“GREED”

Good morning everyone.  Well, fall is in the air and I personally am not looking forward to the cold to follow.  Don’t get me wrong, I know each day is a blessing and I will be thankful for everyone I get to see, but I don’t do well in the cold.

Today, I want to speak on the subject of greed.  Greed can be exhibited in many ways.  Greed is an inordinate desire to acquire and possess.  Greed is sin - contrary to the character of God.  Greed involves the "personal aspiration" of the "lust of the eyes".  Greed is related to materialism.  Greed is idolatry.  Greed, while having an appeal and the appearance of satisfying, can run you down, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Let’s go to “The Book” and see what God has to say.

1 Corinthians 5:11 says, “What I meant was that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a Christian yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Don't even eat with such people.”  Mark 7:21-23 says, “21For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God."  Luke 12:15 says, “Then he said, "Beware! Don't be greedy for what you don't have. Real life is not measured by how much we own."  Ephesians 5:5 says, “You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world.”  1 John 3:17 says, “But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help -- how can God's love be in that person?”

There may be greed if you:  ..can't say "no" when offered money to do a job.  ...feel resentment when someone acquires what you would like to have.  ...engage in the "one-up-man-ship" of topping another's accounts of acquisitions.  ...give something wanting to be properly credited or reciprocated.  ...feel imposed upon when one of your children asks for money to buy something.  …if you begrudge another of a meal, a new pair of shoes or maybe some new clothes.

Some how, we have evolved from a world where families and communities use to stick together, “one for all and all for one”, to “the one with the most toys wins”.  It use to be if your neighbor was hungry, you didn’t go around whispering about it, you shared what you had.  If you only had two shirts in your closet and your neighbor didn’t have one, you gave them one of yours. 

I remember a show on Andy Griffith where Andy was suppose to evict a family and instead their neighbors got together and helped to raise money to pay up their mortgage.  Statistics today show that approximately 1 in 200 Americans are homeless.  God forgive us.

If each of us that has food to eat, clothes on our backs, a roof over our heads and can pay our bills of necessity and have money to spare would just do a little for those that don’t have these things to live, the world would be a much better place and the we would be the better for it.

Remember:  Thomas Jefferson said, “Experience demands that man is the only animal which devours his own kind, for I can apply no milder term to the general prey of the rich on the poor”.

Until next time, please pray for each other, and me, as I continue to pray for you.  Love in CHRIST,

Brian Hanvey

Associate Pastor

Bethel Baptist Church