Enough

We started our new finance series called "Enough: discovering joy through simplicity and generosity." The first sermon didn't get recorded so I'm posting the text here. This series is from Rev. Adam Hamilton.

“When Dreams Become Nightmares”
Brimfield Faith UMC
November 1, 2009

Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith, and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10b, NIV)

The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? (Matthew 16:26)

** Show video clip The Economic Crisis
INTRO: The American Dream
I don’t know if you saw in the news this week or not, but economists have declared that the recession is over. The Vice President even got up this week to tell the American public that the bailout plan is working. I sort of chuckled at the fact that we need to be told these things. Shouldn’t we know if the recession is over? Of course, the recession being over simply means that overall spending in the country is up. It doesn’t mean that the average American is back at work. In fact, the unemployment rate continues to hover around 10% in the country and especially in this region.
I don’t need to tell you this but finances is a sticky issue in Northeast Ohio. We have been experiencing recession for a number of years. Many of you find yourselves in tight financial positions either unemployed or underemployed. For this reason, we are going to spend the next several weeks talking about issues of finance and stewardship both for the individual and for the church.
The series is called, “Enough: discovering joy through simplicity and generosity.” It is a campaign from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection and Rev. Adam Hamilton. My expectation is that over the next four weeks you will gain some valuable information and that if you are willing to put it into action you will benefit greatly from it. I believe this because we have often been given false messages by the culture. After all…

What Characterizes the Greatest Hopes, Desires, and Dreams of Most Americans?
For most people, the American Dream has to do with a subconscious desire for achieving success and satisfying the desire for material possessions. It is the opportunity to pursue more than what we have, to gain more than what we have, and to meet success. We tend to measure our success by the stuff that we possess.

The Pursuit of Immediate Material Pleasure
The love of money and the things money can buy is a primary or secondary motive behind most of what we Americans do. We want to consume, acquire, and buy our way to happiness—and we want it now.
Let’s watch a short video talking about the economic crisis.
THE REALITY: The American Nightmare
The American Dream has become an American Nightmare due to two distinct yet related illnesses that impact us both socially and spiritually. The first illness is:

#1. Affluenza: is the constant need for more and bigger and better stuff—as well as the effect that this need has on us. It is the desire to acquire, and most of us have been infected by this virus to some degree.
· The average American home went from 1,660 square feet in 1973 to 2,400 square feet in 2004.
· Today there is estimated to be 1.9 billion square feet of self-storage space in America.

#2. Credit-itis: is an illness that is brought on by the opportunity to buy now and pay later, and it feeds on our desire for instant gratification. Our economy today is built on the concept of credit-itis. Unfortunately, it has exploited our lack of self-discipline and allowed us to feed our affluenza, wreaking havoc in our personal and national finances.
· Average credit card debt in America in 1990 was around $3,000. Today it’s over $9,000.
· The average sale is around 125 percent higher if we use a credit card than if we pay cash, because it doesn’t feel real when we use plastic instead of cash.
· Credit-itis is not limited to purchases made with credit cards; it extends to car loans, mortgages, and other loans. The life of the average car loan and home mortgage continues to increase, while the average American’s savings rate continues to decline.
THE SPIRITUAL PROBLEM: The Deeper Problem Within
These illnesses are really just the symptoms of a greater and deeper problem. The problem goes beyond our spending and saving habits. It goes beyond our ability to budget successfully. It goes beyond our greed, self-sufficiency, and pride. It is a spiritual issue.

#1. Spiritual Issue Beneath the Surface of Affluenza and Credit-itis.
Our souls were created in the image of God, but they have been distorted. We were meant to desire God, but we have turned that desire toward possessions. We were meant to find our security in God, but we find it in amassing wealth. We were meant to love people, but instead we compete with them. We were meant to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, but we busy ourselves with pursuing money and things. We were meant to be generous and to share with those in need, but we selfishly hoard our resources for ourselves. There is a sin nature within us.

#2. The Devil Plays Upon This Sin Nature.
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). The devil doesn’t need to tempt us to do drugs or to steal or to have an extramarital affair in order to destroy us. All he needs to do is convince us to keep pursuing the American Dream—to keep up with the Joneses, borrow against our futures, enjoy more than we can afford, and indulge ourselves. By doing that, he will rob us of joy, make us slaves, and keep us from doing God’s will.
Matthew 4:8-10 (Satan tempts Jesus with the world)
Luke 8:14 (Parable of the sower: the word of God withers because of the riches and pleasures of life)
Mark 8:36 “For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many
While these passages very clearly warn us about the dangers of money, notice money in itself is not the problem. It is the lies that we believe about money that creates the problem. It is our belief and trust in money that creates the problem. Interestingly enough, our cash currency reminds us of this reality with the words, “In God We Trust.” Don’t trust in the Almighty dollar because it will fail you every single time. And so instead of heeding the advice, we use plastic credit cards that don’t remind us of the allures of money. Our sin nature takes control and leads us astray.
THE BIBLE’S SOLUTION
Thankfully, this condition of the human heart is not a new one. People for thousands of years have attempted to find lasting joy through material possessions. God knows our shortcomings and suggests some significant solutions.

#1. We Need a Heart Change
Although we receive a changed heart when we accept Christ, in a sense we need a heart change every morning. Each morning we should get down on our knees and say, “Lord, help me to be the person you want me to be today. Take away the desires that shouldn’t be there, and help me be single-minded in my focus and my pursuit of you.” As we do this, God comes and cleanses us from the inside out, purifying our hearts.

#2. We Must Allow Christ to Work in Us
Christ works in us as we seek first his kingdom and strive to do his will. As this happens, we begin to sense a higher calling—a calling to simplicity and faithfulness and generosity. We begin to look at ways we can make a difference with our time and talents and resources. By pursuing good financial practices, we free ourselves from debt so that we are able to be in mission to the world. A key part of finding financial and spiritual freedom is found in simplicity and in exercising restraint. With the help of God, we can:
· simplify our lives and silence the voices constantly telling us we need more
· live counter-culturally by living below, not above, our means
· build into our budgets the money to buy with cash instead of credit
· build into our budgets what we need to be able to live generously and faithfully

Money and possession are not bad in themselves. In fact, John Wesley told us “Earn all you can. Save all you can. And give all you can.” Over the next few weeks, I expect us to benefit from the wisdom of God concerning our finances and begin to discover joy through simplicity and generosity. After all, Jesus came to give us life and life abundant. Let’s pray.