Beware of Covetousness 02/18/2024

First Baptist Church Leominster

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Acts chapter 5 But a man named

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Ananias with his wife Sapphira Sold a piece of property and with his wife's knowledge

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He kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the

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Apostles feet but Peter said Ananias why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the

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Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land While it remained unsold that did not remain your own and after it was sold was it not at your disposal

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Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man, but to God When Ananias heard these words he fell down and breathed his last and great fear came upon all who heard it

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The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him After an interval or about three hours his wife came in not knowing what had happened and Peter said to her tell me whether you sold the land for so much and she said yes for so much

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But Peter said to her. How is it that you have agreed together to test the

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Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door and they will carry you out

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Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last when the young men came in they found her dead and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband and Great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things

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Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the Apostles So they were all gathered together in Solomon's portico

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None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem and More than ever believers were added to the

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Lord Multitudes of both men and women so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats

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That as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits and they were all healed

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But the high priest rose up and all who are with him that is the party of the Sadducees and Filled with jealousy.

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They arrested the Apostles and put them in public prison but during the night an angel of the

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Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said Go and stand in the temple and speak speak to the people all the words of this life

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And when they heard this they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach Now when the high priest came and those who were with him

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They called together the council all the Senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought

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But when the officers came they did not find them in the prison So they returned and reported we found the prison securely locked and the guard standing at the doors

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But when we opened them, we found no one inside Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed perplexed about them

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Wondering what this would come to and someone came and told them look

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The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people Then the captain with the officers went and brought them but not by force

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For they were afraid of being stoned by the people and when they had brought them

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They set them before the council and the high priest questioned them saying we strictly charged you not to teach in this name

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Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us but Peter and the

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Apostles answered We must obey God rather than men

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The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree

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God exalted him at his right hand as leader and Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins and We are witnesses to these things and so is the

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Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him When they heard this they were enraged and wanted to kill them

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But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while and He said to them men of Israel.

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Take care what you are about to do with these men For before these days Thutis rose up claiming to be somebody and a number of men about 400 joined him

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He was killed and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing After him

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Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him

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He too perished and all who followed him were scattered So in the present case

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I tell you keep away from these men and let them alone For if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail

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But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing

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God so they took his advice and when they had called in the Apostles they beat them and Charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go

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Then they left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name and Every day in the temple and from house to house.

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They did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus Let's pray

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Our father this is an encouraging passage of Scripture When we see your hand clearly at work in the lives of the

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Apostles in their proclamation of the truth And Lord, how encouraging is it to know that your hand is still working through the church and Lord?

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We pray that your word that the gospel would be faithfully proclaimed by the church

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And by missionaries and by all of those who know you we pray

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Lord that we would glorify you by our proclamation So we pray Lord that our words would be sound and that our lives would be sound

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That our lives would adhere with our profession of faith And Lord, we thank you for these things

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We thank you for this time of worship and we pray that as pastor Lars brings the word to us

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We pray that we would hear it. We pray that we would understand it and we pray that we would be changed

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We pray Lord that we would leave here and boldly proclaim the truth. That is so clearly presented

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We thank you Lord for this time and we pray that you would be with pastor Lars give him clarity of voice

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Clarity of thought and we pray Lord that that our worship would be pleasing to you.

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Thank you Lord in Jesus name. Amen Well, we prayed that the

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Lord would bless his word the Holy Spirit would use his word to convict and convert

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And to form us to his will and certainly we've got something here in this passage It is applicable to every one of us to different degrees.

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I'm sure So we'll continue our study of Luke's gospel

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Considering Luke 12 13 through 21 and here we read of this verbal exchange before Between Jesus and a man who spoke up out of the crowds

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This man spoke up out of a multitude of people requesting that Jesus arbitrate in a civil matter between himself and his brother and the

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Lord used his occasion to warn his disciples about Covetousness and the danger this sin poses to the eternal well -being of one's soul

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So beware of covetousness now last Lord's Day when we introduce this section of Luke's gospel

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Which begins with chapter 12 verse 1 and continues through chapter 13 verse 21

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We said that there is a prophetic context that underlies this entire passage Throughout his teaching our

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Lord Jesus pressed upon his disciples the importance that they live as his faithful disciples

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With view to their certain future judgment of God and their entrance into eternal life

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This underlies everything that he taught within this section and so the passage before us underscores this way of life by showing how foolish and how

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Consequential it is to live for this world only Living with no regard to one's accountability before God at the final judgment

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And so in this passage as in the one we considered last Lord's Day Jesus revealed that there would be a future judgment in Which all people will be held accountable to God for how they lived in this fallen world

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Luke 12 13 through 21 then one from the crowd said to him teacher Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me

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But he said to him man who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you

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And he said to them take heed and beware of covetousness For one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses

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And he spoke a parable to them saying the good ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully

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And he thought within himself saying what shall I do since I have no room to store my crops So he said

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I will do this. I'll pull down my barns and build greater and there I will store all

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My crops and my goods and I will say to my soul soul You have many goods laid up for many years.

