Mountainview International Church

We could talk about sub-prime loans and the global financial meltdown last year to illustrate greed, but we won’t! We could talk about the crisis in Europe, and the emergency austerity measures announced by Zapatero, just a few days ago; an attempt to curb a spiralling overspending that is threatening to bring Europe to its knees, but we won’t! Instead a more human, more visceral, illustration:

On Nov 9th 2004 Stieg Larsson collapsed in Stockholm and died of a massive heart attack. His death was not too surprising as he was a heavy smoker, enjoyed rich food and his family had a history of heart attacks. The surprising part was what happened next!

Larson was a journalist. Before his death he had written three unpublished crime novels known as the Millennium trilogy. His books went onto become international best-sellers – selling more than 40 million copies and spawning 3 films – generating a fortune, more than $93 million in royalties.

At 18 years of age Steig met a girl called Eva Gabrielsson at a protest march against the Vietnam war. They lived together for 32 years and were still together when he died. But they never married! A year after his death the Swedish government informed Gabrielsson that since Sweden had no provision for common-law-marriage, Larsson’s entire estate, including one half of their apartment and the rights to his books belonged to Larson’s father Erland and his younger brother Joakim.

One would hope that an odd situation like this could be amicably resolved – $93 goes a long way between 3 people. But, as so often happens, where there are large sums of money involved, the true nature of corrupted hearts rears its ugly head. Erland and Joakim Larsson believed they were more than generous in giving Gabrielsson the $20.000 that was in Steig’s account when he died. They then tried to exchange their share of the apartment for a forth, unfinished, book that is on a computer in Gabrielsson’s possession. Gabrielsson refused.

More recently they offered her the apartment and $2.6 million, to settle the matter once for all, but Gabrielsson turned it down again. Public opinion is with Gabrielsson, but the standoff remains bogged down in the mire of greed.

I tell this story not to warn us against the dangers of living together – we may get to that in a couple of weeks when we talk about lust – but to remind us, if we have not noticed, that greed is alive and rampant in our world. More importantly, it’s more than likely alive and rampant in our own lives. Maybe somewhat controlled and hidden, but waiting, for the right season, to grow and to pounce and dominate our lives.

This morning we are continuing with our series on the 7 deadly sins with a look at greed. Last week Eric challenged us with some thoughts around gluttony and how we can so often use food or its absence, (as in anorexia and bulimia) to try and fill the spiritual hunger that God has placed within each of us. 2 weeks ago we looked at Pride.

Just before the sermon on pride Gustavo gave me another Timothy Keller book called, Counterfeit Gods. I don’t know whether it’s by chance that Gustavo places the book in my hands, or if God is trying to say something loud and clear, but Keller’s book is 177 pages of challenge after challenge, along similar lines as our series on the 7 Deadly Sins. Honestly, I’m getting challenged out!

Keller’s book is essentially an extended discourse on idolatry. Keller writes that:

An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.”… If anything becomes more fundamental than God to your happiness, meaning of life, and identity, then it’s an idol.”

Keller goes onto says that idolatry happens when:

The human heart takes good things like a successful career, love, material possessions, even family and turns them into ultimate things.

In the sermon on pride we mentioned how evil twists good, which is why it can be so hard to separate the good from the bad. Keller says that idols are not bad things per se and in fact most idolatry revolves around good things. We usually make idols out of the very best things in life; because they are the very things that we most quickly expect to satisfy our deepest needs and hopes.

This series is has a lot to do with helping us identify idols and their destructive work in our lives. We are presenting one of the unifying themes of the bible that we turn from our idols and back to the living God who longs to give us and satisfy us with life.

Question: Will we allow God to use this series to reveal some of the idols that reside within our hearts. Having identified them will we turn form them and to God who longs to give us life?

Greed!

A short video clip on greed:

In many quarters – greed is seen as a good thing – the fuel of the global economy. As Gordon Gecko says in the video clip:

Greed…is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms – greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge – has marked the upward surge of mankind

Is greed such a bad thing?

Friedrich Nietzsche said that as man came of age he would put aside God and replace God with money. Anything that replaces God is…an idol! By replacing God with money Nietzsche essentially predicted that money would become our greatest idol. Keller states that “money is one of the most common counterfeit gods there is”.

