Sermon Tone Analysis

*Inscription: Writing God’s Words on Our Hearts & Minds*

*/Part 27: The Problem of Envy /*

*1 Samuel 18:6-9, Psalm 37*

*/July 18, 2010/*

 

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*Main Point(s) of sermon:*

· Envy slanders God, harms the community, and distracts us.

*Objectives of sermon:*

· Confront our sin of envy.

*Prep: *

·         Skim Saul’s stories, Ps 37, PEtAl notes

 

*Scripture reading: 1 samuel 18:6-9 (peter r.)*

 

Prayer

 

*Penetrate* our *hearts*, help us clearly see what *lurks* there, and bring it to light and free us of the *sin* that *entangles* us.

A Comparison Problem

 

Have you ever noticed our tendency to *comparing* ourselves with those around us?

It doesn’t matter what the item is, we compare ourselves – *health*, *clothing*, the how nice of a *Bible* (story of LIFE student).

Q   Have you ever done something silly like that?  

 

Can comparison ever end well?

It’s either going to lead to pride or envy – either we will come out ahead and be proud of that or behind and feel envious of what the other person has.

When we got our *Sienna*, it was the nicest, newest car we had ever gotten (and the highest *payment*).

I felt pretty cool in my nice mini-van, comparing it to the other ones, until Cecil started calling me a “*soccer* *mom*,” then I wanted an SUV too.

Saul’s Jealousy Problem

 

As I *plan* out the sermons I pray and ask God to know what part to preach, I ask God what he wants to speak to his church at this time.

Usually there is no shortage of possible topics, but I want to know *which* *one* to focus on.

The story of King Saul is no exception – I was going to talk about his *lack* of a *heart* for God and his *fear* of *man*, but I believe *God* *directed* me to focus on something I know that all of us struggle with: *Envy* and *jealousy*.

Saul is tragic character – on the outside he looked good, “*tall*, *dark*, and *handsome*” but it’s only *skin* *deep*.

He didn’t have a heart for God and his continued rebellion gets him *rejected* by God, who *chooses* *David*.

·         You watch as David’s *stock* goes *up* and Saul’s goes down, and Saul sits on the sidelines becoming more and more jealous.

Of all the characters in the Bible, Saul stands out as the *greatest* *example* of jealousy and envy.

No one’s life is more *wrecked* by jealousy, and no one *destroys* more *lives* because of his jealousy.

His life is an example of where jealousy can lead.

Are you shallow?

Saul *started* so strong, but flames out so quickly.

You know what he reminds me of?

The *parable* of the *Sower* – he is the shallow soil.

In other words, *he* is *shallow*.

What do you think of when you think of a shallow person?

A person who is more concerned with *appearances* and *surface* stuff than things of real *meaning* and *importance*.

When you don’t have anything going on under the surface, when you *lack* strong *roots* in *God* and *character*, what else do you have but all the *stuff* *above* the surface?

Q   Are you a shallow person?

Of course not!

I mean, no one thinks that they are shallow, right?

But we know lots of people who are – *models*, *movie* stars, family members who are always comparing themselves and trying to *keep* up with the *Jones*.

·         You know, if their neighbor get a new *car*, they get one, if their neighbor goes on a nice *vacation*, so do they.

But I wonder if we are also a little shallow – we are *not* a *rich* congregation, so we don’t see a lot of *obvious* “keeping up the Jones,” but I wonder if we don’t still *care* *too* *much* about shallow things.

Q   If you found out that one of us got a new *4G* *iPhone*, what would be your *first* *response*?

Would you be *happy* for them, or *wish* you had one?

Would you maybe be questioning their *spending* *habits* (which is symptom of envy – being *suspicious* of the other)?

Maybe you don’t care about *phones*, maybe it is *clothes*, time at the *gym*, eating out.

How do you feel when *someone* *else* gets something you wish you could have?

·         Maybe you are focusing on shallow stuff!

A deadly sin

 

We all get it’s a sin, I don’t need to convince you of that.

But just how bad do we think it is?

We can speak of it so *casually* – “I am so jealous of...” or Andrew’s shorter version “Jealous!”.

The Bible is clear: “Do not covet” made the *Ten* *Commandments*.

And *Paul* warned envy can keep you out of the kingdom of God.

Notice the sort of things it’s grouped with:

 

NIV *Galatians 5:19-21 *The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Since the Bible uses several terms that we use *interchangeably* (envy, coveting, jealousy), here’s some definitions:

 

·         *Jealousy*: Fear of losing something you feel belongs to you.

·         *Coveting*: Wanting something that is not yours.

·         *Envy*: Wanting something that isn’t yours and resenting the person who has it.

The *Bible* considers it a “biggie.”

Furthermore, when the early church created a list of “The *Seven* *Deadly* *Sins*,” envy made the list.

That’s not just speaking *metaphorically* – how *many* have been *killed* because of envy and jealousy?

From the story that was read, because of his jealousy, *Saul* tries to *kill* *David* numerous times.

He sends him into dangerous *battle*, he uses his *daughter* to get to David.

David eventually takes a hint and flees, and even has to *hide* his *parents*.

·         It becomes an *obsession* and *madness*, reaching its lowest when he kills 85 *innocent* *priests*.

And envy continues to *damage* and *destroy* people:

 

Q   Have you watched children suffer because parents worked to buy things they didn’t want to impress people they didn’t like?

Ä  Sin is that which *hurts* *us*, hurts *others*, and destroys our *relationship* with God.

Envy does all three.

Let’s look:  

 

 

1.

Envy slanders God 

 

Envy is a sin *against* *God*.

We start here because *every* *sin* is first and foremost a sin against God.

Before we can worry about how envy affects other, we have to worry about God.

Q   *How* is envy a sin against God?

Because envy slanders God’s character.

Q   Think about that for a moment: How does envy slander God?

I am not trying to cram everything into a “*God* *box*.”

I deeply believe that this is at the *root* of *envy*, and if we don’t start here, we just trying to *clip* the *dandelions*, but they will keep coming back.

*How* does envy slander God?

Because at its root envy is about *ingratitude* and *unbelief*.

Envy says “God, you *cheated* me.

You didn’t give me what I deserve, you haven’t given me enough.”

Envy says the reason I don’t have what that other person has is because God *isn’t* *watching* *out* for me.

I don’t believe that God actually *cares* or is able to provide for me.

·         To accuse God of *favoritism*, *not* *caring*, not being able to take care of you *slanders* his *character*.

If I give something to *Grace*, but have to *go* *back* to carry *Sarah’s*, and she thinks I have *forgotten* her (kids have a high honed sense of “*fair*”).

Do you think *God* has *forgotten*?

Trust test

 

In Psalm 37, David deals with *envy*, especially when the *wicked* are *prospering*.

He brings it back to trusting God:

 

*Psalm 37:1-3 * Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;  2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.  3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

To put it another way:

 

Q   *If* you deeply and wholeheartedly *trusted* *God* to take care of you, to give you everything you really *needed*, to ensure that receive appropriate *honor*, would you be *jealous* of *another*?