As to the bigger picture of Scripture, we do have teaching about saving and being prepared for lean times that may come later. It’s primarily found in the wisdom literature of books like Proverbs—which is what you might call “common sense living.” Yet Jesus calls us to a discipleship that is what you could call “uncommon sense”–living with a different understanding of reality than just what makes sense from a purely human perspective.

I think that there is a tension that we find ourselves in between taking care of ourselves and truly being generous lovers of our fellow man. It is one thing to be irresponsible and thoughtless about the future, which is a potential mistake we could make. But when people do this, it is usually the result of them holding the value of instant gratification. In other words, they aren’t saving up because they’re spending it all now. There is no virtue in that kind of frivolity.

But Jesus takes us down another path. He leads us in a sort of reckless abandon towards Kingdom life at any expense. And Kingdom life is a life of sacrificial giving and investing in the people and the world around us. He invites us to break free of living in constant fear of not having enough (ironic for us anyway, since we are the world’s richest nation), and to truly trust his promise that God will take care of us if we are living for him and welcoming his reign (Mt. 6 again).

But understand that most of us won’t take him that seriously. Even most “Bible scholars” will civilize Jesus’ teaching to make it fit our sense of economics. We’re just too conditioned to take care of number one. And often our logic gets in the way of allowing us to experience the real power and touch of God on our lives.

Here are some statements from Jesus that relate . . .

Matt 16:25 (NIV) For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Matt 19:21 (NIV) Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Luke 14:33 (NIV) In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Mark 12:43 (NIV) Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything–all she had to live on.” (Nothing here about—“How foolish! She must not be thinking about her retirement!”)

Luke 6:20 (NIV) Looking at his disciples, he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
27 “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.
30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 9:57 (NIV) As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

Mark 10:29 (NIV) “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields–and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Matt 6:31 (NIV) So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

However, and I think Bob did a good job of explaining this, God clearly shows us throughout the Bible that we should be prepared and prudent. That’s not the same as trusting completely in our wealth – it’s just wisdom in action.

Wasn’t Judas treasurer?

That, in my opinion; shows that Judas was the treasurer for the disciples. It shows that they had a money bag and it was used to help the poor or to use for festivals. Having a money bag shows, in my opinion anyway, that they saved money.

My King James version of the same chapter and verse says this: “For some of them thought, because “Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.”

After reading through the New Testament I came up with the following conclusion:

Apparently Jesus had a tresurer by the name of Judas. John 13:29 shows Judas holding the bag. So I would think that shows He would have had an emergency fund. I doubt He had a treasurer for Himself but for the disciples.