Nation of Hoarders
E.A. Johnston warns that a nation consumed by selfish hoarding and fear reflects a deeper spiritual blindness and calls for renewed vision and generosity.
In 'Nation of Hoarders,' E.A. Johnston challenges listeners to confront the selfishness and fear that drive hoarding behaviors in society. Using biblical insight from Proverbs 29:18, he highlights the spiritual consequences of a nation lacking vision and generosity. Johnston calls for a renewed commitment to faith, community, and stewardship to overcome these destructive tendencies and support the spread of the gospel.
Full Transcript
We each grow up in a society that puts an emphasis on me, mine, and ours, whether it relates to our money and how stingy we are, or grab it as much as something that we can, just to prove we can. I just returned from the grocery store and most of the shells were bare, and I came to the store for certain things I couldn't get because they were out of it. Why were they out of it? Because of hoarders.
A woman in the parking lot was loading up her car with 20 gallons of milk. Did she need 20 gallons of milk? Of course not. But because of her fear of running out of milk, she made it impossible for someone else to buy milk.
A nation of hoarders speaks volumes about those individuals. They live in fear. They only think selfishly of themselves.
They're greedy for gain. They are insensitive to the needs of others, so long as they get theirs first. It's an unflattering picture of a nation on the brink of destruction, and it speaks volumes as to what kind of citizens we are.
Self-absorbed, self-indulgent, and primarily focused on self-preservation, without any thought or care about our fellow neighbor. That's why gun sales are skyrocketing, because people are getting prepared to defend what they think is rightfully theirs, even if it means killing you to do it. In Proverbs 29, 18, we read, Where there is no vision, the people perish.
When a nation has lost its vision, then the lights go out in that nation. All one can see is its own shadowy reflection, and that's all that matters. That's why we are a nation of hoarders, and have been for years, as the spread of the gospel suffered for the lack of funds.
Bible translation has gone unfunded, and ministries have shut their doors for lack of support. And it all falls on the fact that we have always been hoarders. It just took a national crisis to turn a light on to show the roaches in the room.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Society's emphasis on selfishness and hoarding
- Examples of hoarding behavior in daily life
- The impact of fear on selfish actions
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II
- The spiritual condition of a nation of hoarders
- Consequences of self-centeredness on community
- The rise of fear-driven behaviors like gun sales
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III
- The loss of vision as a root cause of national decay
- Biblical insight from Proverbs 29:18
- The effect on gospel spread and ministry funding
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IV
- Call to recognize and repent from hoarding mentality
- Encouragement to embrace generosity and vision
- Hope for restoration through renewed faith
Key Quotes
“A nation of hoarders speaks volumes about those individuals. They live in fear.” — E.A. Johnston
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” — E.A. Johnston
“It just took a national crisis to turn a light on to show the roaches in the room.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Examine personal attitudes toward possessions and resist fear-driven hoarding.
- Pray for renewed vision and guidance to prioritize generosity and community care.
- Support ministries and gospel work financially to counteract the effects of selfishness.