29th Oct 2017 - Twin Evils - Prosperity And Immorality
29th Oct 2017 - Twin Evils - Prosperity And Immorality
Summary
The speaker begins with worship and praise, focusing on glorifying Jesus Christ and acknowledging God's everlasting loving-kindness. The message transitions to a discussion about the rich young ruler, referencing Mark 10:17, who approached Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. The speaker notes the rarity of such a question coming from a wealthy person, contrasting it with the typical focus of the rich on accumulating more wealth.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
A call to worshipThe speaker welcomes the congregation and invites them to stand and sing to Christ, our triumphant Savior.
The assurance of Jesus' loveThe congregation sings about the joy and certainty found in knowing that Jesus loves them.
Focusing on God's great loveThe speaker encourages the believers to fix their eyes on the vastness of God's love and His unchanging nature.
A call to praise God's everlasting mercyThe speaker begins by reading Psalm 136, emphasizing that God's lovingkindness and mercy endure forever.
The encounter with the rich young rulerUsing the story from Mark 10, the speaker describes a wealthy and humble man who asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.
The deceitfulness of riches and the pursuit of contentmentThe speaker warns that the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth can choke the Word, urging believers to find contentment in godliness rather than pursuing temporal riches.
The danger of loving moneyTrue evil is not money itself, but the love of money, which leads to an endless, unsatisfying pursuit of more that eventually crashes like a shooting star.
Three things we must run fromThe New Testament instructs believers to flee from three specific things: the love of money, youthful lusts, and idolatry.
Standing firm through submission to GodBy submitting to God and resisting the devil, believers can cause enemies to flee in every direction and stand firm under the power of Christ.
The importance of being reminded of the truthThe speaker notes that even though biblical truths about the soul and money are frequently repeated by apostles like Paul and Peter, these reminders are necessary to safeguard believers.Philippians 3:1
The danger of the love of moneyUsing 1 Timothy, the speaker explains that loving money is the root of all kinds of sin and can lead people to turn away from God.1 Timothy 6:10–11
The danger of compromising for material gainThrough the story of Naaman's servant, the speaker warns against the temptation to pursue money through compromise and spiritual disobedience.2 Kings 5:18–23
The uncovering of Gehazi's heartThe leprosy of Naaman became a physical manifestation of the greed that had been secretly growing in Gehazi's heart for many years.
How a small desire grows into a masterBy observing the wealth in Elisha's acquaintance's home, Gehazi developed a secret desire for money that eventually became a second master controlling him.2 Kings 4:8
A call to reject other masters and pursue GodBelievers must examine their hearts for modern 'masters' like entertainment or greed and decide to run away from these lusts to pursue righteousness and faith.
