The Cares of this World

Mark 4:19 ESV

19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Thesis/Central Idea:

The cares of this world are the pursuit of possessions and wealth, and a preoccupation with material things is futile and dissatisfying.

Introduction:

We live in a world given way to all things materialism.

Those who do not believe in God are to a large degree materialist, who refuse to accept anything spiritual.

They do not want there to be anything like sin, so their view of the world is restricted to those things they can test and quantify/ measure.

So man attempts to clutter his life with things he can measure to know wether he is being successful and or happy in his life.

What he achieves is sin, because sin is simply a departure from God’s ways.

[ A materialistic world view is a conduit to sin…]

Materialism as the result of human sin

At the fall

Genesis 3:6 ESV

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.

Among pagans

Romans 1:22–23 ESV

22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

See also Ps 115:2–8; Is 44:9–11; Da 3:1; Da 3:4–7; Hab 2:18; Ac 17:16; 2 Ti 3:2

Within Israel the Ekklesia itself

Exodus 20:4–5 ESV

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,

See also Ex 32:4; Le 26:1; Dt 4:15–19; Dt 7:25; 1 Ki 11:1–6; Ps 106:19–20; Is 42:8; Je 2:11–13; 1 Co 10:14

Materialism and possessions

Possessions are to be seen as a gift from God

1 Chronicles 29:12 ESV

12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.

See also Ge 13:2; Ge 26:12–13; Dt 8:18; 2 Ch 32:29; Ps 112:1–3; Pr 10:22; Ec 5:19; Ho 2:8

Material goods can turn the heart away from God

Dt 8:13–14; 1 Ti 6:9–10

1 Timothy 6:9–10 ESV

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 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.

See also Job 31:24–28; Eze 28:5; Mt 19:21–22; Mt 26:14–16; 1 Jn 3:17

Possessions and riches can make it difficult to enter the kingdom

Matthew 19:23–24 ESV

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

See also Mt 13:22; 1 Ti 6:17–19; Jas 2:2–5; Jas 5:1–6

The weaknesses of materialism

It is transitory

Proverbs 27:24 ESV

24 for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations?

See also Job 22:20; Ps 49:10; Ps 49:17; Pr 22:1–2; Pr 23:5; Ec 2:18; Ec 2:21; Ec 2:26; Je 17:11; Lk 12:20–21; 1 Ti 6:7

1 Timothy 6:7 ESV

7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

It does not satisfy

Ecclesiastes 5:10 ESV

10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

See also Ec 4:8; Ec 5:12; Hag 1:5–6; Mt 6:19

It can encourage greed

1 Kings 21:2–4 ESV

2 And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 4 And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food.

See also Ex 20:17; Jos 7:1; Jos 7:20–24; 1 Ki 10:23–27

It can lead to worldliness

Matthew 16:26 ESV

26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

See also Je 17:11; Lk 16:15; Lk 16:25–26; Jas 1:9–11; Re 3:17

Jesus Christ’s non-materialistic attitude

Matthew 8:20 ESV

20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

See also Php 2:5–6

Warnings to believers to guard against materialism

Luke 12:15 ESV

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.”

See also Je 9:23–24; Mt 6:25–32; 1 Ti 6:17–19; Heb 13:5; 1 Jn 2:15–17

Godly examples of a non-materialistic attitude

Ge 13:8–9; Ge 14:23; Ac 3:6; Ac 4:32–37; Php 4:11–12

Philippians 4:11–12 ESV

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Conclusion:

The pursuit of stuff and things is a human failing, one we must overcome

The proper perspective is to recognize possessions as a gift from God.

Be aware that material goods can turn the heart away from God, it happened in the garden it can happen to you.

Pursuit of possessions and riches can make it difficult to enter heaven

Material things and Possessions are weak:

They are temporal

They do not satisfy

They encourage greed

They lead to more worldliness

Consider Jesus life as the most appropriate attitude to the cares of this world.

Learn to be content with whatever situation you find yourself in.

Invitation