Overcoming Envy: Embracing God's Purpose and Peace
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. Today, we gathered to worship and delve into God's Word, focusing on the problem of envy. We began with some announcements, including upcoming events like the men's breakfast and the Hats and High Tea event for ladies. We also prayed for our missionaries and those in our church family who are grieving or in need of healing.
Our main scripture reading came from James 3:13-16, which warns against harboring bitter envy and selfish ambition. Envy is a significant issue that affects both believers and non-believers. It was part of the original sin and continues to draw us away from God, making us miserable and leading to other sins. Envy can even keep us out of heaven, as it did with Satan.
We explored the difference between envy and jealousy. Envy is desiring something someone else has, while jealousy is not wanting someone else to have what you have. Godly jealousy exists, as God is jealous for our worship and affections, but there is no such thing as godly envy.
We discussed various ways envy manifests itself, such as sibling rivalry, professional jealousy, coveting and comparing, evil thoughts towards others, envying the wicked, and causing others to envy. Each of these forms of envy is destructive and pulls us away from God's purpose for our lives.
To combat envy, we need to take practical steps. First, confess it as sin and seek God's forgiveness. Second, accept your calling and trust that God has placed you where you are for a reason. Third, love God and others, which leaves no room for envy. Fourth, be content in Christ and thankful for the gifts God has given you. Finally, rely on the Holy Spirit to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in your life, especially love, joy, peace, and self-control.
Envy robs God of His glory and us of our joy, but Jesus came to help us with our problems. Let's ask Him to help us overcome envy and live in the fullness of His love and peace.
### Key Takeaways
1. Envy as Original Sin: Envy was part of the original sin in the world, alongside pride. Both Satan and Eve gave into envy, leading to their downfall. Envy continues to be a significant issue, appearing in various sin lists in the Bible and drawing us away from God. It stunts our spiritual growth and makes us miserable from the start. [29:11]
2. Difference Between Envy and Jealousy: Envy is desiring something someone else has, while jealousy is not wanting someone else to have what you have. Godly jealousy exists, as God is jealous for our worship and affections, but there is no such thing as godly envy. Understanding this difference helps us identify and combat these sins in our lives. [35:07]
3. Manifestations of Envy: Envy manifests in various ways, including sibling rivalry, professional jealousy, coveting and comparing, evil thoughts towards others, envying the wicked, and causing others to envy. Each form of envy is destructive and pulls us away from God's purpose for our lives. [41:54]
4. Practical Steps to Combat Envy: To combat envy, we need to confess it as sin, accept our calling, love God and others, be content in Christ, and rely on the Holy Spirit. These steps help us focus on God's purpose for our lives and cultivate the fruit of the Spirit, leaving no room for envy. [51:07]
5. Relying on the Holy Spirit: The fruit of the Spirit, especially love, joy, peace, and self-control, are essential in overcoming envy. As the Holy Spirit works in us, changing our character from within, we find victory over envy and live in the fullness of God's love and peace. [54:15]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[11:13] - Announcements
[15:22] - Scripture Reading: Psalm 37:1-6
[23:01] - Prayer for the Church Family
[25:50] - Introduction to the Problem of Envy
[27:39] - Understanding Envy
[29:11] - Envy as Original Sin
[30:04] - Envy Draws You Away from God
[31:40] - Envy Makes You Miserable
[32:46] - Envy Leads to Other Sins
[33:48] - Envy Can Keep You Out of Heaven
[34:29] - Understanding Envy vs. Jealousy
[35:07] - Difference Between Envy and Jealousy
[41:54] - Manifestations of Envy
[51:07] - Practical Steps to Combat Envy
[54:15] - Relying on the Holy Spirit
[55:49] - Closing Prayer and Song
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. James 3:13-16: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does James 3:13-16 say about the source and consequences of envy and selfish ambition?
2. According to the sermon, how did envy play a role in the original sin involving Satan and Eve? [29:11]
3. What are some of the ways envy manifests itself in our lives, as discussed in the sermon? [41:54]
4. How does the sermon differentiate between envy and jealousy? [35:07]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does James describe envy and selfish ambition as "earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil"? How does this description help us understand the severity of these sins?
2. The sermon mentions that envy can keep us out of heaven. How does this align with the teachings in Galatians 5:19-21? [32:46]
3. How does understanding the difference between envy and jealousy help us in our spiritual growth and relationships with others? [35:07]
4. The sermon suggests that envy makes us miserable from the start. Why do you think envy has this immediate negative effect on our well-being? [31:40]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt envious of someone. How did it affect your relationship with that person and your own sense of peace? What steps can you take to address envy in similar situations in the future? [31:40]
2. The sermon suggests confessing envy as a sin and seeking God's forgiveness as the first step to overcoming it. How can you incorporate this practice into your daily prayer life? [51:07]
3. How can you actively practice being content in Christ and thankful for the gifts God has given you? Identify one specific area in your life where you struggle with contentment and plan a practical step to address it. [54:15]
4. The sermon emphasizes the importance of loving God and others to leave no room for envy. What are some tangible ways you can show love to someone you might feel envious of? [52:35]
5. Think about a situation where you might have caused others to envy you, perhaps through social media or other means. How can you change your behavior to avoid provoking envy in others? [49:35]
6. The sermon mentions relying on the Holy Spirit to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit, especially love, joy, peace, and self-control. Choose one of these fruits and describe a specific action you can take this week to cultivate it in your life. [54:15]
7. How can you support a friend or family member who is struggling with envy? What practical advice or encouragement can you offer them based on the sermon and the Bible passages discussed? [55:49]
This guide aims to help your small group delve deeper into the topic of envy, understand its implications, and find practical ways to overcome it through God's Word and the Holy Spirit.
