And so of course Matthew 6 is right there in between
7 & 8 and those famous
Or Matthew 6. Sorry isn't between 7 & 8. It's the beginning is before it Matthew 5 6 7 & 8
You got the Sermon on the Mount. This is a very famous passage
You know, there's a lot of great truths that we could learn out of this passage
but one in particular I want to look at there is
In Matthew chapter 6 and if you look at verse 25 where it reads
Therefore I say unto you take no thought for your life
What you shall eat or what you shall drink nor yet for your body what you shall put on is not the body
And it's not the life more than meat and the body more than raiment
And I want you to keep something there in Matthew 6. We're going to come back at the very end
We're gonna go to some other places. I'll have you put in your finger in other places
So maybe bookmark it with the bulletin or if you got a slip of paper because again, we'll come back here at the very end
But I love this this this verse here verse 25
It's such a stark reminder for us that you know, our body, you know
Our life is more than just providing for our physical needs and we're living in a world
Of course, I don't want to minimize that there is an importance in that that we should provide for our own
we should take care of ourselves and every man must bear his own cross the Bible says and it's our
Responsibility to provide for ourselves and our families and and and to give food and shelter
But Jesus makes it real clear here that you know, there's more to life than just
clothing and raiment and more specifically, you know, there's more to life than just possessions and
When we think about it, you know when we if a lot of people are caught up on these two things
You know food and raiment and we can of course expound on that
They get caught up with not just clothes
but having the best clothes having the nicest clothes having the best food and and
Things like that and people get real caught up in that and just making their life all about these carnal things on this earth
and what they end up doing is they just start moving through life and all life becomes is just a series of
getting up and going to work to provide for these things and coming home and and
Then getting up and going to work again to provide to have these things and life just becomes a very monotonous
life can become very shallow and meaningless and empty when all we're focused on in life are
Things like this these these these carnal things of food and raiment and Jesus is saying look
There's more to life than just you
You know providing for just this monotonous cycle of food and raiment food and raiment, you know
There's never gonna be
Enough clothes, you know for us if that's all we want
There's never gonna be enough food to eat if that's all we ever want
There's always going to be more and what ends up happening if you would turn over to Ecclesiastes chapter 1 Ecclesiastes chapter 1
Is that when people get in this cycle of just going through life making their life all about physical things all about?
just gathering toys and all about
You know
Just just accumulating food and clothing and houses and cars is that they end up living a very shallow life and a life
That's actually quite unsatisfying
You'd say well, I don't I'm not so sure about that
Well, go look at some of the people that have everything there is to have go look at the famous movie stars and the movie
And the rock stars and and everybody else that has all the wealth and the abundance. They never have enough. They're always wanting more
There's some very miserable people
They are they're very good
They often get caught up in drugs and alcohol trying to drown their sorrows trying to find meaning in this life
And we would say but they have everything but in reality what Jesus has shown us so far is that they have nothing
They all they have our clothing and and food
They just have the physical carnal things of this life and there's more to life than just these carnal physical things
Look here in Ecclesiastes chapter 1. Let's begin in verse 8 where it says all things are full of labor and
Man cannot utter it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing
Nor the ear filled with hearing, you know, there's always so there's always going to be more to see
There's always going to be more to hear and if we just make our life about trying to get as much enjoyment
Out of this one life that we have, you know, it's going to be a vein. It's going to be a meaningless
It's going to be an unsatisfying life
But you're gonna realize something really quick that you're not gonna see it all that you're not gonna hear at all
There's always going to be more to see there's always going to be more to hear you're you know
It's just it reminds me of tech, you know, I I'm recently gone through this thing where I'm trying to distance myself from technology
Now I love technology, but I'm trying not to get so caught up in it
But you always have to have the latest and greatest, you know every fall you got to sit around and say, okay
Where's the new iPhone gonna be like what's the new Android for gonna be like, you know?
I'm gonna get the latest and greatest and it's the latest and greatest for about a
Year and then the latest and greatest comes out again you feel like you've got this, you know
This this worthless device, you know, and you forget how amazing it is in and of itself
I mean, I remember, you know before when cell phones were this big, you know
I mean, you know was only for like stockbrokers and and you could only make certain calls to certain people
But that's what people get caught up in they get caught up in just the physical things of this world
It's always trying to get the latest and greatest of whatever it is
Whether it's technology or some hobby that you get involved in and I'm not against these things
But it's when our life all it becomes about is just chasing after these things chasing after
You know seeing the next great thing or hearing the next great thing
The Bible says look, you know, the eye is not gonna be satisfied. The ear is not gonna be full
You're gonna keep chasing after the next one and chasing after the next one and there's always going to be the next one
So you can't see it all you can't hear it all if you would turn over to Luke chapter 12
And when you get to Luke, I'd like you to put something there in Luke
We're gonna come back and forth a few times this morning
But in Luke chapter 12 and the title of the sermon this morning is beware of covetousness
Beware of covetousness and this is an appropriate
Sermon, I believe for the time of year that we're in
When we get around the holiday season a lot of people seem to forget exactly what it is
We're celebrating if you were to go out into the the world go to the Walmart's and the targets and the shopping centers
You know, they're not going to be you know, celebrating the birth of Christ
Which is what this is all about and why we even have a Christmas season
We're here during the thing, you know this we're coming up on Thanksgiving and what's that about?
