OceanSide church of Christ
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NEEDED: MORE BATTLES WON (6)
Materialism – Part
I
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
There is no doubt that we
live in a rich nation.
1.
Gross Domestic
Product.
a.
The
overall output of good and services of the
b.
$12.4 trillion in 2005
c.
Since 1930, the GDP has seen a steep incline.
2.
For the second quarter of 2008, Exxon Mobile reported a record breaking
profit of $11.68 billion.
3.
As far as Americans are concerned, the average holiday shopper has spent
$850 to $1050 for gifts during the holiday season for the last 5
years.
B.
Most of us in this audience
live in nice homes, drive relatively new cars, wear fashionable clothing, have
plenty to eat, have many luxuries of life, take vacations, and go out to eat and
to see a movie from time to time.
We are a rich people.
C.
The battlefront that we face
due to our riches is materialism (Matt. 6:21).
For where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also.
1.
If your treasure is on
earth, your heart is on earth.
2.
If you treasure is in
heaven, your heart is in heaven.
D.
Materialism
defined.
1.
Dictionary.com: “preoccupation with or emphasis on
material objects, comforts, and considerations, with a decreased interest in or
rejection of spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.”
2.
NOTE: Materialism is not merely being rich
(e.g., Abraham, Job, David, Martha).
3.
When we are materialistic,
we can manifest several different attitudes toward our material
possessions. In this lesson, we are
going to look at these attitudes.
I.
MAMMOM BECOMES OUR MASTER (Matt. 6:24).
No man can serve
two masters: for either he will
hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise
the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon.
A.
Mammon: wealth, treasure, especially personified
and opposed to God.
B.
Jesus declares that service
is an “either/or” proposition, either we serve God, or we serve mammon. Some believe that they can serve both,
but such is an impossibility.
II. LOVE FOR
MONEY
A.
Jesus said that one “loves”
the one and hates the other.
B.
Paul taught Timothy that it
is possible to love money (I Tim. 6:10).
For the love of
money is the root of all evil…
C.
Rather than a medium of
exchange or a tool in one’s hand, money becomes a friend, a buddy. There is a brotherly affection for the
dollar.
III. TRUST PLACED IN ONE’S
RICHES
A.
I
Timothy 6:17
Charge them that
are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain
riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to
enjoy.
B.
Twice in Proverbs it is
written that the rich man’s wealth is his strong city
(Prov. 10:15; 18:11).
C.
Trust is place in the
apparent strength, prestige, and sufficiency of wealth.
D.
Proverbs
11:28
He that trusteth
in his riches shall fall: but the
righteous shall flourish as a branch.
IV. DIFFICULTY IN PARTING
WITH ONE’S RICHES FOR GODLY PURPOSES
A.
The rich young man had this
problem (Matt. 19:21-22).
Jesus said unto
him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor,
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:
and come and follow me. But
when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great
possessions.
B.
The problem is departing
from riches for “godly purposes.”
1.
Giving to the church, the
needy, mission works, church programs is not done with a cheerful attitude, if
done at all.
2.
However, if a carnal
purchase for self arises, one does not hesitate.
V. THE
TENDENCY TO HORDE UP ONE’S GOODS
A.
Luke
12:15
And he said unto
them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the
abundance of the things which he possesseth.
1.
Riches do not make the
man.
2.
Riches do not sustain the
man.
3.
Riches do not satisfy the
man
4.
Riches do not complete the
man.
5.
Riches to not preserve the
man.
6.
Riches do not save the
man.
B.
These were the lessons that
the rich man learned in the parable that follows our Lord’s words in Luke
12:15. He had much goods laid up
for many years. These things,
however, could promise him nothing (Luke 12:20).
But God said
unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be which
thou hast provided?
VI. CONSTANT
SELF-INDULGENCE
A.
The materialistic love their
stuff, their things, and their toys.
B.
They believe the delusion
that if they can just get a little more, they will be
happy.
C.
Self-indulgence brought a
woe upon the nation of
Woe to them that
are at ease in Zion…that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon
their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the
midst of the stall; that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to
themselves instruments of music like David, that drink wine in bowls, and anoint
themselves with chief ointments:
but they are not grieved for the affliction of
Joseph.
VII. A NEGLECT OF ONE’S SPIRITUAL
LIFE
A.
The church at
Because thou
sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and
knowest no that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and
naked.
B.
The materialistic person has
his eyes in the wrong place. He
looks below instead of looking above (Col. 3:1-2). His relationship is with things instead
of having a relationship with the Creator of all things.
VIII. PARTICIPATION IN THINGS THAT ARE
EVIL
A.
Riches tempt a person to do
evil things.
1.
To earn more wealth in
sinful endeavors.
2.
To use wealth to satisfy the
demands of the flesh.
B.
I
Timothy 6:9-10
But they that
will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful
lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all
evil: which while some coveted
after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
CONCLUSION
A.
NOTE: An intense focus in just one of the
areas that we have discussed can point to a heart that is ruled by
materialism.
B.
The key is the
heart.
1.
Psalm
62:10
…if riches
increase, set not your heart upon them.
2.
Proverbs
4:23
Keey thy heart
with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
C. In next week’s lesson, we will be teaching about some things that we can do that will help to safeguard us from materialism and its evil effects.