| New series started last week – 7 deadly sins. For the next 6 weeks – talk about all these juicy words like lust and envy and sloth and gluttony and anger. And we’re gonna find out what God has to say about everyone of those words.
Today is all about greed. A survey was taken – not that many years ago and it dealt with questions about money and morality. One of the questions that was asked dealt directly with greed. Question was this. How far would you go for $10 million dollars? And then it gave several responses:
25% said they would abandon all their family
23% said they would be willing to work as a prostitute for a week
16% said they would give up their citizenship
10% said they would with hold testimony that would allow a murderer to go free
7% said they would murder a stranger
6% would change their race
4% would have a sex-change operation
Greed in our world is a very strong desire and is changes who we are! And you know what? It’s always been like that, since the beginning of time. Nearly 2000 years ago Jesus was teaching to a crowd of people who were following Him and this is what happened.
Luke 12:13-21 (NIV)
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. And so He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' And Jesus said . . . "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Now why would Jesus tell this story? What’s His point? Well let me take a stab at it. I think He tells it because this guy comes up to Him in a crowd, and he’s all wound up about money and an inheritance and some family money issues. And he was super worried about money and who was gonna get what. And so Jesus told this story to help Him get his money priorities to line up straight. And here is the point of the story - that more money – more crops – and more wealth did absolutely nothing to help this man – on the night of his death . . . and in fact . . . if you chase the story far enough – look what happens. His obsession with more, and then his trusting on that more - his reliance on his wealth for life replaced his reliance on God with his life. And through this story Jesus reminds us that our life isn’t really about money at all and through this parable he reminds us that real life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions.
And folks that trade off of life, for money and possessions, is exactly the position greed wants to put us in. See, if the greed that sits inside of each of us – gets it’s way – it’ll try and convince us that life really is only about money. And that life really is about our stuff and that outside of money and things – there really isn’t to much to be about in life. And I think that’s why Jesus told that story and I think the very same lesson that that young man needed to learn is the one we also need to learn that life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions.
Now let me back this train up a bit - last week – Bob Opperman opened up this series of messages by talking about pride and humility and he said that really all 7 of these deadly sins and the antidotes for those 7 all of those dwell inside of each of us all the time. But and this a big but that left on our own without God’s intervention in our lives, without God’s help these 7 poisons will over take our lives and make us into the exact opposite of what we hope to become and the exact opposite of what we were created to become.
Well, last week Bob said pride was part of who we are and every one of us will struggle with it, but the way God helps us deal with that is through humility. “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”
And that’s the good news and bad news – God pushes back - opposes the proud - bad news, but gives grace to (works with and walks beside) the humble (good news).
Well, there is also good news and bad news when it comes to greed – and the bad news is this. Folks, greed is just very real and it isn’t somebody else’s sin it’s not just some rich guys sin – it’s not just Donald Trump’s challenge and sin – it’s our challenge and sin - everyone of us.
Greed is in you and it’s in me – that’s where greed lives inside of us - that’s the bad news – but the good news is – that God has provided the perfect solution for our greedy little lives. He’s given us a way to battle greed and to win, but before we get to that – let’s dig a little deeper into this greed thing.
Now, I gotta tell you – I asked to speak on this subject. I looked at this list of the 7 and I said I want that one - greed. And here’s why. See, I don’t think there is another sin on this list of 7 that is as pervasive as this one. Everybody deals with greed. And greed, I think, is the only one that is really applauded by our society, so much so – that it has become normal – so normal that we can’t even tell where the darkness has begun to over take our lives and I personally have struggled greatly with this one.
Here’s what greed is. Greed is the love of money and possessions. And greed is when the desire for more money and material wealth replaces or causes us to ignore our spiritual well being.
Building Bigger Barns
Your know we live in a society that believes in building bigger barns. That if we’ve got a little money then more money should be the goal and we live in a culture that applauds saving and hoarding and having and owning being the chief priority and goal of our existence. There is nothing else in our world that takes our time and energy like the pursuit for more money. Nothing else. And you know what? We buy into our cultures philosophy about money all the time – every one of us. And I’m not saying it’s all wrong to have money, but what I am saying is that maybe we should analyze it a little bit. And that’s one of my goals today to push enough of your buttons so that you’ll stop and analyze your life a bit when it comes to money.
So think about it – in our society we seldom buy new things because our old things are worn out. I don’t buy new jeans because my old ones are wore out and I don’t buy new shoes because my old ones have holes in them. Most of the time, we buy new clothes just to get new clothes. And my bet is that if you and I were to walk around our lives and really look into them and then if we were to go down the list of possessions we have, I think we would see that most of the time, we have or own or get simply because we wanted to and seldom because we needed to. That home theatre system, or that new flat screen T.V. or that new ornamental vase, or that new vehicle, or even just my alarm clock - this stuff is seldom is our homes because the old ones are wore out. They are there because we just “had” to have them or because we saw an advertisement that convinced us we couldn’t live without them or because we saw someone who had one and said – if they can why can’t I. And so we did and slowly over time – we begin to build bigger barns and in our bigger barns we hold all of our stuff that will someday be sold in a garage sale for less than a dollar. Possessions are funny things aren’t they because most of the things we think we really gotta have -at Costco lose their value so quickly – it’s unbelievable.