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Take your ease eat drink and be merry But God said to him fool

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This night your soul will be required of you then whose will those things be which you have provided So he so is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God Our Lord's teaching to his disciples was interrupted by this man

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He spoke up from the crowds and there was a multitude listening to Jesus Asking Jesus to arbitrate between his brother and himself and our

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Lord gave a forthright Refusal to the man, but then use the man's request to teach his disciples of the danger of covetousness

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And so in dressing this passage will first consider the question of the man and our Lord's direct reply to him

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Secondly, we'll consider our Lord's parable in which he warned his disciples about a life characterized by covetousness and Then thirdly, there's just a one word of summary as it were

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Our Lord's concluding word regarding this matter, which is in verse 21 And so let's first consider our

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Lord's warning against covetousness In verse 13, we read then one from the crowd said to him teacher.

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Tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me Jesus gave an immediate refusal

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Verse 14 records, but he said to him man who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you

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But then Jesus turned and spoke His next words to his disciples

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Directly but in the hearing and of the multitude gathered before him and so we read in verse 15

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And then he said to them and we should understand that pronoun them to refer to his disciples the whole context reveals this

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He said to them take heed and beware of covetousness for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses and And so our

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Lord we considered last week had been teaching his disciples to beware of hypocrisy to be afraid of hypocrisy

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They were not to be afraid of others and what they might do to them because they were his disciples But they were to make fearless confession of Jesus openly before others

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Jesus had been pressing upon them the importance of standing before God at the end of the age When they would face

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God's judgment and so we had declared to them also I say to you whoever confesses me before men

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Him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God at the final judgment

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But he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God Perhaps Jesus had paused in his teaching when this man took the opportunity to speak up asking

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Jesus to arbitrate in a financial matter with his brother and One from the crowd said to him teacher tell my brother to divide his inheritance

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With me the inheritance with me His requests betrayed a complete departure from the matters that the

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Lord was pressing upon his disciples The man's request shifted attention from living and speaking for Jesus Christ From living with view to eternity to matters touching on this life a disagreement and dispute regarding his inheritance

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And so here is a man who would be willing to destroy his relationship with his brother over money

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Oftentimes problems over the distribution of an inheritance are played out in this way very common

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The response of our Lord reveals the inappropriateness on this occasion of this man's concern in question

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The Lord was talking about spiritual matters Things of the heart which have bearing on eternity and this man asks about temporal possessions

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There was an abruptness Revealing a real insincerity and unconcerned about what

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Jesus had been talking to them about and So in doing so the man revealed himself to the

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Lord Jesus as a covetous man a greedy man Who is unconcerned about the vital issues of heaven and hell?

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Treasures on earth and treasures in heaven and so it occasioned the Lord to address his disciples concerning the sin of covetousness

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Now some have attempted to set it forth the possible motivation of this man

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So Matthew Henry set forth two possible scenarios Some think his brother did him wrong

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And that he appealed to Christ to write him or correct his brother Because he knew the law was costly

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His brother was such a one as the Jews called Ben Hamason a son of violence

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It took not only his own part of the estate, but his brothers to and forcibly detained it from him such brethren there are in the world who have no sense at all either of natural equity or Natural affection who make a prey of those whom they ought to patronize and protect

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They who are so wrong have God to go to who will execute judgment and justice for those

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Who are oppressed and so it's like a man who'd been a victim of his brother's injustice however, there are others that think that he had a mind to do his brother wrong and Would have

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Christ to assist him That whereas the law gave the elder brother a double portion of the estate and the father himself could not dispose of what he had

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But that by that rule He would have Christ to alter that law oblige his brother or perhaps

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Was a follower of Christ at large to divide the inheritance equally with him

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Share and share alike and to allot him as much as his elder brother and Matthew Henry expressed

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I suspect this was the case So this was his view Because Christ takes occasion from it to warn against covetousness

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Pleonexia a desire of having more more than God in his providence has allotted us

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It was not a lawful desire of getting his own but a sinful desire of getting more than his own.

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I Don't know that there's enough information to draw a firm conclusion. I know there isn't

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It's probably correct to see that this man was a younger brother That's implied Who desired that his elder brother distribute to him what he thought to be a just inheritance?

