Materialism -- an excerpt from Money, Possessions & Eternity by Randy Alcorn

This is taken directly from Money, Possessions & Eternity by Randy Alcorn.

"John Wesley complained that too few preached against the sin of loving money, which he believed hindered revival:

'Wesley noted that in the old days of Methodism, the people were poor. But, he observed... many Methodists had become 20, 30, or even 100 times richer than they were at first. With this increase in wealth had come a decrease in godliness. It seemed to him the more money the Methodists had, the less they loved the Lord.'

When Jesus described the various kinds of people who respond to the gospel, he said that some seed 'fell among the thorns, which grew up and choked the plants' (Matthew 13:7). He later explained to the disciples, 'The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful' (Matthew 13:22). Notice the clear relationship between wealth and worry.

My wife and I have lived in the same house for twenty-five years. For the first nine years, we had an ugly, old, orange carpet. We didn't care what happened to it. Finally it wore through to the floor, so we replaced it. The first day we got our new carpet, there was an accident that burned a hole in it. Any day previous to that one we wouldn't have cared. But now our emotional energy was poured into regret and anxiety about the carpet. It takes time to hover over our things, and that time must come from elsewhere--from time we might spend cultivating intimacy with God, from time in his Word and prayer, time with family, time visiting the needy, time with people who need Christ. Every item I add to my possessions is one more thing to think about, talk about, clean, repair, display, rearrange, and replace when it goes bad.

I can't just buy a television. I have to hook up an antenna or subscribe to a cable service. Then I buy a DVD player and start renting or buying movies. Then I get surround-sound speakers and a recliner so I can watch everything in comfort. By then my neighbor has purchased a bigger screen TV, so it's my turn to upgrade. This all costs money and also takes immense amounts of time, energy, and attention. It isn't just the bad television programs that interfere with God's will for my life. Even if I could find only good programs to watch, the time I devote to my TV and its accessories means less time for communicating with my family, reading the Word, praying, opening our home, or ministering to the needy.

Acquiring a possession may also push me into redefining my priorities and make me unavailable for ministry. If I buy a boat, the problem isn't just the money. I must now justify my purchase by using the boat, which may mean frequent weekends away from church, making me unavailable to teach a Sunday school class, or work in the nursery, or lead a small group, or...fill in the blank. As Jesus said, worries and wealth can choke me, making me unfruitful."

Skip down a few paragraphs...

"In the parable of the great banquet, Jesus describes invitations that went out to three men (Luke 14:16-24). All three declined. One said he had to go look at his newly bought field. Another had just gotten married and didn't have the time. The third man had just purchased five yoke of oxen and was anxious to try them out. The master is angered by these excuses, and he orders his servants to 'go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' Speaking of those originally invited, who were preoccupied with other concerns, Jesus said, 'I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet' (Luke 14:24).

There was nothing wrong with what any of the three men was involved in. They didn't stay away from the banquet because they were stealing or committing adultery. They stayed away because they had more pressing concerns--a new field, a new wife, a new herd. But regardless of their reasons--good or bad--the bottom line was the same: They were so preoccupied with their new treasures that they said no to the banquet giver and missed the banquet. Significantly, those without material resources were available to accept the invitation.

For what seemingly good, legitimate, and compelling reasons are you saying no to God? Are your possessions and other pressing concerns causing you to miss the banquet? How would you benefit, and how would God's kingdom be furthered, if you gave away those possessions?"