Class Lesson February 17, 2019

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

Let’s admit it, we enjoy the American lifestyle. We live well, relatively speaking. Even the bottom ten percent of Americans fare far better than they would in other countries—even better than the top ten percent in some nations!1

When the economy is good and we’ve got money, it feels only natural to spend it. Just when we want to cut back or save, the advertisers seem to clobber us with extra hype to convince us we need whatever they’re selling. And when “everybody else has it,” it becomes even easier to make that next purchase. Consider …We buy food—certainly a necessity—then let nearly forty percent of it go to waste; Americans spend more on fashion accessories than college tuition; Our children own nearly half the world’s toys; Homes in the United States have more TVs than people; The average American household has $7,500 in consumer debt.2

The things we consume appear to be consuming us! God certainly wants us to enjoy life, but He has a far better and more satisfying way. God’s approach has nothing to do with possessions, but it has everything to do with our love for Him. 

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

1 John 2:12-14

12 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 14 I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

John wrote to three groups of people: little children, fathers, and young men. Some people take this at face value related to physical age. Others believe this referred to younger Christians and more mature Christians. And still others think John was addressing the church as a whole, since the statements he makes could be applied to any believer. However you choose to group these, John clearly had something to say for all those who follow Christ.

• Children. “Your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. … you know the Father.” That is the starting place, the beginning of salvation. Salvation begins when we turn from our sin and self and acknowledge Jesus as Lord. As a result, we know God. Throughout this short letter, John wanted his readers to realize that they could know with assurance they belong to God. This assurance is the theme of 1 John.

• Young Men. “You are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” Because Jesus has won the victory, they could live daily, knowing they too had victory. They could stand against the evil one in spiritual battle because they were strong through God’s Word.

• Fathers. “You know him who is from the beginning.” It is the same for the spiritually mature as it is for the young believer: faith begins and ends with knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We might feel we are children in the faith. Or we may be spiritually mature, helping to nurture others in their faith. Regardless of where you are in your walk with God, you still have more progress to make.

What does this have to do with the problem of consumerism? In the next verses, John addressed the problem of loving things. In fact, we’ll see that loving the things the world chases is incompatible with loving God. So, in verses 12-14, John set the stage by reminding the believers—both young and old—who they were in Christ. Christ followers are those who, first and foremost, know God and love Him. 

1 John 2:15-17

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

One of the most well known verses in the Bible is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world …” (KJV). Yet, here John told us “do not love the world” (emphasis added). The difference is in how John used the word world. Context clarifies whether he was referring to humanity, the physical earth, or an evil system under the control of Satan. So, while we are to love the people of this world even as Jesus does (see 13:34), we are not to love the evil and sinful things that surround us. In fact, John made a strikingly strong statement: we can’t love the world and God at the same time.

John identified three ways the world entices us to seek contentment and fulfillment apart from the Father.

1. The lust of the flesh. This phrase may cause us to think first of misusing sex, but this lust is much broader than just sexual sin. It captures the idea of fulfilling any of our natural desires in the wrong way.

2. The lust of the eyes. The lust of the flesh has to do with our physical appetites, but the lust of the eyes is about our mental appetites. We might think of books, movies, or any form of amusement that excites our eyes or minds.

3. The pride of life. We can lump anything that causes us to focus attention on ourselves rather than Christ into this category. It’s about making ourselves number one with our things instead of God.

This is nothing new! Even the first sin committed included these worldly attitudes. “The woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food [the lust of the flesh] and pleasing to the eye [lust of the eyes], and also desirable for gaining wisdom [the pride of one’s possession], she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Gen. 3:6, emphasis added).

These attitudes are all prevalent today. Our craving for stuff reflects the eagerness to gratify our desires. This is futile because these things that consume us will ultimately disappear—“the world and its desires pass away.” Then what are we left with?

THE POINT: Possessions never satisfy nor last, but the love of God does.