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And so one described the possible setting likely setting the sister Situations out of a man whose elder brother refused to give him his share of his father's inheritance

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It was possible and may even have been considered desirable for the heirs To a property to live together and to keep so as to keep it intact

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In this case the younger brother apparently wanted to separate off his own share of the inheritance to be independent

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Such disputes were settled by an appeal to rabbis on the basis of existing law

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The situation is thus typically Palestinian Some have said that the

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Lord initially refused to arbitrate between these two brothers because he was not generally Recognized as having official authority to do so in such matters as an official rabbi

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But the fact that mitigates against his view is that the man initially called Jesus teacher the

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Greek word did Aska didescalate and So the man was referring to Jesus as a rabbi

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It's more likely therefore that Jesus refused the man's request because he viewed that it was totally inappropriate to the situation

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And Moreover, not only was the man's question taking his disciples off the matter He had been pressing on them, but Jesus saw his request voiced at this moment to reveal the covetous character of the man

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Jesus saw this man is a foolish covetous man Who had no concern for his soul

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Who was totally oblivious of his accountability and culpability before God to whom he must give an account

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He only lived for this life in this world We read in Luke 12 14 that our

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Lord refused to arbitrate on this man's behalf. Why would Jesus not do so? well

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Interestingly Calvin John Calvin set forth a thorough in a thorough way the possible reasons

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Jesus declined Our Lord when requested to undertake the office of dividing and inheritance refuses to do so now as this tended to promote brotherly harmony and As Christ's office was not only to reconcile men to God but to but to bring them into a state of agreement with one another

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What hindered him from settling the dispute between the two brothers? It's a good question

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There appear to have been chiefly two reasons why he declined the office of a judge First as the

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Jews imagined that the Messiah would have been an earthly kingdom He wished to guard against doing anything that might countenance this error

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If they had seen him divide inheritance the report of that proceeding would immediately have been circulated many would have been led to expect a carnal redemption which they too ardently desired and Wicked men would have loudly declared that he was affecting a revolution in the state and overturning the

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Roman Empire Nothing could be more appropriate therefore than his reply by which all would be informed that the kingdom of Christ is spiritual

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Let us learn from this to regulate our conduct by prudence and to undertake nothing which may admit of an unfavorable construction

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Secondly our Lord intended to draw a distinction between the political kingdoms of this world and the government of his church

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For he had been appointed by the father to be a teacher who should do who should divide asunder by the sword of the word the thoughts feelings and penetrate into the souls of men a

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Quote from Hebrew reference to Hebrews 412, but was not a magistrate to divide inheritances

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And as Calvin commonly did of course being an early Protestant reformer

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He it's on Rome and he does so here this condemns the robbery of the Pope and his clergy who while they give themselves out to Be pastors of the church have dared to usurp an earthly and secular jurisdiction a political realm

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Which is inconsistent with their office for what is in itself lawful may be improper in certain persons

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Interesting There is also in my opinion a third reason for great weight

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Christ saw that this man was neglecting doctrine and was looking only to his private concerns

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This is too common a disease Many who profess the gospel do not scruple to make use of it as a false pretense for advancing their private interests and to plead the authority of Christ as an apology for their gains from the exhortations, which is immediately added

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We may readily draw this inference for if that man had not availed himself of the gospel as a pretext for his own

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Emolument or gain Christ would not have taken occasion to give this warning against covetousness

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The context therefore makes it sufficiently evident that this was a pretended disciple whose mind was entirely occupied with lands or money

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So this kind of fits in with the whole hypocrisy matter doesn't it versus 1 through 12 this man it was covetous, but it showed his hypocrisy as well and Calvin as he always does is quite insightful and clever in his comments.

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I Comments he made an application of our Lord's refusal in instructing ministers to avoid political entanglements and So Ryle wrote these words

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I took at the heart the wisdom of our Lord's line of conduct on this occasion deserves notice the slightest

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Interference with the office of the civil government would have given occasion to his enemies and placed him in their power

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Ministers of Christ would do well in modern times to mark our Lord's conduct in this case and as far as possible to walk in his steps

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The less ministers have to do a secular things and especially with the administration of the law the better The magistrates bench as a general rule is not a fitting position for a minister of the gospel to occupy

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When the preacher of the gospel undertakes any work except that of his calling his proper work and business are usually neglected or Worse done than they would have been if he had can confine himself

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Exclusively to them and been a man of one thing and then he quote quote scripture, of course

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Paul Timothy, I believe give thyself wholly to these things is a tensions, which should never be forgotten

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And I think that's good counsel Well, we read that Jesus spoke his next words to his disciples directly

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But in the hearing of the multitude gathered before him verse 15 He said to them take heed and beware of covetousness for one's life does not consist in the abundance of things

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He possesses Covetousness is a great sin

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It can be a soul damning sin One that characterizes most everyone to a degree

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I'm sure that it hits you as an individual Because you're not unique here.

