Dirty Jobs – Sermon #11
Escaping Materialism
Proverbs 27:20, Luke 12:1321 and Selected Scriptures
08/18,19/07
SCRIPTURE – Proverbs 27:20 "Human desires are like the world of the
dead. There is always room for more."
1. WHY DO I ALWAYS WANT MORE?
Ø Three critical questions:
1. What motivates me to always keep spending myself into debt?
2. What motivates me to never be satisfied with what I have?
3. What motivates me to keep wanting more and more?
Ø I wrongly believe that having more things will make me happier.
1. Things can bring temporary happiness.
2. Trying to find happiness in things is like drinking saltwater to quench
your thirst. (Ecclesiastes 5:1011)
SCRIPTURE – "He who loves money shall never have enough. The foolishness
of thinking that wealth brings happiness! The more you have, the more you
spend."
Ø I wrongly believe that having more things will make me more important.
1. We wrongly believe that our valuables determine our value.
2. Don't confuse your net worth with your self worth. (Luke 12:15)
SCRIPTURE – "Be on your guard against greed in any shape or form. For a
man's real life in no way depends on the number of his possessions."
Ø I wrongly believe that having more things will make me more secure.
1. The more you have, the more insecure you can be because the more
you have to worry about.
2. The more you have the more time and energy it takes to maintain it.
SCRIPTURE – Proverbs 18:11 "The rich man thinks of his wealth as an
impregnable defense, a high wall of safety. What a dreamer!"
SCRIPTURE – Proverbs 23:4 "Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying
to get rich. Your money can be gone in a flash."
Ø Real security can only be found in something that can't be taken away
from you.
SCRIPTURE – Job 31:24,28 "If I put my trust in money, if my happiness
depends on wealth it would mean that I have denied the God of heaven."
2. RECOGNIZING MATERIALISM IN YOUR LIFE. (LUKE 12:19,20)
Ø When a materialist is blessed materially they see themselves.
SCRI