Now let’s not just talk about our stuff - lets talk about the real deal – money – cold HARD CASH.
This is a twenty dollar bill and it looks really good doesn’t it? Wait, but this is a $50.00 – look at this red bill – isn’t it nice? I think all of us would agree that this red bill is way better than that green one. Just having it in my pocket felt way better than that twenty. I didn’t even have to spend this $50.00 just having it close makes me feel better, but that $50.00 is nothing compared to this brown bill – $100. Check this out – don’t you just want to touch it. Awesome - I mean what’s better than $100.00 in your pocket? It just feels so good.
Well, I’ll tell you what’s better than $100. How about $500 - what’s better than 1 brown bill – 5 brown bills are way better or how about 10.
See, that’s how greed works. Why is it? That having a whole pocketful of $100 bills feels way better than just having one. Money is a strange thing because of the comfort it brings. See, we really believe that a bigger barn will bring us security. Money is just such as strange thing because that drive for more . . . 20 – 50 – 100 – 500- 1000 can over take our lives so quickly and building bigger barns can be like an addiction and it can make us do so many things we never thought we would do.
And what did Jesus say. He said there’s nothing wrong with having a big crop and having a great harvest. That’s all good. He never condemns the man in the story for having money, but He simply gives us a warning and says . . . don’t put your faith in your money. In fact He says, don’t even let your money be your security at all because your life is worth so much more than the pursuit of money. And your life doesn’t consist in the abundance of your possessions and money is never where real security comes from.
Let me ask you a question. Have you ever stopped to think about the amount of energy we spend trying to get more money? And I’m not talking about just paying the bills kinda money - I’m talking about that getting ahead – having a little extra – creating that certain lifestyle . . . kinda more money. I’m talking about the energy we expend trying to make more money you know in order to pay off those payments for that life style we can’t wait to afford. Or how about the energy it takes to make enough money to help us feel more secure about having a certain lifestyle when we’re 60 years old. Have you ever tried to measure the amount of energy you’re expending to have . . . or get . . . or make . . . something more . . . Whether that something more is a new flat screen T.V. or just a big wad of $100 bills or that bit of security that a bigger barn retirement plan can give you?
The man said “what shall I do I have no place to store my crops . . .”
"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' (secure) "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.
My bigger barn story – (safe environment?) (risk-too transparent?) (Share my life with you).
About 6 years ago I was feeling kinda restless in my life maybe a bit unsatisfied – maybe a little under challenged – I don’t know and I couldn’t put my finger on it. Bbut along with all those feelings I was also feeling a little unsatisfied financially and I wondered why it was that a guy like me wasn’t out there making a big wad of cash. And if I’m gonna be honest looking back I was feeling a bit sorry for myself that I had committed my life to working in the church because what my father in law had said was true. On the night I asked his permission for his daughter to marry me he said “you don’t get into that job thinking about making money.” And he was right. And so, in this kinda unsatisfied - 34 year old state I decided to step out and go get some more money. And so myself and another guy started a little business. I had some experience and some land – and he had some money. He had smarts and I had energy - and we saw an opportunity in the cattle market. So we bought in - and you know what? We made a semi-decent return in that first year and so we bought more . . . and then we made a little more – so we bought more . . . and more and more and more and by 2003 – we had a lot of cows. And that little business was no longer
small, but it was fun and it seemed pretty good I mean, it was taking some time and energy, but in my mind I thought we’re okay. I’ll sacrifice a little at home to make this go and the money pay off will come later. I thought I’m building a bigger barn, so that we can enjoy it later. Our family is strong – we’ll be okay.
I thought I’ll sacrifice 80 hours of my time a week now and juggle everything else because, won’t it be great to enjoy all that wealth later?
I said, I’ll put my physical health and relational health and every other kinda health on hold just for a while because more money will be worth it later when I’m able to enjoy it. Hear the self-talk?
And that cycle went and went and went and then – right when we had it all hanging out there right when we were just waiting to fill up that bigger barn we’d built. Right when we were ready to really cash in – and just when we had expended an unbelievable amount of energy on this venture.
Right then a crazy thing happened – the market crashed and mad cow disease became a household word in Western Canada and in one short day. The very same thing that by now had became my security became like a huge weight around my neck and the same thing that seemed so fun and so free and so worthwhile became like a cancer growing darker every day in our lives and greed had played his best hand. And then it got worse and worse and not only did it take all our extra cash, but by the time the mad cow crises was over – we had lost a significant amount of money, but what was worse is that it had also taken it’s toll on every other area of life. Everything was affected home life and relationships and health and mind and spirit were all shaken.