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It hits every one of us in different ways in different degrees But it's a soul damning sin to which every

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Christian must be on guard and must correct from time to time and Perhaps even all the time

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What is covetousness well pastor Jason addressed it not long ago and speaking on the

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Tenth Commandment So we'll use his definition and description What does it mean to covet the term covet means to desire or to desire strongly?

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This term does not refer to a good and healthy desire But to a sinful ungoverned desire the term refers to an excessive inordinate and selfish desire

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For something or someone to covet means to lust after to set an unhealthy desire

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Upon something to set an unhealthy desire upon someone Sin twists and corrupts healthy desires which then turn into unhealthy and sinful desires the covetous man

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Contemplates and ruminates on these distorted and illicit desires, which then will often result in action sinful action

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Covetousness is a root sin Covetousness is a root sin that produces all sorts of rotten fruits

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Then he quoted Micah to woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds when the morning dawns

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They perform it because it's in their power of their hand They covet fields and seize them and houses and take them away

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They oppress a man in his house a man in his inheritance So let's consider in more detail the nature of this sin of covetousness and we can say a number of things about it

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First let us acknowledge that the love of money is covetousness This is a problem that infects each of us to various degrees

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Since our first parents coveted the fruit that of that forbidden tree in the garden

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We their children have followed suit and have been coveting ever since But covetousness seems to characterize our consumer age in a way

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Is it in a greater way than in the past? This was predicted 2nd

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Timothy 3 1 and following of course being of this entire church age But know this that in the last days grievous time shall come men shall be lovers of self lovers of money boastful haughty railers disobedience to parents unthankful unholy

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Foundational to modern -day marketing is the knowledge that the consumers desire to have is a central and great inner drive

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Marketers know that we are coveting creatures and they use this knowledge to sell products

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This has become a science in our age business asks How may we incite and what they really mean is tempt how may we incite the desire of a consumer so that he's convinced he that he simply must have our product and Then how can we make it easy for him to purchase our product even if he does not have the money to do so And the result of course is our credit easy credit industry

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Now we're not decrying the system of capitalism itself Socialism and its close sister communism has shown itself to be characterized by covetousness as much as any system

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In that system others in the community or the government want what you have and they use government power to take it from you

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Our founding fathers called this tyranny But what we should realize that the capitalism of today is is of a different nature than when our

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Protestant Forefathers developed it and it was John Calvin who developed it in Geneva modern capitalism

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Originally capitalism was driven by this kind of thinking which is foreign today

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My work is a stewardship before God through which I may serve others in the community

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With goods and practices so as to make their lives easier and happier Moreover the capital

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I acquire the money I acquire is to be put to work in the local community So that the standard of everybody's life may be enhanced

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That's what the original view of capitalism But now that notion of the

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Protestant work ethic is missing now Capitalism is seen as a system whereby we can obtain for ourselves the best products for the cheapest price for ourselves

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We can underscore that The transition was made from the individual as a steward to the individual as a consumer

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Our society has gone from how may I use my wealth and resources for the good of others and the glory of God?

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So as to fulfill my stewardship Responsibility before God to this how may

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I acquire wealth and possessions so that I might find enjoyment and fulfillment in these things It's a whole different worldview

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So this can easily devolve into the sin of covetousness and this is wrong. It is sin well, not only is

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The love of money covetousness, but secondly, we acknowledge that covetousness is forbidden in the moral law of God The last of the

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Ten Commandments prohibits this sin of covetousness Exodus 2017 You shall not covet your neighbor's house

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You shall not covet your neighbor's wife nor his male servant nor his female servant nor his ox nor his donkey nor anything that is your neighbors and So this crowns the

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Ten Commandments with the prohibition to live selfishly

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For oneself primarily without concern for or service to other and then thirdly

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Covetousness is a sin of the heart We're all nine of the other

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Ten Commandments could wrongly be regarded and treated as the only forbidding sinful actions external to us

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Which our Lord corrected in his Sermon on the Mount in which he expressed the law was spiritual in nature

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The Tenth Commandment, however addressed heart issues clearly and directly Thirdly Paul is the unconverted

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Pharisee could think to himself. I do not lie. I do not murder. I do not commit adultery

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I do not bow down to idols, but he could not dismiss the Ten Commandment in this way

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When Paul reflected carefully on the Tenth Commandment He was convinced and convicted of his sin and his need of salvation through Jesus Christ And he wrote about this in Romans 7

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What should we say then is the law sin? Not aggravates our sin, but it's not sinful certainly not on the contrary

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I would not have known sin except through the law for I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said

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Tenth Commandment you shall not covet But sin taking opportunity by the commandment produced in me all manner of evil desire for apart from the law sin was dead

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Or sin is dead So Covetousness is a sin of the heart

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Speaks about your desires your motivations Fourthly covetousness is a sin that rarely stands alone

