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Consumerism
February 1, 2015
Matthew 6: 19-21, 25, 33
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“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume
and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and
steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also... 25 “Therefore I tell you,
do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your
body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than
clothing? ... 33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these
things will be given to you as well.
So... what is happening today? Yes, today is the day we
celebrate the best commercials for 2015. What will the
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Doritos commercial be like? What will be the coolest car
commercial this year? What ad will be the funniest? And I
think there will be a ball game on too. But seriously, by the
end of the football game, there will be a 'Top 10 Super Bowl Commercials" video
on YouTube. A segment of the US population won't be able to tell you who won
the game but will be able to tell you their top three favorite Super Bowl
commercials.
Consumerism. What is your gut reaction to that word? For most people it is a
negative reaction. No one wants to be known as one consumed with spending,
spending, spending. You would probably be offended if I called you a consumer.
Yet boy do we consume. And we do it very well in America. You may think other
counties are just as bad or at least close. Some 'western'
countries are close, but most of the world is not. Just to put
our consuming in perspective, check out this info-graphic.
On average, one American consumes as
much energy as:
Consumption
2 Japanese
6 Mexicans
13 Chinese
31 Indians
128 Bangladeshis
307 Tanzanians
370 Ethiopians
American
Japanese
Mexican
Chinese
Indians
Bangladeshis
Tanzanians
Ethiopians
Consumerism is almost the American way of life. When did
the Christmas season start this year? Was it a week or was it
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two weeks before Thanksgiving? And when did Black Friday
begin? Was it on Thursday or did it creep into Wednesday
finally? Maybe next year you can buy your Halloween candy
while you do your Black Friday shopping.
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But consumerism is not only a thing we battle at Christmas time. Throughout the
year, there is always the pull of the newest model of your favorite car, the dream
of a bigger house or a better vacation, the idea that more is always better.
Quick survey: how many of you have ever bought something you wanted? How
many of you have ever spent more than you had in the bank? How many of you
have ever 'spoiled' yourself or your spouse? Most of us have been guilty of these
and ALL of us have been tempted by at least one.
We constantly have to be diligent to not buy something just to buy it. Allow me
to share a personal case in point. What do you think this
slide represents? It is the guitars I own. I admit this is a lot.
And even though I can admit that, every time I get one of
these (a Musician's Friend catalog) in the mail or a web
advertisement appears in my e-mail box, I still am drawn to
look. But Mom, wouldn't an American-made Fender Strat
sound so much nicer than the imported one I have now?
Unfortunately I am not alone in my desire to buy what I don't really need. This
graph represents consumer products that the combined
population on earth purchases compared what we
universally spend on these social issues that are faced
around the world. Take it all in for a minute. As a global
community, what do these choices indicate? How can we
spend more on cruises than on clean drinking water? More on perfume than on
literacy? On a personal level, what choices do we make?
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When we consider making such choices, it incorporates
what we value. Most of us here today have some degree of
disposable income, so we do have some choice as to where
to spend it. When we start to make choices about what to
do with our money, then it starts to involve our priorities.
Last week Pastor Greg spoke on decisions and he keyed in on the fact that the
decision to follow Jesus is THE most important decision we make in our lives.
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Jesus is the "big rock upon which we stand." When we decide to make Jesus the
center of our world, then Jesus becomes the filter through which we decide how
to prioritize our spending. And make no mistake, money is not the only thing we
have to spend. In addition to considering our faith and Jesus' claim upon our
lives when we decide where to spend our money, we also must consider the
same things when we decide where to allocate our time and how we use our
gifts or talents. When one looks at our bank statements, our time cards, and our
time in service to others, do they see Jesus as the central theme in our lives? That
is a hard question to answer. To again go back to last
week's message, either we are a creature aligned with God
or we are a creature turned away from God. Mixing the two
is committing to neither. We must make a choice.
The lures of the world are tempting. Society tells us to buy,
buy, buy! Spend, spend, spend! Dare I ask the question: Do
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I want a new guitar? Yes! But does that align with where
God is calling me to spend what He has blessed me with?
For a second, let's go back to these questions from earlier:
How many of you have ever bought something you wanted? How many of you
have ever spent more than you had? How many of you have ever 'spoiled'
yourself or your spouse? The lures of the world are tempting. If we are not
watchful, the lures of the world can consume us.
But God wants to consume us too. He wants us to be totally committed to living
our lives as a testimony to His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love. God wants to
be our number one priority. I know, we all try but... But, but, but! In large part it
comes down to a matter of trust. If we follow our heart and give of our money,
time, and talents when God calls upon us, will we have enough left over to pay
the bills, spend time with our families, and so on? In Luke 12, 27-37, we hear
these familiar words:
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Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon
in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass of the
field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he
clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what
you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 For it is the nations of the world that strive
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after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, strive for his
kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for
it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give
alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven,
where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your
heart will be also.
Make no mistake, God wants to be our number one priority. He promises to care
for us. God knows what we need. It is His pleasure to give us the kingdom! God
wants us to store up treasures in heaven, because when we do, our heart is bent
on heaven. So, to frame this idea, a different set of questions:
Ever come across a homeless person and given them a $20 bill instead of
the spare change in your pocket that they asked for?
Ever decided to teach another year of Sunday School because you know
you matter to those kids?
Ever considered teaching a Life, Inc. class because you are gifted at working
with finances?
Our answers to these types of questions indicate what we value, who we value.
Consumerism is just one thing that can pull us away from God. There are other
evils in this world that try to drag us away. Along with greed
we find wrath, vanity, envy, lust, pride, and sloth. The only
way to battle consumerism or greed or gluttony, along with all
of the other temptations that Satan throws our way, is to make
God our firm foundation, the rock upon which we stand, the
filter through which all else must pass.
God wants to consume us. He wants to be our all in all. In Hebrews 12, verses
28 and 29, we read these words: 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a
kingdom that cannot be shaken and thus let us offer to God
acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is
a consuming fire. May we cast aside the lures and cares of
this world and may we trust fully in our God, the one who
wants to give us the kingdom. Amen.
Consumerism