Greed is one of the most slippery of deadly sins because, even though among the most prevalent of sins, it’s also the one that most of us don’t think we are guilty of. We find it easier to see greed in others, but have a hard time seeing greed in ourselves. That’s probably why Jesus warns us:

"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15)

Jesus does not warn us about other sins in quite the same way – he does not say “Watch out for adultery!” If we are knocking up someone else's spouse we usually know it is adultery!

Jesus’ double warning to “watch out and be on your guard” suggests that greed is something that we might overlook and be in denial about. Keller says that we should approach the subject of money and greed with a working hypothesis that:

This could easily be a problem for me!

It’s not prayer or faith, but the subject of money and possessions that Jesus mentions most often.

We need to stop for a second and take on board this challenge. Greed probably is a serious problem for me!

What is Greed?

Rebecca Konyndyk De Young writes:

Greed is an excessive love of or desire for money or any possession money can buy….greedy tendencies to trust in money for happiness and security undercut our trust in God…greed expresses the do-it-yourself method of finding happiness, instead of the contentedness of receiving the good that God has to give and depending on his provision

Peter Kreeft says:

Avarice [greed] is not a desire as such for temporal possessions…but the immoderate desire for them; for it is natural to desire external things as means, but avarice makes them into ends, into gods. And when a creature is made into a god, it becomes a devil.

In other words God has given us good desires for the good things he has created. But when these desires gain an ultimate status in our lives they become demonic. They will eventually destroy us, our families, our communities and our world.

A question that we need to ask is this: Do we possess our possessions or are we possessed by them?

Digging Deeper into Greed:

Greed, in and of itself, is often just a surface problem. If we are to have any hope in overcoming greed we must look deeper into our lives and expose the embedded, more powerful idols, that we use money and possessions to attend to: Timothy Keller writes:

Some people want lots of money as a way to control their world and life. Such people usually don’t spend much money and live very modestly. They keep it all safely saved and invested, so that they can feel completely secure in the world. Others want money for access to social circles and to make themselves beautiful and attractive. These people do spend their money on themselves in lavish ways. Other people want money because it gives them so much power over others. In every case, money functions as an idol and yet, because of various deep idols, it results in very different patterns of behaviour.

Riekje and I give generously to the church (on top of this we run the MV office from our home, have loads of visitors, feed multitudes and provide enough toilet paper each year to stretch from here to Valencia). We’re big savers too! Riekje is a Dutch girl and I have a Dutch passport! On the surface our hearts seem to be in the right place.

This year we have had some unexpected costs – it’s been discouraging to see our savings go down, not up. It’s caused me some anxiety. Preparing for this message I realised that my deeper idol is the security that comes from having savings. Savings is not a bad thing – the bible says we are wise to save – but I was looking to my bank account to give me the kind of security that only God is meant to give. Recently I've tried to prayerfully place my security and trust more firmly in God and His promises to look after me.

Think for a minute…what is the deeper idol in your life is? Is it the security that money brings? Is it the status that money brings? Is it the power that money brings?

So how do we overcome greed?

Overcoming Greed:

Many religions – even some branches of Christian tradition – have suggested that the best way to handle greed is to get rid of everything and live in voluntary poverty. The bible suggests a different approach. We learn to handle the power of money and possessions through generous giving. Paul tells Timothy to command the rich to be generous (he does not tell them to become poor)

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians we come across 2 chapters about giving. [Name] is going to read a few verses from each chapter.

2 Corinthians 8

1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving…9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich…

2 Corinthians 9

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work... 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

Giving is a huge subject. So for the first time in Mountainview’s history there is homework. We’ve slipped into the bulletin a summary of Mountainview’s overall teaching on money and giving. Read it this week. Check out the references. Also maybe take time to read and digest 2 Corinthians chapters 8 & 9. The multiple choice exam starts at 11:15 next week. Study hard! Don’t be late! A couple of important thoughts on generosity!

1. We learn generosity through the Gospel

We read:

9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

At our elder’s meetings we’ve been talking a lot about giving at Mountainview. Several families that left this past year were big givers. The adage that 20% of the people in a church give 80% of the funds is probably true, even at Mountainview. We spoke about addressing the drop in giving with our community without manipulating people. Dan Anderson suggested, rightly, that we need to accurately and unashamedly present the biblical teaching on giving, of which there is a lot. Hence the handout (see the end of this message for the notes)!