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Later in Luke's gospel we read of the Pharisees who were self -righteous, but they were also covetous and The Pharisees who were lovers of money heard all these things and they scoffed at him

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Covetousness is a root sin. That is a sin that leads to others. There are three root sins

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We'll mention those later in the scriptures first Timothy 610 reads for the love of money is the root of all evil

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Or all kinds of evil manner of evil which while some coveted after they have heard from the faith pierced themselves through with many sorrows

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Covetousness leads to dishonesty thievery gambling foolish spending debt and Then these sins result in deception dissension bitterness crass selfishness a

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Covetous person will be a miserly person. He'll have a hard heart for those who are suffering

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He may be religious, but he does not have a true love for God First John tells us that love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man loved the world the love of the

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Father is not in him to love the world in this sinful way is to be governed by a covetous heart a

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Covetous person will be ungrateful toward God. He's like Adam and Eve were he believes that God has withheld something good from him

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And he must have it He is ungrateful for all that God has given him

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He must have what God has denied him and so he'll be a discontented man

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Not knowing the peace that comes from God He'll not experience what first Timothy 6 6 describes but godliness with contentment is great gain

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For we brought nothing into this world. It's certain we can carry nothing out having food and raiment

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Let clothing let us be there with content And so the man who is covetous is not content with necessities he must have more always more

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Proverbs 27 20 hell and destruction are never full. So the eyes of man are never satisfied

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And so he is a troubled soul The covetous person may therefore be an angry and depressed person

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He may be as Ahab who coveted Naboth vineyard Naboth refused to sell

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King Ahab his vineyard We read an Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which

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Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him for he had said I will not give thee the inheritance of my father's and so Naboth response

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He laid him down upon his bed turned away his face and would eat. No bread. He was depressed

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Because he didn't get what he wanted His sin of covetousness led to treachery perjury and even murder

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Perhaps the most grievous of sins that characterize a covetous man are the things to which he accuses

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God He attacks the very nature of God. He charges God with lacking goodness for not giving him what he wants

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I'll never forget it years ago The man was a member of this church

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Came into my office downstairs and he admitted I am so angry with God and It was in his voice.

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It was in his attitude. I said, why are you angry with God? Because he has not made me rich like Bill Gates Those were precise words.

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I Thought I've never seen or witnessed a covetous man to this degree in my life

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About two years later. He could he left our church about two years later. He came back and repented

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Acknowledged his sin before me. I was really happy about that, but it's just incredible Where this can drive a person

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He charges God with lacking goodness for not giving him what he wants He perhaps thinks that God lacks wisdom and not giving him these things to him

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Or he thinks that God is unloving toward him because he's been denied these things And I'm sure if we thought about it more we can conclude a number of God's Imperfections are solid in it sullied in his thinking because of this sin

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It's an attack on God Ultimately as Adam and Eve in the garden and so you see the covetousness is a sin that rarely stands alone and By the way, since this is the case if repentance from this sin occurs all manner of problems and hurtful behavior

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May be averted or corrected in a person's life Sometimes we tend to focus on the branches of sin the fruit of sin

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Rather than the root sin from which are other things are the fruit and so when dealing with souls go to the heart of the problem

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Fix the source of the pollution and the rest may take care of themselves Fifthly no covetous person will be saved from God's wrath

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This involves a little bit of reflection You cannot hope to be saved if you are a covetous person

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I Will not say that you cannot be saved if you were tempted to covetousness because we all are

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Nor are we saying you cannot hope to be saved if you commit the sin of covetousness because we all do

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It is very easy to think that a man's life does consist of an abundance of his possessions

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We think accumulate amass hoard all you can get this is the philosophy of the day bumper stickers proclaim this philosophy

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Unashamedly when it states he who dies with the most toys wins We would say that it's easy for even disciples

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True Christians to fall into this faulty way of thinking and that's why the Lord warned his disciples take heed and beware of covetousness

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We could have listed through this whole section of scripture The things to be afraid of the things not to be afraid of and this is on the list be afraid of covetousness

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Take heed and beware watch out be on your guard against all kinds of greed

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But if you're a covetous person, that is your whole life is characterized as being covetous

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You will find yourself to be unsaved on the Day of Judgment First Corinthians 6 do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

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Do not be deceived about this Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor homosexuals or sodomites nor thieves nor covetous

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Nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. No salvation now

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Christians commonly, of course cite this passage dealing today with the fornicators adulterers homosexuals and sodomites but right in the midst of that nor the covetous

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Ephesians 5 5 for this, you know, no fornicator unclean person nor covetous man

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Who is an idolater as any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God he does not have salvation

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Six we are to recognize this sin in ourselves and others and we are to respond biblically We read that a pastor disqualifies himself from service if he's covetous for he must not be greedy a filthy lucre