It's about giving thanks for the things that we have and we go right from that into this Christmas season
when we start just demanding and desiring and having things that we don't have and
we forget the reason why we're even celebrating Christmas and a lot of people get caught up in this and
And and of course, you know
Manufacturers and people like that they they play upon this they've got you know
They have their Black Friday and this is the time where all the late and the best toys come out and all the hot deals
Are coming out and they want you to be covetous
They want you to want everything that they're selling and if we're not careful and again
I'm not against buying nice things and giving nice things and all that
But let's not let it blind us to why we're even celebrating Christmas and let's understand something that thing that you want to have this
Christmas more than anything else
But you know by by New Year's you might be bored of it by the next, you know next Christmas
You're gonna even forgot how bad you wanted that thing and there'll be something else that you want
Why is that because the eyes never satisfied the year is never full and there's more to life than just this next
The next latest and greatest thing look here in Luke chapter 12
Let's look at verse 13 Luke chapter 12 in verse 13 the Bible reads
He said and one of them company said unto his math said unto him
Master speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me
So here's Jesus and this man comes to him and he says hey, I've got this brother
our parents have died and he's not giving me my portion of the inheritance you need to speak to him and
Straighten this out and he said to unto him verse 14 man who made me a judge or divider over you
He's saying look. What does it matter? What do you what do you care? What I think about that?
What do you care what I think about the situation you figure it out you you work it out and then he doesn't stop there
But he also goes on and takes this opportunity to actually teach a lesson and he said unto them take heed and beware of covetousness
For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possess it
Those are powerful words and Jesus says here that your life does not consist of the things that you possess
You know your your things do not define who you are
But that's not what our culture does does it our culture is very big on status symbols
You know, I i'm identified by what type of phone I have what kind of car I have what kind of clothes I wear
Where I spend my money, you know how I spend my time. We think that these are the things that make what uh that that uh,
Give, you know substance to our life, but they're not
Jesus said that these things are you know, these these things are not
What make up your life that your life is not, uh, you know the abundance of your possessions
And he's warning us here to beware of covetousness
And why is that again because again, there's more to life than your physical needs
There's more to life than just providing for your physical needs and getting the best of everything
And this is a counter-cultural philosophy that jesus is preaching here
You know, everyone wants to be counter-culture. Everyone wants to be hip. Everyone wants to go against the flow, right?
They want to be unique
Well, this is one way to do it
But quitting so wrapped up and buying things and and making your life all about just accumulating things and chasing after wealth
And start to focus on things
That uh actually matter go ahead and stay in luke 12, but let's look at uh, verse 18
Well, actually, let's just pick it up here in verse 16
And he says in verse 16
He begins to speak a parable to this end where he's actually trying to expound on this truth
That a man's life consists not in the abundance of his possessions
And he says in verse 16 and he spake a parable into them saying
The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully
And he thought within himself saying, uh, what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits
I mean, this is a good problem to have right? This guy has got all he already says it's a rich man
He's already a guy who has abundance of everything and now his ground is even bringing forth more
And he can't even find room enough to store it. The harvest is coming in. The crop is coming in and he doesn't have room
You know, he's at the barn just barely able to close the doors
They're just springing out and he has nowhere to put this
So what does he do and he thought within himself verse 17?
What shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits and he said this will I do I will give it to
the poor
I'll give to those that have nothing I have more than I could heart could wish is that what he said?
That's not what he said
He was selfish he was covetous he was envious and he says I will pull down my barns and build greater
You know, it wasn't enough just to build another barn for this guy
He had to pull down the old one right and could have just built another barn
He said i'm gonna pull down my old barn and build an even bigger barn
I don't want people I don't want a bunch of little barns. I want that one big barn
I want to say man that guy's got a big barn
I'll build a big a bit build a greater one and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods
So this guy just he's already rich he's already wealthy he's already got and now he's had even more coming in
And instead of having a generous heart not understanding that his life doesn't consist in the abundance of his possessions
That there's more to his life than just how much he can accumulate
And outdoing his neighbor and having more than the next guy
What does he do he builds more and but what happens in verse 19?
