Luke 12:13-21 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Just then someone spoke up from the crowd and said, “Master, you should tell my older brother that he has to divide the family inheritance and give me my fair share!” 14 Jesus answered,[a] “My friend, you can’t expect me to help you with this. It’s not my business to settle arguments between you and your brother—that’s yours to settle.” 15 Speaking to the people, Jesus continued, “Be alert and guard your heart from greed and always wishing for what you don’t have. For your life can never be measured by the amount of things you possess.” 16 Jesus then gave them this illustration: “A wealthy land owner had a farm that produced bumper crops. In fact, it filled his barns to overflowing! 17 He thought, ‘What should I do now that every barn is full and I have nowhere else to store more? 18 I know what I’ll do! I’ll tear down the barns and build one massive barn that will hold all my grain and goods. 19 Then I can just sit back, surrounded with comfort and ease. I’ll enjoy life with no worries at all.’ 20 “God said to him, ‘What a fool you are to trust in your riches and not in me. This very night the messengers of death[b] are demanding to take your life. Then who will get all the wealth you have stored up for yourself?’ 21 This is what will happen to all those who fill up their lives with everything but God.”

NATURE OF MATERIALISM 

The attitude to life that places particular emphasis on immediate, physical bodies rather done on future, spiritual ones or that regards the material world is the only reality.

THE BASIC FEATURES OF MATERIALISM

An attitude of godlessness

Psalm 14:1-3 

Desire for wealth and physical gratification

Matthew 6:19-24

SOMETHING TO PONDER ABOUT MATERIALISM 

Possessions are to be seen as a gift from God

1 Chronicles 29:12; Deuteronomy 8:18

Material goods can turn the heart away from God

Deuteronomy 8:13-17

Possessions and riches can make it difficult to enter the kingdom 

Matthew 19:23-24

HOW TO RISE ABOVE MATERIALISM

Set our focus on God.

Psalm 119:35-37; Matthew 6:19-21

Guard our eyes.

Matthew 6:22-23; 1 Corinthians 4:18 

Love God more than our possessions.

1 Corinthians 6:12; Matthew 6:24

Practice generosity.

1 John 3:17; Acts 20:35

CONCLUSION

Matthew 6:24-26

“Anything you cannot relinquish when it has outlived its usefulness possesses you, and in this materialistic age a great many of us are possessed by our possessions.”

Peace Pilgrims