Jump Start # 2773

Luke 12:15 “Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

Our verse today comes from a conversation between Jesus and an unhappy listener in the audience. It wasn’t something Jesus said that made this man unhappy. Fact is, Jesus was teaching about the Holy Spirit. This man had his mind on other things. He wasn’t interested in the Holy Spirit. His thoughts surrounded the subject of money and how he felt cheated by his own family. Someone had died, likely a father. The inheritance was to be divided. Under Jewish law, the eldest son got half. The other sons split the other half. In all of this, this man didn’t think he got his fair share. So, he interrupts Jesus. Before a crowd he tells Jesus to force his brother to divide the inheritance with him. Maybe the brother kept it all. Maybe the brother didn’t give equal amounts. He thought telling this to Jesus, he would come out with his share of money. Things didn’t go his way. Instead of speaking to the brother, Jesus spoke to this man. Instead of a conversation about dividing and sharing, Jesus chose the topic of greed.

This is where our verse comes in. Life does not consist of possessions. I believe age, maturity and spirituality has a lot to do with understanding this. When a person is young, possessions are important. When a person is old, one begins to think, where am I going to put all of this stuff.

That’s where I’m at. With the death of my dad, comes the task of going through his things. Some items are easy. His clothes do not fit any of us and the style is not ours, so that’s an easy choice. But with any older person, especially those that lived through the depression, there are mountains of papers and papers and papers. Some are easy to toss. My dad loved to make charts. That was the engineer in him. We found notebooks dating from the 1940’s, where he kept the high and low temperature for every single day. Then he’d average the temps out for a month and the year. Interesting, for about ten seconds, but not important to us. But then there are all those other things, such as high school and college diplomas, letters sent from the war, diaries when he was single, postcards of the hospital he recovered in after his war injuries. It was my lot to receive boxes of old Bibles, genealogical records and old, old stuff. It was important to dad. He saved it all these years. Now, it sits in my office at home. What to keep and what to toss, what a hard decision.

And, running behind all of this is our verse today. Life is not made up of possessions. We have found things that we never saw until the past few days. They have been tucked away and never shown to us. What our verse reminds us is that all these possessions did not make my dad. The memories that run deep within our hearts, that’s how we will remember him. The conversations, the smiles, the fun, the music, the games, the wonderful memories—the stuff of life, that’s what we remember.

In all of this there are a few thoughts for us:

First, far too many people define life by possessions rather than the heart. Dropping designer names means something to a lot of people. The brand of suits you wear, the name of the watch you wear, the name of your shoes, the brand of car, the location of your house—all move the needle on those who are interested in possessions. Hollywood is wrapped up in those things. Showing off expensive things is thought to make you someone. To me, it means you spent a lot of money. Some folks can barely make it through a day without having to buy something. Always buying, always needing something—a life of possessions.

Our possessions do not impress God. He owns the whole world. God is interested in your insides and what those possessions do to you. Do you possess them or do they possess you? This is not to say that a poor man wins more favor with God than a wealthy person. It’s not about what you have, but what has you. In acquiring things, have you closed your eyes to those who need you? Have you become rich, while a Lazarus is laying at your gates? Has your stuff made you feel like you are better than others?

Second, someday someone will have to go through all of your stuff. We don’t gather at funerals because of what a person owned. We come because they touched our lives and we loved them. In going through dad’s stuff it really reminded me that someday my kids will have to go through all of my stuff. And, between my wife and I, the real pack rat among us is me. This is especially true of my religious library. When it comes to old stuff, I have a ton. It means a lot to me. Those old preachers and old churches—I have all kinds of information about them. To my kids, they won’t know any of those names or places. I see trash bag after trash bag being filled with all those files I’ve collected. But isn’t that true of all of our stuff? What I liked, my kids don’t. What I’ve treasured, they don’t. And, what do I want them to remember about me? All this stuff that I’m surrounded with or who I was?

