Contending Against Idols: Round 2 Anthony Uvenio VS. Materialism

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August 3, 2024

Listen as Pastor Anthony Uvenio exposes what materialism is and why it's a self deception. At the recent Contending for the Faith Conference, Anthony Uvenio, an elder at Hope Reformed Baptist Church, tackled the profound issue of materialism

00:20: So my name is Anthony Ovinio, and I'm one of the elders here at Hope Reform Baptist Church I'm glad to be part of this contending for the faith conference.
00:28: Pastor Phil was the one who brought it to my attention We did one at his church last week, and he came up with the great idea of doing one here
00:35: So you can thank Phil for first of all for his talk and for this idea. So this morning
00:41: I'm going to be speaking on the idol of materialism So before we talk about idols and idolatry, we need to define what idolatry is
00:51: So listen how the AI version of dictionary .com defines idolatry
00:57: Dictionary .com not a prominent source of rich theological truth, okay?
01:03: Yet it defines idolatry like this The worship of false or the excessive devotion to something that is not
01:10: God in Religious context it refers to the act of giving divine honor or worship to a created being such as an image statue or object rather than the one true
01:23: God Idolatry can also be applied to secular contexts where individuals become overly attached to material possessions wealth or power
01:33: Elevating them above their proper place in life Goes on to say the concept of idolatry is often associated with the
01:40: Ten Commandments Where it is explicitly forbidden in the biblical account the
01:46: Bible makes it clear that Idols are nothing more than pieces of wood or stone carved by human hands and that they have no power of their own
01:56: That's not such a bad definition From AI right? So that was the
02:01: AI definition now for the AUV definition. That's me Idolatry is taking that which is good and making it that which is ultimate
02:12: It's basically exchanging God who's ultimate with something common Placing it above God before God or alongside
02:22: God in thought deed or devotion Idolatry is marked by finding satisfaction in things ideas or Practices that can only fat be found in God and come from God Idolatry is seeking satisfaction or hope in things that only
02:42: God can provide and satisfy So if you believe that it's money or possessions that will satisfy you that they will fulfill and meet your deepest needs
02:55: Then you're practicing idolatry. In other words, you're finding satisfaction Satisfaction pleasure hope and comfort in something that only
03:04: God can supply But the idol that we're addressing here today materialism money is a counterfeit it cannot replicate
03:14: God no matter how much you want it to or think it will as You do this it actually becomes self -deception
03:23: So now listen to the Lexham Theological Dictionary definition of idolatry Idolatry technically refers to the worship of an image or figure considered a representation or copy of the deity due to Yahweh's prohibition of images the worship of any image was worship of a god other than Yahweh an
03:43: Act that amounts to read the rejection of and rebellion against the only true God Base boil it down real quick.
03:50: An idol is just a cheap inadequate imitation of God So now that we have an understanding of what an idol is, how do we define materialism?
04:02: here's again This is what AI had to say just for your information. I wasn't using
04:07: AI. I wasn't intentionally seeking this out It just came up in the searches that I did. So here's what it said materialism refers to a philosophical or economic perspective that emphasizes the importance of material possessions
04:21: Wealth and physical objects in achieving happiness or fulfillment materialists often prioritize tangible assets such as money goods and services over intangible values like relationships experiences and personal growth materialism can also be described can also describe cultural norms and values that prioritize consumerism and material acquisition the concept of materialism has been debated by scholars and philosophers with some arguing that it can lead to Dissatisfaction and imbalance while others see it as as a natural part of human nature again
05:02: Not such a bad definition The definition is right in that it does lead to dissat that dissatisfaction and imbalance
05:10: Because it's the natural result of the falling human condition disconnected from God Now I like Randy Alcorn's definition
05:18: He says material materialism begins with our beliefs not merely what we say we believe not our doctrinal statement or Confession, but the philosophy of life by which we actually live
05:32: So even though true Christians would deny belief in the philosophical underpinnings of materialism
05:38: They may be nonetheless preoccupied with material things Materialism first and foremost is a matter of the heart it becomes a way of life so in The fallen human condition of mankind who used to be in perfect fellowship and perfect harmony with God in whom there is nothing higher or more perfect Mankind tries to find
06:04: Imitate and replicate that perfect fellowship and that perfect harmony with deficient
06:11: Impersonal and imperfect things things that are marred by sin things that cannot be
06:17: God, but try to imitate him and replace him and that's a fool's errand and Everyone in here has experienced this in some way shape or form
06:28: We were all created to be in fellowship with God and nothing else besides him will adequately fulfill that relational position
06:37: He is what you need and only he is what will satisfy you so Does anyone here think we live in a materialistic world aside from Madonna?
