lesson twoJANUARY 6–12

I See, I Want,

“Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceit-

fulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (Matt. 13:22, NKJV).

I Take

A visual interpretation of Matthew 13:22—the thorns literally become the deceitful riches mentioned in the text, as they restrain and hinder the arm that is reaching toward heaven.

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sabbathJANUARY 6

The sermon was on greed, and the pastor needed an illustration. He found three volunteers who didn’t know from where their next dollar was coming.

The first volunteer was a middle school student who came from a poor home. The second was a high school student who needed money for his text-books. The third was a college student who needed money for a mission trip. All of them had come to church seeking a blessing from God.

When the middle school student came forward, the pastor asked him whether he was really dirt poor. “Yes,” the student responded, “I am.” The pas-tor brought out ten one-dollar bills and counted them out.

“Would you be willing to put one of these in the offering plate before you leave?” he asked.

“Yes!” the middle school student responded. The pastor gave him the ten dollars.

Next the pastor turned to the high school student and asked, “I have here ten ten-dollar bills. Would you be willing to put one of these in the offering plate before you leave?”

“Of course,” the student replied. The pastor gave him the money and then asked, “Have I been fair with

these young people? Did I give them what I said I would?” Then he turned to the young lady who was a college student. “I have here

ten one hundred–dollar bills. Would you be willing to put one of these in the offering plate before you leave?”

She nodded as she said, “Yes. And I will use the money to go on a mission trip to Kenya.”

The pastor was surprised. She did not want the money to spend on herself. “How much will the mission trip cost?” he asked.

“Three thousand, five hundred dollars,” she responded.“And how much do you have?”“A hundred and fifty dollars.” After thinking for a moment, the pastor said, “The church will pay the rest of

the trip. You are going on the mission trip!”The young lady was in tears! While we don’t know what the two young men

used their money for, the young lady chose the ungreedy path and used her money to bless others. In our lesson this week we will focus on what God’s Word says we should do to avoid the “I see, I want, I take” trap.

2 Cor. 8:1–7Greed and Seeking Blessings

Hannah Eckright, Pendleton, South Carolina, USA

“Would you be willing to put one of these in the offering plate before you leave?”

Introduction

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Bethany Sheridan, Clyde, North Carolina, USA

sundayJANUARY 7

Drowning in self-pity and selfishness, Ahab starved himself as if his life de-pended on the vineyard he unsuccessfully attempted to buy. As a child without a wanted toy, his broken pride led to a broken commandment. We could easily blame it all on the clever, pleasure-seeking wife of his, Jezebel, but who are these immature, raging human beings in the Bible anyway?

Israel’s history is a line of miraculous peaks and devastating valleys. By this time, the ever-remembered King David has been absent from the scene for about 135 years. Judah is a southern region ruled by Solomon’s desce-dents, while the northern part of Israel is being corrupted by wicked rulers. We take just a glance at the story just described and quickly understand why King Ahab is known as the most iniquitous ruler of all (1 Kings 16:30)! By marrying the daughter of a Phoenician king, he welcomed a ravaging disease of Baal worship and witchcraft. Soon temples were erected, holding orgies, human sacrifices, and other unspeakable customs of heathen worship. Under the vengeance of Jezebel and the seal of Ahab, God’s prophets were put through intense persecution.

The root of all evil is covetousness, the love of gaining more (1 Tim. 6:10). We do not love money because of its substance; if that were the case, we would love the tree from which it came. It is, rather, the power and control that money symbolizes. Look at the world around you, it runs on self-gratification. Whether we admit it or not, we struggle in the battle of self. The story of Na-both’s vineyard may seem dramatic and something we can’t relate to; we don’t often hear of murder cases over a glorified garden. Rather, we hear of empty tithe envelopes, weak church attendance, and unloving Christians. At times, we treasure the seen more highly than the unseen.

What are you holding back from God? What is your idol? Is it fashion state-ments, media, reputations, material items, relationships, time? God sees and knows all—and still loves us. We already have access to the treasury of God. May it never be said of us, “They missed out on the tree of life while picking the fruit of earthly vineyards.”