1 John 3:16-18

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

What does love look like? We have no greater example than Jesus Christ. He gave up the glories of His throne in heaven to live among us. And He “laid down his life for us.” We are also called to “lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” We do not give up our lives for the same reason Jesus did; we cannot step in and take the sins of others as a sacrifice of atonement. We have other ways, though, we can sacrifice for others.

Instead of being consumed with materialism, we could sacrifice our possessions for the sake of others. We may not have to sacrifice our physical lives, but we can certainly give up material possessions. We need to consider how much we spend on ourselves compared with how much we give toward the needs of others and to the cause of Christ. We need to limit our consumption and increase our compassion.

Love is not a matter of words. “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” It’s easy to talk about our commitment to Christ and our willingness to sacrifice for Him, but John stressed that it is our actions that truly communicate love.

We don’t know much more than his name, but Paul made one revealing comment about a man named Demas: “Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me” (2 Tim. 4:10). If we let materialism and our possessions take over, we fall into the same danger Demas did. We can forsake our jobs, families, church, and even God if we don’t guard against a love of the world.

We experience greater joy when we love God completely. When His love consumes us, we become a conduit to pass on His love. Then our possessions become another way for us to show Christ’s love.

THE POINT: Possessions never satisfy nor last, but the love of God does.

LIVE IT OUT

Materialism is all around us. Consider where your heart is focused and choose one of the following applications:

• Pray. Ask the Lord to help you love Him more than anything. Pray that others would see your love and heart for Christ through your actions.

• Evaluate. Chart the many ways you use your money. List the possessions you own and their relative value. Consider what your possessions and finances reveal about your priorities and goals in life. Is it evident that you love the Lord by what you do with what you have?

• Give. Think about tangible ways you can help someone in need. Find ways to use your possessions for the benefit of others. Give things away as you seek to express the love of Christ to others.

Our society thrives on the latest and greatest. Nothing is inherently wrong with having things, but they can hold us back from loving the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength if we’re not careful. 

Hope to see you this Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher's Notes:

7 Deadly Sins

People have always been immoral, shiftless, and self-gratifying. For ages, humankind struggled to find a conceptual system to operationalize their spiritual shortcomings.

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.

Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.

Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

What are the seven detestable sins according to the Bible?

“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”  - Proverbs 6:16-19

Tim Keller: We Can't See Our Own Greed

Some years ago, I was doing a seven-part series of talks on the Seven Deadly Sins at a men's breakfast. My wife, Kathy, told me, "I'll bet that the week you deal with greed will be the lowest attendance." She was right. People packed it out for "Lust" and "Wrath" and even for "Pride." But nobody thinks they are greedy.

As a pastor I've had people come to me and confess that they struggle with almost every kind of sin. Almost. I cannot recall anyone ever coming to me and saying, "I spend too much money on myself. I think my greedy lust for money is harming my family, my soul, and people around me." Greed hides itself from the victim. The human heart always wants to justify itself and this is one of the easiest ways. You say, “I don’t live as well as him or her or them. My means are modest compared to theirs.” You can reason and think like that no matter how lavishly you are living. As a result, most Americans think of themselves as middle class, and only 2 percent call themselves “upper class.” But the rest of the world is not fooled. When people visit here from other parts of the globe, they are staggered to see the level of materialistic comfort that the majority of Americans have come to view as a necessity.

Jesus warns people far more often about greed than about sex, yet almost no one thinks they are guilty of it. Therefore, we should all begin with a working hypothesis that “this could easily be a problem for me.” If greed hides itself so deeply, no one should be confident that it is not a problem for them.”

In other words, nobody thinks they’re greedy. But almost everyone struggles with greed. Whether poor or rich or anything in between, we feel that, that insatiable craving for more.

The Deadliness of Greed

As amazing as it may seem, the Bible talks more about money and the dangers of greed than any other sin! 