Devotional
### Day 1: Envy as Original Sin
Envy was part of the original sin in the world, alongside pride. Both Satan and Eve gave into envy, leading to their downfall. Envy continues to be a significant issue, appearing in various sin lists in the Bible and drawing us away from God. It stunts our spiritual growth and makes us miserable from the start. [29:11]
James 3:14-16 (ESV): "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice."
Reflection: Think about a time when envy has caused you to feel distant from God. How can you confess this to Him today and seek His forgiveness?
### Day 2: Difference Between Envy and Jealousy
Envy is desiring something someone else has, while jealousy is not wanting someone else to have what you have. Godly jealousy exists, as God is jealous for our worship and affections, but there is no such thing as godly envy. Understanding this difference helps us identify and combat these sins in our lives. [35:07]
Proverbs 14:30 (ESV): "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot."
Reflection: Reflect on the difference between envy and jealousy in your own life. Is there an area where you have confused the two? How can you seek God's help to address this?
### Day 3: Manifestations of Envy
Envy manifests in various ways, including sibling rivalry, professional jealousy, coveting and comparing, evil thoughts towards others, envying the wicked, and causing others to envy. Each form of envy is destructive and pulls us away from God's purpose for our lives. [41:54]
Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV): "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Reflection: Identify a specific way envy has manifested in your life recently. How can you take steps to address this and realign with God's purpose for you?
### Day 4: Practical Steps to Combat Envy
To combat envy, we need to confess it as sin, accept our calling, love God and others, be content in Christ, and rely on the Holy Spirit. These steps help us focus on God's purpose for our lives and cultivate the fruit of the Spirit, leaving no room for envy. [51:07]
Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV): "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
Reflection: What practical step can you take today to combat envy in your life? Consider confessing it to God, accepting your calling, or practicing gratitude.
### Day 5: Relying on the Holy Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit, especially love, joy, peace, and self-control, are essential in overcoming envy. As the Holy Spirit works in us, changing our character from within, we find victory over envy and live in the fullness of God's love and peace. [54:15]
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Reflection: How can you rely more on the Holy Spirit to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in your life? What specific fruit do you need to ask the Holy Spirit to grow in you today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "You know, Jesus came not only to die for your sins, but also to help you with your problems. God offers you a new life through his son, Jesus. And with Jesus' power, you can change. So, we're doing this new message series called, Lord, I Have a Problem. We're looking at how God helps us with the various problems we have in our lives." [25:50] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Envy draws you away from God, and it keeps you a spiritual infant in the kingdom of God. Not only that, but envy also makes you miserable. It makes you miserable. The book of Proverbs says, A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Now, all sin, okay, every sin in the book, all sin's going to make you miserable eventually. But the sin of envy makes you miserable right from the start." [30:55] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When we envy, we fail to praise God for the good we see in others, and we fail to be thankful for our own blessings. And so envy steals your joy and robs God's glory. That makes it a big problem. Envy also leads to other sins. We just read this from James chapter 3. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." [32:00] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "If you want to participate in the original sin, that led to all other sins, if you want to be drawn away from God, if you want to make yourself miserable, if you want to open yourself up to all sorts of other sins, if you want to live in a way that is ultimately self-destructive and can even keep you out of heaven, then envy is your ticket to ride. I don't think any of us want that though, do we? Right? There's a better way." [33:48] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Jesus came to help you with your problems. So ask him to help you with the problem of envy today. Let's pray. Well, dear God, we thank you for your word. We thank you for how your word just really opens up this problem for us. We can see it in all of its manifest ugliness. And Lord, we are so sorry. We are so sorry for giving into this sin on a consistent and regular basis." [55:49] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Envy is an especially... Really big problem in life, both for believers and for non-believers. In fact, I don't know if there's any other sin quite like it. As Shakespeare dubbed it, the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on. That's about as fancy as we ever get in a church service. So, there you go. That's Shakespeare. Chaucer called it a foul sin. The worst of sins because it is against all virtues. And against everything. Every manner of goodness." [28:26] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Envy was part of original sin in this world. We often think about pride as being the original sin. Pride was certainly a big part of it. But envy was right there alongside. Both Satan in heaven and Eve in the garden gave into the sin of envy. Satan wanted to be like God. And Satan's temptation to Eve in the garden was, Eve, you will be like God. So, envy was part of original sin in the world." [29:11] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The best antidote to envy is the conviction of the sovereignty of God. That's good. I'm going to say that again. The best antidote to envy is the conviction of the sovereignty of God. And part of that comes with accepting your calling." [52:35] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Love God, love other people, right? Jesus said, this is the greatest commandment. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. First Corinthians 13 says, love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. Romans 12 tells us, rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn. You see, love looks for the good in the other person, and then love rejoices in it rather than resents it." [53:04] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Be content in Christ. Paul wrote to the Philippians, I've learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Find your contentment in Christ and be thankful for the gifts God has given you. Number contentment and thankfulness will go a long ways towards combating envy in your life." [53:55] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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