And I will say to my soul soul thou hast much good much goods laid up for many years
Take thine ease eat and drink and be merry and that's the dream isn't it retire young
You know millionaire at 30 that's everyone's goal out there
You know, that's that's the that's the that's the famous youtube ad right the guy comes on
I'm gonna show you how to make a million dollars in one year. I'm gonna show you how to flip houses
You know look at my ferrari look at my lamborghini look at my house
And uh, you know if you just come to my seminar and make sure you bring your credit card
I'm going to show you how to how you can live just like me. You can have all this stuff
You can have all these things and you think how does that work? Obviously it's working
Obviously it's working if this guy's going on youtube and paying the exorbitant fees to advertise on youtube. It must work on people
They must say oh, let me in on that
You know, you start looking for if you ever find yourself looking for work on craigslist, you know, there's these ads out there
Make you know make ten thousand dollars a week from home
Email me and i'll tell you how
And it's a scam but people fall for these things
And this is what the world puts out there is the dream, you know work as little as possible
Make as much money as you can and retire early
And you know take thine ease and eat and drink and be merry
And they think that that's what life's all about. That's what jesus he's saying. Look, that's not what life is out about at all
He's saying your life does not consist of these things. There's more to your life than raiment and food
And these are just things that are necessary things that we have to have
And this guy he gets so caught up in it and he's got this retire early mentality
And uh, he's you know, he's saying I have it laid up for many years
And of course we know what the story if we've read it goes on in verse 20, but god said unto him thou fool
Now what else have we know about this guy? Nothing. This is all we know about this guy
Is that he was wealthy that he had and then he had an increase and then
He decided to just lay it up for himself and god said that made him a fool
That if this is your attitude if this is your philosophy if this is your mentality god looks down
And that's what it says there. But god said unto him
thou fool
This is a foolish mentality to have this is not right
He says this night shall thy soul be required for thee of thee then who shall those things be which thou has provided?
You know reminds me what joe said naked came I enter this world and naked shall I depart right?
You can't take any of it with you
So don't make your life about all these things
And you know, we're coming into this christmas season. Let's remember that
We're not here to just accumulate things
We're not just here to add to our collection of stuff
There's more to life than the cheap toy
There's more to life than whatever it is that that we're that we're coveting after
You say well, is it really that bad, you know, how applicable is this sermon really well, you know
There's one form of covetousness that's going to take place over this holiday season and you know
I and and i've been guilty of this, you know full disclosure, you know
I wanted to buy nice things for my wife and my children and you know
Somehow christmas just snuck up on me again this year right and throughout, you know, december 26th. I didn't start saving
Cash
You know to buy christmas presents because because we never know when christmas is coming
It's not like it comes at the same time every single year
And that we have all year to save up for it
You know some people I know get smart they buy they'll see something on a deal a special
They'll have the money for it. They'll buy it in june and hang on to it and then give it to that person
You know, I don't apparently I lack that kind of uh forethought in foresight
So what happens? Oh, you know, it's the christmas season. I don't have the money
Well, let me just get the credit card out
And just go to town and just max that sucker out
That's not an uncommon practice
But let me ask you something to me. It just seems like well, what is that really stemming from?
It's stemming from if I don't get this person something or I don't get myself something, you know, somehow i'm missing out
I gotta have this and you know, I want it so bad that i'm willing to go into you know, deep debt for it
And i'm sorry, but that is a form of covetousness to say i'm going to have something I can't even afford
And and lenders prey upon this attitude
They know the heart of man. They know that man is a covetous being
And that they'll still gladly say oh here's here's you want to max out that limit. We'll give you a five thousand dollar credit limit
And we'll keep it at you a low
21.99
99
Because that's what is the limit now? I think it's 24 they can't go above 25, right?
You know the bible defines one percent as as
But uh, that's a whole other sermon
But uh, you know, I so I read up on this a little bit just real quick from an article on cnbc
It said americans charged one thousand plus dollars last year this time last year
And just during the holiday season, you know americans went out and the average american spent a thousand dollars on a credit card
And he said a thousand doesn't sound like much and you know, it probably isn't but it must be because they couldn't save a thousand
You know if we had some medical expense that we had to come up with I bet we could save it
You know, but uh somehow this christmas comes out of the blue and all of a sudden we don't have that thousand dollars
And uh, it goes on it says well 42 of these people
Will said they will pay off this debt in three months now, that's what they said
They said oh we spent a thousand dollars on a credit card, but we're going to pay it off in three months
It doesn't say they did that. It just said though. That's what we're planning on doing and that's what we all do, right?
You know the 90 days, uh, no interest i'll just pay it off in three months and it'll be like cash
It's saying, you know as good as cash. Hey, it's not as good as cash. You know, what's as good as cash cash
There's a difference
You know, it's a funny thing when I heard someone say, you know
When you actually have save up for something and you have cash that thing you wanted starts to look a little duller
All of a sudden you're looking at cash and you start to go. I don't know if I really want that
Maybe i'll just hang on to these these frog skins
I mean i'll just hang on to these greenbacks and I kind of like the feel of this in my wallet
And you might find something else you want more
but you know people were saying so 42 of americans went out last year and spent on it during the holiday season a charge of
over a thousand dollars
And then they said oh we're going to pay it off in and in three months even more people said well
We'll pay it off in five months. But again, that's just what they said
And now here's the thing you put that in perspective if you had just a thousand dollars if you paid the average minimum payment
A month a month, you know how long we take you to pay it off a thousand dollars on the average credit card
five years
Five years and that's paying interest
And i've dealt with this personally i've dealt with credit card debt. It's it's not fun. It's it's it's an uphill battle
and uh
But the last thing that i'll mention about this article is they said
28 of the people were still paying off 2017 spending when they were spending a thousand dollars
Oh, we're gonna pay it off in three months. Oh, we're gonna pay it off in five months
Oh, yeah, how's last year's credit card spending doing? How's that thousand bucks from last year that you spent on a credit card?
