Legacy — Part 3 | Finding Freedom & Joy In Your Finances
Why does the room get a little tense when the pastor starts talking about money? Why do our hands clench up the moment our finances come into the conversation? In Part 3 of Legacy, Pastor Chris Bilodeau opens Matthew 6 to unpack the most uncomfortable but freeing topic in the Bible: what money does to our hearts. Jesus talked about wealth in nearly half of His parables, not because He cared about currency, but because He cared deeply about us. This is a message about anxiety, allegiance, and the freedom that comes when we finally open our hands.
Series: Legacy
Scripture: Matthew 6:19-24 | Malachi 3:10
Pastor: Chris Bilodeau
Date: June 21, 2026
Key Takeaways
Legacy is defined by testimony, not wealth. True legacy is not measured by the inheritance, trust fund, or assets you pass down. A godly legacy is built on testimony: the daily example of faith you leave with the people watching your life. Your kids, your friends, your neighbors are watching how you handle money far more than they are listening to what you say about it. A culture of open-handed generosity is caught much more effectively than it is taught.
Money discomfort is a heart issue, not a financial one. The tension that fills a sanctuary when money gets mentioned is not really about the dollars. It is about what money represents to the human ego: security, identity, control. When a sermon touches your finances, it pokes at the things you grip the tightest. Jesus addressed wealth in nearly half of His parables, not because He was obsessed with currency, but because He understood what money does to the human heart. There is even a name for the system behind it in scripture: Mammon. Not just cash, but a worldview whispering that your safety depends on accumulation. The lie of Mammon is that you are never quite safe, and you always need just a little more. Even the wealthiest people find themselves trapped chasing the next number. He loves you too much to let Mammon have you.
Where your treasure is, your heart will follow. Most of us think we should only give to causes we already deeply love. Jesus says the opposite. Where your treasure is placed, your heart will follow it there. When you risk investing your resources into a local church, a community, a Kingdom initiative, your attention and emotional devotion automatically shift toward that mission. Your bank statement is one of the most accurate diagnostic tools you have for the real direction of your heart. Generosity is not primarily a financial decision. It is a declaration of allegiance.
Tithing is obedience, not generosity. Generosity begins after. Returning ten percent of your income to God is not an act of extravagant generosity. It is the baseline of obedience. The tithe represents what already belongs to God. It is a regular acknowledgment that He is the owner of everything you have. Pastor Chris shared a story of his dad taking his daughter and niece to a candy store. After buying them a huge bag of candy, Grandpa walked outside and asked if he could have a piece. The girls hesitated, worried they would have less, forgetting that the entire bag had come from Grandpa's wallet in the first place. That is exactly how we treat God. He does not need our candy. He owns the store, the street it sits on, and the whole community. He simply asks for a portion back to test and cultivate the condition of our hearts. Real generosity only begins after the foundation of obedience is laid.
Freedom comes from open hands, not full ones. Jesus uses the metaphor of the eye as the lamp of the body. A healthy eye, undivided and sincere, focuses on gratitude and stewardship, and floods the soul with peace. An unhealthy eye fixes on social media highlights, comparison, and what you don't yet have, and fills you with anxiety and scarcity. Financial bondage carries a heavy cost. It is one of the leading causes of marital and relational breakdown. Even Harvard Business School studies confirm that people who give and volunteer experience significantly higher levels of personal satisfaction and well-being. Pastor Chris shared his own testimony. There was a season when he and his wife lived in a beautiful Calgary condo with skyline views and two brand new vehicles. Then his job ended. They sold everything and moved into a rental house with stained brownish-orange kitchen carpets and blue shag bathroom carpets, driving a rusty 1994 Volkswagen Jetta. He expected despair. What he felt instead was profound freedom. The weight of holding everything tightly had lifted. That was the moment he and his wife committed to tithing and cash-based living. Spiritual and financial peace does not come from managing a smaller amount of worldly worry. It comes from changing masters entirely. The God you serve owns the cattle on a thousand hills. You can finally unclench your fists.
