Sermon Tone Analysis

Service Notes

Dismiss the Elective Course

Introduce the Bible Question Idea

Sermon Introduction

Proverbs 23:17 “17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: But be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.”

What is envy?

I have a picture of it.

[Slide]

What is envy?

Shakespeare dubbed it, “the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.

“We feel envy in spite of ourselves, even though we don’t want to.

It’s the great unsought sin.”

envy is a mingling of a desire for something with the resentment that another is enjoying it and you are not.

jealousy is a kind of envy that is directed toward another person when they are getting affection that you wish you had.

Envy makes us miserable Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: But envy the rottenness of the bones.

Have you ever felt the ache of envy?

Understanding Envy

Seen throughout Scripture

Both Satan in heaven, and Eve in the garden gave in to the sin of envy.

Satan wanted to be like God, and Satan’s temptation to Eve in the garden was, “You will be like God.”

Envy was part of original sin in the world, and so it’s no wonder it makes a regular appearance in the various sin lists in the Bible.

Envy draws you away from God to look for the praise that comes from other people rather than the praise that comes from God, which is the only praise that really matters.

John 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

Seen as a wrong motive for work

Solomon gives some wrong motives for work; envy is one.

Labor is sometimes motivated by envy (4:4–6)

Labor is sometimes motivated by selfish greed (4:7–12)

Labor is sometimes motivated by the desire for advancement and prestige (4:13–16)

Ecclesiastes 4:4–6 (KJV 1900)

4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour.

This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

Seen in families

Genesis 37:4 “4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.”

Seen between co-workers

1 Samuel 18:8-9 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

They could have said Saul and David killed their 11000s together.

They were fighting in the same battles until envy turned their attention to one another

Envy makes the achievements of others appear as a threat.

ILLUS.

There was once two shopkeepers who were bitter rivals.

Their stores were directly across the street from each other, and they would spend each day keeping track of the other man’s business.

If one got a customer, he would smile in triumph at his rival.

At then end of the day they would measure their success, not by their net profits, but by weather-or-not they had made more money then the competitor across the street.

One night an angel appeared to one of the shopkeepers and said, "I will give you anything you ask, but whatever you receive, your competitor will receive twice as much.

Would you be rich?

You can be very rich, but he will be twice as wealthy.

Do you wish to live a long and healthy life?

You can, but his life will be longer and healthier.

What is your desire?"

The man frowned.

He liked the idea of being rich, but hated the idea of his neighboring shopkeeper being even richer.

He liked the idea of living a long and healthy life, but hated the idea of his competitor living even longer and healthier.

He thought for a moment, and then said, "Here is my request: Strike me blind in one eye!"

Envy forces you to keep your eyes on others instead of God. 1 Samuel 18:9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

"I am to love God enough to be content; I am to love men enough not to envy."

Seen in the life of the disciples

John 21:18–23 (KJV 1900)

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God.

And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

Peter says “You’ve just told me I’m going to get killed.

What about John?

Is he going to get killed too?”

And you can see, just beneath the surface, envy in Peter’s heart.

“If he doesn’t it’s not fair!”

Alright, now how does Jesus deal with this?

“Envy seems to be born of a restless heart that does not find God satisfying.

(or in this case Jesus answers satisfying)

Envy is a stingy and demanding master.

It’s stingy because, unlike many other sins, there’s absolutely nothing pleasurable about experiencing it.

Most sins bait the hook: lust offers excitement and escape, greed promises wealth and pleasure, gossip promises power and participation in the inner circle.

And many sins are at least temporarily pleasurable (that’s why we do them).

But with envy, it’s all hook and no bait.

There’s no upside to envy, not even a small or temporary spike of guilty pleasure.

That’s why no one consciously plans or schemes to envy (as you might plan to satisfy a lustful desire).

We feel envy in spite of ourselves, even though we don’t want to.

It’s the great unsought sin.

Envy is also terribly demanding.

Although it delivers nothing, it requires much.

It can absorb and dominate a life.

It can poison pleasures and steal joys and waste time.

Envy can make your own blessed life feel shabby and inadequate.

It is, in fact, one of the sins that presents the most obvious affront to the sovereignty of God; it questions God’s plans, choices, and goodness.

Envy is rebellion.

- Stephen Witmer

Envy is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic, and is often accompanied by other sins

James 3:14–16 (KJV 1900)

14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

“Envy questions God’s plans, choices, and goodness.

Envy is rebellion.”

The Godly Man’s Picture, the Puritan Thomas Watson wrote, “A humble man is willing to have his name and gifts eclipsed, so that God’s glory may be increased.