Be on Guard Against Greed, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Jeannie Greer when you think about the future. What gives you a feeling of security is the amount of money that you have reserved is right with God. If it's money to be very tightfisted with God you be free with that money will be openhanded you'll be ready to be generous whenever God directs and not worried about it because God is your security. How do we recognize it and what's the cure will today on Summit life pastor JD Greer says is what Jesus has to say about guarding against the sin of greed part of being a disciple of Jesus is learning how to rethink contentment and wake up to the brevity of life is another thought-provoking message from our brand-new teaching series called In-Stat. Did you know you can revisit previous broadcast online or download the unedited message transcripts for free there, always available@jeanniegreer.com now here's pastor JD with a message from Luke chapter 12 that he is titled be on guard against Job out of a sense of they have no joy in being generous.

It hurts them, they might ties it might be my tide, but it hurts so they only give what they feel obligated to give them a go back to their their life of a bigger barn building something. Number five overspending overspending money signals money becomes the medication for whatever negative emotion you feel when you're sad you think about something when you're bored I'll get something new I need a bigger bar is what debt become such a problem, your saviors, your credit card at your bottle of pills you medicate life strains with with the Medicaid life strange was stuff in excessive amount of things is a sure sign of money set some of you men right now are thinking about your wife's closet but don't do that. Okay, think about whatever it is you collect something number five mystery symptom number six can't turn it off yet this incessant desire to pile up more and more is never seems to be enough. I'm sure when the guy mystery was young man. I'm sure he thought mad if I get I could just have enough money to buy some nice clothes man that would be the life and be a nice chariot river cruise around Jerusalem and be awesome.

Many God that he thought memo would be like one data my own farm among workers and against bad image. Why does Bill Barnett have some excess crops like himself when he gets that now here he is even bigger barn, a symptom of money. Sickness is never being satisfied enough is always right around the corner is just never quite where you are just a little bit ahead of you money sicknesses like that. It's always is always always out there just beyond you would never lets up and reminds me of that CEO that was interviewed in Forbes magazine that I that I often quote he said. I spent my entire life climbing the ladder of success only get to the top and find out it was leaning against the wrong building something. Number six is is is can't turn it off symptom number seven stockpiling money sickness drives you to save excessive amounts like this man were not talking about a wise investment plan. That's biblical were talking about saving excessively or failing to be radically generous. Along the way you thought. You can't do that because money is the entire basis of your security for the future. People who have money. Sickness can't be truly generous because money is there security after they can't give it away. You see, verse 33 where Jesus tells them to give away their possessions.

Keep in mind that that that Batman all they had were possessions that induce savings accounts or stock portfolios.

All they had was possessions possession for your retirement possessions were what you left your children.

So when Jesus says give away your possessions.

Jesus is not telling you to get rid of some things. He is telling this group to reduce their savings and cut into their net worth all of them I got. I can do that my identity is tied up in that my security is tied up in that Jesus is good your money sick seven symptoms of money, sickness, boasting very money comfort stinginess overspending can't turn it off and stockpiling yet any of these you have any of these point your spouse be think they have some of it not only that was getting a grip. Thankfully Jesus in this passage points us to the cure with your account for things in this passage that he gives is a curable one wanted tells you wake up to the brevity of life.

This is a strangely effective care first 20 wake up to the brevity of life. This man security gets brought down by one sentence from God one sentence that God will say to every single one of us at some point in our lives first 20 tonight your soul is required of you and then all these things George Ford Escort whose well-baby, this man went to sleep that night.

Totally confident about tomorrow is get up early to play golf not night, about 2 o'clock in the morning. Unexpectedly, his art Psalm 90 verse 12 says that thinking often on the brevity of life is the beginning of wisdom. Lord Moses said in the Psalm 90 teach us to number our days, we may apply our hearts to learn wisdom. It's only by firmly embracing the brevity of your life that you can begin order your life the right way. Dharma learn this lesson as a kid but play my favorite board game with my mom. We split almost every afternoon monopoly money.

I love him and I'm a mom and I played all the time and I love getting Boardwalk and Park Place and Pacific and Pennsylvania Avenue. I got the whole side of the board. At last, and such of the board. I love watching her for anybody elsewhere.

