"David's Godly Heritage"

I also like you to our program, you know, God is to be on stations all around the nation bringing the truths of God's word as it is uncompromising and straightforward and I'm so glad you tuned in to listen and be part of that. Thanks again for your support and your generosity that keeps us on the radio and now let's get to the word of God's accumulating lots and lots of money really make people happy. Would it make you happy if you have lots and lots and lots of money or is there a better way to look at money.

Is there a better way to handle money away that will bring more fulfillment and more happiness to our lives and will bring us the blessing of God, along with that's what Jesus wants to talk to us about the time of my messages morning is greed your enemy. I want to try to convince you that it is and why before dawn this morning. So let's look first 13 chapter 12 someone in the crowd said to Jesus, teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. One day Jesus was teaching spiritual truth to this crowd at a guy came up and said that Jesus I want you to arbitrate a financial dispute between me and my brother. It was common for rabbis to be asked to settle legal cases.

So there was anything wrong with him asking Jesus. This Jesus totally blows this guy off. Look what he says to in verse 14 he says man who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you two guys that wanted Jesus respond like this well in Israel.

The laws of inheritance were very clearly laid out the older brother was always the executor of the will and then he decided how the state was divided up among the rest of the family what we obviously have here is one of the younger brothers coming to Jesus and his feeling is that his older brother cheated and he wants more the inheritance eating get all that he thought he ought again now to the guy get some of his dad's money was all that found money him and he didn't work pretty that earn any that should not just be looked at is found money in should be just been grateful for whatever God was. He now he wanted more. And so Jesus looked through the outward façade here and said the real thing that's motivating this guys greed and I'm not going to be a part of satisfying his reason Jesus said I'm sorry I'm not to be any help to you. But then he turned this into a teaching opportunity about greed.

Look what he said. Verse 15 and Jesus said to the crowd. Watch out and be on your guard against all kinds of greed. The Greek word here that's translated be on your guard is a word that means to guard yourself against or defend yourself against or even vaccinate yourself against something that will harm you now think about what Jesus is saying he is saying there something we should vaccinate ourselves against what is it that is so deadly to the soul spiritually that Jesus said we should vaccinate our souls against get the same way we vaccinate our bodies against polio. What would it be well, he says, watch out, vaccinate yourself against all kinds of greed what's greed well.

Greed is an excessive love for money or material things greed. It means you get a thrill from just getting getting getting hoarding hoarding hoarding holding holding holding 999. Greed is the opposite of generosity, generosity gives greed. What ports that's greed. And Jesus said vaccinate yourself against why was an unintelligible story that will help us understand why look what he said.

He said verse 16, he told a little story the ground of a certain rich man had produced up big crop and he thought to himself, what am I gonna do. I don't have any place to store all these new crops that would you notice at the beginning of the story the main character is a certain man and at the beginning of the story. He's already rich to see that this is not a poor struggling farmer barely eking out an existence when suddenly hits it big. This is the guy was Barnes are already full and he has a dilemma. The dilemma is he's got a new crop coming in and he didn't know what to do with that. He doesn't live in America reason the 38% bracket toys that have a lot of is left over for him what to do with all of it.

I don't have any room even put in the barn. He said what you say. Well why did the guy give the excess away to poor people wisely go to the community and find needy people and give it to them. Why not use his wealth to bless the lives of other people. You guys are so smart is such a smart corral. I love working with you guys because that's the whole point of this. You see, this is what Jesus is going to try to drive home to us. The Bible tells us rich guy exactly how we ought to use these excess funds. Listen to Deuteronomy 15 it says there will be poor people in the land always. Therefore I command you be openhanded towards the poor and the needy. Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart and if you do the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and all that you put your hand to this man had a great opportunity.

Staring right in the face and opportunity to show love and compassion to needy people an opportunity to ease their burden in life a little bit an opportunity to earn God's blessing to earn God's favor and an opportunity to lay up treasure in heaven.

He had a great opportunity and what he do he blew it blowing royally. Look what he did first 18 he said I know what I'll do, I'll tear down my barns and all build a bigger barn where I can store all of my gray and all my goods and all say to myself, self, you have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Now get back.