06:51: Good. Okay. Are Americans really materialistic? Is that true? Does anyone doubt this?
06:58: Just in case you do here are some statistics from worldmetrics .org 70 % of Americans believe society is too materialistic
07:06: Internally we agree the United States consumer market is the largest in the world representing over 12 trillion dollars in 2020 33 % of Americans feel pressure to spend more than they can afford during the holiday season you relate
07:21: The storage industry, you don't like those big storage units in the u .s. Is worth over 38 billion
07:28: Showing high demand for extra storage space You know the stuff that you bought that you don't use that you do transfer from the garage to now you're paying for it in a storage spot 62 % of Americans believe that having more would make them happier
07:43: Get this one American children make up 3 .1 percent of the world's children's population but own 40 % of the toys
07:53: Americans total credit card balance is 1 .15 trillion in the first quarter of 2024.
08:00: That's just the first quarter And that's according to the latest consumer debt data from the Federal Reserve That's a hundred and eighty eight billion higher than the record set in 2019
08:11: Ironically enough three out of the top four states that have the highest credit card debt are
08:18: New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Worse than that our country's national debt is 35 trillion
08:26: Have you ever seen the deck clock that thing fan spins faster than a than a jet engine it's like a fan
08:33: Right the truth and accounting website says America's real debt is a hundred and fifty six trillion It's a lot of money
08:40: Now the National Library of Medicine which is funded by the government actually does studies on materialism
08:47: Probably a thirty million dollar study right and their latest study in 2022 was titled the problematic role of materialistic values in the pursuit of sustainable well -being
08:57: In which they say this is what they conclude strong materialistic values help to maintain consumer capitalism
09:03: But they can have a negative consequences for individual well -being the paper highlights the negative association with engagement in attitudes and actions that Support the achievement of sustainable well -being
09:14: That's a very neat compact thirty million dollar way of saying you should have read your
09:20: Bible The Bible addresses this you don't need to do a thirty million dollar study to realize that Materialism is prevalent throughout the entire world and certainly in the u .s.
09:32: But this isn't just a 20th century problem We went through Pilgrim's Progress in our weekly study, and here's what
09:39: John Bunyan in 1678 wrote this is how he described the land known as vatic vanity fair He said
09:48: Beelzebub Apollyon and legion with their laborers set up this fair to provide every kind of entertainment For travelers and to sell all types of merchandise all year long year long at this fair is sold such mercy merchandise as fine houses lands stocks and bonds full security gay clothing jewelry
10:06: Expensive cosmetics gold and silver antiques pearls precious stones famed fortunes reputations virtue on a popularity positions phony titles
10:14: Counterfeit degrees contest chances games votes elections governments governmental offices personal influences padded reports propaganda falsehoods
10:23: Fictitious news he used that word before Trump did you know? fake fake news comes from John Bunyan Deceptions artificial personalities schemes tricks comics beauty queens sex appeal prostitutes human lives in the souls event pretty perceptive and pretty all -encompassing
10:40: Moreover at this fair at all times are gambling juggling cheating defrauding embezzling lying stealing swindling rogues not
10:46: Congress This is what he's talking about a vanity fair knaves libertines carnivals festivities
10:51: Drinking revelries connivings fools thugs lewd women murderers adulterers and all kinds of immoralities
10:57: The broad road that leads to destruction which brings the fair much trade lies through this town
11:03: Nothing has changed. It's gotten worse Bunyan observed these things taking place in the 1600s and what was vanity rare fair to represent?