The foundational piece of giving is the Gospel. Paul says we are motivated to give through a right understanding of the Gospel. God has given us everything in Christ. It was a total giving of himself to the world. Paul, in Philippians 2, reminds us that the God of all gave up His heavenly riches and became a man. But even more than that - he gave up all human wealth and honour and died a criminal’s death for our salvation. Christ’s giving took him from the highest place in heaven to the lowest place in humanity. Christ’s disciples, us seated here, have become rich through Christ’s poverty.

Mountainview’s drop in giving could be an indication that the Gospel is not as embedded as it should be in the life of the Mountainview community. Rather than twist your arms to give, we need to encourage the Gospel to take deeper root in our hearts. For when we know the love of Christ, who has given us everything for our salvation, we are going to end up thinking, “How I can withhold anything from him?” John Stott says that giving expresses our theology!

More than this! If Christ has given everything for me, then how can I doubt his promise to look after me, to sustain me, to satisfy me, to give me security? In my daily bible readings I've been reading Romans. On Thursday I read Romans 5. The great message of this chapter is this; if Christ died from us, when we were a sinner, far from him, his enemy - just imagine the blessings that he has for us in this life and in eternity now that we are his friends.

A question I get asked from time to time is, “does God call us to tithe?” In the Old Testament the first 10% (a tithe) of everything belongs to the Lord. The Old Testament suggests that giving starts after the 10% is given. In the New Testament while the laws about tithing are set aside, in reality God puts a much bigger challenge before us. He says to us, “When Jesus died did he give 10% of his life or all of it? When he shed his blood for our forgiveness did Christ give 10% of his blood (like a donation to the red cross) or did he shed all of it?”

Many of us at Mountainview are privileged to live near the very top of the world’s economic pile. 10% is probably a good starting point. Most of us could probably give more and still be comfortably off.
Could we live more simply so we could give more generously towards God’s kingdom work and eradicating poverty in our world?

[Kary Share on making God a 50% partner]

Very crudely! We are not called to apply the Old Testament law, but Gospel grace to our wallets and bank accounts. It should be fairly obvious which one calls for the greatest generosity (if not please visit the prayer team after this service). The question is not, how much do we give, but how much does Christ allow us to keep?

2. Our generosity provides what others need!

Paul says to the Corinthians:

13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.

In Greek the word isotes can be translated “equality” or “justice”.

Rebecca Konyndyk De Young says:

Greed corrodes the virtue of generosity and leads us to ignore the claims of justice.

Quoting from a preacher called Basil (sorry no more details than this) she offers these challenging words:

“It is the hungry one’s bread that you hoard, the naked one’s cloak that you retain, the needy one’s money that you withhold. Wherefore as many as you have wronged, you might have succoured.”

The quote suggests that our plenty does not belong to us – it belongs to others in need. If we imagine we are like a puzzle piece! Many of us look like this puzzle piece! God has blessed with plenty so that we can supply the needs of others - so that there may be a greater equality in God’s world. We are not isolated individuals, but an interconnected human race.

In the context of 2 Corinthians Paul does not just have the poor in mind. He’s also talking about churches giving to other churches. A portion of our plenty has been given to us by God in order to supply the needs of the local church.

In the Old Testament the tithe was essential to sustaining the spiritual life of the nation. It paid for the priests and provided wood for sacrifices, the oil for lamps etc. In a similar fashion our giving plays an essential part in sustaining the spiritual life of the local church. God has blessed many of us with plenty, in order that we can supply the needs of the local church – the body of Christ.

Mountainview has a progressive, but well thought out and prayed over budget. The money is carefully managed, with plenty set aside for the poor and for mission. You may have noted from the reports that Mountainview’s giving is below budget. We often hear from people that they can’t give so much because they are still giving to their “home church”.

If you attend Mountainview during your tenure in Spain, then we believe Mountainview is your home church! This is the local body of Christ to which He has called you to belong, for a season, and we believe you should be giving accordingly. If you run into trouble – like ending up in hospital – then you're not going to call your church back home and say, “I’m a regular donor, so please send the pastor to fly over and pray with me!” You're going to say to Mountainview, “You are my home-church please help me!” And the elders are going to say, “Let us first take a look at your tithing records!” (That was a joke).