REACTHow can we approach fellow Christians who are falling into the pit of earthly

treasures and ungodly pleasure-seeking? How do we help them without harm-ing them?

Filling Golden Baskets With Poisoned Fruit

1 Kings 21

Evidence

At times, we treasure the seen more highly than the unseen.

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mondayJANUARY 8

A Legacy of Greed (1 Kings 21)Accounts of greed and selfishness are tragically woven throughout Bible

history. King Ahab, a notoriously wicked king of Israel, sees a vineyard he wants, and when the owner won’t sell it, the king pitches a tantrum worthy of any two-year-old. He was the king of Israel. Imagine the wealth and riches that were already his. Yet he pouts like a spoiled child because he couldn’t have one particular vineyard. This isn’t the first biblical account of greed either. Satan was the first, wanting to exalt himself above God (Isa. 14:12–15). Then we have Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1–6) and Achan at Jericho (Josh. 7:20–22). In the New Testament, we have Judas (Matt. 26:14–16) and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–10). Each story shares a common thread: greed; and each story shares a common conclusion: death.

History Repeats Itself (1 Cor. 10:13)Unfortunately, the theme of falling into Satan’s “greed” trap continues all

throughout the Bible—and beyond. The Bible says that in the last days of earth’s history, “people will love only themselves and money” (2 Tim. 3:2, CEV). We, today, are not immune to this temptation. If anything, our culture makes us more susceptible. The context may be new, but the story is the same. “You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted” (1 Cor. 10:13, CEV). Praise the Lord that He always provides a way out of the devil’s traps!

A Much Better Way (2 Cor. 8:9)“I want you to desire the best gifts. So I will show you a much better way”

(1 Cor. 12:31, CEV). Showing us a better way was exactly what Jesus did when He came and lived on earth. He was willing to “give up all his riches” (2 Cor. 8:9, CEV) for us. What a contrast when compared to the lives of other Bible characters! Not only was Jesus willing to live in poverty, He demon-strated how to resist temptation. Jesus was in the wilderness, literally starv-ing, when the devil came to tempt Him (Matt. 4:1–11). Today’s temptations are not so different. The devil has had a long time to study fallen human nature. Yet, God is so much stronger than the devil is. Jesus showed us exactly how to answer: “It is written.” Jesus knew the Scriptures by heart and spent much time in prayer. Only when we are connected to God, through our own Bible study and prayer, can we also find the “way of escape” (1 Cor. 10:13, NKJV) that God always provides us.

Gen. 3:1–6; Matt. 6:33; 2 Cor. 8:3; 2 Tim. 3:1–4

Wanting More

Each story shares a common thread: greed;and each story shares a common conclusion: death.

Logos

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Eternity Focused (2 Cor. 4:18)Sometimes, the temptations we face are not direct. In the parable of the

sower (Matt. 13:3–7), the seeds that fell in with the thorns looked good at first. They weren’t snatched up off the path. They had good, rock-free soil. Like most weeds, the thorn bushes doubtlessly looked small and harmless at first, but they grew until they choked the good plants. When Jesus’ disciples asked what the story meant, He explained it clearly. The thorny soil represents the people who hear the message, “but they start worrying about the needs of this life and are fooled by the desire to get rich. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything” (Matt. 13:22, CEV). It is so easy to let the material things of life—how to pay for gas or tuition, the need for new shoes, or the wish for the latest, greatest phone—take over our lives.

Paul reminds us that “things that are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18, CEV). Today, everyone is continuously bombarded with media and ads telling everyone that buying this one thing will make you happy or having some excit-ing experience will bring fulfillment. In a culture that looks everywhere except to God for joy and fulfillment, it is easy for spiritual things to be drowned out and forgotten. C. S. Lewis wrote, “Our whole education tends to fix our minds on this world.”1 God created us to appreciate beauty. However, Christians should re-member that this world will never truly satisfy. “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”2 We weren’t made to be fulfilled by the things of this world. Even having the best things or the most money will never truly make anyone satisfied. Christians must remember that what God has promised is so much better than anything this world has to offer.