11:16: Vanity fair symbolizes the world as a whole Especially its attraction to material goods in opposition to Christianity and self -denial
11:25: From the very beginning the demons established the fair on purpose to try to divert heavenly minded pilgrims
11:33: Is that any different than today? Even today the world is catechizing us the movies.
11:39: We watch the books. We read you ever see the movie Wall Street What does Gordon Gekko say greed is good?
11:46: Somebody saw it night Jerry Maguire show me the yeah You saw that one too, right
11:51: Al Pacino is Tony Montana when you get the money you get the power All right, it's all about money.
11:57: There are countless songs movies books advertisements about money. It's all around us. It permeates this culture
12:05: It's not too hard to see that the world has nosedive headlong into the idol of materialism with America leading the charge
12:14: Why it's the result of the self -centered sinful heart of mankind seeking to find fellowship and harmony in Created things to soothe the discomfort that sin has created
12:28: The fallen heart seeks to pacify itself with material goods and self -importance
12:35: Why? Because mankind is seeking what was lost in the fall and was previously provided by God alone
12:44: Relations relational security and a proper value the image of God in mankind's pursuit of material
12:51: Materialism the soul screams look at me. I'm someone Look at what I have.
12:57: I'm secure. I'm free. I have no needs and In in the exaltation of self they debase
13:04: God and reject his reconciliation through Jesus Because security and value is found in God alone
13:11: Even Jesus himself would tell them in Revelation 3 for you say I'm rich.
13:17: I've prospered and I have need of nothing Not realizing that you're wretched pitiful poor blind naked
13:26: I Counsel you to buy from me gold refined by the fire so that you may be actually rich With white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen and the salve
13:38: Saved to anoint your eyes so that you may see That's a stinging rebuke to anybody steeped in materialism acquiring material things to find comfort and relational value
13:51: What they don't realize is what Proverbs for 1114 teaches riches do not profit on the day of wrath
13:58: But righteousness delivers from death Right. We have bumper stickers. He who dies with the most toys wins
14:04: How about he who dies dies and you will face God someday on Judgment Day and you can't bring everything you've accumulated
14:11: To his throne. He doesn't need it. Anyway Don't they don't realize that their sin debt outweighs our national debt by trillions
14:23: They don't know what Solomon knew in Ecclesiastes chapter 2 Solomon says whatever my eyes desired
14:29: I didn't keep it from them I kept my heart from no pleasure for my heart found pleasure in all my toil and this was my reward for all my toil
14:38: Then I considered all my ways and all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended doing it
14:44: Behold, it was all vanity Striving after the wind and there was nothing to be gained under the
14:51: Sun vanity vanity Translated that means meaningless meaningless
14:58: Materialism is the way the unsatisfied and needy heart of man tries to soothe itself To appear significant better than their neighbor.
15:07: It's how sinners keep score Look at what I have and look at who I am
15:12: And worse the sinful heart lies to us by saying that who we are is based on what we have Friends our net worth does not equal our self -worth if you think that you are trading the glory of God for a lie and As an image bearer of God you have infinite worth and value already
15:32: Because you were created by a God who's of infinite worth and value. You are a reflection of him
15:39: Money and toys are no substitute for God That is where your value is derived
15:47: Regardless of man's idolatrous materialistic standard and man's desperation to redefine what
15:53: God's already defined now as an unregenerate image bearer of God the more you reject and try to escape
16:01: God's image and your relationship to your creator The worse your condition actually becomes
16:07: You cannot escape God's world regardless of how hard you try and trying harder through materialism and the acquisition of wealth
16:15: Leads to more difficult and harsher consequences You will not match the glory of God with items created by human hands
16:23: There but useless trinkets. There are no substitute for him Your desperation for significance which is really the word glory it's cabode heaviness like hey, that's heavy man significant
16:35: You're desperation for significance comes from God alone What's even more serious than thinking your worth is tied to your possessions and your value is in what you have is that so -called
16:47: Christian churches have climbed on board with this mentality and promote the health wealth and prosperity gospel
16:54: Where God and his glory is not the goal He's just the means by which you achieve your goal your goal of personal glory by means of wealth money and possessions and How that's somehow a sign of your friendship and favor with God who rewards your incredible faithfulness
17:13: It's both wicked and tragic at the same time now I just want to warn you
17:18: I almost hate bringing this up because before you take aim at that particular group and Flex your theological muscles in that direction seekingly seeking to obliterate that theology and in doing so making yourself feel better I urge you not to We all know that the prosperity gospel is a gross perversion and damnable and I'm not telling you not to reject it and call it out
17:41: However today I want you to take aim at your own heart Because it's easy to condemn and anathematize those who are in obvious ever while Overlooking the subtlety of this idol in our own heart and in our own sinful blindness.
