Sermon Central
-
The Cure For Greed Series
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: Greed is listed as one of the worst of sins - right up there with lewdness, adultery, and murder. But how likely am "I" to be plagued by greed? And how can God cure me of this terrible sin?
CLOSE: I recently read the blog of a man who pretended to preach the Gospel. He spoke of inequality and the importance of being rich enough to be happy. He wrote: “recent studies that show that money does indeed make people happier.”
He tried to prove that all our society’s ills were caused by bad rich people who weren’t begin taxed and regulated enough so that their money could be redistributed to the poor.
Only then – he reasoned – would the poor be happy.
(http://modernlectionaries.blogspot.com/2013/10/all-kinds-of-evil-money-economic.html)
But that’s not what the Bible teaches.
That’s not Christianity. That’s materialism.
Paul explained that you don’t have to be rich to be contented. He wrote:
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
Notice, Paul didn’t say contentedness came from how much money or possessions he had. He explained satisfaction in life comes ONLY when we turn to Jesus and gain His strength.
ILLUS: Years ago, THE cowboy on TV was Roy Rogers. He was a decent Godly man who sang, acted and spoke to people about how they could be better citizens and better Americans.
Does anybody remember the name of Roy Rogers’ wife? (Dale Evans). They starred in numerous movies and their own TV show. Dale Evans was once interviewed and was asked to explain why she was so happy all the time.
"All my life I searched for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but I found what I really needed at the foot of the cross."
APPLICATION: Every week of this series I’ve asked you to do some “homework.”
The first Sunday I assigned you read a chapter of Proverbs every day for the 31 days.
The 2nd Sunday I assigned you the task of looking at your checkbook and calendar to see how much of your time and treasure you were dedicating to Christ.
Today, I’m going to ask you to do something more serious.
Your assignment this week is to sell something you own (no fair wives looking at husbands or husbands at their wives) and giving the money to the poor. Sell something and give the money away.
But it will do you little good to “give away” your possessions if you haven’t given yourself first to Jesus.
INVITATION