The hypocritical Pharisees were called ‘lovers of money’ (Luke 16:14).  John the Baptist warned people against discontent with their income (Luke 3:13). Jesus warned people to ‘watch out’ and be on guard against ‘greed’ (Luke 12:15a), and against worrying about money (Luke 12:22), and against frantic pursuits (Luke 12:30), and against finding your worth and identity from your economic status (Luke 12:15b). Jesus even said that if money, comfort, and reputation are too important to you, you will not enter the kingdom of God (Luke 6:24-26). That’s how dangerous greed is.

The question is, Why? What’s so wrong with greed? The problem with greed, and its cousin selfishness, is that it turns the gifts of God into a cesspool instead of a conduit for grace. That is what earthly ‘things’ are for, after all. They are gifts from God (Jas. 1:17) to be enjoyed (1 Tim. 6:17) and extended to others (1 Tim. 6:18).

Greed is deadly because it trains our hearts to put its hopes for joy and comfort in temporary things instead of in Jesus. Instead of receiving physical things as gifts from God to be enjoyed and extended (through sharing) with others, we worship these things by living for them. We work extra hours, we sacrifice needlessly, or perhaps we are even driven to theft. We do these things because we believe that what we’re greedily craving will bring us lasting comfort and joy.

But physical things will always fail us at this point. They were never meant to fill the void that only God can fill. The Creator is still better than His creation, and when we worship the gifts more than the Giver, we will always feel empty inside. That’s the trap of greed. We keep craving more without ever getting enough. Greed is like a giant tapeworm of the soul.

God’s Solution for Greed

God saves us from greed in two ways.  First, He opens our eyes to the problem gnawing at us.  Second, He works in us to loosen the grip that greed has on our hearts as we loosen our hold on the things of the world.

First, we have to recognize the greed that lurks in our hearts, and this is where we find ourselves:

(1) The Bible continually warns us about the danger of greed.

(2) Yet virtually no one thinks they are guilty of greed.

(3) Therefore, a great number of us are blinded by the greed in our lives.

The only responsible thing to do is go on the working hypothesis that we are already infected by greed and must be on guard against it. If the love of money and material possessions is this subtle and dangerous, then greed is a lot like alcoholism: the first step to recovery is admitting we have a problem. That’s why Tim Keller writes, “Maybe the best sign of greed is that you aren’t willing to even admit the possibility that you are enslaved to it.”

The reason why it is so difficult to admit we are enslaved to greed is because the vice enjoys a relative definition that all but defies conviction. In other words, our definition of greed constantly changes with the desires of our hearts. When our desire for more money/possessions (etc.) is enlarged, the standard of greed is enlarged as well.

In other words, our hearts define greed as more than what I have (now) or more than what I need (for all of my wants). Thus greed is either abstractly defined as “too much money” (which always excludes you) or greed is relatively defined as “more than you need” (which overlooks the nature of the “needs” themselves).The result of this is twofold: first, it blinds us to the greed and materialism already present in our lives; second, it allows for the (supposed) justification of a greedy lifestyle without directly knowing that one is living in such a way. That is why the first step to being freed from the power of greed is to admit that yes, even if you have never thought so before, you almost certainly have a greed problem.

The second step in God’s solution is to trust Him when He says that He is better and more satisfying and more rewarding and worthier of living for than whatever physical things we are craving. As we said with lust before greed: The Giver is always better than His gifts!

In other words, if you have tasted the grace of God, why do you persist in building your life on the abundance of possessions, comfort, and security? 

Instead, grace leads us to gratitude and to generosity, which is the true sign that greed is losing its grip on our hearts. That is why the virtue that opposes greed is not contentment, but charity—the kind of love that gives. As we learn to recognize our incessant craving for what it is (the deadly sin of greed), God reminds us of His all-satisfying goodness. This leads us beyond contentment to generosity, moving us to enjoy what God has given and to share it with others, both of which begin to put greed to death.

Notes from Tim Keller's "The Gospel and Your Wealth"

When first got to NYC everyone wanted to hear sermons on sex. No one ever asked for sermons on money. 10 to 20 times more in the Bible about money than sex.