Most of us would do our families a huge favor by pitching a lot of things that no longer matter. This summer I threw away my high school year books. I’m the only person that would be interested in them and those pages have turned in my life. I still had my student ID card from college. Scary picture. Useless today. It went bye-bye. Life moves on. One can’t save everything.

The guest registry books that are used at funeral homes—we found the one for our grandma, my mom and now we have dad’s. What to do with those things? Life is filled with mementos. Golf pencils. Old slide rules. Pictures with no names on the back and we don’t know who they are. Postcards from trips. Stuff. Life does not consist of possessions.

Third, a day is coming when all these things will be no more. We don’t be carrying boxes to Heaven with all of these things. We won’t be needing our grade school report cards in Heaven. All the things we treasure will be gone some day. Don’t get so attached to things that you cannot go on without them. Job reminds us that we brought nothing into this world and we will take nothing out, other than a soul. More important than what stuff we’ve collected through the years, will be if our souls are redeemed in the blood of Jesus. Our souls is what will go with us. Valuable heirlooms will simply be passed on to others who likely will not even want them.

It is wonderful working with my two brothers and sister, as we go through dad’s things. One of us would pull something out and ask, “Does anyone want this?” The answer from the others, “It’s yours!” It’s only stuff.

Life does not consist of possessions. If it does not, then what does it consist of? That’s a great study. Life consists of faith, Jesus, love, people, hope and promises. Those are the things that can never be taken away from you and those are the things that cannot really be passed on to others. Each has to find these themselves and treasure them.

Roger

Jump Start # 2417

Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, ‘Beware , and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when on has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

Our verse today is sandwiched between someone wanting Jesus to settle a family dispute about inheritances and the parable of the farmer who tore down his barns to build larger barns. The man who asked Jesus the question didn’t get the answer he was hoping for. Jesus turned it on him and taught about greed and materialism. The farmer in the parable, is a mirror of this man who asked Jesus the question. The farmer only talked about himself and he made no references to God. He died and all his stuff went to someone else.

I was thinking about this the other day. I’ve got an appointment down the road with an attorney. It’s time to draw up some specific wills. Up to this point our will has been pretty vague. If I die, it all goes to my wife. If she died, it all goes to me. And, we never really had much. Now, it’s time to put more thought into it. Life doesn’t consist of possessions. Our lives are not defined by what we own. Our souls, our love, our hearts are of much more value and memories than stuff. But, what does one do with all the stuff? And as one gets older, it seems that there is more stuff and sometimes this stuff actually is rare, historical and has some value to it. On top of this, being a preacher for nearly forty years, and a religious pack rat at that, I occupy two rooms at the church building with all my file cabinets, books and stuff. And, from what people say, millennials are not really interested in their parents things. I can see some of that. The way I have decorated my offices is not the way my kids decorate their homes. What is interesting to me, probably is not to them. What means so much to me, doesn’t move the needle for them.

So, I took out a blank piece of paper and started writing down some of the valuable things I believe we have. That was easy to do. Now, who gets what? That’s where I’m stuck. Some things cannot be divided up, such as a piano. Investments are easy to deal with. Just divide them equally among the kids. The house, sell and divide the proceeds equally. Furniture, take what you want, sell or donate the rest. Easy. But it’s the special things, the possessions that are hard to know what to do with.

Sometimes we spend a lifetime collecting these possessions. A person will hunt things down in flea markets, garage sells and on Ebay. They collect. They save. They are important to them. But, as in the case of the rich farmer in the parable, “now who will own what you have prepared?” Great question. Hard to answer.

But here are some things I learned in this process:

First, who I am is not defined by what I have on the walls. The memories of our hearts, our times we spent together, our love, the holidays, this is how I want them to remember me. Remember me by my lessons, my writing and what I believed in. I have a cool hour glass sitting on my desk. The grandkids love to turn it over and watch the sand fall. But that’s not me. It’s just something sitting on my desk. What if the kids take all the stuff and sell it on Ebay? I’ll be out of this earthly room and it won’t matter to me. These things have served me and they may not serve others.

