Do Not Love the World
(1 John 2:12-17)
I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven
you for His name's sake. I write to you, fathers, Because
you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to
you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked
one. I write to you, little children, Because you have
known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, Because
you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have
written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and
the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome
the wicked one. Do not love the world or the things in the
world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is
not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of
the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing
away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God
abides forever. (NKJV)
Materialism: The Goal?
“…selfishness and materialism are no
longer seen as moral problems but as
cardinal goals in life.” - Tim Kasser
Materialism Defined:
• Preoccupation or stress of material things
over spiritual
• Concept that material possessions bring
about happiness and well-being
• Accumulating material possessions
constitutes progress
“…where your treasure is…”
(Matthew 6:19-21)
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures
on earth, where moth and rust destroy
and where thieves break in and steal;
"but lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust
destroys and where thieves do not
break in and steal. "For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be
also. (NKJV)
“But I have to make a living!”
(Matthew 6:25)
"Therefore I say to you, do not worry
about your life, what you will eat or
what you will drink; nor about your
body, what you will put on. Is not life
more than food and the body more
than clothing? (NKJV)
A Little Materialistic, But Spiritually-Minded?
(Matthew 6:24)
"No one can serve two masters; for
either he will hate the one and love the
other, or else he will be loyal to the one
and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and mammon. (NKJV)
“Affluenza”
“Affluenza is a strange malady that affects
the children of well-to-do parents.
Though having everything money can
buy, the children show all the symptoms
of abject poverty – depression, anxiety,
loss of meaning and despair for the
future. Affluenza accounts for an escape
into alcohol, drugs, shoplifting and
suicide among children of the wealthy. It
is most often found where parents are
absent from the house and try to buy their
children’s love.” – Randy Alcorn,
Possessions and Eternity
Affects of Materialism
Marriage/Family
Infidelity
Sleeping Disorders
Murder
Euthanasia
Depression/Suicide
Error
Partiality
Greed
Loss of Spiritual Direction
Financial hardship
Financial Hardship
• About 43% of American families spend
more than they earn each year.
• Personal bankruptcies have doubled in
the past decade.
• Average credit card debt per
household with credit card debt:
$16,007 (2009 Statistics)
• Gambling addiction: growing problem
in U.S.
“When Goods Increase…”
(Ecclesiastes 5:11-12) When goods increase, They
increase who eat them; So what profit have the
owners Except to see them with their eyes? The
sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats
little or much; But the abundance of the rich will
not permit him to sleep. (NKJV)
(Ecclesiastes 2:18-19) Then I hated all my labor in
which I had toiled under the sun, because I must
leave it to the man who will come after me. And
who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet
he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and
in which I have shown myself wise under the sun.
This also is vanity. (NKJV)
Lessons From the King of Materialism:
• Mirth, pleasure and laughter (Eccl. 2:1-2)
• Fine dining (Eccl. 2:3)
• Beautiful houses, pools, gardens, orchards,
vineyards (Eccl. 2:4-5)
• Numerous servants to do the work for him
(Eccl. 2:7)
• Cattle and livestock – businesses producing
income (Eccl. 2:7)
• Riches: silver and gold (Eccl. 2:8)
• Vast stores of “collectables” (Eccl. 2:8)
• Musical entertainment (Eccl. 2:8)
• Power, position and prestige (Eccl. 2:9)
Finding Contentment
(Hebrews 11:13)
These all died in faith, not having
received the promises, but having seen
them afar off were assured of them,
embraced them and confessed that
they were strangers and pilgrims on
the earth. (NKJV)
Finding Contentment
(Hebrews 13:5) Let your conduct be
without covetousness; be content with
such things as you have. For He
Himself has said, "I will never leave
you nor forsake you." (NKJV)
(Philippians 4:11) Not that I speak in
regard to need, for I have learned in
whatever state I am, to be content:
(NKJV)
Finding Contentment
(Proverbs 1:19) So are the ways of
everyone who is greedy for gain; It
takes away the life of its owners.
(NKJV)
Gain! Gain! Gain!
(Proverbs 3:13-14) Happy is the man who finds
wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
For her proceeds are better than the profits of
silver, And her gain than fine gold. (NKJV)
(Philippians 1:21) For to me, to live is Christ, and to
die is gain. (NKJV)
(Philippians 3:7) But what things were gain to me,
these I have counted loss for Christ. (NKJV)
(1 Timothy 6:6) Now godliness with contentment is
great gain. (NKJV)
Check Your Profit Margins!
(Matthew 16:26)
"For what profit is it to a man if he gains
the whole world, and loses his own
soul? Or what will a man give in
exchange for his soul? (NKJV)