CRCF\u201d\u201d8\/16\/09
\nHow to Remove the Leech of \u201cMore\u201d
\nColossians 3:1-14 ((*5b)<\/p>\n
Introduction\u201d\u201d \u201cGreed is good. Greed is right. Greed works\u201d (Gordon Gekko in Wall Street).<\/p>\n
So says the world in which we live. So says the human heart. I\u201d\u2122ve lived it, and so have you.
\nMen who trap animals in Africa for zoos in America say that one of the hardest animals to catch is the ringtailed monkey. For the Zulus of that continent, however, it’s simple. They’ve been catching this agile little animal with ease for years. The method the Zulus use is based on knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey. Knowing this, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to insert his hand to reach the seeds inside. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can, then start to withdraw it. This he cannot do. His fist is now larger than the hole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. But he can’t get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the Zulus sneak up and nab him.
\n(Bibliographic Reference is Uncertain: Charles Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, p.150ff.)
\nGreed can easily be the death of you and me!
\nColossians 3:5b\u201d\u201d\u201cDon\u201d\u2122t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
Proverbs 30:15\u201d\u201d\u201cThe leech has two suckers that cry out, \u201d\u02dcMore! More!\u201d\u2122.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
*Every Christ-follower must learn how to remove the leech of \u201cmore\u201d, lest we betray Jesus for the \u201cstuff\u201d of this world.<\/p>\n
HOW do we remove the leech of \u201cmore\u201d?<\/p>\n
1.\tYou and I must understand that greed is the deadly worship of the \u201cstuff\u201d of this world.<\/p>\n
Colossians 3:5b\u201d\u201d\u201cDon\u201d\u2122t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jesus explained this in a great story about a farmer.<\/p>\n
Luke 12:13-21
\n\u201cThen someone called from the crowd, \u201d\u02dcTeacher, please tell my brother to divide our father\u201d\u2122s estate with me.\u201d\u2122 Jesus replied, \u201d\u02dcFriend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?\u201d\u2122 Then he said, \u201d\u02dcBeware! Don\u201d\u2122t be greedy for what you don\u201d\u2122t have. Real life is not measured by how much we own.\u201d\u2122 And he gave an illustration: \u201d\u02dcA rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. So he said, \u201d\u02dcI know! I\u201d\u2122ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I\u201d\u2122ll have room enough to store everything. And I\u201d\u2122ll sit back and say to myself, \u201d\u02dcMy friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!\u201d\u2122 But God said to him, \u201d\u02dcYou fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?\u201d\u2122 Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
Why did God take this rich man\u201d\u2122s life? Because he worshiped and trusted in his \u201cstuff\u201d instead of God.
\nHe loved satisfying\/pleasing himself more than he loved satisfying\/pleasing God.
\n\u201cGreed is the logical result of the belief that there is no life after death. We grab what we can while we can however we can and then hold on to it hard.\u201d
\n(Sir Fred Catherwood, Evangelicals Now, September, 1994.)
\nWhat are you willing to do for $10,000,000?
\nTwo-thirds of Americans polled would agree to at least one, some to several of the following:
\nWould abandon their entire family (25%)
\nWould abandon their church (25%)
\nWould become prostitutes for a week or more (23%)
\nWould give up their American citizenships (16%)
\nWould leave their spouses (16%)
\nWould withhold testimony and let a murderer go free (10%)
\nWould kill a stranger (7%)
\nWould put their children up for adoption (3%)
\n(James Patterson and Peter Kim, The Day America Told the Truth, 1991.)
