Christian Church 24.7 Ministry Community Group
Welcome to our church! We are glad you have chosen to join us. Please read the important guidelines for the group first.
Back years ago, when the Beatles came to America and were on the Ed Sullivan show, many young teens went wild for their music, their haircuts and whatever else they saw in these "Fab Four" as they were also called. The media got involved and they referred to this craze as "Beatlemania"!!!!! Personally, I never cared for their music, their looks or their haircuts that but, that was just my own opinion, at the time. I was one of the old time Rock and Roll teens. Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Elvis.
This craze of music has taken on many forms and now, I guess, Metalmania and Rap are two of the top crazes at present. "Mania" is defined as a craze or a fad. Craziness and mania are not new, they have just been diversified a little throughout the years.
Jesus made reference to this type "Mania" over 2 thousand years ago even though he may not have actually used the word "Mania", his train of thought was down the same line. This is what I wish to share with you this week. The "Mania" that Jesus referred to was "materialism". There is nothing wrong with having nice things in life but, when the pursuit of these things, take the place of pursuing Eternal Life and trying to reach others for Christ, we are way out of tune with what Christ has commanded us to do. We cannot serve Him and serve Materialism at the same time. Here are some things that Materialism can cause.
I. Materialism can master a persons affections: Matt. 6: vs 19-21
The word "Heart" here, refers to the center of ones affections. If man dwells on coveting things, and getting things, his affections are controlled by those things that he pursues. There is a program on Television that some of you may have seen or maybe you watch it weekly. It is called "Hoarders"!!!!!!! These people are so wrapped up in getting "things", that they fill their houses so full of these "things", they can not even get around in their homes. It becomes a sickness of the mind. They lose all sense of reality as to what they are doing and, their entire goals and ideals in life change.
There are other people in someone what of this same "mania" and their philosophy and goal in life is this.
"What's in it for me"? What am I going to get out of this?" "How much profit can I make if I do this"? Some people are so blinded by money, that they forget just how easy it can be lost. Don't believe this? What about the stock market crash of 1929? People committed suicide, jumped out of tall buildings. Why? They put their trust, their substinance and their future, in MONEY. When they lost their money, they felt they had nothing to live for!!!!!!!! Many times, people misquote the scriptures when it comes to the subject of "money". I Tim. 6:10 says "the LOVE OF MONEY" is the root of all evil". He didn't say MONEY was the root. There is nothing wrong with people having money or nice things. It is how these nice things were gotten and how the money was made. Paul said to Timothy to "Flee from these thing and to follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness". Money is a temporary commodity. I have done a lot of funerals in the past 35 years in the ministry. I have not seen a Brinks truck or a U-Haul trailer behind a hearse, yet. Stop and think for a minute, 65 or 70 years of pursuing money and riches will not matter much when compared to Eternity!!!!!!!
The sad thing is, there are those who call themselves Christians, who can tell you how much money that have in their Savings Accounts, IRA accounts, Money Market Certificates and CD's but, they can't even quote to you John 3:16 or Psalms 23!!!!!!! "Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also". These words were spoken by Jesus in just 3 verses before our text verse in Matt. 6:21. What Jesus is basically saying here is this, "a person who has his/her mind and affections, set on material things, will lose interest in Heavenly things"!!!!! There was a story about a statement that an old Texas oil man said one time and someone thought it good enough to write down. The oilman said, "the best way to lay up treasure in Heaven, is to invest your money in those people who are going there"!!!!!
II. Materialism can affect a person's Spiritual Insight: vs 22-23
Jesus said if your eye is in darkness, then the whole life is in the dark. You ability to tell right from wrong is affected. When you focus on gaining material things, you can get so caught up in attaining these things, that you lose the ability to see right from wrong, and to you, it doesn't matter as long as you get what you want.
We get so blinded by these things and their pursuit, that we get the "me or I" syndrome. It's "Me who matters, not "them". This is deception and,. when deception comes in so does SIN. Jesus said that if our eye deceives us or controls us, our lifves will be full of darkness. What you covet, controls you. Here's a couple of examples.
A. Eve in the Garden Gen. 3:5 "and when the woman (Eve) SAW that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the EYES, she took of the fruit and did eat and gave unto her husband and he did eat."