Second, we can get really worked up about our possessions. I’ve been to funerals where literally, as soon as the amen was said at the cemetery, the wheels were squealing as the kids were racing to the house to get what they wanted. I’ve known families that sued each other over stuff. Somehow I just have to believe that mom and dad didn’t do a very good job of teaching their kids about what was important in life. If one doesn’t believe in life after death, then this is all that there is and they will try to grab all that they can. So you get grandma’s old rocking chair, if you had to crush your relationships to get it, is it really worth it? It’s just stuff. A quick Indiana tornado and it can all be gone in seconds. Too many families get worked up over stuff rather than building quality relationships with each other.

Third, someday all of it will be gone. Jesus is coming. That’s a fact. The N.T. teaches that from the first book to the last book. And, according to what Peter wrote, when He comes, the earth and all of its works will be burned up. So, Junior got the grandfather clock and you didn’t. It’s only for a short time. Before you know it, the Lord will come and no one will have it. As Job says, naked we came and naked we go. All that we take with us is our souls and the record of our life. So, in the big picture of things, it really doesn’t matter who gets what because before long, it’s all gone.

Fourth, as our society prospers, we must be careful about passing on to the next generation large sums of money without godly instructions. Money can ruin some people and as the Bible states, it is the root of all ut sorts of trouble. Nothing wrong with leaving kids and grandkids money, but do them a favor and teach them about the power of money and the good that can be done with money. Money can ruin a heart and it can get a lot of people into trouble. So, while you are alive, teach your kids and grandkids about the value of money. I’ve seen people running through money, buying useless stuff and it’s gone as quickly as they got it and they have nothing worthwhile to show for it. They didn’t honor God with it. They didn’t use it wisely. They didn’t think about the future. It’s was shopping time and boy, it was gone in a flash. God is generous with us but he expects us to be good stewards and to use it properly. Should that be any different with the things we hand our children? Doors can be opened and opportunities created through generous giving, but in the wrong hands and with the wrong heart, much pain and sorry can come from money.

Now, let me say this, since I’m on this topic, and this is strictly, Roger’s opinion: I’m not a fan of willing money to a congregation. Some do that and that’s their choice. I’ve seen some who willed money to a church for new song books. The elders at that congregation didn’t want new song books, so the money was put into the general fund. That wasn’t the wish of the people who donated the money. I’d rather see a person give as much as he can while he is alive. Influence and see that the money is used wisely. Once you have passed away, who knows how the money may be used. That’s just my feelings.

Finally, all of this discussion ought to make us realize how blessed we are. We complain about this and that, but our closets are stuffed. We rent storage sheds because we don’t have room for all of our things. Our pantry is filled. It’s hard even to pray, ‘Give us this day our daily bread,’ because we have enough food in the house to last us weeks. We make a lot of money these days. We live in large homes these days. Everyone of age, has their own cars. I saw a stat the other day that on this planet, more people have cell phones than tooth brushes. We need to be thankful. We need to be good stewards. We need to share. We need to realize with much, much is required.

Life is more than possessions and it is important that the possessions do not possess us. Do I own the stuff or does the stuff own me? As I looked over my sheet of paper, I realized I forgot all my ties and colorful socks. Maybe we’ll just pass them out at my funeral…

Roger

Jump Start # 1687

Luke 12:15 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

Our Jump Starts this week have suddenly turned into a series about warnings. On Monday, we wrote about “avoiding.” Yesterday, it was “fleeing.” Today, we turn our attention to “Beware.” In our verse, the Lord is warning the disciples about greed. Beware of greed. In one passage in Philippines, Paul uses the word “Beware” three times. There he says, beware of dogs, evil workers and false circumcision. Beware. This word carries the idea of being alert, attentive and watchful.

In driving through parts of Tennessee, you will come across road signs that say, “Beware of falling rocks.” My wife and I were driving in Arizona a few years ago. The road sign said, “Beware of elk.” The only elk in Indiana are in the zoo. I wanted to see one. Soon, another sign said, “Beware of deer.” That was followed with, “Beware of falling rocks.” I asked my wife if she could watch the road, because I was watching for all those other things.

