At the Heart Of Envy
Series: Breaking Free
March 16, 2008 Pastor Bill Bump
Envy is dangerous to the soul because it doesn’t leave quickly.
The dangers of envy:
A. Envy creates inaccurate judgments of other people.
B. Envy can hurt innocent people.
C. Envy reveals the hard condition of our heart.
D. Envy diminishes our enjoyment of life.
The bottom line is this: We can’t live a fulfilled life and be envious at the same time.
The events of the Holy Week are an example of how envy damages us:
1. Envy distracts us from the real issues.
Matthew 21:14-16(NLT)
The blind and the lame came to Him, and He healed them there in the Temple. The leading priests and teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the little children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.” But they were indignant and asked Jesus, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read Scriptures? For they say ‘You have taught children and infants to give Your praise.’”
2. Envy causes us to be suspicious.
Matthew 21:23(NIV)
Jesus entered the temple courts, and while He was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
3. Envy causes us to seek to destroy.
Matthew 21:28-32,45,46(NIV)
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.” ...When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew He was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest Him…
4. Envy causes us to be deceitful
Matthew 22:15-22(NLT)
Then the Pharisees met together to think of a way to trap Jesus into saying something for which they could accuse Him. They decided to send some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to ask Him this question: “Teacher, we know how honest you are. You teach about the way of God regardless of the consequences. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?” But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” He said. “Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions? Here, show Me the Roman coin used for the tax.” When they handed Him the coin, He asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” He said, “give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God.” His reply amazed them, and they went away.
The Bible warns us against envy:
Ecclesiastes 4:4(NLT)
“Then I observed that most people are motivated to success by their envy of their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless, like chasing the wind.”
Romans 1:28,29(NLT)
When they refused to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior and gossip.
Proverb 14:30(NIV)
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Envy separates us from God because at its core envy believes God has not treated us well.
The antidote to envy:
Colossians 2:13,14(NCV)
When you were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self, God made you alive with Christ, and He forgave all our sins. He canceled the debt...He took away that record...and nailed it to the cross.