Initial outline

1. Why money exercises power over us

2. How money exercises power over us

3. How we can break that power

1. Why money exercises power over us

Vs. 8 and 9 has a question: “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me!” The word translated “rob” here is rare (one other place) it means to oppress, pillage or plunder. A wealthy, powerful country advantaging itself over a weaker party. It seems incongruous that God would use this word.

God says “your lack of generosity with your money…” He’s talking about stinginess which is cosmic and evil and we’re oblivious to it. 1 Chronicles 28, 29. Everything comes from you. We only give you what already own. Everything we have is a gift from God. Even what we use to make money has also been received from God. God doesn’t give up ownership of it when he gives it to you. You relate to your money the way a money manager relates to his clients. You are a broker, a steward. If you are a money manager and you see your funds grow you get excited but you are not confused about whose money it is, and if you are, you’ll be liable, it’s called “fraud”

We know what God’s money values are. God created the world to be an inter-related, inter-dependent place of shalom. He wants you to plow your wealth into human community. We are blind to this. Money blinds us to the power it has. Money is different from other things. Materialism and greed are a sin of the eye. It blinds you to its presence. Materialism and greed are an excess concern for, worry about, love of, need for money and possession. This one is very difficult to see in yourself. 

People never come to confess their sins of greed. Doing a series of seven deadly sins nobody comes to “greed”. Not because they don’t think it’s a problem, but because they don’t see it as THEIR problem. If God sees it as rampant, and everyone doing it is unaware of their participation in it, then it’s a marauding evil. If you to take the Bible seriously, you should make it your working hypothesis that it is also true of you. Don’t trust yourself with it.

The Bible gives you one guideline to test yourself, the tithe. Is it in the New Testament? Luke 11:42. “You should have practiced the latter, without leaving the former undone.” Jesus condemns them for refusing to go beyond the tithe. In the rest of the NT tithing is never mentioned. We shouldn’t see it as a legalist limit to our giving but a baseline, a guideline, a rule of thumb.

2. How money exercises power over us

Bring the whole tithe into the temple. How does that translate for us? “Temple”. A lot of ministers just swap “temple” for your local church. Tim Keller doesn’t subscribe to this. The temple was not the local church. The temple was the institutional seat for the service of God for the entire society. There is no one church, organization or charity in your life parallel to that.

The problem is not that they don’t give to their local church, it’s that they don’t give in Biblical proportions.

A woman asked why she should give to the vision campaign rather than to AIDS in Africa. Keller said he wouldn’t tell her to do this. He can’t decide for her which is more important. She has to weigh that herself what she wants to do.

The storehouse in the temple: the treasury of the temple, Every temple had a treasury and out of the treasury was supported the worship and salvation system of that particular deity.

“put your treasure in my temple, my treasury, into the worship of my salvation, into me.” If you’re not doing that the implication is that your tithe is in some other temple and some other treasury.

Your treasury is where you find it easiest to place (spend or save) your money. It’s effortless to put your money towards that which is your real god no matter what you say you believe.

If you find it very easy to spend money on clothes, your wardrobe might be your real treasury. You’re looking to your personal appearance to get that sense of desirability and acceptability rather than looking to the love of God.

If you find it difficult to give your money away but easy to put it into a new house, that’s your real temple. You look to that to make you feel important.

Others of us look at others spending money in these ways and we sneer. We save everything and live very frugally amassing our wealth. Then our bank is our treasury and our security. Your looking to your money to give you control in a very chaotic world.

Money will always show you what you do worship.

· For some money serves a security idol

· For others money serves an approval idol

· for some money serves a control idol

Money can’t give you what your heart is hoping it will

Dr. Leech. Two women in college decide to be missionaries and the parents are upset. One of the parents calls Dr. Leech. “We wanted our daughter to get a master’s degree to get something in the bank to get some security!” He responded “We’re all on a little ball of rock called earth and we’re spinning along through space at zillions of miles an hour. Even if we don’t run into anything eventually, we’re all going to die, every single one of us. A trap door’s going to open up beneath us and we’ll fall either into the everlasting arms of God or absolutely nothing. And maybe we can get a master’s degree to get some security.”