17:57: Oh Yeah, the health wealth prosperity gospel Them me Them me right and in doing that we lull ourselves into a false sense of security because we've compared ourselves with the worst of the worst and Somehow that makes our position, right?
18:16: anyone who evangelizes know what I mean, right you talk to people about being a good person and You get to the thou shall not murder.
18:23: Well, I've never murdered anybody. I'm not as good. I'm not as bad as Hitler. Oh Good That's your story.
18:30: That's the best you got Imagine his tombstone. He lies Joe Schmoe. At least he wasn't
18:35: Hitler and You realize on Hill is tombstone.
18:41: It's gonna say at least I wasn't Stalin So I don't want us to make the same mistake today
18:47: Because the Bible has a lot to say about money and materialism and if you assess yourself in light of the worst of the worst you'll take aim at them and Neglect your own heart issue
18:57: We're not gonna be held responsible for what Benny Hinn Ken Copeland or Joel Osteen have done with their money.
19:03: We're going to be held Responsible for how we have handled our own money and our own possessions and our own heart attitude toward them
19:13: So when you take aim today take aim inward We can all do better We all have room for growth but growth doesn't happen by looking at others and comparing yourself to the worst if You're going to look outward if you're going to look outside yourself.
19:31: Look at Jesus See how you compare to him Spurgeon said discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong.
19:38: It's knowing the difference between right and almost right Let's make an effort to peer into our own hearts today in light of the scriptures in an effort to grow
19:48: To die to self to crucify the flesh and to cast down idols In doing so this will be how we make
19:58: America great again Not measuring ourselves by who we are and what we have but by measuring ourselves by who has us and what he's done as the church we need to become grateful again to the
20:10: God who rescued us from our own sin debt and Not seek to incur more sin debt by finding satisfaction in material need in material things
20:19: Greatness is not measured by what you have but who has you? Greatness is found only in who has us
20:27: God is good merciful gracious We can glory in what he's accomplishing here on earth and what he graciously shares with us.
20:36: He owns it all He doesn't boast He doesn't hoard it for himself either
20:43: He willingly and lovingly shares it with us for God so loved the world.
20:48: He hoarded it all for himself He repossessed it. He sells it to you.
20:54: No for God so loved the world He gave he gave his only begotten son.
20:59: He gave what was of ultimate value Jesus to rescue that which is ruined and distorted in the fall to restore our value
21:11: If we the church become so satisfied in God apart from material items
21:17: The world might actually take notice would you give away your greatest possession or Forsake your greatest relationship for the sake of someone who hates you
21:29: Probably not, but that's what God did We were insolent arrogant boastful haters of God Inventing ways to do evil and he put his son on a cross in our place
21:42: So I'm a simple guy and I need pithy statements to help me understand things I need an easy way to remember and inform my conscience about this topic and put it in perspective.
21:53: So here it is Real easy. We are to love the giver and appreciate the gifts not the other way around Love the giver
22:02: Appreciate the gifts not the other way around there's a significant significant difference between love and appreciation the idolatry of materialism loves the gifts and appreciates the giver maybe
22:15: And let me fill you on a Christian principle When you know God when you know
22:21: God for real and are in union with him biblically You know that God is not just the giver.
