Greed Series

I.Greed creates the wrong way of life.

A. Jude uses the example of the way of Cain.

B. Those that give themselves over to self-service create the wrong path in life. Like Cain, instead of following after God, they focus on something else, and that becomes their way of life.(Isaiah 56:11)

C. Faith in yourself is not the way. (Heb. 11:4)

D. Those who follow after greediness in their life do not follow God’s way. Like Cain, they can be characterized by the following:

1. Cynicism.

2. Materialism.

3. Defiance of God and man.

4. Despisers of man.

5. Without true love for God and man.

6. Without true faith.

E. The way of greed leads only to sin, death, unfulfillment, and heartache. (Prov. 15:27; Prov. 1:19; Eph. 4:19)

II. Greed produces the wrong motivation for life.

A. Jude hear uses the example of the error of Balaam.

1. Balaam’s motivation for life was personal gain through the misuse of God’s provision.

2. Balaam was not interested in service to God or man.(Proverbs 21:26)

3. According to the Strong’s Concordance, the words "ran greedily after" means a "reckless, abandoned devotion to the engergies," In other words, Balaam’s motivation was misplaced.

B. The error of Balaam is seen in the wrong motivations we can have for life.

1. "Satisfaction of self must be priority #1."

2. "I can find this satisfaction through accumulation of more and more things."

III. Greed establishes the wrong authority in life.

A. Jude finally uses the Old Testament account of the gainsaying of Core.

1. The Sons of Korah were guilty of refusing to submit to God’s authority.

2. They were greedy for themselves, wanting their own authority. Unfortunately, this is a false and faulty system that finds its origins in Satan.

3. Greed undermines God’s authority. (Ezekiel 22:12)