Uh, yeah
Well, it's gonna be different this year it's not
And what this all stems from is cult the world and the culture has us just so caught up in chasing after things
And we can't enjoy the season unless we buy something, uh, some for somebody ourselves that you know cards come cheap
You know, you could buy a card and write a nice thought in it
Write something thoughtful that something and give that to somebody and say hey
You know or or how about this put a five dollar starbucks, you know or ten ten dollars, you know
You got to spend something give them some
You know some cash in some form, you know
rather than feeling like we have to just
Buy everybody these things and again, I I know what this likes i've gone through this. I remember early on I was working at a
When I first got saved years ago, I was working at a furniture store
And apparently I have a thing for interior decorating because uh, you probably wouldn't think about that
You know if you knew me, but but uh, I saw i'm like well i'm gonna get i'm gonna I got my first credit card
I didn't get a credit card. I remember uh, my mom was like you should get a credit card establish your credit
I said no no, no
I didn't really like the idea and then I remember when I first got my first credit card. I was like
I think I was putting like I was paying for gas with it and like putting gas in my car and then christmas came
I was like, well, i've got this credit card
I can be the big man at the christmas party this year, you know
I'm gonna i'm gonna show these people how it's done. And I mean i'm buying my own wall decorations
I'm, i'm buying all this stuff just you know, and it was just so I could
You know come across as yeah, I got it all together. Look at all the money i'm spending
And what's really going on is i'm just going into debt, you know going further into debt
Why just so I could you know, buy people things buy people stuff?
And we could probably do things that are more meaningful to that individual
You know if we actually did something, you know make a present there's an idea
You know, my wife just recently celebrated her birthdays. I you know, the best birthday card she got came from her children
And we didn't walk across the street to walmart or hallmark or any of these, you know stores and buy one they made them
They sat down they hand wrote them and they surprised her with them. They didn't know what was going on
And those were dear precious memories
Those mean more to her than anything. I'm certain of that
so
You know, there's other there's other options out there if you got to get do nice things for people because again
I'm all about that. You know, jesus said is more blessed to give than to receive
But let's not let it turn into this covetousness
Where we're just trying to get things, uh for other people just so we can come across as something we're not
It's not a competition to outgive other people and people turn this into it
This is what christmas comes about for other people who could I mean?
Why why are they trampling each other for toys and toys are us every christmas season?
Why are fist fights breaking? I remember the fist fights breaking out over the the tickle me elmo doll
You know years ago
That that stupid doll people are literally punching each other in the face to get this thing
grown men
Just so they could be the one that and it's a status symbol. Well, I got a tickle me elmo
I wonder how many tickle me. Elmos
Are sitting in some, you know dusty basement or attic somewhere stuff in a box
The kid paid and played with it for a few days
Got bored with it and was on to the next one
And it was on to whatever the next latest and greatest whatever it is
and people turn this season into a season of covetousness and one way that comes out is just this
Overspending beyond our means it's going out and just having to get whatever the the popular toy is
And being willing to you know, hip check and throw an elbow to do it
So in another another way this kind of comes out
Is in these kind of uh, well i'm kind of getting my ahead of myself
Let me just say this and if you would turn over to uh, luke chapter six
We'll turn back a few pages here luke chapter six
Here's a good lesson for christmas
If you don't want to be disappointed for christmas, you know kids, you know everyone really but kids I remember kids
It's like a big deal. What what am I gonna get, you know?
You know how what what's in for what's in it for me this year?
You know, what kind of loot am I gonna rake in, you know
They get all excited about the everything that's going to be on the tree and stuff. And that's i'm not saying don't give your kids gifts
But here's an important lesson in life to learn if you don't expect anything at christmas or any other season
If you're not expecting any gifts at all, you'll never be disappointed
You'll never go. Oh, man. I didn't get anything you were like, I wasn't expecting to get anything anyway
You know, you could apply that so many situations not just christmas
You know you you I I think about just recently I went helped a friend out with something
You know, I took some time to go help him with something and I was just doing it because he's my friend
You know the guy's one of the most generous people I know
And uh, and I wasn't doing it because I felt indebted to him. I just he's my friend
He's been my friend for a long time. I said i'm just he asked me for some help. I went and did it
You know and he at the end of it
He put some money in my hand and he had to put it in my hand because i'm saying no no no
I was kind of like no. No, I I really couldn't you know
You shouldn't have no
you know
And I but I knew him if I didn't take it
He's probably going to hold me down and stuff it in my pocket and then you know
Tie my hands behind my back and put me in the car
And drive me home, right?
But I wasn't you know, if he hadn't given me anything I wouldn't have pulled out of his driveway going
What's the last time I ever helped that guy?