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But patient not a brawler not covetous first Timothy 3 All rich people whose lives are characterized by this sin or are susceptible to this sin are to be warned

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Paul Instructed Timothy in his pastoral ministry charged them that are rich and by the today's world standards that includes you and me by world standards

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Charge them that are rich in this present world that they not be high -minded nor have their hopes set on the uncertainty of riches

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But on God who gives us richly all things to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works that they be ready to distribute willing to communicate

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Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on the life

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Which is life indeed? Eternal life Church members that refuse to repent of this sin are to be disciplined by the church first Corinthians 5

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But now I've written unto you not to keep company if any man is called a brother who be a fornicator or covetous

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Years ago. I remember Barry Pierce going through the records of the church and he found in the minutes of the

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Deacons back in the 19th century The Deacons dispatched two guys could go down to the city of Boston to research one of the church members who was being accused of Dishonesty in his business dealings

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Incredible covetousness Now, please don't misunderstand the scriptures do not say that it's a sin to be rich Abraham was very rich in cattle and silver and gold

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Deuteronomy 818 you should remember the Lord your God for it's he who gives you the power to get wealth that he may establish his

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Covenant before he swore to your father's that is this day and we read in Ecclesiastes Behold what

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I have seen to be good and to be fitting is to eat and drink fine Enjoyment all the toil with which one toils under the

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Sun with a few days of this life Which God has given him for this is his lot Every man also to whom

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God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them and To accept his lot and find enjoyment in his toil.

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This is the gift of God. It's not sinful to be rich It's a sin to want to be rich So that it affects your values and attitudes and directs your plans and actions in a manner that violates the

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Word of God Which alone should direct the course of your life? Seventh we're to heed the dire warnings in Scripture and obey its instructions regarding this sin the

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Lord Jesus warned his hearers of the danger of apostasy that will result from Covetousness the parable of the soils in Matthew 13 speaks of four kinds of hearers of the

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Word of God the first hearer Refused to hear and rejected the word of the kingdom the word of salvation

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But the other three believed it says But only one of these three received salvation

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One of the two who fails to receive salvation though He believes the message is the one whom the

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Lord described in this way He received seed among the thorns as he who hears the word

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But the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becomes unfruitful covetousness

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Governed his life rather than the Word of God. He was a covetous man and Again, Jesus said here in our passage take heed and beware of covetousness

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For one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses And elsewhere our

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Lord told his disciples no man can serve two masters He'll either hate the one and love the other or else he'll be loyal to the one despise the other

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You cannot serve God and mammon. You cannot serve God and money You need to make a decision

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You cannot give your heart over to the love of money and think that you are a Christian It must be repented of this sin of covetousness

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Richard Baxter a 17th century Puritan wrote a book entitled a Christian directory. We referred to this not long ago

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He dealt in this volume with the nature of the Christian life and he did so in the typical Exhaustive manner of the

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Puritans he addressed virtually every situation that you could encounter in life If your wife refuses to submit to you husband, how are you to address this he would deal with that matter

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I'm sure it must be in the book somewhere and So he addressed he has a chapter entitled directions against covetousness love of riches and worldly cares

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And so in this section he treated issues like what love of riches is lawful

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We there is a lawful love of riches in other words What is biblically permitted respecting our relationship with riches for there are some things that are perfectly okay to desire

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He then covered what is unlawful those things forbidden in Scripture He defined what is covetousness and then he described the malignity of it the evil of this sin

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He described the false signs of one who is in reality not covetousness

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But accused of being covetous on the other hand He described counterfeit or false signs of one who is covetous who deceives many in other words

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He uncovers people who really are covetous who may not readily appear to be so and then lastly he covered

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Biblical ways in which this end can be conquered in the life of a Christian very thoroughly biblical

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But in the section entitled directions against covetousness Baxter has a portion under the heading the signs of covetousness are these and Then he lists 21 signs which reveal a person who is covetous who must repent of his sin or perish

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I'll not read. Well, I will read all of these Frank. I think we've got a little bit of time yet. All right 21 signs but we we do so of course to reveal to us are these issues to which we

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Probably tempted maybe to succumb and so here are Richard Baxter 21 signs of covetousness

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Now the ones I highlight are and just emboldened the number were probably ones that characterize this man

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Who asked Jesus to arbitrate? between himself and his brother Number one not preferring

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God and our everlasting happiness before the prosperity and pleasure of the flesh But valuing and loving fleshly prosperity above its worth

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That characterizes this man I suspect to esteeming and loving the creatures of God as provision for the flesh and not to further us in our service to God Everything ought to be seen as a means to serve

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God Third desiring more than is needful or useful to further us in our duty

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For an inordinate eagerness in our desires after earthly things