The biggest savings account in the world cannot stop __________.

3. How can we break that power

On Palm Sunday the first thing Jesus does when he goes to the temple is throwing things around, tearing it down symbolically. Jesus says “kill me, and in three days, not only this temple, but all other temples of the world will be out of business.” Every other religious leader brought temples because they all know there is an infinite chasm between deity and humanity that has to be bridged. Every single religious founder brings codes of conduct and says if you do all these things you can bridge that gap.

Jesus says, “No. I lived the life you should have lived and died the death you should have died. My destroyed and resurrected body is the bridge over the infinite chasm between deity and humanity because I fell into that chasm. I paid the penalty. I’m the ultimate priest that ends all priests I’m the ultimate sacrifice that ends all sacrifices. I’ve come to replace the temple I’ve come to tear it to pieces.”

What does that have to do with your money? Jesus said “where your treasure is there is your heart.” You have set your heart on something and you’ve said “if I have that I have significance and security.” It could be your children, status, career, a certain amount of money in the bank, physical beauty, etc. You will do anything for it. You will die for it. You will pay any cost for it. Anything to maintain it, sustain it, reclaim it. Jesus Christ came and died for you. Why would he go to hell for you? Because you and I are his heart’s treasure. Every other treasure in the world will insist that you die for it but Jesus died to purchase you.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 8.

He puts no pressure on your will or on your emotions

If you do not have the freedom to give your money away its because something besides Jesus Christ is your functional Lord and Savior. Think about the radical generosity of Jesus Christ and you’ll get freedom. When you see Him dying because you were the treasure of His heart then He’ll be the treasure of yours.

Don’t sit down with a calculator to give your money away sit down with a cross.

The Bible Meets Life

Let’s admit it, we enjoy the American lifestyle. We live well, relatively speaking. Even the bottom ten percent of Americans fare far better than they would in other countries—even better than the top ten percent in some nations! 6 When the economy is good and we’ve got money, it feels only natural to spend it. Just when we want to cut back or save, the advertisers seem to clobber us with extra hype to convince us we need whatever they’re selling. And when “everybody else has it,” it becomes even easier to make that next purchase. Consider … We buy food—certainly a necessity—then let nearly forty percent of it go to waste; Americans spend more on fashion accessories than college tuition; Our children own nearly half the world’s toys; Homes in the United States have more TVs than people; The average American household has $7,500 in consumer debt.7 The things we consume appear to be consuming us! God certainly wants us to enjoy life, but He has a far better and more satisfying way. God’s approach has nothing to do with possessions, but it has everything to do with our love for Him.

The Setting

Toward the latter part of the first century, the apostle John wrote the Letter of 1 John to an unidentified group of believers who most likely lived in Asia Minor. Many Bible commentators believe

John spent the latter part of his life in Ephesus, from where he ministered to churches in Asia Minor. John wrote this letter to combat a group of teachers who were troubling these Christians with false teachings concerning the Person and work of Christ.

1 John 2:15-17; 3:17

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

..........................

3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 

1 John 2:15-17

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Understand the values, perspectives, and concerns of the world system John is referring to.

1 John 2:15-17 Commentary

[Verse 15] After writing words of commendation and assurance, John turned to words of instruction and challenge: Do not love the world or anything in the world. After having written about how the believers had overcome the evil one, the “prince of this world” (John 16:11), John was concerned about how the devil would use the world to draw believers away from God. The world refers to the values, perspectives, and concerns of the world system opposed to God that is “under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).

