Spend Less

Spend Less Daniel Daugherty Simple Christmas / 1 Timothy 6:6–10   › Pray Introduction: The National Retail Federation did a study that found... • Nearly every year since 2008, the amount of money that American consumers spend on holiday gifts has been increasing over the previous year. • For 2019, industry experts expect the average American to spend $920 per person on holiday gifts, up from $885 in 2018 and reaching a total of more than $1 trillion in holiday spending. • Over the past decade, e-commerce has captured an increasing swath of the holiday spending market share, with many buying their toys, electronics, and jewelry online. If there is one thing that we can learn from this it’s that Americans spend a lot on Christmas! We have been trained to believe that Christmas requires debt. We have come to believe that the best way to show our appreciation for people it will cost us. What this attitude does is creates too much complexity in our lives. Complexity that is really unnecessary. The Bible speaks very loudly to the pursuit of material wealth. Open your Bibles to... › Read: 1 Timothy 6:6-10 Explanation: In this letter to Timothy, Paul makes it plenty clear of the dangers of seeking stuff. We know that this does not mean that we can’t have stuff, this is an address of the heart. Not only do we find this concern in Paul’s letters, but this is a theme of the entirely of Scripture. When you combine greed with Christmas, you are bound to get lost in the chaos and miss the simplicity of the holiday. We need to get our minds wrapped around the fact that… Application: Christmas should be experienced not expensive • Contrary to popular thought, wealth does not bring with it contentment. When you are content, you have an inner peace even if your outward circumstances are always the best. Paul mentions to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6 1 Timothy 6:6 ESV But godliness with contentment is great gain, What he is saying is that when you stick with God knowing that the world around you is much different, then you have gained much. There is no peace like knowing you are secure in the arms of Jesus! • The “things” will not last. We know that no matter how many things we have, they cannot follow us into death. A great example of this was the ancient Egyptians. Nobles and very wealthy people were often buried in tombs that we call 'mastabas'. This kind of tomb has an underground burial chamber and an above ground offering chapel. These tombs would contain the person's mummified body, as well as food, jewelry and special objects. Guess what? Those things are still there. If the grave hasn’t been robbed of those objects, time has taken its toll on them, or they are excavated as archeologists stumble upon these sites, they are still there. • The thing the we have to remember is that our basic needs are met by God. Love is not shown in the things of life, but from the people we live life with. Christmas is a time to reflect on the wonderful gift the God has given us! It’s time we looked to God and recognize that He has given the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. Through Jesus you can live eternally! That is a gift worth sharing with others. • When the focus begins to be on the stuff of this world, then we will loose sight of what life is truly about. It was Augustine that said, “God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.”- Augustine. We must learn to be content in Jesus. Conclusion: Christmas should be experienced, not expensive. If you desire for a Simple Christmas, then get yourself focused on Jesus. Instead of getting lost in the chaos of the holiday, seek to worship more, seek to spend less. The greatest and most wonderful gift given to mankind is Jesus. For those of you who know Jesus and follow Him, it is up to you to share the gift of Jesus with others. Our lives are meant to be found and lived in Him. I pray that you will make that commitment today. Some of you may need to understand that Jesus is ready to give you life if you would just believe. Come and accept the greatest gift ever given! Come and celebrate a simple Christmas! › Pray