Because I wasn't expecting anything
And if he hadn't given me anything, I wouldn't have been disappointed
I said hey, I got to help a friend out
I was a little disappointed that he actually gave me anything
Because I was hoping just kind of be a friend to him, you know, and I was but you know
That's just the type of guy he is but that's the point i'm trying to make here is that if you don't expect gifts
Like you're just you know news flash
You know, you're giving you're not giving a gift because you deserve it
That's not what a gift is, you know, it's the same way with salvation
You know, uh, you know for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of god
Not of works lest any man should boast, you know, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of god is eternal life
You know why it's a gift because you don't deserve it. You don't deserve salvation. You can't earn salvation. It's the same way with any gift
Yeah, god gives it to you because you don't deserve it. And if we don't go into this holiday season saying well, it's it's christmas
You know and i'm i'm the precious little darling in the family and I deserve all the best of everything
You know, well prepare to be disappointed kids
you know
Especially if you're my kids, you know, there may or may not even be a christmas tree this year. I don't know
we're trying
because we're you know, there's a lot of things going on, but
You know don't go into christmas or any other time, you know thinking well, I just deserve
a bunch of presents
And this attitude creeps in on people. It really does
Uh, we're there in luke chapter 6. Let's begin here in verse 30 luke chapter 6 in verse 30
He says give to every man that asketh of thee and of uh him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again again
As he would do that men should do to you so do ye also to them likewise
For if you love them which love you what thank have ye for sinners also love those that love them
And if you do good to them, uh, uh, which do good to you
What thank have ye for sinners also do even the same and if he lend to them of hope you of whom ye hope to receive
What thank have ye?
For sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again and saying look don't give to somebody and expect something in return
You know, don't you shouldn't give to people and say well now you owe me
Now i'm being you know, that's not that's not uh, that's not helping somebody out
Hey, i'll help you out with that and then i'm gonna
You know, i'm gonna write this down in my journal and you know such and such date
I went there and you know moved a piano for somebody or whatever it is
You know, and then when it's time for you that you have need now you're gonna call them up
Hey, remember that time I helped you out. Well, it's your turn to pay me back
That's not that's you know, the sin that's what sinners do right? That's what you know the world that's their philosophy
Jesus don't don't have that philosophy
He's saying look give expecting nothing in return
and if we're gonna give, you know, that's how we should give and
That and that's another way it covet just starts to kind of come out during this christmas season
and and and uh
People, you know, they they give and then they expect, you know something in return
And in and people, you know, it's saying there, you know, don't give don't lend expecting, you know
And expecting to receive again if you do what think have you there's no thanks on that
You know, I come over and help you with something or whatever
You know and uh, and I help you out and then you say thanks
um
Or you thank me but then later i'm going to come back and and hold that over your head
You know, why would you thank me for that? You wouldn't thank me for that
You'd say well
I'm, not gonna ask that guy for help again because every time you ask him for help
He expects you to just do something immediately in return
So and really the way this shows up at christmas is it kind of reminds me of you know, the insincere gift exchange
All right. I know i'm stepping on some toes probably right and i've participated in the in the family gift exchange
Right and we did this growing up in our house with my relatives
You know the all the all the aunts and uncles
We'd all we'd all exchange names every family christmas and all the cousins would exchange names
And you would draw someone's name out of the hat and that's who you had to buy a christmas
You hear what I said had to buy a christmas gift for
You know the next year even if you didn't like that cousin or whatever
You know and they and then somebody else would draw your name
So you would just go to the family christmas knowing you're going to get something
You didn't know what you're going to get but it better be good, you know
You know because i'm put i'm ponying up some cash here getting somebody else a present so I better get something nice
This is this is what this kind of stuff breeds. This is an attitude that people have. How do you know because because I had it
I just I don't participate in these things anymore
You know, i'm not going to ever participate any anything like this where I have to give something where i'm forced to do it
And you know where i'm you know, i'm not a part of the the program
The program we shouldn't give things expecting something back
And here's the thing
You know, I remember one year this really hit home for me is is
You know because when you when you know, you got something coming you start to have okay
Well, what's it going to be?
What would I like it to be and then when you actually get it and find out what it is?
I mean that can be a major letdown
I remember one year. I don't know what I gave but i'm sure it was awesome and I gave something and I got
jenga the game
I was like eight seventeen eighteen years old and I got I got jenga
My cousin gave me jenga
And at the time, you know, I didn't realize how awesome jenga is. I mean
Jenga is a great game, you know
Amen, you can amen that
You know, I love jenga now, but at the time i'm just like
jenga
And then you don't you can't even put batteries in this thing
You know
Where do you plug it in? It's it's literally wood blocks, you know
and I remember I remember just I got it I unwrapped it and we kind of do it in front of everybody, you know, and
I just remember I got this look on my face like
You know and I looked over my cousin who had given it to me and she's just like
And I remember just feeling like such a jerk because I was just totally like
Just and I even I think I even made a comment that she overheard
About how lame this jenga gift was
And then she came to me and was like then she gave me a really cool idea on how to play jenga
we'll we'll talk about that later, but
the point being you know
Uh, there was no thanks there
You know, she she she received no thanks because you know
She'd given to somebody who had also was give it had given, you know
She gave to me and I had given expecting something in return and there was no thankfulness. There was no gratitude
It wasn't a gift that was given out of sincerity or love or just wanting to do something nice for somebody
You know, you know reminds me of the valent the mandatory valentine's gift
You know and by the way, you should probably follow through on that one at least, you know if you're married
Don't get me wrong, but it's kind of that way, isn't it?