We don’t like warnings. In my area, it’s not uncommon in the spring to have the weatherman interrupt a TV show with storm warnings. Sometimes, when the storms are close, the tornado sirens send out a loud and unpleasant sound. We don’t like to be driving and a warning light comes on our dashboard. And, most do not like sermons that warn. Given the choice, most people like to hear nice sermons on Heaven. But warnings are necessary.

Here are a few obvious things you know:

1. Warnings keep us safe. They are often unpleasant, bothersome and disruptive to what we want to do, but without the warning, we could be injured in a storm or our car could run out of gas. God’s warnings do just the same. They keep us safe. We may not understand the importance of the warning, but God does. He knows the trouble that we can get into. This is why we find verses such as: “Evil companions corrupt good morals.” God knows. Sometimes we think we know more than God. We think we don’t need those warnings. We are too smart for those things. It’s like the warnings on the side of a pack of cigarettes. I don’t know if those ever stopped people from smoking. The guy that wants to smoke will smoke. It’s beyond my understanding how folks can stand outside of a funeral home and smoke, especially when grandpa lies died inside because of lung cancer. Some will just ignore the warnings. When they do, they suffer.

2. Warnings may seem obvious, but they are necessary. I love the many warning labels on products. I don’t know if they are there to avoid lawsuits or because some dummy actually tried it and now the company is forced to warn others about not being so dumb. On a hair dryer, you’ll find a label warning not to use in the shower. Amazing new hairdo if you try it. Warning label on a chainsaw, not to sharpen while it’s running. Warning label on dog food, not to feed to children. And to think, most of these folks that would try these things are probably out driving. That’s scary! God’s warnings are the same. They are necessary. They are necessary for our spiritual growth, our relationship with Him and our wellbeing.

Our verse today is one example. Here, the Lord warns against greed. This warning follows a conversation that started with someone telling Jesus to instruct a family member to share the inheritance. Three things were wrong with this request. Jesus had not been talking about families, money or sharing. He interrupted Jesus. This was laying heavy upon this man’s heart. He couldn’t get any resolution, so he thought he’d use the Lord. The first problem is that he told Jesus what to do. “Tell my brother to share.” One doesn’t tell Jesus anything. Jesus is the Lord. He tells us. We might ask, but we don’t tell. Secondly, had Jesus gotten involved in this family squabble, His mission would have been sidetracked. Here would come someone else with another family problem. Then a neighbor with a property dispute. Then a dog owner with a problem. This person was over charged. This person borrowed but never returned. Do this, Jesus. Do that, Jesus. The entire work of the Lord would have been bogged down with these little disputes. Jesus came to save us from our sins, not to be a civil court judge. Thirdly, this man had a problem with greed. This is why Jesus issued the warning. Storm warning ahead. The way was not calm. Greed will eat you up, as it did this man. He wasn’t listening to Jesus. He was waiting for a moment to jump in and demand that Jesus settle things at home. Greed blinds us. We get thinking about wanting that car, that house, that golf club, that vacation…and before long, it’s all we think about, talk about, and dream about. We become obsessed. We won’t be happy until we get it. That’s greed. It leads you away from God. It consumes you.

3. Warnings are passed on to others. When there are storm warnings in our area, we tell all in the house. Parents will teach their children about warnings. They will show them the proper way to do things. They will point out the trouble of doing things in a dangerous way. Don’t we do the same spiritually? We warn others that the path that they are on won’t end in Heaven. We warn about attitudes and language. We try to help each other. It’s not because we are better, it’s because we don’t want others to be hurt.

Avoid…flee…beware. These are God’s warning lights on the dashboard of life. We need to pay attention to them. We need to see the good in heeding these warnings. We need to know that these warnings could save our lives, especially eternally.

Roger

Jump Start # 1075

Luke 12:15 “Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when on has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.’”