Now, was I greedy? I don’t know maybe more unaware than greedy initially, but if I look back greed certainly seemed to take over when I opened the door to it, but really that’s not why I’m telling you about my life.
I’m telling you because – my hope is that the toll greed took on me – won’t have to happen to you.
Looking back now – that money chasing cycle and the useless sacrifice and energy it took for me to chase it – left me – in a pretty dark dry and empty place. And I gotta tell you – hear this - even if we would have made tons on money – and even if I would have had fist full of these brown bills to spend at will for the rest of my days – even if that would have
happened - the toll it took on me, and my family, and my relationships and my leadership and my soul would not have been worth it.
Folks, there’s a reason Jesus said watch out for money and greed because it’s like an addiction that just feels so good when your pursuing it, but then like every other addiction – when it’s had its way with you it leaves you empty and alone and beat up. And to be honest it probably would have been much worse if we would have made a whole bunch of money because then we might have believed that lie - that that’s where our security comes from.
And so I would tell you perhaps with a different tone than Jesus, but a similar message, don’t build bigger barns just to build bigger barns – and don’t put your security in money and don’t chase after money just to get more stuff. Because it’s an empty chase and a hollow pursuit.
Jesus said this . . . in Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do no break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
So what do we do to break the cycle of greed and the hold it has on our lives? Well – there is some good news (breath deep) (5 minutes left).
Let’s turn a corner away from greed okay?
People to break the hold that greed has on us – Jesus said only one thing He said, try this one thing - try generosity.
Try giving your way out of greed. Now catch this Jesus was very clear on this issue and I want to be clear as well.
Jesus clearly said about greed or generosity that it’s about your heart – not your money – when it comes to greed or giving. They are both heart issues – not money issues. Folks, greed is an issue of the heart and so is giving. Jesus didn’t tell us to simply be mechanical about giving and that that would fix our greed.
It’s not like – just giving somebody a $100 bucks will transform you from greedy to generous. No, that’s not it. Catch this next part - if you want an antidote for the poison of greed in your life it comes in the form of giving that grows out of a truly generous spirit. It’s a change that needs to take place inside of us away from holding on tight to letting go and it’s a shift from finding our security in our money to our security coming from our walk with God. The transformation from greed to giving is created by generosity that grows out of a knowledge that ultimately everything I have comes from God - everything is His. And everything I own is a gift directly from His hand and it’s a knowledge and a mindset that says money is not where my life dwells and money is not where my value comes from. And its living out the truth that says my life and your life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions, but instead real life comes from pursuing faith and from chasing after the things that God loves and so Jesus said. don’t build bigger barns, but be rich toward God. Every time you give you break the grip greed has on you.
Luke 12:22&23
Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
Matthew 6:33 & 34
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.
Folks, here’s what I’m learning in my life and maybe it’s for all of us. I think God is asking me to put my faith into action when it comes to money and greed. To learn to give generously as an expression of my faith. To trust God and give generously. And as that becomes an action in my life God begins to work a miracle within me because as my faith expands the grip of greed gets released. As my security moves towards God and away from money I am able to give and as I give the cancer of greed begins to be cured and as I trust God and give generously the addiction of greed is beaten by the habit of giving.
Two quick ways to cultivate the habit of giving.
1. Irregular Generosity
Give when people ask you to – be generous. It’s not about how much money – it’s about letting go. Give money to the guy on the street who asks you.
Interesting in the last couple years. A lot of money has gone away from me. Things are tighter than every before. As that has happened – God sent Jerry into my life. Jerry – my native brother – who is in great need – every often. Every time I see Jerry it makes me want to be more generous. And so when I see Jerry – I let go of money. And I think God sent me Jerry – not so much for Jerry – but for me to learn generosity.
2. Regular Giving
As I said before the habit of giving will break the addiction of greed in our lives so if you want that grip loosened give – every time you get a pay cheque – give a portion back to God. Habit. Give with an attitude that says, “God – I know that you are where my money comes from?” I know you are my security – so I’ll give.
Our family gives a tithe – 10% back to the church/God. Generosity starts with a habit. And then we give other stuff elsewhere. Every month – when I get paid – I give 10% as a habit - and God uses that to break the addiction and cancer and grip of greed in my life.
Can’t out give God.
Find out more? Regular giving is the key to beating greed. Good Sense Course coming up in November.
So, that’s it. I’d like to say – go and don’t be greedy, but that’s not how it works. So I’ll say go and give your lives to God – enjoy His blessings – enjoy the money and the things He gives you.
And as you follow Him ask Him for a generous spirit and give not out of compulsion or guilt, but give because of the overflow of blessings God has given you.
Be generous in spirit and be generous and rich towards
God.
Cultivate that habit of generosity – it will break the chains of greed!
People – go and enjoy the blessings of God this week – really enjoy your life and then learn to be truly generous and rich towards God.
| 
