It is at this point that so many of us feel the temptation to tune out. "Now concerning the offering for the saints at Jerusalem" is another request for money. That is supposed to be one of the problems with the church. It is always asking for money. If it is not the saints in Jerusalem, it is the hungry in Africa, the earthquake victims in Turkey, or the refugees in Bosnia. Paul is writing asking for money. Jesus talked more about money in his stories than he did about the kingdom of God. The church is always asking for money. If you do not want somebody asking you to give, then it is not wise to be a part of a Christian community.

There is an intimate relationship between who we are and what we do with our resources. Tell us how you spend your money and we can tell you what you believe …