“When was the last time any American, African, Asian ever said Jesus is all-satisfying because you drove a BMW?” – John Piper
I love this clip of this sermon and believe it certainly illustrates truth, truth of the current state of much of Americans feel good gospel. Much of what we hear from our pulpits are a candy coated version of the Gospel. Much of my time over the last 5 years, well over half of it was based on what many will call the “health and wealth” message. I have also spent much time studying the far end of the spectrum. I believe I am closer than ever and find great satisfaction in a common, middle ground between the two.
I believe that if a person takes a “vow of poverty” as I have heard it, and use it to reach some higher state of piety because of it, you are no different than the person who feels a foreign car is the greatest witness of Gods blessing and work in your life. Both are the far extreme and both are based on material objects.
To have nice things is NOT materialism….materialism is an attempt to use tangible objects to replace spiritual blessings, in my opinion. So with that thought, used with wrong motives…..a beat up old Buick can be just as deceiving to one as a shiny new BMW. Make sense ?
I don’t believe John Piper was trying to portray this thought in his sermon, I just think it is vital for people to find a middle ground, not that we should accept false doctrine, but that we base our theology on sound doctrine and not on extremes. It really is all based on what your heart is set on….material objects or Jesus Christ.
2 Comments
February 29, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Great message. This reminds me of yesterday at work I was talking to someone about lossing weight. They have tried every diet there is and nothing is working. They told me that they believed all you had to do was eat healthy and stop being lazy. Long story short we contined talking and I brought up gluttony. They of course responded by saying that just being over weight was not a problem with that. You would have to be hundreds of pounds over weight first.
I replied by saying anything you put before God in the way of food is gluttony. Same as anything you put before God this way is materialisn.
February 29, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I heard this just a couple months ago. It is really stirring. The sad thing is that the type of message he describes actually turns people away from God rather than to Him (even though they don’t realize it).
Believe in Jesus and you’ll have ________. Fill in the blank- a nice car, no family problems, well adjusted kids, a spouse, good health, your “best life now”. Jesus is the genie who can give you everything you want. And as we lust after all those things (and more) we basically are telling God- “You are really just not enough for me- please give me more things so that I can find my delight in them and then please leave me alone.”
But the real gospel is so much more hope-giving:
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Tim 1:15).
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).
We have a sign hanging up at church quoting Piper that says, “Jesus saves…from the American dream.” I thought that was well put.
There is great freedom in finding our delight in Him no matter what the circumstance (Psalm 16). This is a struggle for me daily. My joy is not wrapped up in how well my work goes, how well the kids behave, how well things are going at church. My joy is found in the unchanging truths of who God is for me in Christ. Living that out daily is tough though.
Oh yeah, and I agree with you that, neveretheless, material possessions are a gift from God and we should avoid the extreme of saying that they are inherently evil.
I kind of liken it to an earthly father-child relationship. If I give my son good things and he finds delight in the gift, moreso than in his Dad who gave it to him, I would be disappointed. I want him to enjoy me as his father more than he enjoys the material possesions. If he just uses me to “get stuff” then I would quickly feel used and manipulated. How much moreso with God.
Sorry for loosing my tongue so much here, but this is a burden that lies close to my heart.
Thanks for posting this,
Jeremiah