  Our verse today involves two things. First, it was Jesus’ response to someone who asked Him to divide the family inheritance. This was a legal matter and more so, a family issue. Someone was unhappy with the deal he got and he wanted Jesus to sway things his way. Like many folks, this person only wanted Jesus to make his life happier. He wasn’t interested in what Jesus had to say or following Jesus. He was counting money in his mind. He had plans. Jesus was the ticket to get what he wanted. Our verse is Jesus’ reply. He didn’t get involved. He didn’t settle things. He didn’t take sides. The man left as he came, bummed out about money and his family.

The second thing this verse shows is a warning from Jesus. He said, “Beware…” Jesus was often warning His disciples. The happy-go-lucky, anything goes, I don’t care, free spirit that many try to paint of Jesus is not supported by Scriptures. Jesus warned often. Sometimes He’d say, “Do not…”

Most of us understand the importance of warnings, but find them to be a nuisance. When the warning light comes on the dashboard of our cars, it usually means that we have to make an appointment and take the car in to be serviced. It bothers us. Sometimes, during a TV show we are watching, weather warnings come on. We want to finish our show. The weather warnings are deemed more important by the station.

In our verse, Jesus, not only did not answer this man the way he was expecting, he left with a warning. A warning that is designed for all of us. This is the reason that some walk away from Jesus. They come hoping to get a pat on the back and a thumbs up to their life. Instead, they get a warning. They need to change. They need to straighten up. It’s not what they wanted, so they walk away.

We need spiritual warnings. A good study sometime is to look at the warnings of Jesus. There are several. He warned about the leaven of Pharisees. He warned about closed hearts. He warned about Hell. The verse today contains a warning about greed. Here Jesus warns, “Beware and be on your guard against every form of greed.”

That tells us that greed comes in many forms. There is not just one size fits all. Those different forms may throw us and deceive us. We may not recognize some forms as being greed. This is why Jesus is warning. He’s not killing fun. He doesn’t take pleasure in our misery. He isn’t happy when we are sad. Not at all. Some, especially young people, get the idea that I have to make a choice between fun and right. They assume being right and doing right is not fun. Poor thinking there. The choice is between right and wrong. A person can have fun and be right.

Greed is not about how much stuff you have but how the stuff has you. Greed is an attitude. It’s a way of thinking. It wants to collect and not give. It has a thirst for things. Greed believes that a person is defined by what they own. The nicer the car, the better you are. The more stuff, the more square footage, the larger the TV screen, the better off you are. America has caved in to that idea. We believe it. I was looking at ties the other day. Ties are my thing. I love ties. The salesman was really wanting me to buy. I looked at the price tag and there was no way. One tie cost more than some of my suit jackets. He started dropping designer names of the ties. They were all Italian. I never heard of any of them. He was trying to impress. I remembered the price tag and was depressed.

I don’t know if I know all the forms of greed. It would be interesting to list some and think about them. Affluence can be driven by greed. Affluence isn’t wrong. It can be wrong if it distorts us and defines us. Christians with money will do great things. The world with money does selfish and wrong things. Let the Christians have the money. Beware Jesus said of greed.

Greed is never satisfied. Greed needs just a little bit more. Greed is a thirst that is never quenched. Jesus did not want his disciples controlled by greed. He wanted them free from those things. Free to focus upon God. Free to not be burdened down with worries about stuff that doesn’t matter. Free to talk to all people. The first Christians were mostly poor. However, there were some of Caesar’s household. There was the eunuch from Ethiopia was in charge of the queen’s treasury. Important folks. Influential people. Most likely, wealthy people. The disciples had to be comfortable and make others feel comfortable so they could share the gospel to them. God isn’t impressed with stuff. God’s impressed with faith. The largeness of your heart is what moves God’s needle. Love Him, Jesus said, with ALL your heart.

Beware. We need to see the warning lights coming on. We need to do something about it.

Warnings keep us safe. Warnings help us. We ought to be thankful for warnings. Without them, we’d be in a bunch of trouble most times.

Roger