Greed Liberality

In Luke 12 a man came to Jesus not with a question, but with a request. The man’s father had died leaving an inheritance. His brother had either taken a larger portion or all of the inheritance. The man came to Jesus asking for help with the inheritance. He wanted Jesus to make his brother give him some of the inheritance. It was common to take unsettled disputes to respected Rabbis. But Jesus refuses to get mixed up in this argument. Jesus refuses to get mixed up in this dispute about money. Jesus refuses to choose sides. He doesn’t take the side of the one left jilted and condemn the one brother for taking the inheritance. Instead, Jesus directs his attention to the real issue. Jesus turns to the crowd and warns:

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 12:13-15)

Today we come to the last of the seven deadly sins – Greed. “Take care” Jesus says. “Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. For life is not defined by what you have, even when you think you have a lot.”

You are no doubt familiar with the parable of Leo Tolstoy who told about a successful peasant farmer who was not satisfied with what he had. He wanted more of everything. One day he received a novel offer. For 1000 rubles, he could buy all the land he could walk around in a day. The only catch in the deal was that he had to be back at his starting point by sundown.

Early the next morning he started out walking at a fast pace. By midday he was very tired, but he kept going, covering more and more ground. Well into the afternoon he realized that his greed had taken him far from the starting point. He quickened his pace and as the sun began to sink low in the sky, he began to run, knowing that if he did not make it back by sundown the opportunity to become an even bigger landholder would be lost.

As the sun began to sink below the horizon, he came within sight of the finish line. Gasping for breath, his heart pounding, he called upon every bit of strength left in his body and staggered across the line just before the sun disappeared. He immediately collapsed, blood streaming from his mouth. In a few minutes he was dead. Afterwards, his servants dug a grave – a piece of land not much over six feet long and three feet wide. The title of Tolstoy’s story was: How Much Land Does a Man Need?

If envy is a desire to have what belongs to someone else, greed is a desire to keep what belongs to you. Greed has been defined as an intense and selfish desire. Desire for what? A desire for more: more wealth, more food, more power. Greed is the sin of wanting more and wanting to keep all that you have.

Having warned the crowd following him, Jesus begins to tell a story – a story about the destructiveness of greed.

And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21)

The problem is not with wealth but with the man’s attitude towards his wealth. The man had done nothing wrong or immoral. Our God who sends sun and rain had sent sun and rain on this farmer’s land in their time. The man had simply had a good year. The man had more than he needed. And what did he do with his new found fortune? He built barns, larger barns, to hold the wealth. This wealth could keep him comfortable for years to come. He could now take it easy. No need to worry. No need to work. The possessions and comfort the man sought led him to neglect his pursuit of God so that he poorly used the resources he had received. This is the essence of greed – keeping for yourselves the resources God has provided.

Jesus calls the man a fool. The word fool simply means “one without reason or thought.” In the Old Testament it was a term to describe someone who either acts without God or as if there was no God.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1a)

The man is the parable was ready to use his resources in a way that displeased God because he didn’t care about God. All he could think of was what he had and wanted to keep it all. There was a Roman proverb which said the money was like sea-water – the more a man drank the thirstier he became. The more we have – the more we want.

Jesus returns to this subject of greed and possessions in the Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Rich Young Ruler, and in the Parable of the Shrewd Manager. In fact, Jesus spoke more often about the proper use of our possessions than he did about any other topic. And the topic appears again and again in the epistles.

There is probably a little bit of greed in all of us – a desire to have something, a desire to have more. Have you ever seen what someone has and said, “I wish I had that?” Have you ever been unhappy with what you have? Have you ever held on to what you have and been afraid to give it up? Perhaps this is a more telling question: If, as we walked through the parking lot after church a million dollars in $1.00 bills started falling from sky, would you be tempted to grab some before someone else did that you might get more?

What is it specifically that greed does to us?

First, greed is a rejection of what God has given us.

