Message by Chad Kelly
Proverbs 30:15
The leech has two suckers that cry out, ”˜More! More!”™. (NLT)
The Leech of “More”
Colossians 3:5b
Don”™t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. (NLT)
The leech of “more” can be removed by enjoying God”™s grace in Jesus with the result that we practically love others!
1. You and I must understand that greed is the deadly worship of the “stuff” of this world. (Colossians 3:5b)
Luke 12:13-21
“Then someone called from the crowd, ”˜Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father”™s estate with me.”™ Jesus replied, ”˜Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?”™ Then he said, ”˜Beware! Don”™t be greedy for what you don”™t have. Real life is not measured by how much we own.”™
And he gave an illustration: ”˜A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. So he said, ”˜I know! I”™ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I”™ll have room enough to store everything. And I”™ll sit back and say to myself, ”˜My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”™ But God said to him, ”˜You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?”™ Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (NLT)
Proverbs 30:7-9””“O God, I beg two favors from you before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, ”˜Who is the Lord?”™ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God”™s holy name.”
1 Timothy 6:9-10””“But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (NLT)
2. You and I must rip the leech of “more” from our hearts.
Colossians 3:5a””“ So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.”
How can we rip greed loose from our hearts?
a) Focus your thoughts on your true wealth in Jesus! (1-3)
Colossians 3:1-5a, 6, 9-10–“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God”™s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Colossians 3 (cont.)
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you . . . God”™s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things . . . for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds. In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.”
1 John 3:2-3””“Yes, dear friends, we are already God”™s children, and we can”™t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure.” (NLT)
1 John 2:15-17””“Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves.” (NLT)
How can we rip greed loose from our hearts?
b) Replace the selfishness of greed with enjoyment of God”™s grace in Jesus that results in practical love for others!
Colossians 3:12-14
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other”™s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (NLT)
Luke 12:21””“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (NLT)
Luke 12:31-34””“He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the kingdom of God your primary concern. So don”™t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe””no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.” (NLT)
1 John 4:7-12””“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God””for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.” (NLT)
The leech of “more” can be removed by enjoying God”™s grace in Jesus with the result that we practically love others!