I love watching her face went when the shoot around the corner with her little car and know that she was going to have to land on one of our squares, will Mesaba got a monopoly there is no way that you get through without without linen up on one of my squares of W hotels bankrupt or in 11 move number my mom you smiling with approval. Tell me I was given for the game after I'd taken all her money and transfer.

She probably told me the biggest lesson of all monopoly and that is when she took the board and she screwed all that up to the end put it back in the box and said Sunday one you made all this money, but it makes no difference because it all goes back in the box.

Now go clean your room. Find all that money you had didn't make any difference you understand that at death, it all goes back in the box. It lives literally as worthless as all my accrued power and Park Pl. in Boardwalk and again that lasted for an hour and 1/2 and then after it all goes back in the box and whose wall Bruce Bigsby only one life to live will soon be passed only what's done for Christ will last for the Bible says about eternity is true, it is insanity for you to think the point of your possessions is to complex defy and adorn your life. Here match you saw me walk around and target and I've got shopping carts.

And I'm curing them on July while buying all this stuff, but also some nice stuff and I might know I don't have any money. I disliked it, but I carry around with me in the store that will be insane. Friend, you can't take any of your possessions with you after death not to leave the store with it all goes back in the box stop living as if this life lasts forever and eternity is not real, it is you understand it's all going back in the box sister to live that way number two is you embrace brevity of life to you should be rich toward God choose to be rich toward God. Verse 2121 Jesus says if you go to seem to be read somewhere seem to be rich toward God. Verse 33. Continue seller's possessions and give the poor make money backs for yourselves that will grow old and inexhaustible treasure in heaven was not going back in the box where no thief comes near normal destroys wasted life is a life that focuses all of its effort on the 70 or 80 years here lives richly here and takes little to nothing into eternity. Last week I told you about a new book that I have it that just came out to what you do with your life. What I do and I will just try to explore the difference between a waste of life in a wisely lived one opened the book with the story about hearing a sermon by John Piper years ago that is one of those ones I would say really change my life.

A flood within the phrase remoulade change my life at this one actually did see that now.

From the vantage point.

About 20 years. Passion conference year was 2000 is not great setting for a sermon. By the way, it was outdoors.

It was rainy and it was money on this January. The wind was really boisterous and it blew half of Dr. Piper's notes. Also, the lectern out into the crowd was about 40,000 college students Darren John Piper told the story recounted. He said three weeks ago we at word in our church that Ruby Eliasson and Laura Edwards about been killed in Cameroon on a mission trip Ruby was over 80 single all over life. She ported out for one great thing to make Jesus Christ known among the unreached. The poor and the sick. Laura was a widow, a medical doctor pushing 80 years old and serving a ruby siding Cameroon. The brakes failed. The car went over the cliff and they were both killed instantly. John Piper said. I looked out of my people in Bethlehem Baptist Church and asked them their lives was not a tragedy. Smattering of students throughout there, your back no, no, that's right, Piper responded, that's not a tragedy.

I'll tell you what is a tragedy and pulled out a page from Reader's Digest to be read from the soul page and Reader's Digest. Bob and Penny took an early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30 foot trawler play softball and collect shells. Piper continued the American dream come to the end of your life. Your one and only life with the last great work before you give an account or cure to your creator be collected shells Lord here. See my shells that I submit to you. You said is a tragedy. People today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream.

Today I'm here to plead with you, don't buy it.

Don't waste your life as a young man in her early 20s. I will tell you I never got over those words don't waste your life.

Don't die rich in the world import toward God. Some of you need to think about this tonight. It could all be over with God look at you and say you will you live clean then no one had anything to say, guess you and your church every week, but but tonight your soul is required of you and then all those things to work so hard for me now only one life to live will soon be passed only what's done for Christ will last. Number three.

