Idol of Money

An Idol is anything or anyone that captures our hearts, minds, and affections more than God.

Most of us at some point have had thoughts like, “If I just had this much money in the bank, then I would be satisfied” or “If i just made this much a year, then I would be able to live comfortably”. “If I could just afford this house or that car, that’s all I really want.”

When we begin to think in this way, we are toying with idolatry.

G.K. Chesterton observes, “When we cease to worship God, we do not worship nothing. We worship anything.”

John Calvin as well says, “The heart is like a factory of idols.”

We are never satisfied, always looking to that next thing to bring us the satisfaction and fulfillment that we so long for. The problem? Our idols can not deliver what we ask of them.

The human heart, created in God’s image, has such longings and desires that all the things in this world could not possibly satisfy it. It would never be enough.

There is a God sized hole within you, and you can try to fill it with all the things that you want but they are always going to come up short. The One that you were created for is the only One that can satisfy you!

Substitutes never satisfy!

Luke 12:13-21

Greed is at the root of the idol of money.

Greed is the desire for more. Regardless of what it is we want, greed tells us that we need to have more.

As Christians, when we begin to idolize money and possessions our lives can begin to look an awful lot like the rest of the world. It should not be this way, we belong to another Kingdom!

As Christians we are meant to stand out, standing out is not a bad thing!

2. Contentment is the solution to the Idol of Money.

1 Timothy 6:3-10

What’s wrong with wanting to have a lot of money. According to Paul and of course God… theres a lot wrong with it.

Notice the connection between what is described here and in Ezekiel 14.

Falling into more sin.

Separation from God.

The love of money is so dangerous, because like all other idols, it will never truly satisfy us. We will never have enough.

Far from being some harmless desire, the idol of money is described here in a vivid and eye opening way.

But how do we become content?

1. Have an eternal mindset.

Philippians 4:10-13

Contentment is a learned characteristic.

2. Through trials and hardships we learn to be content.

2 Corinthians 11:24–27 CSB

24 Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers; 27 toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.

3. We become content when like Paul, we find our fulfillment and satisfaction in Christ alone.

The secret of being content is not so much about loving other things less as it is about loving Christ more. The way to overcome idolatry is with a greater love.

Paul Tripp says, “Sin causes us to look horizontally for what can only be found vertically. So we look to creation for life, hope, peace, rest, contentment, identity, meaning and purpose. The problem is that nothing in creation can give you these things. Creation was never designed to satisfy your heart. Creation was made to be one big finger pointing you to the One who alone has the ability to satisfy your heart. Many people will get up today and in some way ask creation to be their savior, that is, to give them what only God can give.

Matthew 11:28–30 CSB

28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”