Greed is saying thanks to God and then saying, “It’s not enough. I want more.” It is a discontent with what God has already provided. There are dangers in both prosperity and poverty. We read in Proverbs 30:

Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:7-9)

Greed can even lead us to a rejection of the gospel and our salvation. It can become an obstacle to our spiritual growth. In the Parable of the Soils, Jesus says that:

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. (Luke 8:14)

Second, greed causes us to start to worship our possessions.

The sad thing is that having more becomes so important – more important than God himself. That’s why Jesus said it’s hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. The riches become more important to him than God. Greed is a form of idolatry. Paul writes to the Colossians saying:

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.(Colossians 3:5)

Greed means to put trust in almighty dollar rather than almighty God. 1 Timothy 6:10 tells us that:

. . . the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Third, greed puts hope in something that doesn’t last.

In the year 79 AD, three cities in Italy were destroyed were destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted. The three cities with were immediately covered with lava. Those living in the cities were buried in lava right where they stood, many frozen in whatever position they were in when the volcano erupted. The cites were not uncovered for more than a thousand years. The first person uncovered in the city of Pompey was found clutching a handful of gold coins. A lot of good it did him.

Alexander the Great asked to be buried with hand sticking out of coffin to show it was empty and that we cannot take riches with us.

Jesus instructed his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19-20)

Greed causes us to desire that which will not last.

Fourth, greed leads to misery.

Greed can cut through relationships – even family relationships as we saw in our passage. It breaks up friends and even churches. Whether greed is for money, control, recognition, greed puts us before others. Greed makes us focus so much on what we have that we may not enjoy them. We can’t enjoy what we have because we feel we need more. Greed keeps us from sharing what we have with others.

For forty years Eunice Pike worked with the Mazatec Indians in Southwestern Mexico. During this time, she has discovered some interesting things about these people. For instance, the people seldom wish each other well. Not only that, they are hesitant to teach one another or to share the gospel with each other. If asked, “Who taught you to bake bread?” the village baker answers, “I just know,” meaning she has acquired the knowledge without anyone’s help. Eunice says this odd behavior stems from the Indian’s concept of “limited good.” They believe there is only so much good, so much knowledge, so much love to go around. To teach another means you might lose some your own knowledge. To love a second child means you have to love the first child less. To wish someone well – “Have a good day” – means you have just given away some of your own happiness.

This is what greed does to us. Greed is born in fear. Sometimes, greed is simply a desire to have so much that we can’t possibly run out. The stock market could crash, we could lose our jobs or health, we could be sued. If we acquire enough stock, real estate, or T-bills, we think we will be safe from want. This is an illusion. There is no perfect preventative for want, but even if there was it would stand in opposition to the trust in God to which we are called. Trust in God frees us from a need to build a massive buffer against poverty. It is our trust in God that allows us to give generously to those who are in need.

Jesus contrasts greed – physical wealth – with wealth towards God.

What does it mean to be “rich toward God?” It means to acknowledge gratefully that everything we have comes from God, and then make an effort to use what he gives is for the good of others and the glory of God. How tragic when people are rich in this world but poor in the next.

Paul, writing to Timothy, gave him these instructions concerning the wealthy:

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Since all that we have actually belongs to God, we are responsible to manage what he has entrusted to us. How are we to handle and use the wealth God has given us? Paul has four guidelines.

First, be humble.

Actually, Paul doesn’t say command, he says to instruct and to continue instructing. Paul knew that materialism is so deceitful that we must constantly be warned about it.

A little boy came running to his mother, shouting, “Mother, I am nine feet tall.” His mother responded, “Don’t talk such nonsense.” “But,” he said, “I really am nine feet tall. I measured myself.” “Well, how did you measure yourself?” asked his mother. “I took off my shoe and measured myself with that. It is the same size as my foot, and I am really nine feet.”

A lot of people are like the little boy. They are proud of something for which they have no reason to be proud. Usually, the things that we are proud of are things about which we had nothing to do. Paul tells us that our pride is misplaced.

Possession of wealth ought to humble a person and motivate him to praise and glorify God. If he becomes conceited because of his wealth, he is clearly using a false standard of measurement. If wealth makes a person proud, then he understands neither himself nor wealth.

