We reflect what we revere…either for our ruin or restoration.

Big Idea of Series

Last Week vs. This Week

Our use of money is symptomatic of the infection that lies within.

Our view of money is symptomatic of the infection that lies within.

Acquisition Anxiety

The Money God

“What induces one man to use false weights, another to set his house on fire after having insured it for more than its value, while three-fourths of our upper class indulge in legalized fraud . . . what gives rise to all this? It is not real want – for their existence is by no means precarious . . . but they are urged on day and night by a terrible impatience at seeing their wealth pile up so slowly, and by an equally terrible longing and love for these heaps of gold . . . What once was done ‘for the love of God’ is now done for the love of money, i.e., for the love of that which at present affords us the highest feeling of power and a good conscience.”

-Friedrich Nietzsche (written in mid-late 1800’s)

Dealing with our deep idols

Deep idols are core motivations in our hearts (control, influence/power, approval/acceptance, comfort, etc.)

Surface idols are things like money, a spouse, kids, a job…these are the things through which our deep idols seek to find fulfillment and expression.

Dealing with our deep idols

Deep idols are core motivations in our hearts (control, influence/power, approval/acceptance, comfort, etc.)

Surface idols are things like money, a spouse, kids, a job…these are the things through which our deep idols seek to find fulfillment and expression.

BIG QUESTIONS = Do we believe Jesus knows what He is talking about? Are we willing to build our life upon His words?

Acquisition Anxiety

Luke 12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore (a reasoning, thinking term) I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 

Satan doesn’t care which path we choose (acquisition or anxiety…either way is unbelief & idolatry)

We are consumed with worry and anxiety because we fail to thinkthink as we ought…

Do we still know how to think???

“Our society has replaced heroes with celebrities, the quest for a well-informed character with the search for a flat stomach, substance and depth with image and personality. In the political process, the makeup man is more important than the speech writer, and we approach the voting booth, not on the basis of a well-developed philosophy of what the state should be, but with a heart full of images, emotions, and slogans all packed into thirty-second sound bites. The mind-numbing irrational tripe that fills TV talk shows is digested by millions of bored, lonely Americans hungry for that sort of stuff. What is going on here? What has happened to us?”

-J.P. Moreland in Love Your God With All Your Mind

Do we still know how to think???

“We are having a revival of feelings but not of the knowledge of God. The church today is more guided by feelings than by convictions. We value enthusiasm more than informed commitment.”

-1980 Gallup Poll on Religion

Consider what your life is aboutLuke 12:23 Life is more than food, and

the body more than clothes.  Life is not just about maintaining an

instinctual, animalistic, appetite-driven, appearance-obsessed existence

“Don’t you know who you are? Don’t you know I have a purpose for your life? Don’t you know that you are made to find your satisfaction & contentment in knowing ME???”

Consider God’s care for other creatures

Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!   Inaccurate interpretation = “We just

need to sit back and wait for God to provide”

You do sow, reap, and store your excess in a barn…you have advantages over the birds…“So, why are you obsessively anxious about being provided for?”

Consider your relative powerlessness

Luke 12:25-26 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?    Our lives are a gift of God Failing to believe this leads us down one of

two trails (both lead to anxious living) Everything is accidental = no rhyme or reason to life,

never know what is going to happen next, no purpose to life and to search for one is ridiculous

Eliminates any sense of security and meaning to life

Consider your relative powerlessness

Luke 12:25-26 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?    Our lives are a gift of God Failing to believe this leads us down one of

two trails (both lead to anxious living) Everything is determined (fatalism) = what is will be,

you can do nothing about it, no purpose in resisting/trying to change self or others, no sense in worrying

Eliminates any sense of security and meaning to life

Consider your relative powerlessness

Luke 12:25-26 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?   

Our powerlessness is not despairing, but leads us to trust in the Powerful and Personal One!!!

“So, why do you try to take on things beyond your abilities?”

Consider your failure to believe God

Luke 12:27-28 27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!   

“Your real problem is that you don’t believe God!!!”

Consider your failure to believe God

Luke 12:27-28 27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!   

“Your real problem is that you don’t believe God!!!”

The problem with many of us is that

we believe IN Jesus, but we do

not BELIEVE Jesus.

What does this “little faith” look like? We fail to master our

circumstances & instead are mastered by them Faith is a someone resolutely choosing to

think, even though everything around him seems accidental & determined

We fail to take Scripture seriously We fail to realize the extent of

our salvation

What does this “little faith” look like? We fail to master our

circumstances & instead are mastered by them Faith is a someone resolutely choosing to

think, even though everything around him seems accidental & determined

We fail to take Scripture seriously We fail to realize the extent of

our salvation

2 Peter 1:3,8-9 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. . . . 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Consider your new identity

Luke 12:29-32 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.    

Matthew 6:26  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Consider your new identity

Luke 12:29-32 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.    

Matthew 6:26  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

John 1:12-13 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 

Consider your new identity

Luke 12:29-32 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.    

Matthew 6:26  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

John 1:12-13 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 

“So, if you have a Father like this, then why are you living like an orphan???”

Conclusions

Prioritize getting to know God Luke 12:31 seek his kingdom, and these

things will be given to you as well.

THINK!!! Luke 12:33-34 33 Sell your possessions and

give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Conclusions

Prioritize getting to know God THINK!!!

Preach these things to yourself THINK!!!

Invite others into your life THINK!!!