Greed

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Generosity  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  42:57
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We look at Greed as the enemy of Generosity.

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amen All right. So this is week 3 and R series on generosity which is really a series on giving it's a series about our relationship with our money our relationship with our resources. It's really a series about the hearts. I want to really dig into that this morning together because giving is a gospel issue giving is a reflection of what we love it's a it's a reflection and a testimony of what we desire and the light in giving is a reflection of what we find our identity and then what we put our security and giving is a reflection of where our hope lie. And so it is at its core a gospel issue. It's something that Jesus spoke about quite often because Jesus truly came to set us free, but my whole point of this series is that Jesus came to set us free to a life of radical. Joyful generosity. And in order for that to become a reality in our lives. We need to be set free from the reality of greed and that's what I want to talk about this morning the reality. Agreed greed is nothing new ass thinking about it, you know the first instance of giving in the scriptures happens right after the creation and the fall Genesis chapter 4 the very first story of Adam and Eve's Descendants the first children Cain and Abel begins with them bringing an offering to the Lord. There's no law. There is no obligation. God didn't dictate to them how they were supposed to do it. But there was this natural inclination within them to offer something unto the Lord as if you're familiar with the story. You'll know that one of them offered it in space one of them offered the best that he had. He did it. Joyfully, he did it with great love and Delight in the Lord and the other brother just did it. And I've received Abel's but he did not receive pains. The difference between it was a difference of the heart. Wasn't the Godlike grain he was a farmer able able brought livestock. He was a Shepherd. Not that God doesn't like Farmers. Nothing. God prefers meet over grain. It's the heart with the issue and what we see and we don't see it in Genesis floor, but throughout the scripture that says later prophets and apostles talked about saying the difference was a difference of the heart. Able love God and joyfully gave unto him the came. Love is possession. And didn't want to give unto the Lord. Because he delighted in something other than God. Really that is the core of greed. Greed lets you guys remember movie Wall Street 1987.

I remember is 1987. You are born. Thank you, Den.

Did you see my self-restraint right there? I want points for that. Alright, Michael Douglas plays Gordon. Gekko righties this capitalistic sirens and and by the companies themselves off the parts and makes money and doesn't care about anything and there's this great scene in the middle of it where he talks about greed. If if you've never seen it, it's such an amazing speech in the middle of it. He says this he says the point is ladies and gentlemen that Greed for lack of a better word is good greed is Right Green Works clarifies cuts through and captures the essence of The evolutionary Spirit greed in all of its forms Greek for Life Greed for money for love for knowledge has Mark the upward surge of mankind and greed you mark my words will not only save teldar paper, but that other malfunctioning Corporation Called the USA. Just be amazing speech because it's so upfront and outright about the philosophy of our age don't the worldview that we live in the cultural reality of RJ is that greed is good works its functional and helps us and loses its salvific same you. That's the way that our culture thinks about greed. So what what is grief? Let me offer you my take at a definition greed is Humanity's desire to find satisfaction in life outside of God. That's what greed is greatest desire. Define security identity. Hope life satisfaction value. Joy in something other than God. When we try to find that which should only be found in God in something else. It's never enough. If you're greedy for money, you'll never have enough if your green for experience. You'll always want another if you're greedy for physical Perfection. You're always going to be annoyed cuz somebody's going to be better looking than you.

Green is a never-ending cycle of frustration to find joy and meaning and life in something that cannot give you what you're looking for. Greed consumes us and greed reveals the object of our worship. Three doesn't work. It doesn't clarify it confuse it. Three doesn't move us up. It moves us down. into a cycle of frustration and anxiety

and desire it's unfilled. an unmet greet her destroy greed like all sin reads one thing and one thing only death and Jesus came to set us free from the one who holds the power of that. Jesus came to give us like Jesus came to set us free.