Take life easy eat drink and be merry. Consume it on yourself instead of sharing as well. This guy decided to hoard his in along with hole in the second.

Are you saying it's wrong to save a little bit for rainy day menu saying it's wrong to have a retirement account. You say it's wrong to have a reserve fund. Not at all. You need those things but you see this guy already handle his barns were already packed to the gills, even I remembering to put anything anywhere. We're not talking here about foresight were not talking here about retirement planning were not talking here about being a good financial manager.

The guy already done all of those things were talking here about all greed just simple green and our friend thought he had it all planned out and he did, except for one minor detail. He forgot about eternity look at verse 20 and God said to him, you fool you fool, this very night your life's demanded of you, and who's going to get all that stuff that you saved up for you.

How you knuckle taken with you lose will get it. This is how it will be. Jesus said, with anyone who stores up things for himself here on earth but is not rich towards God. This man lived under the assumption friends. He was then here for a long long period of time indefinitely that he was immortal. He was bulletproof, but he made a serious miscalculation, and when it came is time to go and I might add, rather unexpectedly, his heavenly portfolio didn't exist.

His bank account with regard to God. Read zero he had made every provision for this life, but he had made any provision for life on the other side. And Jesus said his full, you fool. That's the end of our story, but it leaves us with the important question you know what that is diligent what is so what right isn't interesting to you, the Jesus call the sky fool because you know why it is interesting to me. When I look at this guy from all outward appearances here look like a fool does look like a fool.

You think now he was a law-abiding citizen.

I mean there's no indication he was involved with the Mafia, or with crooked business dealings or business scams okay.

Number two.

He was a hard-working man was diligent he was conscientious. He was engaged. Nobody could produce crops like this is a farmer unless there diligent and hard-working right. He was a good manager response was a gambler. He was in a squandering audio is barn school. He was an upstanding guy in the community is no indication he was an alcoholic or that he was on drugs or that headmistress or he hung out with gals. The one his wife. I mean the guy was a model citizen is the kind of guy you love to have is your neighbor.

But Jesus called him a fool, why would Jesus call a guy like this a fool. The answer is because he was greedy and his greed had cost him to critical things and made a full letter number one.

Greed had cost him the kind of lifestyle that really makes life worth living greed and costing the kind of lifestyle that really makes life fulfilling and rewarding.

I skipped a little bit.

Did you notice I skipped a tiny bit of this, we went through us. Go back and get it verse 15 then Jesus said to them, watch out and be on your guard against all kinds of greed and skip that.

But here's the part I skipped four Jesus said a man's life, a woman's life does not consist in the abundance of the things that they possess a person's life does not consist in the abundance of things they possess. In other words, Jesus was saying, just having a lot of money won't make life worth living. Just having a lot of money won't make life truly rich and rewarding.

You say condo timeout hold on right there, stop lot.

I'm not sure I agree with me for my point of view, winning the publishers clearinghouse would solve all my problems and make my life complete. If I can win that I'd be a happy person rest of my life $10 million you can be happy with that.

I had to be happy, whatever that limited South Pacific would money really make you happy. I mean what that really stand the test of real life. Think of some people who have lots and lots and lots of money.

Let's see if they were happy. Let's take for example Elvis about Elvis.

Can you think of anybody who had more than Elvis had.

I mean million dollars is a drop in the bucket for this guy and he had Rolls-Royce's fancy cars and a fancy mansion he had anything you wanted anywhere you want to go. People knew him he was rich he was famous yet prestige Power and women fawning all over him. I mean if your guy. What more could you want than Elvis had was always happy. Are you kidding Elvis died in an alcoholic stupor of a drug overdose to read about his life. He was one of the most miserable human beings on the face of this earth.

His life was a disaster zone moneymaking happy know some of the most unhappy people I know are people with lots of money. For one thing, they gotta try to protect it. Watch outsourcing the stock market can do anything you want to lose sleep because I don't have any money, let it go wherever it wants to go for me it's just a news item.

I don't care what you watch people got a lot of money in the stock market.

Oh man listen money won't make you happy. You say what will lot his money will not make me happy than what please tell me will make me happy.

Well, I'd love to tell you until you and I will make you happy. I want to show you the Bob turn with me back to first Timothy chapter 6.