John warned, If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. These two types of love are mutually exclusive. Just as we cannot serve both God and money (see Matt. 6:24), we cannot love both the Father and the world. (See Jas. 4:4.) [Verse 16] To clarify some of the worldly loves, John listed three broad categories that can trap believers and pull them away from their devotion to God. Again, the world John identified here refers to everything associated with the world system ruled by Satan that stands in opposition to God and His will. John first mentioned the lust of the flesh. The Greek word for lust (epithymia) is neutral. Elsewhere it is translated “eagerly desired” (Luke 22:15) or “desire” (Phil. 1:23) and in both cases refers to wanting something good. Most often, however, the word emphasizes a negative craving or passion. Likewise, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) is neutral. It can refer to the human body or to human nature. In this verse John may have had in mind a natural desire fulfilled in the wrong way, which leads us away from God. While God blessed us with eyes, they can lead us into thoughts and actions that go against God’s standards. The eyes have a direct pathway to a person’s mind (thoughts, emotions, and feelings). The lust of the eyes refers to those people or things which visually entice a person to act in the

hopes of gaining momentary pleasure. The third category John noted, the pride of life, is the tendency to boast about what we possess or what we have accomplished. This phrase could also include our aspirations (such as for power or status) that become idols and thus push God out of His rightful place at the center of our lives. (See Luke 12:16‑21.) Taken together, these three categories comprise a materialistic focus. They are not from the Father but rather come from the world. [Verse 17] The world (the world system opposed to God), along with its values and its desires, is temporal—it is passing away. It’s foolish to love those things and live for them because those who do so will end up with nothing. In contrast, whoever does the will of God lives forever. The emphasis here is on both ongoing action (continuing to do God’s will) and ongoing result (continuing to live or abide).

How do we navigate the tension between enjoying our possessions and being consumed by them?

What’s the relationship between the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions?

Highlight the main points from page 113 of the PSG. John identified three ways the world entices us to seek contentment and fulfillment apart from the Father.

1. The lust of the flesh. This phrase may cause us to think first of misusing sex, but this lust is much broader than just sexual sin.

2. The lust of the eyes. The lust of the flesh has to do with our physical appetites, but the lust of the eyes is about our mental appetites.

3. The pride of life. We can lump anything that causes us to focus attention on ourselves rather than Christ into this category.

How does a focus on the gospel change our perspective toward our possessions?

I. Loving the things of the world is the opposite of loving God.

· Believers do not crave the world or things of the world but in love give themselves completely over to God and the things of God.

· When we are driven by our natural appetites, seduced by what we see, and succumb to self-centered ambitions, we are treading the path toward destruction.

· The one who loves God and godly things pleasing to Him and will enjoy the eternal life only He can give.

1 John 3:17

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 

Understand the sacrifice the Lord is calling believers to make.

1 John 3:16-18 Commentary

[Verse 16] John’s writings emphasize not only how God loves us but also how we are to love God. One important way we demonstrate our love for Him is in our attitude toward our possessions. [Verse 17] It’s rare that a person has the opportunity to literally die for others. Self-sacrifice, however, can be demonstrated in other ways in our daily lives. John used a negative example in case anyone wondered what this kind of love might look like on a practical level. When we as believers know of a brother or sister in need and have the means to meet that need, we should do so. This is one way to practice the self-giving love Jesus expects of us. The Greek verb translated sees emphasizes a careful consideration of the situation that results in understanding. If we realize someone’s need and are able to meet it but refuse to help, it raises a legitimate question about whether we have truly experienced the love of God. The phrase has no pity pictures someone who closes his heart, that is, has no feelings of sympathy for another person’s legitimate needs. John’s words remind us that those who have truly experienced the self-giving love of God will in turn show self-giving love to others. 

Instead of being consumed with materialism, we could sacrifice our possessions for the sake of others. We may not have to sacrifice our physical lives, but we can certainly give up material possessions. We need to consider how much we spend on ourselves compared with how much we give toward the needs of others and to the cause of Christ. We need to limit our consumption and increase our compassion. 

How does a focus on the gospel change our perspective toward our possessions?

How is our attitude toward God reflected in our attitude toward our possessions?

II. Loving God is reflected in our attitude toward our possessions.

· God showed us His love by giving Jesus to die for our sins. Knowing His love ought to motivate us to love others with the same kind of sacrificial love.

· Love is to be spoken but for it to be seen as authentic, love is to be acted out. 