from the corrupting debilitating enslaving life grief Is it a text that we find in all three of the Gospel an encounter between Jesus and the young man Matthew tells us that he's rich. Luke tells us that he's a ruler. Mark tells us some really interesting things about Jesus and his interaction with him. So if you've got your Bibles, would you open up to the gospel of Mark chapter 10? Mark chapter 10. Jesus has a conversation with a man. We don't know his name, but we just call him the Rich Young Ruler. And I find this conversation to be so profound and instructive about what Jesus actually came to do for us. Start out this way. It says that Jesus was setting out on his journey. Just getting ready to leave. A man ran up and knelt before him and asked him good teacher what must I do. to inherit eternal life I don't know about you, but when I'm preparing for a trip and I'm getting ready to leave I don't really want somebody coming up asking me questions right little bit of an interruption. I love the Jesus doesn't find people to be interruptions. Jesus came for people you came for Sinners. He came for people as broken as me and is jacked up as you that's good news Church. Here's Jesus. He's getting ready to go. But here comes this guy he gets that he kneels down as a sign of humility and such a good teacher good rabbi. What must I do to inherit eternal life? I know because of the cultural reality that we live in when I read those words to you. When you hear them what you hear is actually something more like what must I do to go to heaven. What must I do to not go to hell and to go to heaven because that's the way that the church has been presenting the gospel for a couple hundred years. That's not what this young man is asking and it's not what Jesus responds to eternal life. What what is eternal lie in a Jewish context that they didn't think of the hope of the Jews was not to escape the Earth and Float off to some spiritual place called Heaven that was never the Jewish hope and church hear me. It was never the Christian hope That's not what Jesus came to do just didn't come with the gospel of Escape. Let's get out of this nasty place called Earth and go to someplace lovely called Heaven know God is not going to give up on his creation. God is going to redeem all that has been broken and destroyed by sin. God is coming. God is coming to make this broken Universe new again. That's what he's coming to do. And that's what this young as man is asking he lives in an age and their expectation is the age to come. So he say what do I have to do to guarantee that when the day of the Lord come and Justice rains down upon the Earth and God comes to redeem. What do I got to do to make sure that I'm on the right side of History?

What what is eternal life eternal life is life belonging to the age to come? It's a life with God. It's a life in God's Kingdom. That's what he's asking. But do you see the key assumption in what he's asking? He says that's what do I have to do? In order to guarantee that I get that. It's underneath that assumption. What will the assumption is this? I can do something in order to get that it's up to me. It's up to you. It's up to us to live our slides in such a way that we are guaranteed that we have security to know that when God comes to set things right we get to go to the good side of thing.

Jesus response in a fascinating way Verse 18. Jesus said, why do you call me good? No one is good. Except God Alone giving me the gospels and think Jesus is kind of rude sometimes. And then you feel guilty for thinking that.

This is one of those texts for me. Like this guy comes up. He's like he's coming to be humbled himself. You think please tell me what I need to know and she's like good. I remember reading that go on Jesus that's mean, but I look at it now and I said Jesus that's brilliant. Because what Jesus is actually doing is starting to answer his question with that question. Is this young man is coming? He's got an assumption that it's up to him in order to get eternal life in any chooses this phrase good good teacher good Rabbi, and she just picked up on that. He's like, okay, let's go with that be good. Why do you talk to no one is good, except God himself and what Jesus is doing is laying the foundation for his answer for his response to this young men young man by defining. What is truly good?

I don't think they heard it or understood it immediately. Jesus is asking is what is it that you're actually hoping to get? What is it that you think is really good?

What is it that you trying to get what is it that satisfies? And ask you that this morning. What are you really hoping for? What are you here for this morning? What is it that you are looking to and looking for to bring you satisfaction or completion? What is it that you are longing for? What is it that your heart hungers for?

What is it that you believe is truly good?

Jesus continue this is what you you know the Commandments and he refers to the Ten Commandments just by quoting a couple of them. He says do not murder. Don't commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not defraud honor your father and mother. Jesus is not saying if you do these like this list of five commands or whatever you're okay. He's pointing them into a larger reality. You know, what God. Has revealed up himself to his people.

men's responses really heartbreaking because he said to him teacher all these things. I have kept from my youth.

I just want to go really but I think he actually believe that. I don't think he was lying or I think he had this sense of himself. That that he was morally good because he was morally Superior to other do this man lived in a culture just like our culture where wealth and position and power was interpreted as a sign of God's blessing. I mean that's that's how everybody would look to him. Everybody that knew him this guy had it all together this guy position. He had power he had money outside of that kind of thinking is that if you don't have money if you don't have power if you don't have position it must be because you're a bad person. The thinking is simple. It's way too simplistic, by the way, if you do good things if you live a good life God will bless you. You will have money and power if you don't do good things. If you do bad things God won't bless you. You won't have money and power. That's the way the world worked in Jesus day. I don't think anything has changed sadly even in the church.

Did everybody that would have looked at this guy thought man, you've got it all together.

You got it figured out God is clearly blessing you.

