Mark 4:3-9

1. Mark 4:3-9 3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

2. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Mark 4:3-9

3. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” Mark 4:3-9

4. 9Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” Mark 4:3-9

5. Mark 4:18-19 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

6. I Wouldn’t CovetFor The “World” Larry Cline - Hardin Valley Church of Christ – 3/9/2014

7. Defining the word: • The Hebrew is used positively & negatively. • “strong desire”or“to delight” • “An excessively strong desire to have something that belongs to someone else.” • “An overt dissatisfaction and discontent with what God has provided and a longing for what He has forbidden to us.”

8. Learn the secret! Philippians 4:10-13 10But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned [before], but you lacked opportunity. 11Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

9. 12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

10. 12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

11. 12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

12. Covetousness is even preached as a doctrine in some churches… “God will grant you whatever you ‘believe for’.” “Name it & claim it.”

14. Why does God have a law against coveting?

15. 1.It puts my focus in the wrong place.

16. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (I John 2:15) • Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not [even] when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”(Luke 12:15)

17. 19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

18. It puts a barrier between me & my neighbor. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Romans 13:9)

19. It’s hard to love someone who is standing in the way of me getting what I think I really need in order to be happy.

20. It leads to breaking all His commands. 10For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.(I Timothy 6:10-11)

21. Look at King David • Broke the 10th command, coveting His neighbor’s wife • That led to adultery, which broke the 7th command • He committed murder and broke the 6th command

22. He broke the 9thcommand by lying about it • That brought dishonor to his parents, breaking the 5th commandment • He didn’t put God first, breaking the 1st and 2nd commandments

23. It will destroy my spiritual life. 18"And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.(Mark 4:18-19)

24. 16And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive. 17And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' 18Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'(Luke 12:16-19)

25. Hear God’s evaluation carefully… 20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' 21So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."(Luke 12:20-21)

26. “The end of the day is coming, and you’ll have to give them up just like your sister did.”

27. Diagnosing Discontent A COVETOUS CHARACTER

28. When you do a lot of grumbling and complaining(I Corinthians 10:6,10) • When you become jealous and envious of what others have (II Corinthians 12:20) • When you have a preoccupation with your possessions(Luke 12:16-21)

29. When you become stingy with what God has given you (Proverbs 28:22) • When God is getting the leftovers(Malachi 1:6-14) • When we love things and use people rather than using things and loving people (Romans 13:8-10)

30. The Cure For Coveting

31. God says kill it. Colossians 3:5 • Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (ESV) • And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. (The Message)

32. 5 Action Steps: • Guardyour heart. Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23) • Admit that places, possessions or people won’t satisfy. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

33. Give your way out of covetousness. Nothing cures greed like giving. 33“I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. 34You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my needs and to the men who were with me. 35In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:33-35)

34. 4.Pray to become grateful.

36. I

37. Contentment Prayer “Lord Jesus, you have given so much to me. Give me one thing more, a grateful heart. In Jesus name, Amen” -George Herbert

39. 5.Covet the right things. Change What/How You Covet… Really!