Get More or Give Away?

Last week we looked at the sin of gluttony, which is greed in the sense of an excessive consumption of or desire for food. Today we look at the sin of greed in the sense of an excessive desire for wealth, power etc. at a time when, in spite of a recession, the essence of life, according to the world, is not having - it is having to have.

Greed is avarice and covetousness. Avarice simply means extreme greed for riches and possessions. As Paul puts it in 1Timothy 6 it is the love of money which is a root of all kinds of evil. Covetousness, which God forbids in the Tenth Commandment, is desiring eagerly to have more than one actually has, and especially what does not rightfully belong to us – somebody else’s wife or husband or possessions – car, house or job. It’s wanting something and setting our hearts on acquiring something, especially what belongs to someone else so that our whole being gets caught up in trying to acquire the desire. But perhaps some of us are thinking well I’m not excessive or extreme or I’m not Tiger Woods, John Terry, Ashley Cole or RBS bankers with bonuses. Does this apply to me?

Well as someone has said: ‘Greed is when somebody wants more things than the person needs or can use.’ And we face that temptation so often. I know I do. A few years ago I was given a new digital camera for my birthday. It was on special offer and I thought it would be a good present for my wife to give me! And it was great – simple to use, good quality pictures etc. The trouble was I then kept seeing cameras that seemed more attractive. Cameras with more pixels, bigger optical zooms, wider angle lenses, slimmer and lighter bodies. And you begin to think why didn’t I get that one? The one you already have works perfectly well and does everything you need it to – but you begin to desire the other advertised ones. And you think if only I had that one I’d be truly satisfied. Today the world says, ‘You need Windows 7 when you’ve only just tragically upgraded to Vista or you’ve got to have the latest iphone; the new ipad or the latest ipod.’ Now I’m not saying those can’t be put to good use. New media can help to communicate the gospel. But is it often more about I than the phone, or the pod or even the pad! And then it becomes idolatry.

And that was typified by Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street when he said “Greed is good”. The Apostle Paul, in Colossians 3:5 and Ephesians 5:5, says that greed or covetousness is idolatry. You see a greedy person wants things more than he wants God. He puts things in place of God thereby committing idolatry. So Paul warns the church then and us today (Ephesians 5:3):

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.

We’ve probably often heard this verse with reference to sexual immorality but notice Paul also says that among us there must not be even a hint of greed. Not even a hint. Because greed, like sexual immorality and impurity, is improper for God’s holy people. Instead there should be thanksgiving to God for what he’s given us (v4). And then he says very strongly (v5):

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Jesus himself gives a very stern warning in Luke 12:15:

Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed [literally covetousness]; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

The context of that verse – a dispute over an inheritance - and Jesus’ following parable show that covetousness not only leads to strife, indeed it can and does lead to wars says James 4, but also expresses a fundamentally wrong attitude to life – an attitude which says possessions are all that really matter. It only needs God to take away a person’s life, and at once it becomes apparent how useless possessions can be. Money can’t buy everything. The rich man of the parable had failed to gain the one thing that really matters – the true riches of a right relationship to God. Therefore he was a fool. Who here this morning is being foolish because you’re putting your confidence in earthly treasure both now and for the future which can only lead to eternal bankruptcy rather than putting your confidence in God and the sure and certain hope he has for us in Christ? The recession has surely reminded us that true security doesn’t lie in banks but in Jesus Christ, in his death on the cross where he paid for all our greed and in his resurrection from the dead. So who this morning needs to repent – to turn away from greed - and put your trust in Christ and know his forgiveness and life? Perhaps you’re a Christian who’s struggling with this temptation as I’m sure many of us are in our consumerist society. So secondly


2. HOW DO WE FIGHT IT?

Well as with any other temptation we shouldn’t put ourselves in the way of it – so steer clear of internet shopping or whatever is unhelpful for you. And don’t believe the lie about retail therapy! Life’s not primarily about things – it’s about a person – Jesus Christ and the people he’s created. Husbands and wives and grandparents – you and your families don’t primarily want and need things – they want and need you! And primarily the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Bible says there’s more we, with the help of the Holy Spirit, can do to help us fight greed. Paul says in Colossians 3:5:

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

Which in terms of greed brings us to 1 Timothy 6:6 & to

a) THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE v6 which is that

Godliness with contentment is great gain

Paul says that we are to pursue gain, but it has to be the right kind of gain. And that is godliness with contentment. We are to aim for godliness and be content with what we have materially. And how can we be content? Well listen to Paul speaking in Philippians 4: "I have learnt the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." And what is that secret? He goes on "I can do all things through him who gives me strength." In other words his contentment springs from his relationship with God. Whatever his material situation, he’s content because he knows that something is far more important than material possessions and wealth, and that is his relationship with God. You see if you are so growing like Christ and delighting in God, that you are freed from that covetous greed, that you are content with what you have, then that is real gain, says Paul. And why should we have that attitude? V7:

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Life, you see, is a brief journey between nakedness. What's the point of piling up wealth and riches here when you can’t take it with you? A woman once asked a vicar after the funeral of a wealthy woman: "Vicar, how much did she leave?" "Everything madam," he replied. This life is a preparation for eternity. We must travel lightly. If you are so attached to the things of this world that you acquire and long for as much as you can get, then you are making a foolish mistake. It's not that Paul’s saying that food, clothing and shelter are all a Christian can have. Rather he's saying that that’s all we need. And we should be content with that. Now if God gives us much more, then rejoice and be generous, but don't let that be the source of our joy and contentment. Rather, godliness with contentment is great gain.

