Sunday: The God of this World
Money has become the god of this world, and materialism is its religion. Materialism is a sophisticated and insidious system that offers temporary security but no ultimate safety.
Image © Jim Work Goodsalt.com
Materialism, as we define it here, is when the desire for wealth and possessions becomes more important and more valuable than spiritual realities. Possessions may have value, but their value shouldn’t possess us: “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income” (Eccles. 5:10, NIV). That’s the problem with desiring the things of this world: no matter how much we get, it’s never enough; we push harder and harder for more and more of what can never satisfy us. Talk about a trap!
Read 1 John 2:16-17. What does this text tell us about what really matters?
Read Luke 14:26-33. What is Jesus telling us here, too, about what is of supreme importance for the Christian?
Maybe it could be said like this: those for whom money, or the desire for money, becomes an all-consuming reality should, indeed, count the cost. “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Mark 8:36, NLT).
“When Christ came to the earth, humanity seemed to be fast reaching its lowest point. The very foundations of society were undermined. Life had become false and artificial. . . . Throughout the world all systems of religion were losing their hold on mind and soul. Disgusted with fable and falsehood, seeking to drown thought, men turned to infidelity and materialism. Leaving eternity out of their reckoning, they lived for the present.” – Ellen G. White, Education, pp. 74, 75.
People drawn to infidelity and materialism and living only for the present? Sound familiar?
| Who doesn’t like to own things? The question is: How can we know if the things we own, even if not many, own us, as well? Who alone should own us, and how can we be sure that He does? |
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This lesson goes worldwide - yet the particular focus on money and possessions is likely to be of relevance to fewer (rather than more) readers. Many readers are likely to have little (if any, in some instances) money and few (if any, in some instances) possessions.
Has the lesson focus been too narrowed for its worldwide readership?
Is there perhaps a broader (and maybe more subtle) application of the 'god of this world' that is of more relevance to the many readers who don't have money and possessions?
Both the rich and the poor are engrossed with the pursuit of money and possessions. The difference is that the rich are more successful in their quest while the poor are not. The fact that one class is successful or failed doesn't mean that members of the group don't love or love money and material possessions more than the other group. The lesson is timely and addresses a worldwide contemporary challenge in our churches. Remember the commendation is "...You have been faithful with a few things..."
Amen sometimes the "poor" are more possessed with the pursuit of materialism and lose track of who provides for them (us). This series will speak to all who desire to receive God's word!
I have not had time to do an analysis of the lesson yet, but if the focus is on money and materialism, it probably misses some of the other areas of stewardship that are just as challenging. The pursuit of social capital is an area that is often overlooked. We often seek the position of being influencial, within our social circle for purely selfish reasons. In the world of Facebook, blogs, and Youtube there are countless examples of people who are famous for no other reason than being famous.
There are some fundamental issues of stewardship that underlie all of these control mechanisms and we need to find out what drives them.
It talks about when materials and possession supplant God as the object of worship of which excessive desire of this leads to a firm of idolatry.
Based on Proverbs 30:3 and 30:7-9, this lesson and the lure of materialism will be greatly understood as it affects the full spectrum from poverty to wealth. The question has to be answered in the greater context based on the following text
Ecclesiastes 10:19, 1 Timothy 6:10
I think it is high time that we begin to get rid of some of the things that we thought we needed to save..things that are only "things" that do not bring us any real benefit, but just take up space and make us worry about what will happen to them if we are not here- discard, sello or in some way get them out of our lives!!!
God owns us only when we allow Him to take control of our lives.
When we have nothing, we try to get everything.
When we get everything, we are enslaved by those things.
"Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
Matthew 8:20
The Prince of the world is coming and he has nothing to use against me."
John 14:30
I find it wounderful that Christ, laid out a blueprint of how Satan can have nothing in us too. John 14:1-29.
But definitely this verse does not imply that we should "have no place to lay our heads" in an emulation of the son of man. Many are the times i have heard people ridiculing hard workers and calling them all sorts of names. I am sure as we have already seen, we ought to work hard but also to know that God is the ultimate owner of the outcome of our hard work. His glory and honor should not be supplanted by our quest for material possessions.
Our goal is to be follower of Christ, by allowing the fruits of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, without the burden of legalism.
when we come to the point where we see christs suffering as important to our
salvation we will see all this worlds cravings as least ,, and the purpose
for which christ came will become more real in our lives .We will lay aside our earthly treasures,run to the master ,like zacheus run in the way of the master
and return what we took and begin to lead others for whom christ came.
We all desire money, rich or poor. This lesson is very relevant to every class & group. We yearn for money because we believe that it will solve our problems, maybe so temporarily but, eventually it sometimes creates more. We ALL crave a better life and subsequently if our focus is solely on our money we are doomed. The reality of it all is that money is necessary but without God all the money in the world means nothing if God is not our accountant & advisor.
The key words of the EGW quote that ends with, ", they lived for the present.", is that they left eternity of of their reckoning. Because even Jesus' counsel for us is to live one day at a time. And how can we do that without doing it for the present?
Those who have much money and many materialistic things go through the same spiritual struggles like those who have little possessions. Thus the solution is the same for both categories: Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind - Rom 12: 2.Years ago I had to go through the transformation to renew my mind . When I bought my house, I decided that I would furnish it nontraditionally (uniquely simple) to avoid working exta long hours for the purpose of furnishing the house. Up to this day, I feel so at ease that I could not be influenced by fashion, commercials and people's opinions to do otherwise. When our minds are renewed by Godly desires and principles, we don't become slaves to materialism.
God's desire is for us to seek and know him as the provider of all things and revere him.
Jesus did say that my kingdom is not of this world.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). “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 (Matthew 6:24). It is clear that treasure is not just some specific collection of objects, but is rather anything that one values in life.
We are all in pursuit of money whether rich or poor...so this lesson speaks to each and every one of us no matter what economic class we fall under.
I try to live as simply as I can it's true none of these possessions we can take with us. May God's Holy Spirit keep me focused on the things above. And I have to ask myself do I really need this?
the economy, financial income, possessions whatever the name you can give it has been a major concern of the world. the pursue for success, comfortable life has led many of us to lose focus of much more important things than just life of this world. some even sacrifice God's time for personal gains.we forget that in spite of whatever man can own, he shall take none of it with him when he dies.