Let me show you what will make you happy. I want to look at the very end of verse 19 very end of verse 19 says that in doing whatever the verses before it say it will result in us being able to take hold of the life that is truly life that what is this me taking hold of the life that is truly life. It means taking hold of a life that is really worth living a life that is really rewarding and rich and full and how do you get this kind of life. Let's go back up and read a little bit it says verse 17 command those who are rich in this present world and what we are commanded to do.

Verse 18 command them to do good to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share in this way. In this way, what are they going to get there going to be able to take hold of the life that is truly worth living. And you know friends you and I have to be willing to blow off Madison Avenue and blow off the advertising industry that keeps try to convince us that the really good life calls from get get get from having had having from old old owning. You listen to me listen to what Jesus is saying the good life does not come from having and owning and getting that doesn't make life rich, really good life comes from giving and sharing serving other people. That's what brings joy to life. That's what Jesus was saying that's what he said another place. The Bible reset it's more blessed to what give then to see now that's anti-American, but it's true. It's absolutely true and the happiest people I know in the world are givers member the question was want of all lot of money won't make me happy.

What will I tell you what will using whatever money you've got to bless other people's lives. That's will bring happiness and joy and real fulfillment into your life. Living to bless others using it to be a blessing to others and greed will get in the way you doing greed will stand up as a big linebacker and say you're not going to do it.

I'm not going let you do that wouldn't keep it for ourselves. Greed will hurt your quality of life. That's why, in the first place. Jesus said guard yourself against it as it will rob you of the kind of life that's really full of joy and reward. Secondly, the second way in which green hurt this rich man in which it will hurt you is not only to the cost and quality of life, but it costing the treasurer and have it costing treasure in heaven.

Remember back in the parable Jesus said that this is the kind of guy who had it all laid up for himself on earth, but he was, not rich towards God. He was poor towards God. I want to say that same thing right here in first Timothy chapter 6 it says verse 18 command them to do good regarding read this to be rich in good deeds to be generous to be willing to share in this way they will lay up treasure for themselves for the coming age. The Bible says that this treasure in heaven not let me just stop and say here were not talking about how to get to him. I don't want to confuse us now. Nobody gets to heaven because they use their money right nobody misses heaven because they use their money wrong anything to do with it. You get to heaven because you trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior and you rely on what he did on the cross for you personally to be payment for your soon. That's why you do or don't get to have another thing to do in your body so don't walk out here is a borderline says if I want to get to heaven I got my money right using your money right will not get you only trust in Christ will and I hope you're here that you know that you've done. Jesus is talking to those of us were Christians who already trusted and who know were going to heaven and telling us how to make sure we get there. We got some reward waiting and what he tells us is that the day you and I became a Christian. The day you and I trust in Christ Jesus opened up an account for us in the pearly gates Savings and Loan or something like that and it's up there waiting for you has your name on it is Avalon how make deposits into that thing. I mean I got no deposit slips all you do, you do right here just told you what you deposit slips were no verse 18, do good, be rich in good deeds. Be generous and willing to share with your money and your material well and every time you do that every bit of generosity every bit of hospitality every bit of charity every bit of sharing with people in need every bit of giving to the Lord every use of money that puts God first in your life is a deposit in your heavenly bank account and you know what when some of us as Christians get to heaven.

We are going to have a lot in our tell and some of us when we get there are accounts to be on a respirator and I do mean anything and it is not that anybody else had a greater chance that you did or did anybody else have the inside track and you didn't know it all depends on how you use your money here and how the people use their money. That's the whole point of Jesus's parable of the rich man was a living example of somebody who saw money the world's way accumulated hoarded stock pilot and then consume it on myself and Jesus said there's no spiritual advantage from doing that you can know treasure in heaven from doing that at all geared up a spiritual pauper. Jesus said the kind of lifestyle. The producers treasure in heaven is a different lifestyle. It's a lifestyle that says money is just a tool. Money is a tool God has given me to meet my own needs and then to lay up treasure in heaven. By ministering to the needs of people with the money that I've got friends were Jesus is telling us is that money only brings a spiritual advantage when we partner with not only keeping only part with, and that's why Jesus warned us about greed. Because greed is the enemy of this, lifestyle, greed seduces us into an un-biblical lifestyle.

