The Problem With "Stuff" | Liberty at Home

Let's talk about stuff on this week's episode of Liberty at

Home. Hey everybody, welcome to

another weekly episode of Liberty at Home here on Easton

Community Access Television. I'm Adam Rivero, your host, as

well as the pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, which meets

right here in Easton. Today, as we do every week,

we're broadcasting from Easton, MA, home of a new self storage

facility on Foundry St. You heard it here first, folks.

And while we're on the subject of places where we can store

stuff, I want to talk to you a bit about the possessions that

you have hold of and what to do when those possessions get a

hold of you. So today we'll be reading from

Luke 12. So follow along with me as I

read, starting in verse #16 And the word of God says, And he

spake A parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain

rich man brought forth plentifully.

And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do?

Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits.

And he said, This will I do. I will pull down my barns and

build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my

goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul,

Thou hast much goods laid up for many years, Take thine ease,

eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou

fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.

Then whose shall those things be which thou has provided?

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich

toward God. There's one thing our family has

plenty of, and that's stuff. Truth is, most people don't even

realize how much stuff they actually own.

I remember the last time we moved, several years ago, when

our family moved to another home on the other side of Easton.

Packing sure to be a breeze, I thought.

Surely we don't own that much stuff.

Yeah, it seemed like with each closet was a new treasure trove

of things. I didn't realize we don't.

It shouldn't surprise us because after all, our culture is

enamored with the collection of things.

Our nation is filled with climate controlled self storage

units where we can store all of our junk.

I mean that stuff. Certainly there's nothing wrong

with having material goods, but the trouble begins when people

believe possessions give them happiness.

Someone want to ask John D Rockefeller how much money does

it take to satisfy a man? His answer was telling.

Just a little more. The notable preacher Vance

Havner once remarked. As small a thing as a penny will

shut out from our vision, as large a thing as the sun, and so

does the smallest thing as a money shut out.

God, have you fallen into the trap of thinking that money,

vacations, and other stuff can bring pleasure?

Indeed, they all have their advantages.

However, they've never once truly satisfied a soul.

Consider the man we just read about.

He was greatly satisfied with his possessions.

He never once thought about the weightier matters of his soul.

Jesus also said in Luke 12 verse 15, Take heed and beware of

Luke 12:15

covetousness, for a man's life consisted not in the abundance

of the things which he possesses.

Jesus also addressed this issue of Mark 3 verses 36 and 37 when

he said, For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain

the whole world and lose his own soul?

Or what shall a man give an exchange for his soul?

Maybe you found yourself stuck in the never ending cycle of

trying to find joy and comfort in the goods of this world.

May I implore you to turn to Jesus Christ.

He is the very embodiment of joy and comfort.

Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2 states looking unto Jesus, the

Hebrews 12:2

author and finisher of our faith, who were the joy that was

set before and endured the cross, despising the shame and

is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

You see, true joy comes from confessing our sins to Christ

and trusting in the free gift of salvation He offers unto all.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes earthly

possessions in this way. Lay not up for yourselves

treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where

thieves breakthrough and steal. But lay up for yourselves

treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth

corrupt, and where thieves do not breakthrough nor steal.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

As it says in Matthew chapter 6, verses 19 to 21, let's take time

Matthew 6:19–21

today to consider where we're storing our treasures.

Let us not trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God

who giveth us richly. All things to enjoy, as Paul

said in First Timothy chapter 6, verse 17.

1 Timothy 6:17

Well, we're done with today's episode of Liberty at Home.

But before I go, I want to remind you that you'll want you

to come see us sometime soon at 800 Washington Street, right

here in Easton, Southeastern to be exact, if you're one of those

people who care about Northeast and Southeastern.

We meet every Sunday morning at 11 AM, Sunday night at 5:00 PM,

and Wednesday night at 7:00 PM. Check us out and find all of our

digital platforms at my libertybaptist.org.

Well, I'm Pastor Adam Rivero signing off from ECAT today.

Remind you that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is

liberty. See you next week right here on

Liberty at home.