22:26: He is the gift Right when you get God you get him you get Jesus you get the greatest gift of all knowing
22:33: God through Jesus Anything he gives you after that is a blessed benefit You have all you need with him
22:41: All right So now that we've identified the problem and who not to compare ourselves to and come up with a pithy statement to explain it
22:47: Now, let's turn to God and his word and see what the creator of all things has to say about materialism and idolizing money
22:55: So does anybody know how often the Bible speaks about money and possessions How many verses there are concerning money possessions greed generosity any guesses?
23:05: Yeah Nobody Twelve no
23:12: No, okay. There's about 2 ,400 verses that concern money in the
23:20: Bible. That's twice as many as faith That's twice as many of as prayer and it's twice as many as faith and prayer combined
23:30: That in and of itself should concern us It should cause us to pause since the
23:35: Bible would not address such a topic at this length And so frequently if it wasn't a serious issue
23:41: Here's how important Jesus thinks it is. He would tell us no servant can serve two masters
23:46: Either he will hate one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other
23:53: You cannot serve both God and mammon Jesus here speaks of mammon as a potential master a
24:03: Potential Lord another Lord that we can serve and don't kid yourself Mammon is looking for you to serve it mammon is looking for your devotion
24:12: Here Jesus is saying that mammon is going to compete for your attention Mammon is going to compete for your heart
24:20: Mammon is going to come compete for your devotion. Mammon is going to compete for you servicing it it's almost as if mammon has a voice that can speak to you a
24:31: Personality all its own that whispers serve me As a
24:38: Christian your allegiance to God will be tested and your love for one God or mammon
24:44: Should result in hate for the other you will despise the other we need to be careful in what we love and serve
24:52: Because Jesus explains this is not a both -and situation. It's either or it's God or the
24:58: Almighty dollar Imagine being married and tell your wife, you know,
25:04: I Love you, but I do like other women only a little bit. Oh, yeah, not nearly as much as I love you
25:10: She's not even close to you in any way I would only take her out once Six eight months not a big deal.
25:18: I love you. How do you think that would go over? You'd immediately Incur more credit card debt as she purchased your own casket, right?
25:27: This isn't gonna work. You can't love both You would be right and saying that's not love love is
25:34: Exclusive devotion to your spouse and no one else The pithy statement love your spouse appreciate other women
25:42: Love the giver appreciate the gifts where your treasure is there Your heart will be also your heart is tied to and will follow your treasure
25:52: If you treasure God and use money your heart will be in proper alignment with him in his kingdom
25:58: But if you treasure money and use God your heart and actions will reflect that as well
26:03: Your devotion no matter how strong or slight will result in hate for the other despising the other
26:11: Look at all the currency and coin we print here in the u .s. All u .s.
26:16: Currency has a person on it mostly presents as if The money were made somehow some way to be personal
26:27: Those dead presidents are trying to speak to you Remember idols are nothing more than pieces of wood or stone or paper
26:38: Created by human hands and they have no power of their own The only power money has is the power that you give it
26:48: But money tells you you need me to get power fame without me You can't go on vacation without me.
26:55: You don't get your new car without me. You don't have a new phone It's talking to you
27:03: Ironically just a casual observation. None of the people on the currency of money that we have a smiling. They're all
27:09: They don't smile. So why should we? Remember idols are nothing more than pieces of wood or stone
27:16: Paper made by human hands and they have no power of their own Listen to what
27:22: Jesus says again Luke 12 15 take care and be on guard against all covetedness For one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions
27:31: The verb here for take care is Horo and it means be vigilant alert
27:36: Watchful and the word guard is falaso, which means to restrain oneself like lasso
27:43: So be vigilant guarding watching carefully to restrain yourself against covetedness
27:50: So that your life isn't characterized or defined by what you have But who has you once again our lives need to be a witness of who has us who owns us not what we have
28:02: Now you may have heard the term usually about politicians Oh that guy's bought and paid for right you guys know what that means, right?
