from bondage. They were not loose from Egypt because of their good behavior. They were loose because of the favor of God that showed up. A pillar of fire that led them at nighttime and and and and God just led them through the daytime in a cloud. And and when they got to the Red Sea and they were couldn't get over, he opened the Red Sea up and when they were hungry, he gave them mana from heaven and he gave them meat and he gave them he gave he took care of them. Even while they were sinning, even while they were complaining, it was his mercy and grace that took care of them the whole time. Don't you ever think you don't need God? I don't care how awesome you think your life is every day, you still need Jesus. And don't let your big house make you think you don't need Jesus. Don't let your all your money that you've gotten recently think you don't need Jesus. Don't let your promotion think you don't need Jesus. Don't let your brand new car think you don't need Jesus. Don't let your fame think you don't need Jesus. Honey, I don't care what you got. You going to need Jesus because mammon mammon is taking you to a pit. And remember what happened now? They said, "We don't need you anymore." And immediately the law came in. And did you you realize what they did after that? They went and they built a golden image made out of gold. You don't need God. But now you're going to make an image. You're going to make mammon. You going to make that image. So So remember what Moses did. He says, "Okay, it's time to make a decision now. You have to choose. You have to choose me or mammon. Everybody for me come on this side. People ran over there. Everybody for that mammon stay on their side. You remember what happened? And the ground opened and swallowed up all of the members of the first church of Mammon and the image. When you decide to serve Mammon, you're you're never going to be on the mountaintop. You always end up in a pit. But if you decide to serve God and while you're serving God, you might fall into a pit. He's committed to reaching down in that pit and lifting you up out of that pit and placing your feet on the solid ground and putting a new song in your mouth.

Does money have anything to do with your relationship with God? Crelo Dollar looks at what the Bible says about money. trust, mammon, and honor in his six message series, The Truth Behind Mammon. The spirit of Mammon always abandons you. The spirit of Mammon is always going to promise you that that only God can give you. Materialism is when you try to use materials to do only what God can do. And that is the characteristic of mammon. And the spirit of mammon ultimately wants to put you in charge. He wants self to be in trust cuz the spirit of mammon is selfish. The spirit of mammon is all about self. The entire series can be yours today for a love gift of $35 for CDs or $45 for DVDs. Simply scan the QR code. Visit crlloministries.org and click estore or call the number on your screen to get yours today.

Calling All World Changers E members, partners, and those changed by the message of grace. We'll see you in Houston, Texas, February 23rd and 24th. Orlando, Florida on March 31st. This message changes everything. You're going to want to invite everybody you know and make sure they get their seat before we're sold out. Grace has like transformed my life. I started seeing transformations in myself. It's a word that is going to be heard around the world. The grace of God has saved me from self- condemnation. Hallelujah. I'm telling you, God is working on the inside of each of us. And he's producing the fruit of love and producing the fruit of peace. He's producing the fruit of kindness. Honey, if you'll stick with him and and let him do the work in you, that's the job of the Holy Spirit. Make sure you use the information on your screen to register right now. We'll see you in Houston, Texas, February 23rd and 24th. Orlando, Florida on March 31st. We'll see you there.

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