LESSON 6 // THE WEED OF GREED

Mark 4:18-19 (NIV) Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. In the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4), Jesus teaches us about the importance of fruitfulness and the heart conditions that either facilitate or hinder it. We learn from verses 18-19 about believers who receive God’s Word, have a good soil––good internal condition for growth––and begin to mature and produce fruit. This is a plant with incredible potential and possibilities for fruitfulness! But, sadly, this potential is cut short. Something pops up that “chokes out” this person’s fruitfulness. In a subtle, unnoticed way, little plants show up in their lives and start growing alongside the good plants. At first, these little plants are insignificant and make no impact. However, left alone they are revealed as “thorns,” or we might call them “weeds,” that win out over the fruitful plant! One of the weeds Jesus speaks of is “the deceitfulness of wealth” (Mark 4:19) that leads to greed in our hearts. What do we need to know about this “weed of greed” so that it will not choke out our spiritual fruitfulness? We must understand four things: 1. God’s provision

The Bible tells us that God made everything in this world and Genesis 1:31 describes His creation as “very good.” All goods and wealth belong to the Creator (1 Chronicles 29:10-14; Psalm 24). Out of His abundant supply, God wants to meet our need for material provision (Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:19). He encourages us to enjoy every good gift as a blessing from Him (Ecclesiastes 5:19; 1 Timothy 4:4-5; 6:17). We are to trust the Lord for our daily bread, work diligently and persistently, and give thanks for what He provides. Most importantly, God describes our attitude toward wealth as a testing ground of our relationship with Him (Malachi 3:9-10; Matthew 6:19-21). The crucial question is not “Do we have money?” but “Does money have us?” Proper attitudes toward God’s provision will enable us to enjoy it and use it for His glory. Wrong attitudes, however, will lead us down a path of destruction and ungodly greed.

2. The roots of greed

Greed may be defined as “an inordinate desire and determination to acquire and possess money and things.” At the root of this desire is a worldly, materialistic value system that attaches ultimate importance to acquisitions and possessions.

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The Apostle John warns us against this kind of value system and its potential to impact our hearts:

1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

To “love this world” is to embrace its materialistic value system and pursue the “craving for everything we see.” This is a heart condition that chokes out “the love of the Father.” We must recognize it and root it out so it will not produce poisonous fruit in our lives.

3. The fruit of greed A bad root will inevitably produce bad fruit. John tells us that “the world and its desires pass away.” The pleasures derived from possessions and money are short-lived and empty. They don’t have any eternal value since “you can’t take it with you.” Instead the fruit of greed poisons our spiritual and emotional life through anxiety, frustration, anger and a loss of spiritual vitality. It distorts our values and goals and is never satisfied but continually cries out for more attention and resources, leaving a trail of broken dreams and wasted lives in its wake.

4. Steps to freedom from greed

What can we do to head off or kill off the weed of greed in our lives?

• Pursue a vital relationship with Jesus and seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33; 1 Timothy 6:17).

• Exercise faith in God as your Provider (Philippians 4:13). • Cultivate a grateful heart (Deuteronomy 8:10-18).

• Develop a generous spirit and faith for giving (1 Chronicles 29:17; Acts 20:35).

• Practice a giving lifestyle (Malachi 3:9-10; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Discussion questions

1. Read Malachi 3:9-10 and Matthew 6:19-21. What do you learn from these verses about the proper attitude toward God’s provision for you?

2. How can a grateful heart help keep out or root out greed from your life?

3. In what practical ways can you develop more of a “giving lifestyle”?