The question then becomes, how do we get that which is truly good? Is that how we get what is truly good? by obeying the rules but keeping the law. By being better than the person sitting next to you. Is that how we get? What is truly good did you come here this morning? Because you want to impress guy. Did you give in the offering because you want God to bless you with something else, so you're going to give him something? Did you come this morning? Because you got a sense of Duty and obligation and that you hope like doing the right thing. God will then be required to bless you with something? Dude, that's was thinking of this young man. That's the thinking of so many today and it's not. the gospel

I love this next verse Jesus looked at him. And loved him.

Don't don't rush pass that marks the only one that includes that little phrase Jesus looked at him and loved him. He saw him. He knew him. I think the spirit is reviewing all sorts of stuff that Jesus in that moment about this young man. And what's really going on in his heart Jesus. Love him. Jesus came for him. Jesus was going to go to the cross for his sins and Jesus looked at him and loved him. Hold on to that reality because of what Jesus says to him next.

You like one thing it just one more thing. I know you kept all that stuff, but let's just do one more thing. Go and sell all that you have give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come follow me.

We like we read that goat the Jesus just say we're all supposed to give away everything that we own. Is Jesus saying that to really be his follower? We all have to have a vow of poverty and we shouldn't own any possessions. We should just give everything away and answer to that is a resounding no. This is talking to this man and Jesus loves this man. And so Jesus gets personal with this man. Did this man's heart issue? This man's real obstacle to getting what is truly good this man's barrier to God and to what is truly best is his wealth and his possessions and Jesus calls him out on his greed and his addiction to his resources the same way that you would call out an alcoholic and say stop drinking much of the same way that you would talk to a gambling addict and say stop placing bets Jesus looks at this man who's addicted to his money and says Let It Go,

If you want, what is truly good you got to let go of what isn't as good.

So we called him out personal with this method not in Anger not in judgment is not harsh. He looks at in and loves him. If you want, what is truly good if you want what is best if you want satisfaction for your heart, you got to let go. That what you're trying to find it in right now. Then you will have Treasures. have

come follow me.

disheartened by the same You Went Away sorrowful for he had great possessions almost tragic stories to me in the office now because I believe in grace and because I believe in Hope and because God has been so generous and grateful to me. I hope that's not the end of the story. But at that moment. Jesus offered that man what was truly good and he rejected it in order to hold on. To his possessions and his well. And he walked away from Jesus. His money became the obstacle. He was relationship with his creator. It's tragic. It's heartbreaking. so the question becomes what is your true treasure?

Jesus says if you if you sell everything you have you'll get Treasures in Heaven. What is that supposed to be right? Is there like Heavens currency or something? And I like a million-dollar bill with fossil Paul on it.

What is treasure in heaven? What is it that he's offering? I think the text says you'll have treasure in the heaven come and follow me. You'll get me. What is the treasure the Jesus is offering this man fits the greatest treasure in all of existence. It's God himself.

That's what makes this. So tragic. Jesus is offering this man. The only thing that would truly satisfy him. The only thing that will make him off. The only thing that will give him meaning and purpose Pope and security and that man turns it down because he likes his gold. How sad is that how sad is that? We are offered the greatest gift in the world and we turn it down for something that will not satisfy that we cannot control and it will not last forever.

Did you see how foolish greed really is? You see how paltry are the things in comparison to the god of the universe. What is your true treasure this morning? I'm convinced the mini in the American Church. Don't actually treasure God himself. We grown up in a culture we grown up with a reduced gospel that God becomes a means to an end. And what Jesus is saying is God is not a means to an end. God is DNA itself. We want to use. That's why I keep I can't talk about money and giving without talking about the Abomination. I love that were of the Prosperity Gospel because that's what it is. Because added car the Prosperity Gospel says that which is truly good is money that which is truly good is hell that which is truly good is comfort and that is not the gospel because the gospel says that which is truly good is dumb. We want to use God we want to use got in a revealed. What I heart really is. I want money. Give me money. I'll give you $100 to give me a thousand God I want how strong I want to I want to God. I'll pray this prayer. I'll go to church. I'll even serve at VBS give it to me.

I don't want to go to hell God. I don't want to go to hell so I'll pray a prayer. I'll show up at church. I'll do some good thing. I'll try to be better. I don't want to go to hell. So let me go to heaven. We don't want God. And here's the thing.

