COVETOUSNESS (AMOS
1. In 1991 a poll was taken.
2. The questions and answers from this poll are all related to money
3. Here are the questions and the responses.
4.
Would you abandon your entire family for 10 million
dollars? 25% said yes.
5. Would you abandon your church for 10 million dollars? 25% of those polled said yes.
6. Would this amount of money be sufficient to make you sell your body for a week or more? 23%
7. Would you give up American citizenship for 10 million dollars? 16% of those polled said yes.
8. 16% of those surveyed said they would leave their spouses for the cash.
9. 10% said they would withhold testimony and allow a murderer to go free in exchange for the money.
10. 7% of those polled said they would kill a stranger for 10 million dollars.
11. 3% said they would put their children up for adoption if they were given the 10 million.
GREED IS ALIVE AND WELL. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
A. Let’s
take another look at some of the things from the scripture reading (Amos
B. We want to start with the thought in verse 14.
C. This
verse refers to altars at
D. These altars had horns on them.
E. During
the time of Amos the Hebrews were supposed to worship
in
F. Those
in the northern section of
G. A
king had set up alternative places of worship in Dan and
H. The
city of
I. The
city of
J. When
people worshipped at Dan and
K. They engaged in religious acts that were contrary to God’s will.
L. The
“altars of
M. At these places of worship the altars had horns.
N. This imagery goes back to Ex. 21:12-14.
O. In this part of the law Moses dealt with the sin of murder.
P. If a man committed the crime of murder he was to die.
Q. In giving this law God recognized that sometimes people are killed unintentionally.
R. Sometimes a life is accidentally ended.
S. If a person unintentionally took someone’s life they could flee to the altar.
T. The altar that was part of Moses law had horns on it.
U. A murderer who fled to the altar could grab the horns and no one could hurt them.
V. If we have ever played a game that had a “safe area” you can understand the altar’s horns.
W. People who accidentally killed someone could go to a safe area.
X. The
horns on the altars in Dan and
Y. Since the horns symbolized protection under the Old Law the meaning was clear.
Z. The loss of the horns described the loss of protection.
AA. God would come in judgment and punish His people.
2. THE
REASON FOR THE PUNISHMENT IS FOUND IN
A. The people Amos preached to were guilty of materialism.
B. They wanted things, things, and more things.
C. They were driven to pursue pleasure.
D. They wanted material goods so badly that they cheated and oppressed the poor.
E. The women were especially bad.
F. Notice how the fourth chapter opens – READ 4:1.
G. Imagine a preacher standing before a group of women and saying,
H. “You are like a bunch of well fed cows.”
I. “You have gorged yourselves on fun, pleasure, and amusements.”
J. “You boss your husbands and compel them to supply you with a steady stream of pleasure.”
K. The women described by Amos were running the show.
L. They told their husbands to get enough money to keep them entertained.
M. They wanted banquet after banquet with all the trimmings.
N. The husbands in the days of Amos were being treated like slaves.
O. Amos said, “This is a problem.”
P. Take a careful look at the information in 1b.
Q. These women sat back and said to their Lords (husbands), Bring us drink.
R. These women told their husbands, “Give us the good life.
S. “Make us at ease; give us plenty of food, drink, and feasts.”
T. Some of us have heard about a newly married man who got into trouble.
U. The young man came home and said to his wife, “It doesn’t look like you did anything.”
V. “You must have sat around the house and watched t.v.”
W. Most wives would probably be quick to offer a response to such a conclusion.
X. In the book of Amos this is exactly what these women did.
Y. They wanted to be pampered, spoiled, and indulged.
Z. They didn’t want to take care of their responsibilities.
AA. They apparently had little to no concern for their children.
BB. There was virtually no interest in carrying out the responsibilities of adulthood.
CC. These people wanted ease, fun, and gratification of their desires.
DD. They were so materialistic they didn’t care if their husbands had to cheat the poor to get the money.
EE. These wives sent their husbands out the door to, as some say, “bring home the bacon.”
FF. These women didn’t want income to pay the bills; they wanted money to party.