28:09: He's being paid He's either being bribed or paid through PAC money to fight for something that someone else wants
28:16: They're being given money to fight for cause they wouldn't normally fight for So, can I suggest to you that you can identify someone by what they're fighting for Ask yourself if someone to look at your life
28:30: What would they say you're fighting for? Would it be obvious to them what you're fighting for the refrain now is follow the money see where the money goes
28:40: That's gonna tell you who's behind it Church, you were not bought with money But you were bought with a price the life and the blood of the
28:49: Savior You need to know who you're fighting for and what you're fighting for you're fighting for the king and his kingdom
28:56: We are not on a cruise ship. We are on a battleship. Stop pretending like it's a cruise ship Please also consider my early warning and not think about someone, you know who we may be struggling with this idol
29:08: Consider your own heart today look inward because this idol is insidious. It's sneaky
29:16: Have you ever quoted 1st Corinthians 6 9 to somebody when you when you're Evangelizing them or talking with them someone's suffering from same -sex attraction
29:24: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God do not be deceived neither the sexually immoral nor the idolaters
29:31: Nor adulterers nor men who practice homosexually will inherit the kingdom of God see what you're doing is sinful
29:37: But somehow we leave off the part of the verse that says the greedy will not inherit the kingdom of God.
29:45: That's part of it Check your heart. This might be why Paul starts the verse by saying do not be deceived.
29:52: You know why he says that Because you can be deceived Greed is not good.
29:58: No matter what Gordon tells you out of all the idols that we can fall prey to I think money and materialism is the most dangerous
30:06: Here's why I think it's because it's the most public and socially acceptable idol there is
30:11: Right, it's broadcast all over the place and we're trying it and the world is trying to make it
30:17: The other idols more socially acceptable. The enemy's goal is to make all the idols
30:23: Socially acceptable to make sin look to make sin look normal and righteousness to look weird
30:29: But materialism is already there tops the list and money helps people engage in and access all the other idols
30:37: More easily listen now Paul puts it in 1st Timothy 6 9 and 10 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation
30:45: Into a snare into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction
30:51: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs
31:00: Many senseless desires a root of all kinds of evil evil and it puts them into many pangs
31:07: Paul is teaching us that pursuing money mammon leads to many senseless and harmful desires
31:13: Why because it's a root of all kinds of evil the word root here means source
31:19: So the root the source supports and supplies access to all of the other evil desires and pangs
31:27: The root of idolizing mammon bears fruit of all kinds if Your source your root is rich in mammon it will grant you access to more sin into many senseless and harmful desires
31:40: I see mammon and money materialism as the gateway drug for all the other idols Why because you can access them more easily when you have money
31:51: Do you desire security? Money offers you that do you seek approval?
31:57: Money offers you that are you seeking a relationship or love money offers you that are you sticking seeking prestige?
32:07: Money offers you that are you seeking comfort of some type money offers you that too?
32:13: Money offers you tells you that it can acquire all these things for you, which are really just other idols
32:19: But it can't deliver on them That's because mammon is lying to us in that it makes promises to us that only
32:26: God can fulfill True security true love approval success true wealth health comfort can only be found in Christ in God Anything or anyone else that promises you these things is an imposter a liar a phony
32:42: And we can see this play out in real life examples today I'd like to give you a case study and what pursuing money can get you in 1923 a very important meeting was held at the
32:51: Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago Eight of the world's most successful financiers were present
32:57: Included were the president of the largest independent steel company the president of the largest utility company the president of the largest gas company the president of the
33:07: New York Stock Exchange a member of the president's cabinet of The greatest bear on Wall Street the head of the world's greatest monopoly and the president of a bank for international settlements
33:18: All these men had found the secret of success and the secret of making money and pursued it
33:25: They were all at the top of their financial world in their day But 25 years later in a magazine entitled the journal of living
33:33: An article a pen by Lewis Lurie. He commented on their status This is only 25 years after the fact the president of the largest independent steel company
33:42: Charles Schwab You may have heard of him. He was dead He died bankrupt and lived on borrowed money for five years before his death the president of the largest utility company
33:51: Samuel in Seoul died a fugitive from justice and penniless in a foreign land The president of the largest gas company
33:58: Howard Hobson dead the president of the New York Stock Exchange Richard Whitney had just been released from Sing Sing prison at least he wasn't
34:05: Hitler, right a Member of the president's cabinet Albert fall pardoned from prison so he could die at home
34:12: The greatest bear in Wall Street Jesse Livermore dead cause of death suicide the head of the world's greatest monopoly
34:18: Ivan Kruger dead cause of death suicide the president of the bank for international Settlements Leon Fraser dead cause of death suicide
34:27: All of the fruit and all of this success that my man offers you comes with a price your life
34:35: Jesus says what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit your soul? your eternal life
34:43: Make no mistake when you succumb to the desire to be rich. You're trading your soul for that desire
34:50: You are believing the lie that mammon is not just whispering you It's screaming to you a lie that you will forever regret you are loving the gift
35:01: But not the giver What are we to do when we're immersed in such a materialistic culture that fuels and breeds this kind of behavior?