You know and we as men we sometimes don't understand like why do we have to do this?
It's like well, you know, at least you think about her at least one time of the year
But uh, you know we give things if we just giving things because it's expected of us
You know, what where where's the uh, where's the gratitude
Is that and i'm sure people give things even when it's expected and they do it out of sincerity. They do it out of love
It's there
But it leaves us open to this this covetous attitude
Now I will say there was an exception at these at these these gift exchanges and my in-laws. They did the the white elephant
You know, you may want to see some covetous come out of people
Play the white out who knows i'm talking about the white elephant one. I think it is
That's what we call it different things, you know where you could open another gift or take somebody else's
you know and
boy, that's one way to
You want to start a fistfight at a family reunion? That's
play some white elephant
But I got uh one time I got out of it. This is just a dumb story
I got it was a it was a straw but it was like glasses like clear plastic straw
The hat looked like glasses it came around your ears
And then it was that's it and then you would just like suck out of it, you know
This fluid go around your eyes and then you're out
I got a picture of it
It's pretty cool. So
You know, don't get me wrong. I'm not against cool gifts, you know, but anyway, I was just writing a sermon. I thought of that so
Uh, anyway, turn over to philippians chapter four. We'll start wrapping this thing up. What are we preaching about this one?
We're preaching about let's not let's not get caught up in this this this uh,
This attitude or the spirit of covetousness that just seems to take over our country this time of year in people's hearts
and people just get so caught up and
What they're going to get for christmas and how much can they expect and they forget the whole reason we're even celebrating christmas
the birth of our savior
And and people they get taught this and they get taught from it from a very early age, you know
And I just want to kind of end here a little bit
We're just warning parents and and warning them, you know, and don't teach your children to covet
Don't teach your children to be covetous people
Teach them early to not just expect think that they're just entitled to everything
And be careful that you you guard their hearts against this
You know don't teach them to uh, to want things they cannot have
You know and we do this all the time and one way I flash back whenever I think about this
To my friend who lived down the road as a child
And he would sit down every christmas and he'd invite me and we he would do he would have me there with him when he did
It he'd break out the toy catalog, you know, this is before the internet
You get out the catalog and his mom would just say just go circle everything you want
Just take this pen and take your big thick toy catalog and just go through that. I mean he was the ink ran out
I was exaggeration, but you know, he's just like I want this I want this I want this I want this
And he's like, hey, what do you want i'm thinking it doesn't matter what I want i'm not getting it, you know
Uh, that's not how it worked in my house
I mean, we got some nice things every now and then but that we did mom mom didn't go just go pick out whatever you want
sweetie
You know and i'm and what you're doing is you're just teaching your kids that they just should just get whatever they want
And that's not life
Anyone who's grown up a little bit realizes real fast that you don't always get what you want
And that life indeed is not fair
You know commercials are real big on this tv commercials
They'll just show the kids all you know, having having all the fun with this latest and greatest toy and kids
Just I remember just wanting that
I was convinced that if I just had that gi joe that somehow i'd find myself in the middle of a jungle
You know like this like the actual set somehow i'd be there and you know
There'd be these explosions and things like that and then you get the stupid toy and it's like you're in your driveway and it's a slab
of concrete
You know, it's kind of lackluster but what what put that in my heart it was that commercial just sitting there, you know
Be careful not just sit your kids
In front of television or the internet and just let them watch, you know toy reviews
And just start to you know, just cause them to just start lusting after all these things
You know, uh, how about you know the the shopping malls the window shopping, you know, this is another one
Let's just walk up and down the aisles and look at all these things we can't have
You know, let's go just go look at all this stuff that we're never gonna own
The adult version is this when we drive by the the dealership, right?
We're in our our car's getting a little old. It's got a few hiccups
You know, it's not acting the way it used to and we're driving now every time but the brakes seem to work
Just fine every time we go by that dealership, you know, we seem to slow down a little bit
and we're kind of doing this as we go by and
I'm not again. I'm not against getting something you need getting something nice something that's going to last, you know getting your money's worth
But before we do that, let's make sure we're just thankful for what we do have
And let's not get into this covetous, uh spirit and let's certainly not teach our children to covet things
As bible says in proverbs 27 the full soul
loatheth and honeycomb
The bible says that the full soul loatheth and honeycomb. What is he saying the guy that's had plenty to eat?
You know, he would look at something as sweet and delicious as a honeycomb and say ugh
No, thanks
I'm already so full and that's what happens to us in our life when we start to think that we just accumulate all these things
That somehow we're going to be happy if we think our life consists in the abundance of our possessions, you know
We're going to find out
That the full soul loatheth and honeycomb
then when we've got the closet full of whatever the clothes and the shoes and we've got
All the gadgets and we're accessorized and we've got the bluetooth everything and we're driving down the new car
That's you know, got the wi-fi with it and everything every other bell and whistle that comes on everything
You know what? You're just going to start to load those things
You'll be looking for the next greatest thing
You know and you just start to find out how vain and empty life is when all you do is just chase things
And there's plenty of people doing that. There's plenty of people that
Just want to be seen as having it all
So
And here's the problem, you know the the kid who has it all the kid who's been given everything that he ever wanted
The kid who has it all, you know, he's the one that wants it all
That that puts an attitude and you know into our children's hearts. Well, we just give them everything they want everything on demand
Then he's just thinking well i'm entitled to everything
There's nothing I shouldn't be allowed to have and they grow up into selfish covetous adults
Who are willing to do bad things to people to get what they want because they think well I get whatever I want
That is a potential, uh attitude that we could instill in our children
You know, there's that saying what do you get the person who has everything who's heard that one
What do you get the guy who's got everything?