Why would you want to go to heaven? If you don't love God hears you may not know this but let me lay it out for you the age to come the new heavens and the new Earth the return of Jesus the establishment of the Kingdom removal of synth at the end of The Edge. Guess what it's all about. If you don't love him now what makes you think you would enjoy having at all? You'll be miserable. You spend your whole life and you are obsessed with money for position or experience or power for sexuality or anything like that pleasure always starts with you spend your life using God to try to get those things heaven will be hell for you. Cuz it won't be about those things. It's going to be about Jesus. It's always been about Jesus. It will always be about Jesus is the greatest good.

We want to use him. To see how disgusting that is. Use the greatest good to acquire a lesser.

Why my voice is went up like that. Did you hear that?

to the gospel the gospels been reduced in the American Evangelical reality to an intellectual level only but many of the Gospel presentations will just flat-out come and say it your feelings don't matter. None of us that the only thing that matters is Faith. You just got to believe in Jesus. You got to agree to this truth push the problem with that is the demons believe and tremble.

Jesus didn't come just to give you information. Jesus came to transform you from the inside out. Jesus Natalie wants you to believe in him. He wants you to treasure him. Jesus doesn't come and say confess. These truths about me. Jesus comes and says I'm here love me because I love you.

The gospel is that the gospel always shapes are heart and if the gospel isn't shaping your heart, you don't know the gospel. If you don't love God, you don't believe in him.

That's harsh statement. Let me back it up with Jesus. Matthew chapter 10 just one of those packs that we just don't want to read. Not the warm-and-fuzzy Jesus. It's a defining reality Jesus. It's a calling out Jesus. It's a Line in the Sand Jesus. It's an all-or-nothing Jesus. Listen to what he says. He said do not think that I have come to bring peace to the ER. Oh, that's what we want them to me. That's what the Prosperity Gospel says. That's what much of American evangelicalism said if you believe in Jesus.

That sounds like good news. I have a wonderful plan for my life to Jesus let's make it happen.

How would I be nice? That's just I didn't come here to fulfill your agenda. I didn't come here to join your team. That's what we want, right? Hey Jesus. Come on. I'll put you on the roster get on my team. Let's make it happen will dominate March Madness.

Just like I didn't come to be on your team, dude. Camden baby the mighty don't think that I came to bring peace to the world. I actually came to bring I didn't come to bring peace but a sword. I've come to set a man against his father a daughter against her mother a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. I don't know that's always difficult, but

and a person's enemies. Will be those of his own household. Huge is the same like my coming to the Earth my invitation to you into my kingdom means you got to leave the other Kingdom my invitation to you and to my family and you got to step out of your family. My invitation is All or nothing. I came to bring you into my reality. And when that happens you can expect people to be upset. You can expect unfavorable reaction. You can expect people to be disappointed and to reject you. Because in order to accept Christ, you've got a reject that way of life.

You can send you some says whoever loves father or mother more than me. Is not worthy of me whoever loves son or daughter more than me. Is not worthy of me whoever loves their 401K more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever loves their pleasurable experience is more than me is not worthy of me.

Remember the first time I read this as a young child. I remember going to my dad Jesus more than me.

I'm not sure what I wanted him to answer. I got a little bit of a deer in a headlight look at first. And then I got a good answer. He said he didn't hesitate to look they said yeah, I do. But because I love God. I can love you truly. Good job. Good job. Dad.

It's it don't read this and say off. I love Jesus. I got to hate everybody else. That's not what he's saying. He doesn't say if you don't hate your family, you're not worthy of me. He says if you love them more than me, you're not worthy. Love of Jesus doesn't diminish our love it actually expands it. If we love Jesus first, if we love Jesus best we will actually be in a better position to love father and mother son and daughter possessions well image, we will be able to love those things in their appropriate way. But if you don't love him first you get it all wrong.

Where does not take up his cross? Follow me is not worthy of me don't. Listen to what? Jesus is saying if you don't die to yourself, you can't get what Jesus is offering. You don't get to hold on to your life with one hand and try to grab Jesus with another. Jesus is not your safety School. Jesus is not plan B in Jesus is not or I'll get to him later. Jesus if you don't die to self you don't get Jesus. If you don't change the affections of your heart, you don't get Jason.

So he says it this way whoever finds his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Be careful what you wish for. Be careful what you live for.

If you live for your agenda your desire your team. The worst thing that can happen to you is success.