Several years ago, a Los Angeles department store was broken into. They didn’t steal or destroy anything; they just had a wonderful time – switching price tags. The next morning, customers were puzzled and delighted to find fur coats selling for $5.00. Cold cream was priced at $150.00, a silver service for $1.75, and a pair of lady’s hose for $390.00. There were umbrellas for $1,000.00 and diamond rings for $2.00.

Has this happened in our lives? Has materialism crept in and switched the price tags? Are the things of this earth of more value to us than the things of eternity? Are material gifts worth more than spiritual gifts? We need this constant reminder against materialism less we get confused about what is really important.

The only pride that we should have is pride of grace: the marvelous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The next time that you are tempted to be proud, ask yourself the question, “Proud about what?” Since God is the one who gives us the power to produce wealth, there is no basis for pride.

Second, we are to trust in God.

We must not “set our hope on the uncertainty of riches . . . but in God.” Remember the rich farmer who was putting trust in his wealth. He thought that wealth equaled security. Jesus called him a fool. Do we set your hope on God – or on our possessions?

One day a fairy came to a man and told him she would grant him any favor he might wish. The man thought a few minutes, and then said: “My wish is to see a newspaper published one year from today.” Immediately, the fairy handed him a newspaper printed one year in advance. He turned quickly to the financial page, ran his fingers nervously up and down the list of stocks, and leaping from the chair shouted, “Hurrah, I’m worth fifteen million dollars.” Then, carelessly turning over to the obituary page, his glance fell on a report that made him gasp. “I died two days ago!”

Riches can only do so much. Riches may be lost; they may be stolen, destroyed by fire, devastated by bank failure, business failure, a market crash, or simply eaten up by inflation. Put your hope in God.

Third, enjoy what God gives us.

God “richly provides all things for our enjoyment.” God is rich. The Bible says that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. But not only is God rich – he gives to us according to his riches – lavishly.

Legend has it that a certain country, in search of a king, sent two ambassadors to choose between two infant twins. They found the infants asleep, and they noted that one lay with his little fists tightly clenched, while the other had his hands wide open. It was the second that was chosen. When he became king, so great was his generosity that he became known as “The King with the Open Hand.”

We have a God with an open hand. Jesus came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. God wants us to enjoy life, not merely exist. Physical pleasure is not in itself sinful when sought within the structure of God’s will and pursued for his glory.

Did you hear about the church ladies sewing circle that were playing a game to see who could look the saddest, the meanest, and the ugliest? The lady that won wasn’t even playing!

Fourth, use what God has given us.

We are to be rich in good works.

Those who are rich already in this world are here told to be rich in a new way. The “wealth” we possess imposes a heavy responsibility – not only in giving, but also in serving. We are to be rich in good works, ministering to people’s needs, helping, loving, and caring.

Are you aware that the purpose of our working is to be able to share? Paul tells us in Ephesians:

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (Ephesians 4:28)

It has been said that if we could reduce the world to a size not much larger than all of us gathered this morning:

Seventy of us would be unable to read,

Only one would have a college education,

Fifty would be suffering from malnutrition,

Eighty would live in housing unfit for human habitation, and

Six would control half of the money.

What are we doing with our wealth? Are we hoarding it or are we ready and willing to share?

If we can hear the sad story of the farmer with the problem of too much wealth and say to ourselves, “I wish I had that problem,” then we may be revealing our own greed. If you suddenly inherited a great deal of wealth, would it create a problem for you? Or would you simply praise God and ask him what he would want you to do with it?

There is more to life than what we can touch and feel. It’s important that we search our hearts. It is now estimated that one out of every eleven Americans now has to rent a self-storage unit to store their possessions. Mark Twain once defined civilization as “a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities.” We continue to collect and find it difficult to let go.

Jesus calls us to more than just this life. Jesus calls us to a relationship that can’t be bought will all the money in the world. Jesus died for our forgiveness. No amount of money can buy this. And yet God offers it freely. If you will only repent of your sins, place your faith in Jesus, and be baptized into his name, God has promised life, eternal life.