In 1952 Patti Page recorded a song written Bob Merrill that asked this question, “How much is that doggy in the window?” The lyrics of the song are quite catchy and the little arf, arf scattered throughout the song is quite cute. However, when examined closely the lyrics reflect an attitude that unfortunately permeates our society. She knows if her sweetheart has the doggy he won’t be lonesome. Today we are constantly sent messages that tell us if we purchase the right stuff all those empty spots in our lives will eventually be filled. We are offered thousands of choices for filling those holes in our lives with the stuff that we think we can’t live without. Robert Kanigel describes it this way, “The right to choose is as American as apple pie (or pumpkin pie or Boston cream pie or pecan pie).” So on and on our society goes in a never ending pursuit of stuff and more stuff. In fact, our culture is so taken with the idea of making money, having money and spending money that it dominates about every aspect of our culture. Every year, Americans spend more on eating out than the individual gross national product of 207 countries in the world. The American dream is the pursuit of wealth giving rise to sayings such as this, “In the end the one with the most toys wins.” The average American spends 10 percent more than they earn in pursuit of the good life. This not only saddles us with debt it causes us to worry excessively because of the uncertainty that accompanies our economy. As we turn to Matthew 6 which is from the Sermon on the Mount we find a message that is completely opposite to the one being sent by our culture. Jesus wants us to discover that wealth is not a primary objective of life. Jesus is advocating trusting God more than wealth which will lead to less stress and more margin in our finances.
I. The American dream is quite simply the pursuit of more and more possessions.
A. The "American Dream" has been credited with helping to build a cohesive American experience but has also been blamed for overinflated expectations.
1. James Truslow Adams in 1931 defined the American Dream as the dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.
2. The American Dream today is built upon the four dreams of consumerism.
a. The dream of abundance.
b. The dream of a democracy of goods.
c. The dream of freedom of choice.
d. The dream of novelty.
3. Recent polls have shown that the majority of Americans feel that the American dream is becoming out of reach.
4. Americans are overloaded, overextended and are struggling with a feeling of hopelessness.
5. The problem exists because our self worth and lives are intertwined with the economy.
B. Jesus shows that we are living a lifestyle that risks severe emotional, physical and spiritual consequences.
1. Although we are striving to acquire possessions Jesus urges His followers not to put their trust in possessions.
2. In the ancient Middle East possessions such as clothing, gold, grain and precious stones were acquired to reduce anxiety about the future.
3. The problem with this philosophy is that the acquiring of possessions actually increases anxiety because they are subject to loss and destruction.
4. In times gone by, Americans did not worry about locking things up. Today we have advanced security systems, deadbolt locks and other security measures all in attempt to protect our possessions and to make us feel secure.
5. Jesus’ words speak to people of any class including the wealthy who have vast possessions and others who have the desire to acquire more possessions.
6. Don’t take this wrong, Jesus is not condemning saving money or having possessions. What He is saying is that we cannot let these things get in the way of Kingdom things.
II. The structure of our economy has the ability to quickly turn the American Dream into a nightmare.
A. Our economy is based on the principle of living beyond our means.
1. Debt-sponsored economic theory has been around for about seventy years and was a direct result of the Great Depression.
2. The idea was to use borrowing, credit and interest to fuel the economy. As a result the national debt has been growing ever since the 1930’s. Corporate debt started growing after 1945 and during the 1950’s personal debt started to grow.
3. Since Franklin Roosevelt first accepted this idea every president since has followed suit.
4. Today so much of our capital is being used to make interest payments that our entire economic system is on the verge of collapse.
5. A recent survey showed that eighty-two percent of Americans believe that we consume far more than we need. Unfortunately the majority of Americans have done nothing to modify their earn and spend lifestyles.
6. This philosophy has caused our happiness and stress levels to change with every turn in the economy.
7. As a culture we have put ourselves in the situation where there is no margin because we spend as a nation more than we earn.
B. Jesus wants us to see that if we are not careful our possessions will rule our lives rather than God.
1. In verse twenty-four Jesus tells His followers that they cannot serve both God and money.
2. The problem is that the pursuit of God and the pursuit of wealth put absolute demands on our lives. The pursuit of either will diminish the importance of the other.
3. When we handle our possessions with Kingdom wisdom and discipline they can bring glory to God and be a source of blessing to others.
4. Nowhere in the Bible does God say that borrowing is wrong but if we let it get out of control it will inevitably be source of pain and stress.
5. Jesus’ point is this that security is found in the Lord instead of the number of our possessions.
III. God desires that we keep our needs low, our generosity high and our expectations focused on His Kingdom.
A. God never intended for our daily provision to be a source of stress and anxiety.
1. Many people believe that hard work and effort is what provides for our basic needs as well as those of our families.
2. Providing for our families has become so stressful because the cost of those daily provisions is rising faster than our incomes.
3. The problem is that we trust ourselves and our ability to earn money to provide for our daily needs.
4. Jesus shows that those who do not first trust God are stressed out as they try to find ways to meet their daily needs but those who have made the Kingdom a priority know that God knows their needs and will provide for them.
5. When we make His Kingdom the absolute first priority there is no need to worry about our basic needs because God promises to take care of them.
B. When we work to put margin back into our finances God will be able to use us to accomplish more for His Kingdom.
1. God desires us to able to use what He has blessed us with as a blessing to others.
2. The first way to get margin back into our finances is to begin working to lower our expenses so that they will become lower than our income. This will reduce the stress of unexpected expenses.
3. Having financial margin will allow us to be more generous and to use our resources to help others and to forward the Kingdom.
4. Having financial margin will allow you to find true joy because you are able to put the Lord and others before yourself.
C. How can we go about restoring margin to our lives financially?
1. We need to adopt the principle that puts God’s Kingdom ahead of our own. That means putting first things first.
2. Break the hold that the culture and money hold over you by becoming generous.
3. Live counter-culturally by living within the income the Lord has blessed you with.
4. Take look at your priorities and learn to redefine your needs and separate them from your wants.
5. Learn to give God the ten percent that requires off the top of our income.
6. Realize that money belongs to God. Wealth belongs to God. The kingdom belongs to God. We belong to God. Margin belongs to God. Only the choice belongs to us.
Even Dennis the Menace understands that when our possessions increase our worry increases. In one of the comic strips Dennis is leaning over his back fence watching Mr. Wilson doing some yard work. Dennis looks and sees that the apple trees in Mr. Wilson’s yard are overloaded with apples. So Dennis tells Mr. Wilson that he bets he’ll soon have a million apples to worry about. From what we know about Mr. Wilson, Dennis will more than likely win the bet.