With regard to money that robs us of laying up any treasure in heaven.

Greed says keep it off yourself. Don't get anything anybody you want God for this and that produces no treasure at all and have if we were to sum up what Jesus was trying to say to us today. I would sum it up by saying this, make sure you're planning your investment portfolio for life. Make sure you planted in a way so that it makes you rich towards God. Make sure you plan your investment portfolio so that you accrue treasure in heaven and how you gonna do that you could do it by giving to the work of God, and by giving to the needs of others around you be like Barry Sanders will be like this rich guy that's with Jesus trying to get across to us and you know the nice thing about when you use your money this way. The nice thing is there's a value-added and the value-added is that you also end up a happier, healthier, more fulfilled human being in this life living this way as well as laying up treasure in heaven. I mean folks without a win-win. Here I have a happier person here and I end up treasure in heaven is a good deal, your great enemy greed that I tell you this but you greed will help you to, well, I'm greedy folks while grading is not something you try to do it is something that is endemic to Homo sapiens. If you're Homo sapiens you greedy. It comes with the turf and if you don't think you're greedy and you don't think that's a problem in your life then you probably got the problem worse, and you realize well greedy secret of this whole thing is whether or not were willing to be honest enough with ourselves to admit it, deal with and you know greed is a slippery slimy little animal hide behind all kinds of other justifications and excuses in your life. Things like well I got have some security well I got a layup for retirement. Well I gotta make sure got enough to take care my family, and I don't want my kids take care me in old age is not a major listen to some legitimacy to every one of those, but many many times when you peel a lot of that stuff away at the bottom of it is just raw greed. St. Francis of Assisi, the great Catholic leader once said people have confessed to me every known sin except the sin of greed and interesting thing about anybody ever comments in the confessional booth and say father, I'm greedy.

Forgive me, why is that because of such a slippery slimy little animal hide in the crevices of your life and unless you're brutally honest enough to flush it out.

You'll never have to deal with friends. I assure you, you go in there and start flushing, you'll find greed because it's there, and it is in my life.

The secret is not to pretend like we don't have it but to be honest enough to admit it and get it up in the open and on our knees before God begin dealing with and sing more. This is truly it's my enemy. It'll keep me from living the kind of life that really is rich and rewarding on earth and it will rob me of laying up treasure in heaven. I got to deal with this ugly thing you gotta help me subdue it in my life. God help you if you are not honest enough to get it up and deal with was the best way to get over greed well. My suggestion is start giving maybe you have to force yourself first SI given, give, give, give, learn to be a giver and you know what God will make you happier human being.

And when you get to heaven you never regret one penny you gave away in the service of Jesus Christ greed your enemy deal with. They got help you. May God help me pray heavenly father, I want to thank you for the word of God's morning I want to thank you Lord for using it to confront in our lives. A genuine problem area and you know the American society we live in. Father just fuels the greed in our lives just feeds like a bunch of hungry sharks father I pray that you would use the word of God this morning to give us a reality check to help us stand back and evaluate the way were really living in the way were really using material things. Lord, teach us, as you instructed us this morning that they're just tools given to us after we meet our basic needs given to us so that we could lay up treasure in heaven, so that we can share with others. Father I pray that you would take what we talked about this morning and that you would change the way we see life and the way we live. The result will be that not only will we get treasure in heaven but will be happier, healthier, more fulfilled people so Lord create that win-win situation in our life by helping us grapple with and overcome the greed in our lives by your power, Lord, may we go out into this world is this church as members of McLean Bible church and as members of the body of Christ and be so conspicuously generous and so conspicuously giving that the world will be drawn to our Savior because of the way we live. These are the things I pray Lord I ask you to change our lives in these areas. In Jesus name I pray you been listening to Sam Levin, Dr. Lon Solomon said, when is an outreach of Lon Solomon ministry to listen to today's message more. For more information visit our website Lon Solomon ministry started. Thank you for your support. If you would like to contact us, please visit our website or call us at 866-788-7770 you will join us next time when line seeks to answer one of life's missed appointment spends