35:10: First we need to read what comes before the desire to be rich in first Timothy 6 9 through 10
35:16: We have I'm sorry. We have to read but not 9 through 10. We have to read verses 6 through 8 It says this godliness with contentment is great gain
35:25: For we brought nothing into the world and we could take nothing out of the world But if we have food and clothing with these things will be content
35:33: Imagine telling a health wealth prosperity guy if we had food and clothing were content The stab in the heart, but let me ask you something.
35:41: Is that a stab in the heart for you? Would you be content for just food and clothing?
35:48: So, how do we deal with this idol, how do we contend for the faith? Once a for all devil ever to the
35:54: Saints Well, the first thing we need to do is recognize the art at the idol The first dealing with this idol or any other idol is getting into a proper relationship with God the
36:04: Creator the source of satisfaction The author and source of joy if you haven't repented of your sin and turned to Jesus Christ for forgiveness
36:12: You need to do so immediately You and I have a sin debt that needs to be addressed first The promise of the gospel is this if you acknowledge your sin turn from it and trust in Jesus He will become your substitute
36:27: His life becomes your life. His death becomes your death and his resurrection becomes yours a resurrection
36:33: He bears your sin and you're dead at the cross and pays for it so that you can go free
36:39: If you don't repent and trust Christ, you will pay the sin debt yourself And in this life, you will continue to seek the counterfeit benefits that these idols promise you but never deliver you
36:50: Like Augustine said God has formed us for himself and our hearts are restless until they find rest in him
36:58: You have to come through to God Through Jesus on his terms not yours and here are the terms unconditional surrender
37:08: You are not the offended party in this relationship You're the offender you've broken
37:13: God's law not the other way around So lay down your pride lay down your sinful desires and idols and come to the one who laid his life down for sinners
37:23: Jesus is the one and only true God and this one and only true God is the only God willing to love you to death and pay your sin debt
37:29: So be reconciled to God next everyone Ask yourself this question
37:37: What do I fear most in life? What is it that I'm most afraid of?
37:48: And why am I asking this because your fear will reveal what you hold most dear
37:54: What is it you're afraid of What you fear will reveal What you ultimately worship if your solution to your fear is not
38:03: God Then it's an imitation a counterfeit or an idol The first step in overcoming idolatry is recognizing what it is
38:11: And what the solution is if you're a Christian and you have a right relationship to God Repent of any covetedness or any greed or any satisfaction you found in the things of the world and remember who you have
38:25: You have Jesus He's the gift and more importantly he has you
38:31: I love the benediction in Jude Right to him who is able to keep you from falling and present you before his throne without spot or blemish.
38:39: That's the God I need Your mind and your heart will always gravitate to what you hold most dear as a
38:48: Christian If that is anything else, but Jesus and his teaching you're in sin. You need to turn from it
38:53: Love the giver appreciate the gifts Second the antidote to materialism is generosity be generous
39:02: Give generously to your home church and the ministries that you want to support Right you tell your money what to do.
