Discover the most prominent religion in America and how we should respond.

1. Materialism
Understanding your other religion

2. What is materialism?
• Who wants this iPhone?
• Who wants this Bible?
• Materialism is the prioritization of
material items over intellectual or
spiritual concepts
• He who dies with the most toys...

3. Loss of Focus
• When the go shoppingtough,
the tough
going gets
• Believing thehappiness
things equal
lie that
• Trivializesmatter”
into “just
all things
• Removesfrom our culture
spiritual
intellect and the
• It affects our core belief system
• God and people become objects

4. Do you think America
has a problem with
Materialism?

5. Temple in every town
• Every American lives just minutes from a
major mall or shopping district
• Since the 1990’s, shopping mall constuction
has skyrocketed.
• Look around. New construction includes
warehouses, shopping centers and banks.
• Think these aren’t temples to material
worship? Let’s take a look...

6. Roman Temples
• Roman Temples had a gabled roof
• A deep porch with
free-standing columns
• A frontal staircase giving
access to a high platform
• New materials were used in the
construction of Roman Temples
such as concrete with brick and
stone facing and marble veneers

7. Roman Temples
• Walls of Roman Temples were
painted in fresco - the frieze often
depicted Roman life (ads)
• Sculptures of Roman Gods and
Goddesses were used as
decoration in the form of free
standing statues (manequins)
• Roman Temples were large,
ornate and numerous

8. Roman Temples
• The Roman temples were located
in important positions such as at
one side of the forum or along a
major road
• In Ancient Rome a fundamental
basis of the religion was the belief
that if the Gods were happy then
they would receive good fortune.
It was therefore important to
worship the Roman Gods on a
daily basis. (fountains)

9. Daily Sacrifice
• What is sacrifice exactly?
• Is it paying a price, consistently?
• Wouldn't you say that buying the desires
of your heart involves sacrifice?
• We work for this money and daily
worship through our sacrifice of
indulgence.

10. Starbucks
• Sells about $2,600,000
of coffee each day!
• Americans drink 25%
of the world’s coffee
• Nearly every American
needs a daily “fix”
• Do we worship coffee
five times daily?

11. Starbucks Logo
• A picture is worth a thousand words
• A logo represents the soul of an organization
• It’s a Nordic Goddess, aof stars mermaid siren
complete with a crown
two-tailed
• “That early siren, be as seductiveand coffee itself.”
was supposed to
bare-breasted
as
Rubenesque,

12. Apple
• What is the most desired
music device?
• Did you know that violent
crime has increased since
the invention of the iPod?
• Apple understands the art
of “shiny things”
• Steve Jobs is said to have an
intimate understanding of
the psychology of desire.

13. Hosea 13:2-3
Now they sin more and more;
they make idols for themselves from their silver,
cleverly fashioned images,
all of them the work of craftsmen.
It is said of these people,
“They offer human sacrifice
and kiss the calf-idols.”
Therefore they will be
like the morning mist,
like the early dew that disappears,
like chaff swirling from a threshing floor,
like smoke escaping through a window.

14. The Golden Calf
Exodus 32:1-6
When the people saw that Moses was so long
in coming down from the mountain, they
gathered around Aaron and said,
“Come, make us gods who will go before us.
As for this fellow Moses who brought us up
out of Egypt, we don’t know what has
happened to him.”

15. The Golden Calf
Exodus 32:1-6
Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that
your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing,
and bring them to me.”
So all the people took off their earrings and brought
them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and
made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf,
fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are
your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

16. The Golden Calf
Exodus 32:1-6
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of
the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a
festival to the LORD.”
So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed
burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings.
Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got
up to indulge in revelry.

17. Our Response...
• Wake up to what we see what
is going on around us
• Realize that we need money in this world
• Realize there is a delicate balance
between need, want and worship
• We must be in the world, but not “of” it.
• The voice of my mother in my head...
• “You don’t need it!”

18. Store up your treasures...
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves
break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moth and rust do not destroy, and where
thieves do not break in and
steal.
For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21

19. Get the Roman Treatment
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s
mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual
act of worship.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what
God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2

20. The Rich Ruler
A certain ruler asked Jesus,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered.
“No one is good — except God alone.
You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit
adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false
testimony, honor your father and mother. ’ “
“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.
Luke 18:18-21

21. The Rich Ruler
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack
one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then
come, follow me.”
When he heard this, he became very sad, because
he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him
and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the
kingdom of God!
Luke 18:22-24

22. It’s up to you!
• Will you let material things strap you down?
• Will you worship the creator or the created?
• Keep your things in this world in-check
• Give honor to God with every “thing” you have
• You need to be “in” the world, but not “of” it
• Prioritize the spiritual and intellectual

23. Discuss