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Fifth distrustfulness and carking cares and grievances for time to come

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Six discontent and trouble and repining at a poor condition when we have no more than our daily bread

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Seven when the world takes up our thoughts in ordinantly when our thoughts will more easily run out upon the world and upon better things

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When our thoughts of worldly plenty are more pleasant and sweet to us than our thoughts of Christ and grace and heaven

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And our thoughts of need and poverty are more bitter and grievous to us than our thoughts of sin and God's displeasure

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You know, are we mourning over the effects of sin rather than sin itself? Eight when our speech is freer and sweeter about prosperity in the world and about the concernments of God and our souls nine when the world bears sway in our families and converse or Conversation and shuts out all serious endeavors in the service of God and for our own and other souls

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Or at least doth cut short religious duties and it preferred before them and thrusted them into a corner and make us a slightly huddle them over and Ten when we are dejected over much and impatient under our losses and crosses and worldly injuries from men

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Eleven when worldly matters seem sufficient to engage us in contentions and to make us break peace and we will by lawsuits seek our right when greater hurt is more likely to follow to our brother's soul or greater wrong to the cause of religion or the honor of God than our right is worth and Twelve when in our trouble and distress we fetch our our

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Comfort more than the thoughts of our provisions in the world or our hopes of supply

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Than from our trust in God and our hopes of heaven Thirteen when we're more thankful to God or man for our riches or any gift for the provision of the flesh than for hopes or helps in order to salvation for a powerful ministry good books or a seasonable instruction for the soul and Fourteen when we're quiet and pleased if we do if we but do prosper and have plenty in the world

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Though the soul be miserable unsanctified and unpardoned Fifteen when we're made careful to provide a worldly than a heavenly portion for children and friends and rejoice more in their bodily than their

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Spiritual prosperity and are troubled more for their poverty than their ungodliness or sin

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Sixteen when we see our brother have need and shut up the bowels of our compassion Or can part with no more than superfluities of his relief for his relief when we cannot spare that which makes for our better being

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When it is necessary to preserve his being itself or when we give unwillingly or sparingly

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Seventeen when we will venture upon sinful means for gain as lying Overreaching deceiving flattering or going against our consciences or the commands of God?

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eighteen when we are too much expecting liberality from others and think all we buy of Should sell cheaper to us than we can afford and consider not their loss or need so that we have the gain

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Nor are contented if they be never so bountiful to others if they not be so to us

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Nineteen when we make so much ado in the world for riches taking too much upon us or striving for preferment flattering great ones and being any that are preferred before us or get that which get that which we expected and Twenty when we hold our money faster thus our innocency and cannot part with it for the sake of Christ When he requires it

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But will stretch our consciences and sin against him or forsake his cause to save our estates or a property or well wealth or will not part with it for the services of his church or of our country when we are called upon it and lastly when the riches which we have are used but for the pampering of our flesh and superfluous provision for our

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Prosperity and nothing but Unconcerned inconsiderable crumbs our dribblets are employed for God and his servants nor used to further us in his service

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Towards the laying up of a treasure in heaven. These are the signs of a worldly covetous wretch

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Incredible he had a way of going to the heart of matters and all the nuances Well after our

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Lord Warned his disciples against the sin of covetousness. He gave a parable to illustrate the folly of living with the covetous heart and So he speaks of a rich man who thought only of himself and his goods of this life who gave no concern for his responsibility and accountability before God And so the parable of the covetous fool

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Then he spoke a parable to them saying the ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully

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And he thought within himself saying what shall I do? Since I have no room to store my crop

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So he said I will do this I'll pull down my barns and build greater and there I'll store all my crops and my goods and I'll say to my soul

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Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease eat drink and be merry But God said to him fool this night.

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Your soul will be required of you Then whose will those things be which you have provided? Here we read the end of a covetous man

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He thought himself safe and secure but failed to live with his responsibility and accountability before God at the final judgment

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This was a rich man who took pride in his possessions He thought himself safe and secure

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But failed to live with his responsibility and accountability before God Notice Jesus said the ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully

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But he thought within himself. What shall I do since I have no room to store my crops

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He didn't give credit to God for the for the crops growing up out of the ground the ground

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Yielded the fruit he took credit for himself This was the center in some of his life

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And the Lord was surely portraying him as a worldly covetous greedy man, and there are many in our fallen world like this rich man

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However, and let's underscore this one need not be successful to be greedy Greed is not determined by the amount in one's bank account or the number possessions rather it's measured by priority in the heart that's given to these things a poor man might be a very covetous man a

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Wealthy man may not be much covetous at all This man however was both a wealthy man and a covetous man.

