Praise be Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen
Did
everyone get the message of our scripture readings today? Greed is bad. Greed is the excessive, reprehensive,
inordinate, and a wanting desire for possessions– money, things, cars, houses, and
food. With greed, this desire become more important than anything else does.
No
one here won the $1.28 Billion dollar Megamillion lottery jackpot. There is a
chance for a “lotto greed” with that much money and people
were lined up out the door when I got my tickets.
One ticket sold in Illinois won. That is a lot of money, if you took that amount of money in $100 bills and laid it end to end, it would be well over 1200 miles. In $100 bills, it would weigh over 28K lbs. That is a lot of money.
Since no one here won that money, I really do not have to speak about greed because none of us is rich enough to be greedy.
If
that is what you think,– Vanity of vanities! All things are vanities. Qoheleth
(ko--hay-leth) this – if all you do is work so you will have more. If you are
up all night worrying about your job or how you’ll have more – it is vanity of
vantities - “you can’t take it with you
so what is the point?”
Consider
the choice between two newspaper articles from an unknown date in the future
that tell your life story.
One
outlines a world famous, super successful, and extremely wealthy person. In
life you focused on success and wealth to ignor everything else (ignored your family,
friends, and God) to become this self-made person. It told of a life full of all
the wealth and excess success in the world brought about. It told people were
jealous and envious, which made you guard everything, even yourself, what if this article was your obituary.
One
outlines how loved you are and the good you have done. You lifted up the poor
and lived a lifetime ministering to the hungry, sick, homeless, and imprisoned.
Yet, you had no earthly wealth or things – money, possessions or fame- only a
life lived among people you loved and who loved you. People knew your smile,
generosity, love, and devotion to God. You shared everything and yourself with others,
what if this article was your obituary.
Which
do you choose?
Greed
is not just about money and wealth. Greed
is desires that harden your heart to the Christ in you and the Christ is all.
Paul
describes this to the Colossians. Each of us is given the choice of what is of
the earth and important to this world. Those things are immorality, impure
passions, evil desire, and greed. All are idolatry. These things become god of
the world.
Or,
we can seek the better. Choose what is above instead of what is on Earth. Choose a life hidden with Christ in God. Choose
to be renewed. Become a new person in the image of God our creator. When see
Christ is in us, we see Christ in all.
Paul
asks, “Which do you choose?”
Your
probably thinking, Deacon I am not rich or greedy. I have no excessive, reprehensive,
desires for anything, especially none of the things Paul lists. I just want a
little bit more.
Be
careful, God’s commandment is not to covet (desire) what we do not have. Someone
wanted just a little bit more and said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to
share his inheritance with me.”
Jesus
response knew that person’s heart. Jesus
could have said your right, bring your stingy scoundrel of a brother here to take
him to account.
Knowing
the heart of the person who spoke to him, Jesus said –“Take
care to guard against all greed
for though one may be rich, your life does not consists of possessions.”
Greed
causes us to put a wrong value on temporary things. It treats the temporary
things of this earthly life as if it will endure on earth forever. The temporary
things become all we hope and believe in.
Greed
treats eternal things as if they are not real and will never happen. That may
be why scripture does warn that the greedy will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Jesus
warns; Do not make earthly things, the most important
thing in our life.
Jesus
does not say being successful and having nice things is wrong. He does not condemn a nice house, a nice life
style, or things we have in our life.
He
gives us this parable of the rich man’s bountiful harvest. He hoarded all his
wealth, greedily keeping all the good things for himself.
Jesus
said to those who listened, “you are going to have to
make an account for all this things you have been given.” Who do they belong
to, you or God.
Jesus
asks this question - Build riches on earth or build treasures
in heaven? Which will you choose?
Be
good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love one
another.
Praise
be Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.