Conclusion:

I want us in closing to return to the Gospel and to Jesus who gave everything for our salvation. Timothy Keller writes:

When you see him dying to make you his treasure...money will crease to be the currency of your significance and security, and you will want to bless others with what you have. To the degree that you grasp the Gospel, money will have no dominion over you. Think on his costly grace until it changes you into a generous person.

Let us think on his costly grace until it changes us into generous people.

[Let us pray]

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Giving @ Mountainview (inset from bulletin)

We desire that Mountainview (MV) learn to give cheerfully (2 Cor. 9:7) & sacrificially, as a sincere act of worship (2 Sam. 24:18-25). Giving recognizes that everything comes from God & our dependence is on Him (Deut. 8, 1; Chr. 29:14). MV believes that giving is foremostly a matter of the heart, a loving response to Christ, who has given us everything, even His very life on a cross (2 Cor. 8:9).

The bible is candid about the subject of money & giving: Jesus warns that wealth is a stumbling block to accepting the Gospel (Lu. 18:25) & often stunts our growth as Christ-followers (Matt. 6:24). Jesus’ disciples are called to release their grip on all possessions (Lu. 14:33). It all belongs to God & we are just stewards (Lu. 16:12).
Christ commissioned us to make disciples, “teaching them to obey everything [he has] commanded.” (Matt. 28:20). At MV we endeavour to accurately & unashamedly present & follow the biblical teaching on money & giving.

Christ’s disciples are called to excel in the grace of giving (2 Cor. 8:7). The following is a summary of biblical teaching on excellent giving:

1. Giving 10% is a good starting point

In the Old Testament (OT) the first 10% (a tithe) of everything belonged to the Lord (Ex. 13:12-13 & 23:19; Lev. 27:30; Pro. 3:9). True giving started after the tithe was given (Mal. 3: 6-12).
In the New Testament (NT), the OT laws on tithing are somewhat set aside; although the Apostle Paul calls us to give to the church in proportion to our income (1 Cor. 16:2). In reality, however, a much higher standard is called for! Those with an incomplete knowledge of grace were commanded to give a tithe! How much more should we, who, more fully, know the grace of our Lord (who gave everything for our salvation) be motivated to give.

Robert Morris, in his book, The Blessed Life, says, “The righteousness of grace always exceeds the righteousness of the law.”

The question for believers is not how much do we give, but how much does Christ allow us to keep!

MV exists near the very top of the world’s economic tree. We believe God calls us to live more simply & so we can give more generously towards His work & eradicating poverty in our world (2 Cor. 8: 1-3). Most of us could give considerably more than 10% & still be very comfortably off.

2. Giving sustains the local church

The OT tithe sustained the spiritual life of the nation (Neh. 10: 35-40). Our giving sustains the spiritual life of the local church. It supports those working for the Gospel (I Tim. 5:17-18) & resources mission (Rom. 15:24).

If you attend MV (during your tenure to Spain), we believe it appropriate to consider MV as the local church to which Christ has called you to belong & to be giving accordingly.

3. Giving helps support the poor & needy

Poverty & injustice are issues God cares deeply about & his followers must be profoundly concerned about them too. The early church gave to the needy (Ac. 2:45). Paul reminds the Ephesian leader’s that he set an example of giving to the weak & the poor (Ac. 20:35). Christ warns that our response to the poor & needy strongly indicates the depth of our relationship with Him (Matt. 25:31-46)

4. Giving is a significant measure of maturity

Luther said the last thing to be converted was a man’s wallet! We believe that generously giving towards the furthering of God’s work is a good indicator that the Gospel is taking root in our lives & we’re maturing as Christ’s disciples. Giving readies us for eternity and prepares us to meet face-to-face with Christ. If we’ve not handled earthly-wealth wisely then God will not entrust us with eternal wealth (Lu. 16: 10-12).

5. Giving is key to savouring God’s blessings

Giving is an important way to experience God’s blessings. Jesus says our measure of giving determines our measure of blessing (Lu. 6:38). Cornelius was among the first Gentiles to hear the Gospel, in part, because he cared for the poor (Ac. 10:2). Paul says, if we sow generously we will reap generously & become a source of blessing to others & thanksgiving to God (2 Cor. 9:6-15).

Jesus says where our treasure there is our heart also (Mat. 6:21). Giving reminds us that our home in heaven & that life is but a short journey towards our heavenly city (Heb. 11:10).

It’s giving (not accumulated resources) that will sustain us through life & satisfy us through death.