B. David on the rooftop. II Samuel, 11: 2-3 "David rose early in the evening and walked on the roof and saw a woman bathing herself and the woman was very beautiful to LOOK ON"!!!! You know the rest of the story. David inquired who she was, she came to his palace, they had sex, she got pregnant and when David couldn't hide his sin, he had her husband killed, so he could take her as his wife.
Just as these 2 physical "Viewings of the eye", caused pain, suffering and death, so will they cause pain and suffering in your spiritual life, if you have your eyes set on material things, instead of spiritual things.
III. Materialism will Master Your Will in Life: vs-24 "You can not serve 2 masters".
Jesus knew about slavery in His lifetime. In biblical times, a slave could be bought, sold, beaten, traded and killed. His time on earth, his life, and his mode of living, was controlled by his master. He had no sayso in anything in his life.
"Mammon" is defined as Material wealth or Greed. It was referred to in some civilizations as "the God of Wealth". It is also defined as "that in which one places his trust"!!!!!!! Here is the tragic point in many wealthy people's lives. Those whose god is money, seldom trust God for anything!!!!! Here's another observation that stands true most of the time. Those who Love their Money, seldom every share it with God or, anyone else. There is nothing wrong with having money, as I said before, but, when your money rules you, you definitely have a problem.
I knew a man who went to get 2 quarter inch wing nuts at a supply store. When he asked the young man at the counter, the young clerk gave him sealed bad of 5 wing nuts. The old man, said "I don't want 5 wing nuts, I just want 2". The young clerk tried to explain to the old man that, these wing nuts come packaged in 5 per bag. The old man said "Why would I want to pay for 5 when I only want 2. He haggled and haggled with the young clerk. Other customers were standing in line behind the old man and finally, the young clerk took 2 of the wing nuts out of the bag, gave them to the old man and told him to just take them and go his way, that he had other customers waiting to be served. The old man smiled and as he walked to the door, he giggled to himself and said, " these didn't cost me anything". When the old man died, a few years later, he was worth 109 million dollars. He loved money more than he loved anything else.
Here's a lesson that we should all learn. God gives to us so that we can give to others. God blesses you and I so that we can be a blessing to others.
Jesus never owned a home, He never owned a mode of transportation, He had very few material things in His life, here on earth yet, He owns it all, everything, yours and mine.
Where your heart is, there will your treasure be also the Bible says. So I ask these 2 questions in closing.
A, Where is your Heart?
B. Where is your Treasure?
May each of us examine ourselves and see where we stand with these things! May God bless this message and may it accomplish that for which is was intended.
Oldbiker
This craze of music has taken on many forms and now, I guess, Metalmania and Rap are two of the top crazes at present. "Mania" is defined as a craze or a fad. Craziness and mania are not new, they have just been diversified a little throughout the years.
Jesus made reference to this type "Mania" over 2 thousand years ago even though he may not have actually used the word "Mania", his train of thought was down the same line. This is what I wish to share with you this week. The "Mania" that Jesus referred to was "materialism". There is nothing wrong with having nice things in life but, when the pursuit of these things, take the place of pursuing Eternal Life and trying to reach others for Christ, we are way out of tune with what Christ has commanded us to do. We cannot serve Him and serve Materialism at the same time. Here are some things that Materialism can cause.
I. Materialism can master a persons affections: Matt. 6: vs 19-21
The word "Heart" here, refers to the center of ones affections. If man dwells on coveting things, and getting things, his affections are controlled by those things that he pursues. There is a program on Television that some of you may have seen or maybe you watch it weekly. It is called "Hoarders"!!!!!!! These people are so wrapped up in getting "things", that they fill their houses so full of these "things", they can not even get around in their homes. It becomes a sickness of the mind. They lose all sense of reality as to what they are doing and, their entire goals and ideals in life change.
There are other people in someone what of this same "mania" and their philosophy and goal in life is this.
"What's in it for me"? What am I going to get out of this?" "How much profit can I make if I do this"? Some people are so blinded by money, that they forget just how easy it can be lost. Don't believe this? What about the stock market crash of 1929? People committed suicide, jumped out of tall buildings. Why? They put their trust, their substinance and their future, in MONEY. When they lost their money, they felt they had nothing to live for!!!!!!!! Many times, people misquote the scriptures when it comes to the subject of "money". I Tim. 6:10 says "the LOVE OF MONEY" is the root of all evil". He didn't say MONEY was the root. There is nothing wrong with people having money or nice things. It is how these nice things were gotten and how the money was made. Paul said to Timothy to "Flee from these thing and to follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness". Money is a temporary commodity. I have done a lot of funerals in the past 35 years in the ministry. I have not seen a Brinks truck or a U-Haul trailer behind a hearse, yet. Stop and think for a minute, 65 or 70 years of pursuing money and riches will not matter much when compared to Eternity!!!!!!!
