25/05/2024
ADULT STS SUMMARY: LESSON 112 WARNING AGAINST COVETOUSNESS
Recapitulation of Last Week Lesson 111:
Topic: New Generation of Israel Numbered
Text: Numbers 26:1-65. Memory verse: Numbers 26:54
Major Lessons: We learnt among other things that: i) The purpose of census is to determine the military strength of Israel and also to help in equitable allotment of Promised Land to each tribes of Israel. ii) That the command to carry out the census is from God and therefore an order to be carried out without delay or modification as exemplified by Moses and his team. iii) That Korah’s sons escaped the judgement that came on their father and his company in rebellion because they did not take sides with their father in the rebellion or that they repented in time.
Today’s Lesson 112
TOPIC: WARNING AGINST COVETOUSNESS TEXT: Luke 12:13-34.
MEMORY VERSE: “And He said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth”. (Luke 12:15)
INTRODUCTION: The sin of covetousness is one of the many evils that have impeded the progress of many heaven-bound pilgrims. In our text, Christ points out three evils that are detrimental to the Christian pilgrim, namely: hypocrisy, covetousness and anxiety.
Covetousness means immoderate desire for the possession of something, especially for wealth, to lust more and more; to have starving appetite for something; to have love of possessing; to crave after. God forbids and frowns at the sin of covetousness. Exodus 20:17, Luke 12:15, Colossians 3:5.
Question 1: What is Covetousness and how does it affect the Christian pilgrim?
Answer 1: Covetousness means to lust most and more; to have love of possessing; to crave after. It has impeded the progress of many Christian pilgrim.
Point 1: THE PERIL OF COVETOUSNESS (Luke 12:13-21, Gen. 3:6, Joshua 7:1, 19-21, 24-25; Proverbs 28:22; 1 Timothy 6:9; 2 Peter 2:14-16.)
The sin of covetousness is very subtle, heinous, deadly and damaging to the soul. Covetousness has plunged many people, communities and nations into penury because of the unbridled desire to acquire wealth and fame at the detriment of others. The major breeding agents for covetousness are wordily riches, political power, positions of authority, popularity and the cares of this life.
The perils of worldly riches and covetousness to the Christians are: i) They becloud a person’s vision about his or her eternal inheritance. ii) It make person not to see Jesus as spiritual Guide and Mentor like the young man in our text that thought Jesus as family Umpire. iii) It makes a Christian leader to be busy body in other men’s matters to the detriment of the flock he or she is called to cater for. iv) Covetousness binds the heart to transient things of this world at the expense of eternal treasures e.g. Lots wife, Achan, Judas Iscariot, Balaam and Demas, Adam and Eve and Gehazi. v) Covetousness provides an express gateway to eternal damnation (Matthew 27:3, 4).
Question 2: Enumerate the dangers of worldly riches and covetousness. Answer 2: As stated in five points above.
Point 2: PERSPECTIVE OF GODS WORD ON PROSPERITY (Luke 12:22-30; Matthew 6:25-
33; Romans 8:32; Philippians 4:6,19; 1 Timothy 6:6; Heb. 13:5; 1 Peter 5:7
“Take no thought…..” in other words, do not worry; be calm in any circumstance concerning a need or lack. God abhors worry or anxiety amongst His followers as it portrays a lack of faith and trust in the unfailing promises of ever-faithful God. That if God feeds the sparrows, clothes the lilies, takes care of the fishes in the sea and provides rain in its due season, He will do more for His own children (Gen. 1:26, 2 Peter 1:3,4)
Question 3: How can believers stay free from the sin of covetousness?
Answer 3: By combining godliness with contentment. To be calm in any circumstance concerning a need or lack.
To overcome worry and anxiety as Lord Christ knows all we need – physical, spiritual, material or financial.
Point 3: THE PROFIT OF GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT (Luke 12:31-34; Proverbs
30:8,9; Ecclesiastes 1:1-3, 14; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17)
Christ, neither recommended poverty as a criterion for making heaven nor did He isolate prosperity or wealth as the parameter for going to hell. His counsel and instruction to man is to “… seek ye first the kingdom of God; and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Believers must avoid both extremes on the issue of riches. Christ is not averse to the legitimate possession of wealth and riches. However, it is the sinful, avaricious and covetous attitude in acquiring wealth that He condemns.
From a purely biblical perspective the danger of material possession and wealth constitute to the spiritual welfare of heaven bond saints if not well managed in the fear of God are as follow: i) The more of the world’s goods an unconverted person has, the more difficult it is for him or her to leave it behind and follow Christ wholeheartedly. ii) Possession of riches through fraudulent means can lead to pride and self-management. iii) Riches, if not gracefully managed by the recipient, can absorb his or her full attention and turn such a person from God. iv) Rich people are normally tempted to avoid association with the poor and lowly. v) Riches can make people have a false sense of security and blind them to their true spiritual condition. vi) Riches have the great danger of deadening a person’s spiritual sensitivity. vii) Most people who are rich hardly share their wealth with the poor, widows, needy ones and orphans, they usually identify with highly placed and popular people in the society. These reasons account for why it is difficult for a rich person to make heaven (Mark 10:23). Most rich individuals are covetous, avaricious, proud, selfish and oppressive. These are what the scripture condemns and not their riches.
Again poverty, in itself, is not a divine instrument to get to heaven, and it does not glorify God. That Lazarus was poor was not the reason he made heaven. It was because he was adjudged by God to be godly. Jesus Said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Both the poor and the rich can be covetous. Everyone should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness to obtain salvation. Believers should combine godliness with contentment and shun covetousness if they are determined to make heaven their goal.
Question 4: Mention the gains of godliness and contentment in the lives of believers.
Answer 4: it frees the believer from the seven dangers of covetousness- material possession and wealth.
Question 5: What are the biblical views on poverty and prosperity?
Answer 5: Poverty or Prosperity are neither criteria for making heaven nor hell but genuine salvation.
Question 6: How best can a believer manage riches?
Answer 6: By not putting his trust in them and using them to serve God and humanity.
Question 7: Why is the love of money the root of all evil?
Answer 7: It is because the unconverted person can do anything evil to get money.
Pastor Chima Nwajiaku
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