Redeemer Church Mauritius
Selfishness is Ruining Your Life - Leigh Kendon
Selfishness is being concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself: seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure or well-being without regard for others. Selfishness is putting our own wants, needs and desires before everyone else. It affects every aspect of our lives – it affects our actions, our words, our attitudes and our motives and it shows itself in our relationships, in our jobs and in the church. To deal with selfishness, we have to be deliberate about putting to death our selfish desires and not letting them control us. If we do that, and keep in step with the Spirit instead, we will find ourselves putting others first as Jesus taught us.
Locations & Times
Redeemer Church Mauritius
Mauritius
Sunday 9:30 AM
1. What is selfishness?
- Selfishness is being concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself: seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure or well-being without regard for others.
- Selfishness is putting our own wants, needs and desires before everyone else.
- Selfishness is being concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself: seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure or well-being without regard for others.
- Selfishness is putting our own wants, needs and desires before everyone else.
2. How does selfishness show itself?
- A selfish person puts themself first, they don’t care about others feelings, they blame others, they have a sense of entitlement, they lack empathy, they ignore their responsibilities, they are unable to see from other’s perspectives.
- A selfish person puts themself first, they don’t care about others feelings, they blame others, they have a sense of entitlement, they lack empathy, they ignore their responsibilities, they are unable to see from other’s perspectives.
3. Bible examples
- Adam & Eve
Genesis 3:6 (NIV)
When the woman saw that the fruit on the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
- King David
2 Samuel 11 (NIV)
- Judas Iscariot
John 12:3-6 (NIV)
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor. It was worth a year’s wages.’ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
- The Older brother in the Prodigal Son
Luke 15:25-32 (NIV)
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So, he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. ‘Your brother has come’, he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older brother became very angry and refused to go in. So, his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him.’
‘My son’, the father said, ‘you are always with me and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’
- Adam & Eve
Genesis 3:6 (NIV)
When the woman saw that the fruit on the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
- King David
2 Samuel 11 (NIV)
- Judas Iscariot
John 12:3-6 (NIV)
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor. It was worth a year’s wages.’ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
- The Older brother in the Prodigal Son
Luke 15:25-32 (NIV)
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So, he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. ‘Your brother has come’, he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older brother became very angry and refused to go in. So, his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him.’
‘My son’, the father said, ‘you are always with me and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’
4. How can we deal with selfishness in our lives?
Galatians 5:19–26 (NIV)
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; … I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
- We should “crucify the flesh” by choosing not to be selfish when we see an opportunity. (verse 24)
- We should keep in step with the Spirit by following his promptings in our lives - because this will result in acts of kindness to others. (verse 25)
- We should stay connected to Jesus to bear more fruit (John 15)
Galatians 5:19–26 (NIV)
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; … I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
- We should “crucify the flesh” by choosing not to be selfish when we see an opportunity. (verse 24)
- We should keep in step with the Spirit by following his promptings in our lives - because this will result in acts of kindness to others. (verse 25)
- We should stay connected to Jesus to bear more fruit (John 15)
5. Jesus is our ultimate example
Jesus wasn’t selfish; He was selfless.
Mark 10:45 (NIV)
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Jesus wasn’t selfish; He was selfless.
Mark 10:45 (NIV)
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Remember:
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. - John Wesley
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. - John Wesley