39:09: Remember your money mammon is talking to you. So talk back to it I'm sending you to such -and -such a ministry and you know what you're gonna do you're gonna really help them
39:17: You're gonna do a great job. Don't worry. You'll you you won't miss me. They're gonna use you for their benefit. Don't worry
39:23: Talk back to your money. Let it go. Let it be a great help to the people who need it Don't let your money tell you what to do.
39:31: You tell it what to do Let me tell you something. There are no people in heaven who regretted being too generous There it is
39:39: Christians who believe in the inspired infallible Word of God read and believe what God says about money and possessions
39:45: Take God's warnings seriously Don't look at others and compare yourself to them Here are a few things
39:52: God's words tells us now we have 2 ,400 verses to go through so we're gonna read them all It's a joke
40:00: Boy, all right. This is the one I've read already, you know, Matthew 6 24. No one can serve two masters
40:06: Either he will hate one and love the other who you've been devoted to one and despise the other All right, you cannot serve both God and mammon mammon is looking for you to serve it be aware of that Luke 12 34 for where your treasure is there your heart will be also
40:19: Listen if you treasure Christ your heart will be where he is Treasure him before all things
40:24: First Samuel 2 7 the Lord makes poor and makes rich he brings low and exalts you guys trust in the sovereignty of God Right.
40:33: He's the one if he prospers you it's for a purpose if he brings you down It's also for a purpose all things work together for your good.
40:41: It's not about the money. It's about the process Philippians 419 and my
40:46: God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus Notice, he said he'll supply his need not his wants.
40:54: I want the newest iPhone too bad. He's the flip phone Psalm 37 better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked
41:05: The little that the righteous has if you have Christ's righteousness you have everything you have eternal life in Christ Jesus Act like it acts 2035 remember the words of the
41:17: Lord Jesus how he himself said it is more blessed to give than receive Be generous
41:24: Keep keep the money you receive in an open hand if you see someone in need give it to them
41:29: Proverbs 38 9 I love this one remove far from me falsehood and lying give me neither poverty nor riches
41:37: Feed me with the food that is needful for me lest I be full and deny you and say who's the Lord lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my
41:44: God I'm not desiring to be rich. I'm not desiring to be for poor I want to be in God's perfect will and used as a vessel for other people
41:55: Luke 12 15 Jesus said to them take care be on guard against all covetous for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions
42:04: Again, your net worth does not equal your self -worth Don't look at it like that your worth and value come from God and in a relative truth way if If you want to believe what the atheism's at the atheist says he thinks you're cosmic vomit
42:20: You know is vomited in here. You are you could tell him no brother You're wrong.
42:26: You're a thief and I'm right you are created in the image of God You have infinite worth and value and you live your life like that just to let you know
42:32: You don't live your life like your cosmic vomit Lastly Brothers and sisters, we're in a very telling time a turning point in our country's history
42:45: Please guard your heart is America great because it has money and it's prosperous
42:53: Look at the wealth and prosperity that our country has amassed and then look at the wickedness and the sinfulness that has ensued as it
43:01: Is shifted is their eyes from the giver to the gifts? We're reaping the consequences of that in many ways the
43:09: United States is like the rich young ruler We are a rich nation We are historically young less than 250 years old and the
43:17: United States leads rules the world The rich young ruler asked Jesus. What must I do to inherit eternal life?
43:24: Jesus says keep the commandments. In other words. He pointed him to righteousness Not money rich rung.
43:29: You know, this is ah, I did all that already. Come on. Give me something tough Jesus looked at him Loved him and said you lacked one thing you lack one thing
43:38: Sell all that you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come follow me
43:46: Disheartened by the saying he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions Jesus pinpointed his idol told him sell it all
43:56: Jesus then looks at his disciples how difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle
44:05: Than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. See I want to make
44:10: America Grateful again, there's a big difference I want us to be grateful to the
44:16: God who gives us these gifts if we obey him and use them for his glory
44:22: Remember, there's a vast difference between love and appreciation We are to love the giver and appreciate the gifts not the other way around Ultimately the
44:32: Lord Jesus is both the giver and the gift and when you get him you get both you get everything you need with Christ all