You know what you get him you get him nothing
That's what you get him
You don't get him anything. I'm sorry. Let me say it you can get him anything
because
Nothing will do it doesn't matter what you get the guy that has everything just get him whatever
Because he's there's nothing that's going to satisfy him the full soul of the honeycomb
You know, it's not going to matter what it is
You know get him jenga
Well watch it doesn't matter you get him jenga or whatever he's already got it all right
I remember when when we moved uh from south korea to michigan and you know
My mom was starting a new job and it was we were having a tough go of it
Uh, we found out this later, but one year
When I was like 12 or 13, you know what we got for christmas, uh jeans
shirts
sweaters
socks, you know
Clothes is what we got and we got him because that's what we needed and we got him because that's all mom could afford
But at least she had you know the wherewithal to wrap them up and make it feel like a christmas present
You know and at the time I probably didn't appreciate it the way I should have
And later we found out that they were all second hand that she bought them at goodwill while we were there in front of us
You know, we were probably so obsessed with the toy section that we didn't even realize mom was buying our own christmas presents like
You know, who's that? Who's that sweater for looks about my size. I must not be mine. I'm surely not getting that for christmas
But you know what we were glad to get it because we really didn't have a lot going on
We didn't have a lot of those things
We we you know, we weren't the full soul
Look here in philippians chapter 4
Philippians chapter 4 and verse 11. It says
Not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned whatsoever state I am there with to be
content
I have learned to be content, you know, I preached a sermon on this a while back but
Here's something I got out of this verse. He says I have learned
To be content. You know what that tells me?
Is that contentment is something that has to be learned?
Being content is not a natural thing
It's not you know
The uh, you know the soul that the spirit is within us lust at the envy the bible says in james the spirit that is in
Us lusteth to envy that's our natural course of action
Man left to himself without the holy spirit without the guidance of the word of god is just going to envy and lust and covet
And contentment is something that has to be learned. It's meaning this it's something that has to be taught
And this is something that we should teach our children and even our own selves
You know, how do you do this? Well, you know one way to have them do that is to delay their instant gratification
You know the kids do not have to satisfy every single craving they have at that exact moment
You know the drink of water can wait when it's inappropriate, you know, when is it appropriate? Well, here's one church
The middle of the church service is not the time to go up and get a good drink of water
You know, you're not going to fall over
And and wither away because the preacher went a little long
Right. I'm thirsty, you know, what if I just stop? Hey, you know, i'll be right back
I'm, just I gotta get a drink you guys just wait for me here for a second
That'd be weird, you know, it's already getting weird, right?
You know, but that's just one example, you know, and we shouldn't you know
Every time little johnny has to has to have a little sip of water, you know, he can learn to wait
You know push through
Is the way i've heard it, you know, every little slight pang of hunger does not have to be instantly answered
You know, there was a time where snacks were unheard of
You know, we have we have the you know, the 10 o'clock snack the 11 o'clock snack the 12 snacks. What were those?
You know, there's three square meals a day
And if you get hungry in between those square meals
You're hungry
But you're not going to starve to death
You know, and this is a this is a this is revolutionary to some people, right?
Now I understand when kids are little and there's times and seasons and health conditions where you know
There's exceptions, obviously
But i'm saying you know, we don't want to teach our kids where just every single desire
They have to they have has to be immediately taken care of
Because that's not how life works and that's how you end up raising spoiled brats
The bible says I was reading to you from proverbs 27. It says the full soul loatheth in honeycomb
It goes on it says but the hungry to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet
To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet
I mean, you know if your kids turn up their nose at some vegetable
And i'm not saying you do this. I'm just i'm just using this as an illustration. I'm not saying do this. Okay
They say oh, oh, uh, uh, i'm not gonna eat these vegetables. You know what if that's all you serve them
Eventually, they'll eat them
Eventually that bitter thing they'll say they'll create it
And again, i'm not saying this is what we do as parents i'm just using this as an illustration
But you could do this and you know to anybody
You know, uh, you know the guy that's going hungry, you know, he'll eat bugs
The guy that's stranded
The guy that's been eating t-bone steak. He's not going to go eat some grub out of a log
Because he's full he doesn't need it
But you take that same guy and let him go hungry for a while
And you know put him he'll eat anything
Anything they'll they'll start chewing on shoe leather to stay alive
And that's happened and people will start to eat
Anything because why because they're hungry
and uh when we start to actually get hungry for things and you know,
Uh, we'll start to appreciate what it we actually have
the things that we do receive
When we're when we're just giving kids and ourselves everything that we want, you know, what it leads to is in gratitude
Well, of course I got that that's what I wanted I always get what I want that's it's an that's an ungrateful attitude
And that's what our culture wants us to do. That's the kind of people that are being uh raised in our society today
Unfortunately, if you would turn over to first timothy six, I promise we're almost done here
The bible says, uh
Uh
Well, let me let me let me just end by saying this, you know, i'm we were talking about not being covetous
We're talking about not desiring things that uh, uh, you not thinking that you're just entitled to everything
That you know, there's more to life than just the abundance of your possessions
It's not just all about getting all the all the latest and greatest stuff. How do you do that?
