seven deadly sins sermon two greed and generosity

1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19
Greed = an overwhelming desire to have more of something than is actually needed. (Fax)
Greed is the problem everyone else we know struggles with.
1 Tim 6:9-10, Greed causes our life boat to sink.
Why?
Greed is our statement to God that He is not enough and has not blessed us enough. We’re saying God You don’t know what we need, when we need it or how we will need it. In other words God I believe you are either, incapable or unwilling to care for me.
Greed is a blatant affront to God.
Scripture says we can fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge us into ruin and destruction. The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil
And some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Greed attacks faith, it makes God into something He is not.
But does greed have to be solely for money?
Obviously we all know someone and have experienced greed in our own lives for money and stuff.
It is what has caused the gambling industry to flourish. (Pastor visiting the Elko church)
Kid was hooked, $1 can turn into $500 instantly.
Can you be greedy with your time? Relationships? Power/Influence?
What would it look like?
Greedy with our time = no time for service, no time to help. (Other people’s needs are intrusions into our lives.)
Greedy with relationship: we have seen it the person who can’t let the other out of their sight. They have to be together all the time. If the other person has a chance to do something without the other it crushes them. The friend can’t be all God’s called them to be because they have to spend all of their time with the greedy one.
Greed of Power/Influence = use of power/influence for our own good. Work the crowd and others so we can get our way! (Emotional Terrorist is the one who goes around and builds a case against you with others behind your back using influence for their benefit and when they are confronted they use their new gained influence through the lies, innuendos, divisive speech and the like in an attempt to beat you down.)
Greed itself is not the motivator.
Fear is the motivator of Greed: Fear says if you acquire enough then you will be safe from want. There is no amount that is enough. Fear says you have to get all you can because you can’t trust God.
Fear says you don’t give up your time because once you give some you’ll be asked for more people are never satisfied especially pastors.
Fear says you can’t let the other person become all God wants or do what they need they may outgrow you or find someone or something else that’s better.
Fear says you have to maintain your power/influence you could become helpless and lose control of the situation. If you don’t hold all the cards then something you don’t want to happen could!
Result of greed is this:
Slavery!
Anything we allow greed to drive us towards owns us. Interesting how the owner changes. You’re owned by what you desire. What you most want controls you. ($, Time, Relationships, Power) You will do whatever it takes to get and keep these. They own you.
Makes you wonder if you ever really are the owner. Maybe we are the managers and the owner is God or stuff? (Matthew 6:24 2 masters)
What do you do? How do you deal with it?
1st Confess the problem!
2nd Repent of greed and replace it with trust in God.
Repenting means you change directions. It requires real actions.
What is the real action that changes the direction of Greed?
Generosity is the real statement of trust in God. Generosity says God You’ve provided all of it I am your manager use it how You want.
Greed holds everything this way.
Generosity holds everything this way.
Generosity with $ (Some teenage girls who loved God started a do without club in order to raise money for missions. They would go without something they enjoyed to fund missions. All were from rich families and found ways to contribute easily. One poor little girl Margie found it difficult. One day she knelt by her bed and asked the Lord to show here something she could do without. As she prayed, her pet spaniel licked her face. She remembered that the neighbor had offered to buy him. The tears came as she exclaimed, “Oh bright, I can’t think of parting with you!” then she thought of the words, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son.” I’ll do it she said. Going next door she sold the dog for $50. Even though she missed her pet she was still happy because she had been able to put all the money into the mission fund. The neighbor was pleased with the dog, but he wondered if a pressing need had caused the girl to part with him, so he went over. When he heard her story, he went home deep in thought. In his life of abundance he had never denied himself anything. The next morning Margie found the dog scratching at the door. This note was fastened to his collar: Your practical Christianity has done more for me than any sermon I’ve ever heard. Last night I offered what’s left of my wasted life to God. I’d like to join your club, and begin by doing without Bright.)
Generosity with Time (Miguel DelGado / She didn’t give up)
Generosity with Relationships: (Places and keeps Jesus in the center of the relationship. He is the focus of the relationship and His desire for the other person is now our desire for them as well.)
Generosity with Power/Influence: We are generous with our power and influence when we stop trying to control everything and everyone. We’re generous as we grant power to others and are submissive, and avoid jobs that are a temptation to power grab and as we share credit with others and claim our fair share of responsibility for failures.
Conclusion:
A.W. Tozer said: As base a thing as money often is, it yet can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. It can be converted into food for the hungry and clothing for the poor; it can keep a missionary actively winning lost men to the light of the gospel and thus transmute itself into heavenly values. Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality!
Let’s make this all practical now. Ushers are going to come forward. Been struggling with greed? Time to break it’s hold on your life by confession and the resulting action of generosity. (Alabaster offering as well.)
Generosity with time, relationships and influence (1 of a 1000). Service opportunities.