The sad thing is, there are those who call themselves Christians, who can tell you how much money that have in their Savings Accounts, IRA accounts, Money Market Certificates and CD's but, they can't even quote to you John 3:16 or Psalms 23!!!!!!! "Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also". These words were spoken by Jesus in just 3 verses before our text verse in Matt. 6:21. What Jesus is basically saying here is this, "a person who has his/her mind and affections, set on material things, will lose interest in Heavenly things"!!!!! There was a story about a statement that an old Texas oil man said one time and someone thought it good enough to write down. The oilman said, "the best way to lay up treasure in Heaven, is to invest your money in those people who are going there"!!!!!
II. Materialism can affect a person's Spiritual Insight: vs 22-23
Jesus said if your eye is in darkness, then the whole life is in the dark. You ability to tell right from wrong is affected. When you focus on gaining material things, you can get so caught up in attaining these things, that you lose the ability to see right from wrong, and to you, it doesn't matter as long as you get what you want.
We get so blinded by these things and their pursuit, that we get the "me or I" syndrome. It's "Me who matters, not "them". This is deception and,. when deception comes in so does SIN. Jesus said that if our eye deceives us or controls us, our lifves will be full of darkness. What you covet, controls you. Here's a couple of examples.
A. Eve in the Garden Gen. 3:5 "and when the woman (Eve) SAW that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the EYES, she took of the fruit and did eat and gave unto her husband and he did eat."
B. David on the rooftop. II Samuel, 11: 2-3 "David rose early in the evening and walked on the roof and saw a woman bathing herself and the woman was very beautiful to LOOK ON"!!!! You know the rest of the story. David inquired who she was, she came to his palace, they had sex, she got pregnant and when David couldn't hide his sin, he had her husband killed, so he could take her as his wife.
Just as these 2 physical "Viewings of the eye", caused pain, suffering and death, so will they cause pain and suffering in your spiritual life, if you have your eyes set on material things, instead of spiritual things.
III. Materialism will Master Your Will in Life: vs-24 "You can not serve 2 masters".
Jesus knew about slavery in His lifetime. In biblical times, a slave could be bought, sold, beaten, traded and killed. His time on earth, his life, and his mode of living, was controlled by his master. He had no sayso in anything in his life.
"Mammon" is defined as Material wealth or Greed. It was referred to in some civilizations as "the God of Wealth". It is also defined as "that in which one places his trust"!!!!!!! Here is the tragic point in many wealthy people's lives. Those whose god is money, seldom trust God for anything!!!!! Here's another observation that stands true most of the time. Those who Love their Money, seldom every share it with God or, anyone else. There is nothing wrong with having money, as I said before, but, when your money rules you, you definitely have a problem.
I knew a man who went to get 2 quarter inch wing nuts at a supply store. When he asked the young man at the counter, the young clerk gave him sealed bad of 5 wing nuts. The old man, said "I don't want 5 wing nuts, I just want 2". The young clerk tried to explain to the old man that, these wing nuts come packaged in 5 per bag. The old man said "Why would I want to pay for 5 when I only want 2. He haggled and haggled with the young clerk. Other customers were standing in line behind the old man and finally, the young clerk took 2 of the wing nuts out of the bag, gave them to the old man and told him to just take them and go his way, that he had other customers waiting to be served. The old man smiled and as he walked to the door, he giggled to himself and said, " these didn't cost me anything". When the old man died, a few years later, he was worth 109 million dollars. He loved money more than he loved anything else.
Here's a lesson that we should all learn. God gives to us so that we can give to others. God blesses you and I so that we can be a blessing to others.
Jesus never owned a home, He never owned a mode of transportation, He had very few material things in His life, here on earth yet, He owns it all, everything, yours and mine.
Where your heart is, there will your treasure be also the Bible says. So I ask these 2 questions in closing.
A, Where is your Heart?
B. Where is your Treasure?
May each of us examine ourselves and see where we stand with these things! May God bless this message and may it accomplish that for which is was intended.
Oldbiker
Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.