· The resources God has given us are not to be hoarded for ourselves but be invested in acts of compassion toward others.

We will verify what we believe by the way we act. If we believe in the love of God, we will live by the love for God and others is a central responsibility of Christian believers. When believers attempt to be in love with this world and the things of this world, their love for God will be squeezed out, for we cannot love God and the world simultaneously (Matt. 6:24). We lose our right to talk about love if we fail to act with love to those in need.

What are you doing to make sure your actions match your words of love?

How are you using resources available to you to express the love of God to persons in need?

Our society thrives on the latest and greatest. Nothing is inherently wrong with having things, but they can hold us back from loving the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength if we’re not careful. 

How should a Christian view materialism?

Materialism is defined as “the preoccupation with material things rather than intellectual or spiritual things.” If a Christian is preoccupied with material things, it is definitely wrong. That is not to say we cannot have material things, but the obsession with acquiring and caring for “stuff” is a dangerous thing for the Christian, for two reasons.

First, any preoccupation, obsession or fascination with anything other than God is sinful and is displeasing to God. We are to “love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5), which is, according to Jesus, the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38). Therefore, God is the only thing we can (and should) occupy ourselves with habitually. He alone is worthy of our complete attention, love and service. To offer these things to anything, or anyone, else is idolatry.

Second, when we concern ourselves with the material world, we are easily drawn in by the “deceitfulness of wealth” (Mark 4:19), thinking that we will be happy or fulfilled or content if only we had more of whatever it is we are chasing. This is a lie from the father of lies, Satan. He wants us to be chasing after something he knows will never satisfy us so we will be kept from pursuing that which is the only thing that can satisfy—God Himself. Luke 16:13 tells us we “cannot serve both God and money.” We must seek to be content with what we have, and materialism is the exact opposite of that contentment. It causes us to strive for more and more and more, all the while telling us that this will be the answer to all our needs and dreams. The Bible tells us that a person’s “life is not in the abundance of the things which he possesses” (Luke 12:15) and that we are to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

If materialism was ever to satisfy anyone, it would have been Solomon, the richest king the world has ever known. He had absolutely everything and had more of it than anyone, and yet he found it was all worthless and futile. It did not produce happiness or the satisfaction our souls long for. He declared, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). In the end, Solomon came to the conclusion that we are to “fear God, and keep His commandments. For this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

What does the Bible say about greed?

Greed is a strong and selfish desire to have more of something, most often money or power. There are many warnings in the Bible about giving in to greed and longing for riches. Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal… You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:19, 24b). Did Jesus pursue the acquisition of money? No. On the contrary, He became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9) and had “no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Neither did Jesus pursue power. Rather, He instructed, "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:43–45).

Greed and a desire for riches are traps that bring ruin and destruction. “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” and Christians are warned, “Do not put your trust in wealth” (see 1 Timothy 6:9-10, 17-18). Covetousness, or having an excessive or greedy desire for more, is idolatry. Ephesians 5:5 says, “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” The principle to remember is contained in Hebrews 13:5: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”

It is the love of money, and not money itself, that is the problem. The love of money is a sin because it gets in the way of worshipping God. Jesus said it was very hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God. When the rich young ruler asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life, Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth” (see Matthew 19:16-22). By instructing him to give up his money, Jesus pointed out the young man’s main problem: greed or a love of money. The man could not follow Christ because he was following money. His love of this world interfered with his love for God.

Greed refuses to be satisfied. More often than not, the more we get, the more we want. Material possessions will not protect us—in this life or eternally. Jesus’ parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13–21 illustrates this point well. Again, money or wealth is not a problem. The problem is our attitude toward it. When we place our confidence in wealth or are consumed by an insatiable desire for more, we are failing to give God the glory and worship He deserves. We are to serve God, not waste our time trying to become rich (Proverbs 23:4). Our heart’s desire should be to store up riches in heaven and not worry about what we will eat or drink or wear. “But seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (see Matthew 6:25-34).