\nProverbs 30:7-9\u201d\u201d\u201cO God, I beg two favors from you before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, \u201d\u02dcWho is the Lord?\u201d\u2122 And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God\u201d\u2122s holy name.\u201d<\/p>\n
1 Timothy 6:9-10\u201d\u201d\u201cBut people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
NOTE the deceitfulness of greed\u201d\u201d\u201ctrapped by many foolish and harmful desires\u201d, \u201cplunge them into ruin and destruction\u201d, \u201cpierced themselves with many sorrows\u201d.<\/p>\n
Does anyone who goes down the path of greed intend to be trapped and to be foolish and bring harm to themselves\u201d\u201deven ruin and destruction, and pierce themselves with sorrows? No! Greed deceives!<\/p>\n
Greed is the deadly worship of the \u201cstuff\u201d of this world!<\/p>\n
2.\tYou and I must rip the leech of \u201cmore\u201d from our hearts.<\/p>\n
Colossians 3:5a\u201d\u201d\u201c So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, in my life, the suckers on the leech of greed are strong and latch on hard! How \u201d\u02dcbout for you? So . . .<\/p>\n
How can we rip greed loose from our hearts?<\/p>\n
a) Focus your thoughts on your true \u201chome\u201d! (1-3)<\/p>\n
Colossians 3:1-5a, 6, 9-10–\u201cSince you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God\u201d\u2122s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you . . . God\u201d\u2122s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things . . . for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds. In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.\u201d<\/p>\n
1 John 3:2-3\u201d\u201d\u201cYes, dear friends, we are already God\u201d\u2122s children, and we can\u201d\u2122t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
1 John 2:15-17\u201d\u201d\u201cStop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
We can rip the leech of greed from our hearts focusing on our true home, remembering how short-lived the stuff of this world really is!<\/p>\n
b)\tReplace the selfishness of greed with practical love for others!<\/p>\n
Colossians 3:12-14
\n\u201cSince God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other\u201d\u2122s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
Back to Jesus\u201d\u2122 story in Luke 12\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n
Luke 12:21\u201d\u201d\u201cYes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
What does Jesus mean practically by the phrase, \u201ca rich relationship with God\u201d? What does that kind of relationship with God look like?<\/p>\n
Luke 12:31-34\u201d\u201d\u201cHe will give you all you need from day to day if you make the kingdom of God your primary concern. So don\u201d\u2122t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe\u201d\u201dno thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
The antidote to the poison of selfishness and greed is God\u201d\u2122s love flowing through us to others as we serve them practically!<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does it say to those of us who follow the One who had no place to lay his head, when our combined incomes\u201d\u201dthe income of American Christians\u201d\u201dexceeds $5 trillion a year? What does it say to a people who spend more money on pet food and weight loss products each year than we give to education, poverty and health relief organizations combined? What does it say to those of us who buy $5 billion of Christian products a year, when the largest Christian organization feeding the world\u201d\u2122s hungry gets less than a quarter of that amount?\u201d (McBrayer, ibid., 48).<\/p>\n
By the way, the Gilmer Food Pantry still needs our donations and time, as we can give it. Also, there\u201d\u2122s a new ministry that Don Talbert and I are going to visit hopefully this week called Bread and Bowl Ministries that gives free lunch to folks almost every day (see postcards on the counter).<\/p>\n
1 John 4:7-12\u201d\u201d\u201cDear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God\u201d\u201dfor God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.\u201d (NLT)<\/p>\n
\u201cServing others will remind us of our identity and call us out from this self-absorbed, selfish world to be the people of God on a journey following his Son, Jesus\u201d (McBrayer, Leaving Religion, Following Jesus, 51).<\/p>\n
We can rip the leech of greed from our hearts by replacing it with practical love for others!<\/p>\n
Conclusion\u201d\u201d\u201cIn the days following September 11, 2001, reports of the remarkable story of the New York City firefighters in Ladder Company 6 began to circulate. This small group of men entered the World Trade Center One after it was struck by the first hijacked plane. They assisted the wounded and the traumatized, working their way up the building\u201d\u2122s stairwells. On the fifteenth floor, Port Authority Police handed over to them a sixty-year-old bookkeeper named Josephine Harris. She had descended some seventy floors already and slowly began to climb down the last few stories. They talked to her about her kids, her grandkids, and her work, anything to keep her moving. But at the fourth floor she could go no further. She had to sit down and rest. The men of Ladder Company 6 refused to leave her. They sat down with her in the stairwell. It was then that more than a hundred floors of burning steel and concrete began to crash down on top of them. Each one quickly said their prayers and prepared for death. But death did not come. The fourth-floor stairwell of building one was one of only a few places that did not collapse. When they emerged from the rubble a few hours later, they were alive, and, for the most part, well. \u201d\u02dcYou saved our lives,\u201d\u2122 the firefighters told Josephine. \u201d\u02dcBut you saved mine,\u201d\u2122 Josephine responded. And it was all true . . . in finding those in need of material and spiritual grace and offering it to them freely, we find our own souls rescued from selfishness and corruption. In serving others we find ourselves. We discover the reason for our existence: not to be served but to serve, and to give our lives to others just as Jesus did\u201d (McBrayer, ibid., 51-52).<\/p>\n
What good would it be
\nFm
\nIf you had everything
\nE
\nBut you wouldn’t have
\nFm E
\nThe only thing you need<\/p>\n
This is the good life
\nC#m
\nI’ve lost everything
\nFm
\nI could ever want
\nE D
\nAnd ever dream of
\nA
\nThis is the good life
\nC#m
\nI found everything
\nFm
\nI could ever need
\nE D
\nHere in Your arms<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CRCF\u201d\u201d8\/16\/09 How to Remove the Leech of \u201cMore\u201d Colossians 3:1-14 ((*5b) Introduction\u201d\u201d \u201cGreed is good. Greed is right. Greed works\u201d (Gordon Gekko in Wall Street). So says the world in which we live. So says the human heart. I\u201d\u2122ve lived … Continue reading