How to Live Free From Mammon: Three Challenges for This Summer

Introduction

You've probably already noticed how much room money takes up in a life. It occupies your mind, it weighs on your choices, it works its way into your conversations. This is exactly what Jesus calls mammon: that power which tries to become a second master alongside God. So how can you live free from mammon, in practical terms, in a year like yours?

This message concludes the series God or Mammon preached at Momentum. After several weeks laying out the great biblical principles on money and generosity, it's time to get practical. Three examples drawn from the Old Testament will give you three very practical challenges to take on this summer, so that when the new season begins, your wallet gives glory to God just as much as the rest of your life.

Article Outline

1. The Tithe: Planning Your Generosity

The first stop is in Deuteronomy 14:22-27. God asks Israel to set aside ten percent of everything the land and the livestock produce each year. Back then, people rarely gave in coins: they gave wheat, wine, oil, a firstborn animal. Why? Two reasons appear in the text.

First, the tithe supports the Levites. They are the temple staff: they prepare worship, they organize praise, they clean, they answer spiritual questions, they perform the sacrifices. They serve the people full time, with no land of their own to farm. The community that receives spiritual service from them takes care of their practical needs in return.

Second, the tithe is a celebration. Look at verse 26: "And you shall spend the money for whatever you desire... and you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household." You take a portion of what God has given, and you celebrate together, centered on him, full of gratitude.

Should this ten percent rule be carried over exactly as it is to the twenty first century Christian? The answer is no, but a very important no. Under the new covenant, the Bible no longer sets a precise amount. What it does keep, however, are the needs the tithe used to cover. Paul reminds the Corinthians of this: "The Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:13-14). And in 1 Timothy 5:17-18, he insists that elders who lead well deserve double honor.

The conclusion is simple: giving to your local church, regularly and in a planned way, is not just a pious option. It is how the community takes care of those who serve it, and how you take part in what God is doing there.

2. Caring for the Most Vulnerable

Israel's tithe also had a second part, mentioned right after in Deuteronomy: do not forget the foreigner, the orphan, the widow. In other words, those who, in the society of that time, were the most vulnerable. Here again, this was not purely spontaneous. It was planned. A portion was set aside for those who had nothing.

The New Testament carries the same torch. Read Acts 2 to 6 this summer: the early church pooled money specifically for the poor. The matter was so close to their hearts that they created an entire ministry (Acts 6) for distributing food to widows. Generosity is aimed at the poor. And here again, it cannot remain purely spontaneous: it needs to be thought through ahead of time.

3. The Firstfruits: Celebrating God's Faithfulness

Second stop: Deuteronomy 26:1-11. Every year, when the first crops began to come in, the Israelite prepared a basket with the very first fruit and brought it to the sanctuary. This was not simply a material gift: it was an act of remembrance and gratitude.

The priest sets the basket before the altar and the Israelite recites a fixed declaration. He tells where he came from: a wandering Aramean father, Egypt, slavery, the cry to God, deliverance, the land received. "And now, behold, I bring the firstfruits of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me." Then he celebrates, together with the Levite and the foreigner living among him, everything God has done.

Two things stand out. First, this offering is an act of faith: you give at the very beginning, while the barn is still empty, before you know what the season will produce. Second, gratitude is expressed through celebration. You don't just offer a half hearted thank you: you invite people over, you share, you retrace what God has done, and you give him glory together.

4. Refusing to Give In to Anxiety

Behind these examples stands the word of Jesus in Matthew 6: do not be anxious about your life. God cares for the smallest bird, he clothes the wildflower that will only live a few days. How much more will he take care of you, for whom he gave his life? Anxiety is exactly what makes you give in to mammon. It is what pushes you to store up treasures on earth rather than in heaven. These three Old Testament examples are, at their core, practical exercises for training your heart to trust.

Key Takeaways

• Living free from mammon does not mean ignoring money: it means planning how you use it before God.
• Giving regularly to your local church continues, under the new covenant, what the tithe accomplished in Israel.
• Generosity toward the most vulnerable isn't only spontaneous: it is planned and set aside ahead of time.
• The firstfruits teach you to give first, even before knowing what the season will produce, that is an act of faith.
• Gratitude toward God is not limited to words: it is celebrated with family, in community, by inviting others into your joy.

Personal Application

• Do you already give regularly to your local church? If not, what amount can you decide before God to set up for the new season?
• Beyond your church giving, is there a portion you can "release" to help the poor or bail out someone in need?
• What great things has God done for you this year (work, exams, housing, health, deliverance)? How could you celebrate them around a table this summer, inviting others into your gratitude?
• Are you willing to take the time this summer to build your generosity plan for the year ahead?
• What financial worries are pulling you today toward hoarding rather than toward trusting God?

Scripture References

• Deuteronomy 14:22-27
• Deuteronomy 26:1-11
• 1 Corinthians 9:13-14
• 1 Timothy 5:17-18
• Acts 2 to 6
• Matthew 6:25-34

FAQ

Is the ten percent tithe mandatory for a Christian today?

No. Under the new covenant, the Bible no longer sets a specific percentage. However, the needs the tithe used to cover (supporting those who serve the church, helping the most vulnerable) remain very real. The Christian is therefore called to give regularly and thoughtfully, but in freedom and joy, not under the pressure of a religious tax.

Why talk about "planning" generosity? Isn't that less spiritual than spontaneous giving?

Spontaneous giving remains precious. But the Bible clearly shows, in both the Old and New Testaments, that gifts for the church and for the poor were also anticipated and organized. Planning simply means preparing your heart to respond: deciding in advance, before God, what you want to give back to him, rather than letting whatever is left at the end of the month decide for you.

How can I start, practically speaking, putting all this in place for the new season?

Three simple steps: first, decide before God on a regular amount for your local church and set it up as an automatic transfer. Second, set aside a small "generosity" envelope to occasionally help the poor or someone going through a hard time. Finally, plan a time of celebration this summer to give thanks for what God has done for you this year, inviting others to share in your gratitude.