The Materialistic Menace
James 5:1-6 – 1 Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. 4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you. (New Living Translation)
The Materialistic Heart Is Denounced
•The materialistic heart is __________________________
Luke 12:15, 21 – 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” . . . 21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (New Living Translation)
Colossians 3:5 – . . . Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. (New Living Translation)
•The materialistic heart is __________________________
Proverbs 11:1 – The Lord hates cheating and delights in honesty. (The Living Bible)
Leviticus 19:13 – “You shall not rob nor oppress anyone, and you shall pay your hired workers promptly. . . .” (The Living Bible)
Colossians 4:1 – And masters, treat your servants considerately. Be fair with them. Don’t forget for a minute that you, too, serve a Master – God in heaven. (The Message)
•The materialistic heart is __________________________
Matthew 25:41-46 – 41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ 45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” (New Living Translation)
•The materialistic heart is __________________________
Deuteronomy 24:14-15 – 14 “Never take advantage of poor and destitute laborers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living in your towns. 15 You must pay them their wages each day before sunset because they are poor and are counting on it. If you don’t, they might cry out to the Lord against you, and it would be counted against you as sin. (New Living Translation)
The Warning Given to a Materialistic Heart
▸ Their wealth will be __________________________
▸ Their wealth will be a __________________________
Exodus 2:23 – Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. (New Living Translation)
▸ Their wealth will become a _________________________
The Lesson Learned of a Materialistic Heart
❏ Wealth is never __________________________
1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. (New Living Translation)
❏ Hard work is __________________________
Proverbs 6:6 – Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and be wise! (New Living Translation)
Proverbs 14:23 – Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty! (New Living Translation)
Proverbs 18:9 – A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things. /(New Living Translation)?
Romans 12:11 – Never be lazy, but work hard . . . (New Living Translation)
❏ There’s a danger in __________________________ things
1 Timothy 6:9 – But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. (New Living Translation)