By learning to be content, right? That's something you have to learn
So, how do you become content it's easy for me to say get up here and say well
You know what? You just need to be content. Just learn to be content
But how do you actually accomplish that?
One way you can have that is by actually having a vision
having a spiritual goal when you get your mind off of
Just the carnal things
And start to actually start to focus on spiritual things
Look here in first timothy chapter 6 look at verse 6
But godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out
And having food and raiment let us be there with content
You know, we should be content with the things that we have
If you know if you here's the thing
If you have a place to stay that keeps you warm and dry if you have clothes on your back clothes on your back
If you have food in your belly at some point or another
If you're not starving to death, you know what you have
You have everything god has promised you
You have everything god's promised you
God did not promise you
Uh, you know stainless steel
appliances and a two-car garage
God didn't promise you that
And i'm not saying if you have those things you're wrong
I'm, just saying that's not what god promised you
You know if you have the you have the apartment and the used appliances that don't match
You know and the and the the rickety old car
And you're you know what you have you have what you need and you have everything god has promised you
And and I know I have us turning everywhere
But I promise last place matthew chapter 6 because I won't where we started this morning if you kept something there matthew chapter 6
You know learn to be content
You know if you have if you have the food you have the shelter
Paul said let us be there with content
You know because you what you have there whether you realize or not is you have everything god has promised to give you
And you find that here
In uh matthew chapter 6 in verse 24 matthew chapter 6 verse 24
No, man can serve two masters for he will hate the one and love the other
Or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve god and mammon now mammon is money
God jesus is saying here. Look you can't serve god and you cannot serve money
You cannot serve god and and and follow god and be pleasing to god
If your life is all about money and things and covetousness, they don't go together. It's oil and water
They don't mix
They say you can't therefore I say unto you verse 25
Take no thought for your life what you shall eat or what you shall drink
Nor yet for your body what you shall put on is not the life more than meat and the body weren't more than raiment
That's where we started
Verse 26 behold the follows of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor they gather into barns yet your heavenly father
feedeth them
Are ye not much better than they?
He goes on and says
verse 30
Wherefore if god so clothed the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast in the oven
Shall he not much more clothe you o ye of little faith
Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed?
For after all these things do the gentiles seek for your heavenly father
Knoweth what things you have you have need of all these things god knows you need all that stuff and you know what?
He's promised he's going to take care of you in those areas
Bible says i've never seen his said i've never seen his seed begging bread
You know if we're right with god and we're serving god you can be guaranteed to one thing
You're gonna have food and you're gonna have raiment
It might not be the best food, you know, it might not be
Uh, you know your favorite taco
You know, it might not be a t-bone steak
You know when he was feeding elijah, uh by the uh, by the river. I remember what the name of the river was
But when he was on the run from jezebel and he said go to the river and i'll feed you there and the ravens brought
Him his meat every day
You know, i'm sure they weren't dropping off the the sirloin, you know asking him, you know, how would you like that done elijah?
medium well
rare
And whatever he got he ate and he was happy with it
And that's you know, god has promised to give us the things that we need
And if we can learn to be content with that we can move on here and look here in verse
20 verse 33 if you could just get over the physical needs and get over just lusting after
Physical needs and under if you could just understand that your life does not consist of the abundance of your possessions
And get a heavenly vision and start to actually look for the things that matter in this life the spiritual things in this life
You'll learn to be a content person
He says in verse 33, but seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
You know where jesus puts the emphasis it's not on our physical needs. He says he puts it on heaven
He says this is what matters
Do this first seek god's kingdom seek his glory seek to serve him and god will take care of the rest
He'll provide your needs
If we're content with earthly things, that's when we begin to seek heavenly things
If we get our focus off of the carnal things of this life and start to focus on the truly having heavenly things
But you know if we fail to do that if we fail to focus on heavenly things
There is going to be a downfall
You know, you're you are going to end up living a vain life you are going to end up very dissatisfied
You are going to end up
Uh feeling empty inside if if you do not focus on spiritual things
If you fail to get your focus off this earth and on the heavenly things
Jesus said where your treasure is there will your heart be also
You know and you know, that's why you encourage us to lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven
Where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt?
So we need to do that we need to get our minds off of just you know, and don't let this holiday season
Start to you know, brainwash you into thinking that you don't have everything that you deserve in life
You know if you got clothes on your back and food in your belly, you got everything god promised you
And let's take heed and beware of covetousness. Let's go ahead and pray