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I Read an interview yesterday of a man who came over the southern border illegally and He flat -out said

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I'm not coming for freedom. I'm coming for the money He was a covetous man And although we can certainly appreciate and understand people escaping poverty and difficulty in wanting a better life for themselves and their family

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We're sympathetic with that motivation Much of it. I suspect is just driven by covetousness because of the free things that are so widely known to be bestowed upon them and So the ground but he took credit my crops

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The scriptures record the earth is the Lord's in the fullness thereof But he did not see what he had was given to him by the

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Lord and that his riches were a stewardship before God But rather he viewed these riches to be the products of his own doing

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He did not see himself as responsible to anyone else, but himself He saw himself as a self -made man rather than a man blessed by the mercy and grace of God And so we see this man trusted in his possessions,

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I'll do this I'll pull down my barns build greater in there I'll store all my crops and my goods and I will say to my soul soul

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You have many goods laid up for many years. Take your easy drink and be merry. He set goals for himself

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He reached them. He established further goals for himself assuming he would reach them Also, he planned and worked for his retirement and finally he had arrived

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Concerned only for himself. He had become rich for himself, but not rich toward God. He was self -sufficient

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He was self -indulgent. He was self -centered and we read of God's verdict of this man.

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He was a fool He had no eye on eternity He was a fool

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Fool this night your soul will be required of you then whose will those things be? Which you by which you have which you have provided and So though this man was successful wealthy stable secure

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He only lived for himself in his own not living for God or before God living for others. He's a fool.

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He ends with nothing He has no respect for eternity his life in this world is all there is and This is where his folly becomes most clearly manifest he assumes and lives as though there were no

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God no eternity No, heaven, no hell, no judgment. No accountability

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We should fear covetousness It's a matter that can take possession of our heart and as a result lead to a misdirection of our lives

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It's one of the major categories of sins found in Scripture some described as root sin

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And these root sins lead to other sins. There are actually three root sins. There is immorality

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Sexual immorality, which is a sin with respect to one's own body. Although it involves others many others it's a sin of the flesh and Then there is bitterness which is sin with respect to others.

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It's a sin of one's spirit and Then thirdly there is greed or covetousness which is a sin with respect to things

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It's a sin of the soul dealing with matters of one's affections and loyalties three root sins and This is why our

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Lord's out on another occasion. You cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve God and money You'll learn to love one hate the other

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Both covetousness and Christ cannot dominate the same heart one will give way to the other and that's why

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Paul told Timothy Now godliness when contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into this world

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It's certain we can carry nothing out having food and clothing with these we shall be content but those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare you don't see a snare until you're caught in it and Into many foolish and harmful loss which drowned men in destruction and perdition damnation for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil for which

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Some have strayed from the faith in their greediness see they were professing Christians, but they apostatized

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Pierce themselves through with many sorrows But you Timothy O man of God flee these things pursue righteousness godliness faith love patient gentleness

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Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty nor to trust in uncertain riches

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But in the Living God who gives richly all things to enjoy Let them do good

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That they may be rich in good works ready to give willing to share storing up for themselves a good foundation

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For the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life. It's all gonna unfold on the

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Day of Judgment and Lastly our Lord just concludes this statement By saying so is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God Jesus summarizes life is that of a fool a man who forfeited his soul and will be consigned to everlasting banishment and punishment by the

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Lord on the Day of Judgment And so what is the sum of the matter? The emphasis of this passage is we are to think and order our lives with regard to the

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Day of Judgment and our destiny in Eternity we were to love the Lord our God supremely his person his concerns his son his kingdom should be our greatest goals and desires in life and So God should be loved with all our heart my soul and strength all other

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Relationships all duties all concerns should be subordinated to this cause and when this is done

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He will see the rest of all matters, which we will consider next Lord's Day. He'll take care of his disciples

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He'll provide for them protect them and preserve them. We were to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness

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He'll take care of everything else Thank the Lord If you're here, and you're not a

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Christian Beware of this sin that's damning your soul and Again, it's a sin that every one of us deals with in different degrees different ways

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Sometimes more than other times and other times, but if you're not a Christian I hope you're scared to death and that you flee to Jesus Christ.

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He's the Savior of sinners He's the Savior great sinners and thankfully he saves covetous people also

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Who acknowledge their sin and humble themselves before him and come and seek the forgiveness that only he will give through faith in Jesus Christ Amen Let's pray

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Thank you our God for your word Help us to take these matters to heart our

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Lord help us to heed the words of Jesus It was so clear and direct Help us our

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God heed the warning that set set forth by this man who seemed to be unconcerned

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About the eternal matters that Jesus was speaking about and was only concerned about finite worldly issues

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Help us to set our priorities rightly our God in our hearts and lives Help us subordinate all aspects of life to the desire to further the kingdom of Jesus Christ Through our testimony through our witness through the manner that we live for we pray these things our