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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