You see those who are not content (v9), those who want to get rich for selfish gain, those who are greedy for gain, in the end experience not great gain but rather great loss. They (v9) “fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction”. Why? Because they love money and as v10 reminds us, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. And “some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Judas Iscariot, the greedy disciple who had his hand in the disciples’ money bag and who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, was one of the first to do so. As someone has said: “He that serves God for money will serve the devil for better wages.”

This is a clear warning to us today in such a greedy world. So Paul continues (v11&12), “But you man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…” You see true riches and success come from meditating on and obeying God’s Word, trusting Him and taking Him at His Word (Joshua 1:8-9). And giving is the antidote to materialism and covetousness. “Give and it will be given to you, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over…”, says Jesus (Luke 6:38). Do you believe that? As a church we’ve learnt something about that by giving generously not just money but also people to launch Holy Trinity Gateshead, which, praise God, is to go to two services in the mornings from next Sunday. But we still have so much to learn about giving generously and sacrificially as we step out in faith to bring the good news of Jesus to this city. So let’s not get distracted by selfish gain. Let’s love God and our neighbour, not money. Jesus said (Matthew 6:24), “You can’t serve both God and money.”
That’s not to say the Bible is necessarily against money and wealth creation. It’s against the love of money. And there is a need for some Christians to create wealth ethically for the sake of the kingdom – for ministries such as Clayton Media, new church sites & pump priming for overseas mission. But those people are to be content not covetous, generous not greedy. So you see Paul is not for poverty against wealth but rather for contentment against covetousness. Covetousness (v9&10) is a self destructive evil, whereas simplicity and contentment (v6-8) are beautiful and Christlike virtues.

But what does Paul go on to specifically say to those who are 'rich in this present world'? In other words to the vast majority of us here this morning, in a world where one billion people live on less than $2 a day. What are we commanded to do in v17 and what are we commanded to be in v18-19? Well first Paul commands you to:

b) PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD v17

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.

Notice that Timothy is not to tell 'those who are rich in this present world' to become poor but he is to tell them not to be arrogant or to put their hope in wealth. Wealth can so easily make us feel self-important, look down on others, boast as if it’s our achievement & forget the Lord, which leads to pride & greed.

And putting our hope in wealth is so short sighted. Wealth is so uncertain. Many people have gone to bed rich and woken up poor. The rich fool in Luke 12 went to bed rich but didn't wake up.

So is our hope in wealth, in wanting more possessions or in God? You see the proper object of our trust is not a thing but a Person, not wealth but God 'who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment'. Having wealth and possessions is not necessarily wrong in itself unless they’ve been appropriated illegally and immorally. 'God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.' We are not to exchange materialism for asceticism. God is a generous God who wants us to appreciate the good gifts of creation. It’s our attitude to and how we steward what God gives us that’s key. The dangers are that we look down on those less well off, become prideful and greedy and trust in the gift instead of in the giver.

c) BE RICH IN GOOD DEEDS, GENEROUS AND WILLING TO SHARE

As I’ve already said the antidote to greed and materialism is giving. Greed and wealth can make people lazy. Some wealthy people are known as the idle rich. And many of the idle rich can simply write out a cheque without thinking about it, without therefore being generous and sacrificial with either their money or their time. But so can we. So Timothy is to command the rich to do good, to actually get involved, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. Rich Christians today are commanded to do the same. We are actively to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to give generously, and be willing to share what we have been given. Augustine in his sermon to the rich said:

That bread which you keep, belongs to the hungry; that coat which you preserve in your wardrobe, to the naked; those shoes which are rotting in your possession, to the shoeless; that gold which you have hidden in the ground, to the needy. Wherefore, as often as you were able to help others, and refused, so often did you do them wrong.

One American pastor said the other week:

I just bought a used car. I need to get a license plate bracket that says, "Given by God, owned by God, and to be used for the purposes of God." It's not my car, not my house, not my money. I have to keep giving them back to God, because I am an acquisitive person and I want to have my own stuff.

John Wesley said:

Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever…you can.

Now we need to be careful; doing good deeds and giving generously won't save us. We are saved only by grace through faith in Christ, not by works so that no-one can boast. But good deeds and generous giving are evidence of true faith. In Ephesians 5:1 Christians are to 'be imitators of God'. God is rich yet out of his riches he richly provides us with everything we need. And since God is such a generous giver, his people are to be generous too, not only in imitation of him but also because of the huge spiritual and physical needs of people in the world around us, such as in the Sudan, Chile and Haiti. You see the basic question is not how much of OUR money we should give to God but rather how much of God’s money should we keep for ourselves? And by giving to God’s work and sharing generously Christians will store up for themselves treasure in heaven, which will far exceed any earthly treasure. You can’t take it with you but you can send it on ahead! V19:

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.

The word foundation means something that is solid and lasting. The spiritual riches that we lay up for ourselves in heaven are not exposed to decay, theft or fire but remain permanently safe from all danger. Nothing on this earth has such a solid foundation for everything changes here. So which is the more valuable? To be rich in this age or in the age to come? To accumulate treasure on earth or in heaven? To make more money now for ourselves and be lured into shallow pleasures, or to take hold of the life that is truly life?