Three. Jesus says you need to rethink contentment rethink contentment. Verse 22 verse 22 Jesus goes right to the heart of my sickness. Then Jesus said to the disciples I tell you, do not worry about your life Julie about your body, which will wear for life is more than food and the body is more than close is your problem is you think money is the essence of the good life. Jesus then uses two analogies that correspond to the money sickness really into different personality types, verse, verse 24 he says consider the ravens. They neither seven store house or barn that God feeds them much more value for you than the birds. Some of you that when you get extra money you like to save it because you worry about a rainy day Jesus will then want to bury Virgil to Carol saving God takes care of them. Surely are more valuable to God than birds are your made in God's image, and birds are verse 27 he says consider the lilies how they grow, they neither toil nor spin you not tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow stone the oven.

How much more will equal you will you of little faith. I mean you last forever rest changes every season like you're more valuable to God than grass is. He died to save you and die for grass are way better than grass is play with these analogies is not that we should never save or spend money on close his point is simply that God is that God is a more reliable source for both security for the future and for beauty, significance and fulfillment in the present and money is when you think about the future. What gives you a feeling of security is the amount of money that you have received this right with God. If it's money to be very tightfisted with. I if if it it if it's God you be free with that money will be openhanded you'll be ready to be generous whenever God directs and and and that's because you're not worried about it because God is your security not money. Stop thinking that contentment and happiness found just around the corner at the next income level.

Stop thinking security is at the next benchmark in your portfolio both significance and security. Jesus said to the ravens in the lilies.

Both of those are best found in the present by being obedient to God. December 31. You should seek his kingdom and if you do all these things be added to you.

For all these things in context, security and fulfillment happiness.

If you put God first and give you security he'll give you fulfillment, happiness, stop thinking they're out there somewhere that method of doing what you can obtain the future. Those things are things that you should be able to experience wherever you want Sony disaster you happy right now you feel secure right now. If not, that's not a money problem.

That's a relationship God problem. Contentment is a present posture issue, not a future acquisition one number 4/1 have a radical experience of grace for started to over 32 has become one of my favorite verses for a little flock as your father delights to give you the kingdom of the Lord, my English professor. They should not mix metaphors but here Jesus wonderfully mixes three. I called in the trifecta of assurance. God is a the watchful Shepherd intimately aware of where we are and what were doing these be the Almighty King controlling everything according to his good purposes for our lives and see he's a tender father delights to see us thrive.

Can't you trust that if you obey him. He'll take care for you. We didn't die for you is your father's good pleasure to give you the gift. How much did it cost him to give you the kingdom. It wouldn't free. Jesus had to purchase it with his blood and he provided that for you when you were his enemy, don't you think you will supply you abundantly. Now that you are his child.

Now take your hands off of clinging so tightly.

Furthermore, should then experience with the generosity of Jesus produce generosity in you. What is Jesus doing this stuff to give it away to save you. Where would you be heading not you be lost and you also do that for others to see the cure for money sickness is wake-up the brevity of life. It's said to be rich toward God choose the richer God is to rethink contentment and have a radical experience of grace.

That's the cure for heart of greed.

Some of forecloses me say really proud of the way that you can apply this this is something we call first-tier first was an initiative that we began at our church in 2018. It was a two year journey in which we approach God one question is Jesus first in our hearts is the first in our time are talent and treasure.

We challenge you to give to make a two-year commitment of radical generosity that put Christ first perceives a pastor was very moving time to see members that may some of the boldest and with radical commitments we've ever seen. I knew of newlyweds. For example, that bill generosity into their initial budget with money.

It will even have one did it before get a job and told me is totally set aside the Lord provide the exact salary increase that I can meet this faith commitment that I make. I know a family who had young kids on the determined they were going to make giving to the kingdom of God. Their largest expense every month more than their mortgage more than the retirement savings when they spend on Christmas.

They watch God provide for them and an even more importantly watched God train their kids in my life was about serving Jesus, not about collecting stuff. I'm a couple of retirees, a briar crater Berkeley campus Canada Joanne this year that that that through first date, they given more in two years than in the past decade because of the greatest thing was not the God multiplied her money, give it back to us.

He said God gave us and we never had in our lives and that was contentment. Contentment and level of joy. We never experience can share that he feels like he's just as rich as Jeff these hours because there's nothing in the world that he desires that he cannot afford because level contentment. God has given them with what he has. Was that and and and and so many other so many other generosity has enabled us to do some amazing things. The last two years we launched our campus and garnering in the capital Hills campus we we bought land for the Alamance County campus.