Because whoever finds his life. Will ultimately lose a remember the story Jesus told about the wealthy man. He planted his crops. He had an amazing Harvest. Cuz I mean he controlled the sun and the rain and he made all that happened, right? But this man he had an amazing hot so much had to build new barns. He built bigger grain storage built himself a nice house. And when it's all Harvest he's sitting back in his house, man. I have got it maid look at me. Look what I did and that very night. He died.

What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world? And yet loses his soul.

Be careful what you live for be careful what you hope and you might actually get it and it will in the end destroy you. Here's the beauty of the Gospel. Whoever loses his life for my sake will actually find it. They were so scared. We're so scared. If I let go of my money who will take care of me. If I let go of my reputation what will people think of me if I let go of all that I tried to amass and do and build what will happen in Jesus says trust me. I will take care of you. Trust me. I can manage your life better than you could ever. Hope to If you lose your life for my sake you will actually get it.

In a way that you could never pull off on your own.

So we go back to the Rich Young Ruler. He walks away from Jesus. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples how difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter. The kingdom got did you find your security and your identity in your well, it becomes the biggest obstacle to you to get to A. Jesus is actually off.

You can't be generous because you got hat hold what you have and get more you can't be generous when you're greedy and greed is trying to find satisfaction in something other than God. So if you're putting your hopes and your delight and your desire to possessions or money for anything else that isn't God.

Good luck getting into the kingdom.

Emma disciples were amazed at his words. Like what what? Because again in our culture having well meant God's blessing. So if you're sitting back looking at your life going man, I'm doing pretty good. Not in jail. I got money. I got house like I'm doing pretty well.

Jesus said to them children how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God.

Jesus just say that. I thought it was easy. I thought I thought I went to church and somebody play just as I am and I walked and I on I prayed a prayer and then I'm in. I thought that's what it was. I thought it was simple and she's like

listen It's difficult to enter the kingdom of God. Why because you got to die to self.

In order to receive the life of Jesus.

Is this is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God weird and great metaphor example, whatever never been around a camel. I'm ridden one there. They stink. They bite and they spit their mean a lot of them strange weird wacky animal, right but they're huge.

Did you ever tried to put a little piece of thread for that needle? ridiculous I can't do it with threats. Do you want me to take a giant camel and stuff it through the needle?

And they were exceedingly astonished and said to him then who can be safe and that's exactly what Jesus wants them to say this whole story started with the Assumption. If I do the right things I can get saved and Jesus wants to tear that a sumption apart. You can't do it.

Jesus looked at them and said with man, it's impossible. What would God? All things are possible. And I heard that I hear that quoted. It's so many weird context right like I need to take a test and I haven't studied.

I'm a terrible husband. My wife doesn't really like me. But With God all things are.

But the context is not passing a test or any of these other things that move the concept of salvation. The context is entrance into the king of the context is getting that which is truly God and you need to hear what Jesus says as clear as he can. I don't think you can make it any clearer with man. It's highly improbable.

If it said that we'd give it a shot when we Cuz I know most of you are buying lottery tickets.

Highly improper with man. It's impossible. You want to get into the kingdom of God you want to be reconciled to the father you want to be forgiven for your sins. You want to be guaranteed life in the age to come here. This is the first foundational reality of the Gospel by yourself. It is impossible. You will never ever ever ever. but with God

all things are possible. This is what Jesus came to do. Jesus comes to give us salvation.

Man, it is impossible but not with God. but With God all thanks. possible

a life of generosity Is a life freed from the power. And a live freed from the power of greed. Is Impossible by yourself? It is an act. Grace it is the gift of God.

Jesus offers us entrance into a new way of life a new reality the kingdom of God ski offers us the age to come right now.

We get to live in the reality of his kingdom in him and by him and through him and ultimately for him now. And of course it will continue on when he comes in the fullness of his kingdom. But that reality is not because we're good enough or strong enough or smart enough. It's not because we prayed a prayer or got baptized is not because we tithe or obey the law it's not because we didn't do bad things. It's because of the perfect righteous work and life of Jesus.

If you want to be set free. from the power of greed in your life whether it's to money. Or experience or reputation or pleasure, whatever it is in your life that you're looking too and you're looking for.

You have to let it go. In order to take a hold of Jesus.

Jesus and Jesus alone can break the chains and bondage of greed. And set us free to a reality of life in the Kingdom a life of radical generosity. In church, it's a life of radical. Joyful generosity. We're going to go next week. So come on back. Let's

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