Giving Versus Getting (2 Cor. 8:1–7)God wants more for His children than simply escaping the temptations of

materialism. Luke wrote, “Remember that our Lord Jesus said, ‘More blessings come from giving than from receiving’ ” (Acts 20:35, CEV). Greed and true gen-erosity can’t coexist. In Macedonia, the churches were suffering. It would seem as though they would be the last ones willing to give. Yet, by God’s grace at work in their lives, not only did they give, they gave beyond their means. What an example of the power of God to change human hearts! As Jesus did, they present a powerful contrast to the many cautionary tales of greed. Only Christ at work in their hearts could have made such a difference, and only Christ in our hearts can weed out greed and replace it with true generosity.

REACT1. Which is more prevalent today—the love of money or the love of posses-

sions? What other ways can greed or selfishness appear?2. In what ways could God be calling you to give more generously?

__________1. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: HarperCollins, 2015), p. 135.2. Ibid., p. 136.

Amanda Ernst, Hickory, North Carolina, USA

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tuesdayJANUARY 9

“It is the spirit of covetousness which leads men to keep for gratification of self means that rightfully belong to God, and this spirit is as abhorrent to Him now as when through His prophet He sternly rebuked His people, saying, ‘Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation.’ Malachi 3:8, 9.”1

“In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, the sin of fraud against God was speedily punished. The same sin was often repeated in the after history of the church and is committed by many in our time. But though it may not be at-tended by the visible manifestation of God’s displeasure, it is no less heinous in His sight now than in the apostles’ time. The warning has been given; God has clearly manifested His abhorrence of this sin; and all who give themselves up to hypocrisy and covetousness may be sure that they are destroying their own souls.”2

In contrast: “This liberality on the part of the believers was the result of the outpouring of the Spirit. The converts to the gospel were ‘of one heart and of one soul.’ One common interest controlled them—the success of the mission entrusted to them; and covetousness had no place in their lives. Their love for their brethren and the cause they had espoused, was greater than their love of money and possessions. Their works testified that they accounted the souls of men of higher value than earthly wealth.”3

“The spirit of liberality is the spirit of heaven. This spirit finds its highest manifestation in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. In our behalf the Father gave His only-begotten Son; and Christ, having given up all that He had, then gave Himself, that man might be saved. The cross of Calvary should appeal to the benevolence of every follower of the Saviour. The principle there illustrated is to give, give. ‘He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.’ 1 John 2:6.”4

REACTDiscuss the steps needed to go from a greedy heart to one that is filled with

the spirit of heaven’s liberality.__________

1. Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 339.2. Ibid., p. 76.3. Ibid., pp. 70, 71.4. Ibid., p. 339.

2 Pet. 1:5–9The Sin of Fraud

Hadassah Eckright, Caldwell, Idaho, USA

“The spirit of liberality is the spirit of heaven.”

Testimony

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Karen Pires, Pendleton, South Carolina, USA

wednesdayJANUARY 10

How we act can tell us a little about what is in our hearts. According to John Whitmore, “You can live in a state of need, a state of greed or a state of freedom. These three levels are also called dependence, independence and interdependence.”*

Need (dependence) is not taking responsibility for our actions. A small child is an example of need. They need food and shelter and are dependent upon their parents for these needs. Judas Iscariot didn’t take responsibility for his ac-tions when he betrayed Jesus (Matt. 26:14–16). Need in adults may be shown when a person speeds and then argues with the police officer about the ticket, or when a person does not budget their money but overspends.

Greed (independence) is wanting one’s own way, looking out for one’s own interests, or seeing one’s only duty as taking care of oneself and one’s family. Greed is wanting the latest fashion, the newest electronic device, or the most sale items. It is buying things to impress others. It is always trying to make a profit (Isa. 56:11). It is being attached to things instead of being attached to God.

Freedom (interdependence) is looking out for personal interests as well as others’ interests. It is putting others before self. It is living the lifestyle of a faithful steward who is centered on serving God. Jesus gave us an example of this freedom. Even though He owned everything, “yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).

Freedom is making all our decisions based on the question: What would Jesus do? When we are thinking about where to go on our day off, or how many extracurricular activities for which to sign our children up, or the cost of remodeling the living room, we should ask ourselves whether these plans are a part of God’s will for our lives.

