Tools or Treasure
Stewardship • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Intro
Intro
Examples of a tool used wrongly (shovel for treasure)
lack of reading the instructions (digging with the handle)
lack of understanding the instructions (raking the surface with the shovel part)
lack of applying the instructions (I have a better way or better use for it)
OR, you get distracted and think the shovel is the treasure
THINK OF GIVING SOMEONE A SHOVEL, TO DIG FOR TREASURE, AND THEY JUST TREASURE THE SHOVEL
I fear that we have done the same thing with many of the tools that God has given to us...
We take relationships that are meant to help us glorify God and love God more, and instead we treasure the relationships more than God
We take things like money and creation, thinks to be used in service to God and again, to know God better, and we treasure the money and creation
We take things like entertainment, laughter, and pleasure, things that are meant to help us see how great God is as creator and how wonderful He is to create such things, and instead we treasure those things more
We take things like food, water, and sleep, things that help our bodies function for stewarding the earth, serving others, and we treasure and worship those things
Why is this?
Lack of reading God’s Word to know what’s a tool and what’s a treasure
Lack of understanding God’s Word and how to use tools, how to find treasure
Lack of applying God’s Word, not trusting that it means what it says it means and not following through
Have you settled for treasuring the shovel?
Has God given you tools to use for His kingdom, tools to use for service and have you decided to treasure the tool rather than use it find the real treasure?
We need to realize that God has entrusted us with things, tools, to steward for a time; and we need to make sure that we know what those tools are, we need to know how to use them, and then we need to use them
We need to return to the instruction manual
We need to make sure we know the tools we’ve been given and how to use them
LET’S GET A RUNNING START....
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Here’s our text for this evening...
11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
EXPLAIN
Paul describes a problem that he sees happening:
People desiring to be rich (treasuring the tool/resource of money)
This desire leads to being ensnared by harmful and senseless desires
This plunges them into ruin and destruction
RE-EMPHASIZE — ELABORATE:
This love of money (treasuring the tool) is a root of all kinds of evil
Wandering away from the faith
Piercing themselves with many pangs
Paul then says...
“But as for you, O man of God”
Unlike the people treasuring the tool
Unlike the people wandering from the faith
Unlike the people wandering into snares, traps, temptations, pain
FLEE. THESE. THINGS. (these are not what you should treasure)
WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU FLEE?
desires to be rich/the love of money
senseless and harmful desires/all kinds of evil
ruin and destruction
wandering away from the faith
piercing yourselves with many pangs
In other words: avoid treasuring things that are meant to be tools
these things were not made to be your treasure
they can’t function as your treasure
treating tools as treasure will result in your harm (destruction)
PURSUE. GODLY. THINGS. (these are the things you treasure)
righteousness - in a right relationship WITH GOD
godliness - in your life, your image, you are REFLECTING GOD
faith - TRUSTING GOD
love - fundamentally OBEYING GOD
steadfastness - unwavering, faithfully FOLLOWING GOD
gentleness - humbly, submissively YIELDING to GOD
fighting the good fight of faith - struggle, make every effort to grow closer to God
eternal life - pursuing never-ending life WITH GOD
guard the gospel, live out the gospel - preserve and proclaim the GOOD NEWS OF GOD FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
Why do you treasure these things, why do you pursue them? Because it draws you closer to God and helps you to be more like His Son.
1. Treasure Christ, and flee from the love of stuff (vv. 11-16).
1. Treasure Christ, and flee from the love of stuff (vv. 11-16).
Look with me at the text; there are two main thoughts...
Flee from wrong desires by pursuing Christ and Christ-like living
That’s verses 11-12
11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Focus on the person and work of God
That’s verses 13-16
13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
Look at how Paul focuses on who God is and what God has done...
God gives life to all
Why would you treasure something other than your source of life?
Christ humbled himself, died for you, rose victorious
Why would you treasure someone other than the one who died for you and won the fight over death, sin, and hell for you?
Christ is coming back
Why would you treasure something other than the one who is going to come back to bring all things to completion and perfection?
God is worthy of praise
Why would you treasure something that was subpar, inferior?
God is in control, accomplishing his purposes
Why would you treasure something that was not in control, could not give 100% confident promises and guarantees?
He is King over all
Why would you treasure an enemy of this King?
He is Lord of all
Why would you treasure something else? The Lord, the King commands everything. You could treasure something else, but He is the one in charge of that and can take it away.
