FOM Notes

When Too Much Is Not Enough
Part 5 of 6 in the series “Out Of Control”

March 2, 2008                                                    Pastor Scott Oldenburgh

 

 

THE EXCESS PRINCIPLE

 

Anytime you have (too much) of something in your life, you tend to take it for (granted)

 

 

“Yet I hold this against you:  You have forsaken your first love.”

Revelation 2:4

 

THE TWO-HEADED MONSTER OF AN EXCESSIVE CULTURE

Israel Asks for a King

I Samuel 8

 

I  It creates a (lazy) culture

 

A culture that . . .

 

r  has no (appreciation) for what it took to get where you are

 

r  takes the (easiest) path available

 

r  takes things for granted and no longer has a need for (God)

I  It creates a (greedy) culture

 

A culture where . . .

 

r  there is never (enough)

r  we always need more or something (new)

r  God becomes (boring) and outdated

 

The truth is that Israel didn’t have a leadership issue - they had a (heart) issue

 

 

THE REALITY OF THE AMERICAN CULTURE

 

We worship the (cash cow)

 

“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.  This too is meaningless.  As goods increase, so do those who consume them.  And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?  The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep . . . Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs.  He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand . . . Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift of God.  He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10-12, 15, 19-20

 

 

THE PARABLE OF THE FOOL AND HIS MONEY

Luke 12:13-21

 

And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.  Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry . . . This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.’ ”

Luke 12:19, 21

 

OUR CULTURE SAYS . . .

 

Take life (easy) . . .

Eat, drink, and be merry!

 

 

GOD SAYS . . .

 

God before (self)