3. One of the things these people enjoyed is revealed in verse 15.
A. The people had summer houses. They also had winter houses.
B. They wanted to have the best of life year around.
C. The poor lived in houses that were chinked together with clay.
D. These people had nice houses with hewn and squared stones.
E. The inside walls of the homes were adorned with carved panels of ivory.
F. These people viewed life as nothing more than full time recreation.
G. God said that the covetous people in Israel would be punished.
4. Last week I made a few comments about verse 12.
A. If a shepherd lost a sheep to a wild animal he had a responsibility.
B. He had to find the remains of the sheep to prove that he animal had been attacked.
C. When animals such as lions attacked sheep, there was little left.
D. Perhaps part of an ear could be found or the remains of a leg.
E. God used this analogy to describe His people.
F. Israel would be attacked by Assyria and after the Assyrians came there would be little left.
G. Tonight I want to add some information that wasn’t given last week.
H. Notice the reference to the “corner of a couch” (12a).
5. The image Amos used seems to be this.
A. God’s people, especially the women, bathed in luxury.
B. Imagine a group of people that is really living it up.
C. They are having the time of their life.
D. Along comes an invading army. This army takes and destroys what the people have.
E. Those who living in luxury are taken captive.
F. As the people are being led away they still try to cling to their possessions.
G. Amos pictures people clinging to a leg of their expensive couch as they are drug away.
H. The people refused to give up their possessions, even if they only had the leg of their couch!
I. This sight reminds me of the ringtail monkeys in Africa.
J. Those who have tried to capture these animals for American zoos have said the process is difficult.
K. It has been said that the ringtail monkey is the hardest animal in the world to capture.
L. The locals in Africa, however, have shown that ring tailed monkeys can be captured with ease.
M. The locals take melons that are growing on vines.
N. They make a hole in these melons that are just large enough for a monkey’s hand.
O. Monkeys see these holes and put their hands inside the melons to get the seeds.
P. Monkeys grab a handful of seeds, but because a fist is made, they cannot withdraw their hands.
Q. Instead of releasing the seeds the monkey will keep making a fist.
R. Monkeys are trapped and captured because they will not let go of the seeds.
S. God’s people refused to let go of the legs to their couches when taken off to captivity.
T. This is a perfect example of greed and materialism.
6. Many preachers have said that u-haul trucks don’t follow hearses.
7. We have heard it said that “we cannot take it with us.”
8. Yet, there have always been people who acted as if they and their wealth were joined at the hip.
9. The Bible describes this type of attitude and life as covetousness.
A. Even in the days of Amos God didn’t approve of this approach to material goods.
B. In the Bible money is presented as a tool.
C. It is a possession to be used for a while and then left behind.
D. It is a temporary item that we use.
E. This is why Jesus said in Lk. 16:9, Make friends with money.
F. Don’t hoard it. Don’t worship it. Don’t let it control your life. Use it and use it properly.
G. One way to do this is found in Mt. 6:20 – Lay up treasures in heaven.
H. There are many ways to lay up heavenly treasures.
I. One of these ways is the wise and right use of money.
J. This is a simple lesson but it is one that many fail to follow.
K. Think of the rich farmer (Lk. 12:16-21).
L. This man was attached to his possessions.
M. He had so much he said, “I will tear down my barns and build bigger barns.”
N. Where was he laying up treasure?
O. The text explicitly says he was laying up treasures for himself.
P. He had a lot, and like the Israelites, he wanted to hold on to it.
10. A bible class teacher once told his students about the rich man and Lazarus.
11. All of the details in the story were covered.
12. The teacher than said, “Boys, which man do you want to be like?”
13. “Do you want to be like Lazarus or the rich man?”
14. One
of the young men replied, “I want to be like the rich man while I am living and
like
Lazarus when I die.”
15. This young man hit the nail on the head for some in the world and in the church.
16. There are those who want to be greedy, covetous, and like the rich man while on the earth.
17. At the time of death these same people want to be like Lazarus.
A. All have some money. It may be a little, a lot, or average.
B. What are we doing with the funds we have?
C. Are we squandering our resources like the people in the days of Amos?
D. Is our view of life and our material goods pleasure, pleasure, and more pleasure?
E. Are we misusing the possessions and assets God has given us?
F. Are we storing up things like the rich farmer in Lk. 12 and lying back too much?
G. Maybe we are not laying back enough.
H. Perhaps we somehow hope we can take it with us.
I. God pays attention to how we use things. He has made us stewards of things.
J. Even the Old Testament warns us to use our material goods wisely.
18. Is this what we are doing?