Bringing the Materialistic Person to Christ
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Bringing the Materialistic Person to Christ
13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”
14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?”
15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.
17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’
18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.
19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” ’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
ESS: It is a grave error for a person to make material possessions the major emphasis of their life.
OSS: Believers will be equipped to help materialistic people come to Christ.
PQ: What truths can I share with a materialistic unbeliever to help bring them to Christ?
UW: truths
Introduction:
What truths can I share with a materialistic unbeliever to help bring them to Christ?
TS: Help them to understand that there are three ways to know when their life is out of kilter.
I- When material possession more important than people. ()
I- When material possession more important than people. ()
13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”
14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?”
A- The mind becomes preoccupied with the pursuit of material gain.
1- The man in the text missed what Jesus had been teaching.
a. His only concern was his father's estate.
b. Notice what he had already missed:
1) The joy of assembling to hear what Jesus was about to teach. ()
1 Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy.
2 The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.
3 Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!
4 “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.
5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.
6 “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.
7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
8 “I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels.
9 But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels.
10 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 “And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say,
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”
to teach. ()
(a) He missed sharing in the excitement of the moment.
moment.
· It appears he was oblivious to the magnitude of the crowd around him
· It appears that he was oblivious to the excitement of the crowd around him.
· It appears that he was oblivious to opportunities for fellowship with people around him.
2) He missed the lesson that truth and righteousness will prevail. (Verse 1b – 3)
will prevail. (Verse 1b – 3)
· Hypocrisy will be revealed and dealt with.
· If he were right, he would be vindicated by God.
3) He missed the lesson that man's main concern is to be his relationship with the heavenly father.()
be his relationship with the heavenly father.
()
· God is to be reverenced, not things. (V. 4 – 5)
· God will provide all of our needs. (v. 6 – 7) ()
19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
· the Lord desires to be acknowledged publicly as Savior and Lord (v. 8 – 9)
· the Lord grants power and guidance to those who choose to follow him. (v. 10 – 12)
B- Both men and God become viewed as the means to attain material gain.
material gain.
1- This fellow tries to get Jesus to use his authority to force his brother to settle the estate, thereby increasing his wealth. (v. 13b)
his brother to settle the estate, thereby increasing his
wealth. (v. 13b)
2- Some people have the idea they can use God for material gain.
gain.
3- Notice that Jesus refused to cater to this guy's demands.
II- When selfish desires to place of focusing upon God's will for one's life ().
II- When selfish desires to place of focusing upon God's will for one's life ().
16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.
17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’
18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.
19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” ’
A- A focus on self will occurs when God's will is ignored and replaced with the use of human reasoning.
replaced with the use of human reasoning.
1- There are scriptural principles that will guide us in every situation.
situation.
a. All an individual has to do is to search God's word to find guiding principles for life.
b. An individual whose life's focus is material gain for the purpose of self gratification will attempt to use human logic to justify unethical practices. they will usually ignore the counsel of God's word.
· A good way to expose this line of thinking is by asking questions designed to uncover the faulty reasoning and compromise of ethics in the life of the individual.
B- A focus on self-will occurs when the purpose of self-glorification and not God's glory is the object of life and actions.
1- Notice the focus of the man in the text.
a- 2 times in verse 13, the man himself uses personal pronoun.
pronoun.
b- Jesus drives home the attitude of the man by telling a story with that same focus.
story with that same focus.
1) The personal pronoun is used 10 times in 3 verses.
verses.
· You might say, the man was suffering from “I” strain.
III- When eternity is forgotten in all is done with only this life in view ().
III- When eternity is forgotten in all is done with only this life in view ().
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
A- It is important to help them understand the foolishness of focusing on this life and material goods. ()
focusing on this life and material goods. ()
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
1- It is foolish because we never know when this life will come to an end. () ()
1 Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.
come to an end. () ()
2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
a- There is no promise of tomorrow for any of us.
* Young man in Mansfield – 30 years old. died of a heart attack as he arose from bed to go to work.Had his whole life planned with his wife – even down to death.
a heart attack as he arose from bed to go to work.
Had his whole life planned with his wife – even
down to death.
* Harold in Scott. He told me he had to work all of the time. Did not even have time to consider his relationship with Christ. His excuse was putting his children through school.
of the time. Did not even have time to
consider his relationship with Christ. His
excuse was putting his children through
school.
2- It is foolish because we cannot keep what we have saved up.
up.
a. Ask: "How much would you leave when you die?"
1) answer: all of it!
B- It is important to help them understand that it is foolish to fail to be rich toward God ().
21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
to be rich toward God ().
1- The only positive guarantees are made to the person who focuses on the growing relationship with Christ. ()
focuses on the growing relationship with Christ.
3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.
()
a. We are to love him above all else.()
30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’
b. We are to seek his kingdom 1st and let him take care of the rest. ()
of the rest. ()
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Conclusion:
Help them to understand that there are three ways to know when their life is out of kilter.
I- When material possession more important than people. ()
II- When selfish desires to place of focusing upon God's will for one's life ().
III- When eternity is forgotten in all is done with only this life in view ().