REACT1. How can I change my life’s focus from being self-centered to being God-

centered?2. Should a Christian let a greedy and persistent person “walk over them”?

Describe how a Christian should react to a greedy person. __________*John Whitmore, Need, Greed, or Freedom: Business Changes and Personal Choices (Lon-

don: Element Books, 1997), quoted in David Ducheyne, “Greedom or Freed (about Greed and Freedom),” Hrchitects.net (blog), October 16, 2011, http://www.hrchitects.net/freedom-greed/.

What Would Jesus Do? Isa. 56:11; 2 Cor. 8:9

How-to

Freedom is making all our decisions based on the question: What would Jesus do?

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thursdayJANUARY 11

From the time that most of us were quite young, we learned that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Some of us can even list them without looking. With that said, what are these attributes? How do we get them? And how can we use them?

First, to receive these characteristics, we would do well to ask God to give us His Holy Spirit. That’s not a one-time petition. Every morning we need to ask Him to fill us with His Spirit. Initially, we may notice some or all our fruit is tiny and green. It’s not ripe. Rather than get discouraged, we need to keep praying for God to come into us.

Do we use this fruit to do God’s will, or are we utilized because we have these qualities? Like fruit, have you ever noticed that there are people who are naturally dripping with sweetness? It’s not necessarily the words they use. It’s how they use their words, along with their mannerisms and works.

Have you ever compared your fruit with the fruit of others and gotten dis-couraged? There’s no need to become disheartened. You are growing an orchard. Given time and prayer, your fruit will become sweeter and develop to maturity. However, to do so, it must be used.

Use your love for God, the joy of Jesus, your peace with people, and your patience that you are developing as a good curator should. With God’s help, be kind to others and generous to your fellow man. With power from the Holy Spirit, be faithful to God and moved by a gentle spirit of self-control.

Let’s think of edible fruit for a moment. There are more than 7,500 variet-ies of apples known today. Each has its particular qualities. Red Delicious apples are great eaten fresh but aren’t the greatest for making pies. On the other hand, a Granny Smith apple, while it’s a bit tart, makes a great apple pie. When making applesauce, a Fuji apple, which is great for eating raw, isn’t the apple of choice. A Gala would be much better.

We may not be the perfect fit in every situation, but God has given us fruit and gifts that are growing with the power of His Spirit and helping us to become His spiritual stewards where He needs and leads us.

REACTHow are fruit and talents alike? How do they differ? Which seem dif-

ficult? What are ways you could deal with this dilemma?

Gal. 5:22–25

Using Our Individual Fruit

Ron Reese, Clyde, North Carolina, USA

Do we use this fruit to do God’s will, or are we utilized because we have these qualities?

Opinion

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Sharon Pallat, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

fridayJANUARY 12

CONCLUDEThe world has fed our minds with the deceptive thought that what we

have and how we look is not good enough and that there is always some-thing or someone better, making us feel dissatisfied (John 6:35). All the things of this world are temporal, and going after these desires can give us only momentary happiness, which quickly dies out. Let us then set our minds on the things that are permanent and can never make us feel dis-satisfied. “Since . . . you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things above, not on earthly things” (Col. 3:1, 2, NIV).

CONSIDER• Reading Joe Crews’s article “The Surrender of Self” at http://www

.amazingfacts.org/media-library/book/e/76/t/the-surrender-of-self.• Visiting an orphanage to see how the children live with basic sup-

plies.• Making a list of the desires of your heart and then examining which

ones are temporal and which ones are permanent.• Talking to someone homeless on the street and getting to know how

they survive there.• Listening to the hymn “Come, All Christians, Be Committed” (hymn

no. 634 in the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal) and reflecting on Christian stewardship.

• Memorizing Luke 12:15.• Praying and asking God for conviction in this area and help in being

an instrument that He can use to win souls for His kingdom.

CONNECT1 Timothy 6:7–10; Luke 12:13–21.Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, chapter 2, “Among Thorns”;

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 172.

Limited Gratification Versus Lasting Fulfillment

1 John 2:15–17

Exploration