We moved ahead with plans for the building.

The North Durham campus facility we sent out for US church planters with teams to get churches started in different cities around the United States. We have five more in residency this year we've given out 7000 copies of groundwork's disciple making, study how to summit members and people here the triangle and all kinds of people. I want do that over 100 baptisms here since August during covert okay hundred people that may baptize reverse 66 he prayed to receive Christ in October alone from dozens of countries around the globe of the globe, several hundred home gatherings, meeting every week that we had to adapt like never before. Here, 20, 21 really continue to ask how to put Christ first and how to make the gospel above all and everything we do in this new wacky crazy normal that worry and everything is out in the table, especially our yes I saw this recently. Let me me weekend on an original listless of this and what you imagine how much they all this will cost okay. Sponsor a million new indigenous full-time missionaries and poor nations around the world completely fund the fight against global malaria quadruple the global missions budget of all missions agencies engaged in reaching on evangelization quadruple and provide food, clothing and shelter to all 6.5 million refugees across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Triple the global Bible translation budget fund, 150,000 seminary scholarships for promising students in emerging economies double the operating budget of compassion that's caring for orphans establish eight new Christian universities around the world hire 25,000 additional American missionaries to work on our college campuses but something quite a list that boarding the price tag on that would be pleasant as I'm not making this up into the math we would all be accomplished if the Christian community in America gave just .4% more of its income. One more dollar out of every 250 to work in the kingdom of God by God's grace for the riches faith community of history.

American Christians have a combined annual income of $5 trillion what would you right here in the triangle if you get a group of people 12,000 strong. That call discharge their home and just say God is going to be first his kingdom to be first. Can you imagine the impact we can make up the tribal effort. The same all what you do in the season this to put your guess on the table say God I want to be first among money to my God. When you be my God, should obey the voice of the Holy Spirit want to bow your heads.

If you would, let's pray together. Father is the I guess you call leader. This church got on first and foremost a follower God will leave right now in Somerset in one trust and money. I won't trust my bank account. When addressed to my earning potential is one obey you all that I have with its income are things that I own. I just want to put again on the altar volume 71, show me in these days, looks like to refine the site for you to be first to do the days to come to think about giving the next year, to make you first know that I do not pray got asked that clearly for church and Messe got and she is.

We had to adapt like never before of the past couple of years and as we launch into another year of unknowns will continue to ask and hopefully answer how to put Christ and the gospel first in everything that we do your listening to summit life with pastor Arthur and theologian JD Greer. We are in a brand-new, never before aired teaching series called In-Stat, and if you happen to join us late today or if you'd like to catch up on previous messages in this study, visit us@jdgreer.com. There you can listen to all of our previously aired broadcasts free of charge as well as the higher preaching catalog. We are committed to equipping you for great commission work and sharing the gospel and the most important training till that we had is the word of God. That's why our latest resource is designed typically to help you know the Bible better. If you want to carry God's promises in your heart are new summit life memory verse cards make it easy to memorize Scripture. We like to send you that 50 Scripture memory card and thank you when you support the ministry of summit like today. The cards are made small in situ playing cards for reference. An easy placement. You can put them on the fridge or even stick them in your wallet and into a bulletin board at Rainier for extra encouragement, Scripture cards remind us of God standing in his unchanging premises. Now many point over the Wednesday learning and adding to the never weekly or even monthly will ensure that God's word is being stored both in your mind in your heart. Something we see a lot of cemeteries when God's word comes from a desire that we want to be treated Scripture to know my share and I were light-it's salvation and the word alone prepares assisting absent every challenge that we face courage, so let's prioritize memorizing this year. Together we are so grateful for you and your partnership with us as we begin a new year of ministry together for the rejoice always, Scripture memory cards.

When you become a gospel partner when you get a single gift of $35 or more, 866-335-5220 866-335-5224. You can get online and JD Greer.com and sign up for our email list. Be sure to do that day. Way to stay up to date with latest blog post and to make sure the never miss a new resource theory, quick and easy to find out JD Greer.com Molly benefits inviting you to join us tomorrow teaches writing for his church. Join us Friday percent. It might ministry