Avarice
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INTRO
INTRO
Video of Scrooge
INTRO: In the English language the word avarice reveals a sin that is closely related to greed, stinginess, miserliness and covetousness.
26 All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 2112 Greed Unending
An eccentric adventurer named Harry Lasseter walked into Sydney, Australia, in 1931, cornered three promoters and told them a fantastic tale that so fired their imaginations that it never occurred to them that the man might be unbalanced, dreaming or just lying to get a job. He stated that, as a lone prospector in the barren back country 30 years before, he had discovered a chain of rocks that he was certain contained at least $5,000,000,000 worth of gold.
Believing him, the promoters organized an expedition and, led by Lasseter, set out to claim the fabulous reef. As he failed to find it after a search of many months, the leaders ordered their party to return home, having realized that the reef existed only in the man’s imagination. Although Lasseter partly admitted it, he went on alone—and died of thirst. To stop others from making the same mistake, the hoax was given considerable publicity. Yet, within the next few years, ten other expeditions not only went out to find this particular reef but got lost and their rescues cost the Australian government approximately $2,000,000.
Big Idea of the Message: Greed inevitably hurts us and those around us. God desires that we be content with his gifts to us.
Application Point: Christians must cultivate generous hearts so they don’t hoard God’s gifts and exploit other people.
MESSAGE
MESSAGE
WHAT IS AVARICE?
WHAT IS AVARICE?
It is a sin of idolatry.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Earthly
fleshly
Idolatry
putting the creature before the creator
It is a sin against God.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
ALL sin against God
a sin against humanity
It is a sin that causes trouble.
27 Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.
Unjust Gain
gained unjustly
WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF AVARICE?
WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF AVARICE?
It reaches from the least to the greatest.
13 “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.
Prophet / Priest
all are tempted in this sin
Adam / Eve
It reaches to a king … King Saul.
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
Rulers and leaders
David / Bathsheba
It reaches for more than just money.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.
We can be stingy with our time
we can be stingy with our love / our forgiveness / our compassion / our talent / our patience / with the very gospel of christ !!
WHERE DOES AVARICE COME FROM?
WHERE DOES AVARICE COME FROM?
It comes from self-love.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
Selfish Gain
lovers of money
It comes from selfish desires.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’
15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Virgins with their lamps
“Split the inheritance with me”… Rich man and his barns
Let us sit on your right and left… Apostles in power
James 4.3 “3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
It comes from the heart.
21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.
The Widows offering in Matt 12.41-44 - she gave more then all others although poor…
Ananias and Saphira - sold land but gave a portion
HOW IS AVARICE SO DANGEROUS?
HOW IS AVARICE SO DANGEROUS?
It caused Adam and Eve to sin.
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Created in His image, perfection, abundance, sufficient, blessing… lack of contentment
It causes a denial of God.
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
Look at the wisdom here !!
Goldy-lox mentality…
when we have security in ourselves we feel no need for God
It leads to an excuse for rejecting God’s invitation.
18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven !!
Christ bids us come and die
Not the prosperity gospel
3 O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult? 4 They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. 5 They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage. 6 They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; 7 and they say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.” 8 Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise? 9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?
1 Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” 5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.” 7 His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.” 12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. 13 Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”? 14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none. 16 The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. 17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear 18 to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
It causes some to depart from the faith.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Think of how dangerous this is...
Sold your soul for stuff !!
pierced with many pangs !!
HOW CAN AVARICE BE CURED?
HOW CAN AVARICE BE CURED?
By setting the affections on Heavenly things.
2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
Where our treasure is there our hearts will be
This is a momentary life we must focus on eternity
We have an inheritance in our Lord already
We must treasure Jesus above all else !!!
Mark 8:34–37 “34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul?”
Parable of the treasure in the field…
By being content with what you have.
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
We must be constant in prayer for this kind of heart
It is ok to desire blessing and provision and honor
we must hold these things in open hands toward God
22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.
31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
So heavenly minded we are of no earthly good
Seeking the kingdom so strongly that we do not notice the wants of this life
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AVARICE IS CURED?
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AVARICE IS CURED?
There will be a renewed mind to use for God.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
This world is perishing along with its desires
We will see the needs of others when we are not focused on ourselves
There will be a walk worthy of God.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
Think of the rich man and Lazerous… he walked right past him daily
Think of the good Samaritan… he was the least likely in the story but the one who acted righteously in Gods eyes
There will be generosity.
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
There will be joy in our giving.
9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
CLOSE
CLOSE
This is not a Sermon on Giving !!
This is a warning against Greed and the love of money and possessions !!
25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. 26 He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. 27 Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
Big Idea of the Message: Greed inevitably hurts us and those around us. God desires that we be content with his gifts to us.
Application Point: Christians must cultivate generous hearts so they don’t hoard God’s gifts and exploit other people.
Ecc 5.10 “10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.”
Ecc 5.13 “13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,”
Ecc 5.15 “15 As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.”
PRAYER
GROUP QUESTIONS
GROUP QUESTIONS
What is one thing if anything that stood out to you from this week’s message?
Have you ever been hurt by someone else's greed? Share your story with the group.
When we use the term avarice instead of just greed what (if anything) does that change in your mind?
When we read and pastor stated that this sin comes from idolatry what does that mean, how would you explain that to others?
Can we be “greedy” even if we don’t have money?
What are some ways people are covetous even without money?
Where are you most likely to be covetous and why?
Why shouldn’t we prioritize material gain in our lives?
What area is this most difficult for you in?
How might Proverbs 11:24-25 help you in this?
Do you handle your finances with a mindset of generosity or stinginess?
Where should and or how can you seek to be more generous with our finances?
What does Malachi 3:7-10 and Matt 6:1-4 have to say about this?
How does greed hurt us and others?
Read 1 John 3:16-18 and discuss the above question in light of this text.
How can we pray for you?