He is everlasting
Why would you treasure something else that will end, it’s temporary?
He is holy, glorious, unapproachable
Why would you treasure something evil, sinful, unjust?
Unstained by sin
Why would you treasure something corrupted by sin?
This is who you should treasure
This is who you should prioritize pursuing
This is who you should fear
EMPHASIZE
22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Your heart cannot have divided loves/masters.
If you feel like it’s divided, it’s probably not, you’re most likely loving one thing while trying to convince yourself that you love both
Make your one love CHRIST.
Consider the other things as loss and rubbish
Flee, actively run from, those things
Pursue, actively run towards, Christ
ILLUSTRATE
stop wooing over the shovel and start putting the shovel to work (repentance)
start to desire the treasure more than the shovel (justification)
you’ll start to find coins as you’re digging (sanctification)
someday, you’ll get the treasure, and it’s going to be so worth it (glorification)
APPLY
The things you treasure and enjoy now, that’s just a taste, a sampling
God created those things, He’s infinitely better
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Stop being distracted and detained with these “secondary” treasures
Some of you are content just to have a shovel
You love earthly pleasures that weren’t meant to be your treasures
entertainment
relationships
popularity
possessions
comfort
Some of you have found a few coins and you’re content to stop digging.
You have Christian community
You like the worship songs
You feel good about yourself
BUT you haven’t found the treasure (reached the end) PERSEVERE
Some of you are still digging, keep going, it’s worth it
Search out, study the Scriptures, try to understand it and see the world today through the lens of Scripture
Walk in obedience (keep digging) knowing that good will come from it
EXPLAIN
Now that we’ve cleared things up
You know what you should not treasure
You know what that leads to
You know who you should treasure
You know how you should treasure Him
You know why you should treasure Him
NOW, let’s look at what you do with these other things—these tools.
You’re not treasuring tools
BUT
You have the tools
SO, what do you do with these tools, how do you view them...
Paul writes...
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
You want to know how to view the tools/resources He’s given you? What attitude should you have?
DON’T BE PROUD
DON’T PLACE YOUR HOPE IN IT
DO HOPE IN GOD
DO HUMBLY ACCEPT AND ENJOY WHAT HE’S GIVEN
2. Treasure Christ, and freely enjoy the stuff He gives you (v. 17).
2. Treasure Christ, and freely enjoy the stuff He gives you (v. 17).
what we just read in 1 Tim 6:17...
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
EMPHASIZE
Do not be haughty (proud)
Remember Jas 1:17, God has given you these things
You came into this world with nothing, you came from the dirt (1 Tim 6:7)
You’ll die and leave this world with nothing, you’ll return to the dirt
There is no room for arrogance in that.
Do not set your hopes on these things
just as quickly as you got it, you can lose it
Think of Job
Ever heard of robbers?
people can take it away
natural disasters?
creation can destroy it
inflation?
your treasures lose value
not to mention the fact that it won’t satisfy
(how often do we buy things, we’re super excited, and then within a few days it’s just another thing?)
But instead of getting the hint, we think buying one more thing will satisfy
Hope in God
We can’t lose Him
He will satisfy
Humbly accept and enjoy the things He’s given
God has given you the things you have for a reason, accept the gift
Think about where you were born (no control over that)
Think about the parents/siblings you have (no control over that)
Think about the stuff you have, talents you have (some control over that)
REALIZE, God gave you that stuff, for a reason and in His kindness
ENJOY THEM (you can be thankful and joyful to have a shovel instead of digging with your hands)
When you realize that God has given you these things
He can easily give
He can easily take away
AND when you already have your greatest treasure in Christ
He can’t be taken away
He fully satisfies
It FREES you to truly enjoy the things He’s given you
I would argue that you can’t truly enjoy things if you’re viewing them as your treasure
It won’t ever be enough
you’ll always want more
you’ll always want better
It won’t ever be secure
you’ll fear not getting it
you’ll fear not keeping it
It won’t live up to your expectations
it can’t satisfy like God can
you’ll look for it to accomplish a role it wasn’t meant to fill
BUT, when God is your treasure, you can enjoy things for what they are
you’ll always have enough because it’s whatever God chooses to give you. You’re already full, these are just cherries on top
you don’t need things to be “secure” because your treasure is secure
you’ll enjoy things for the time you have them
when that time is up, that’s ok because you still have your treasure
you have realistic expectations that can be met
if I expect a hammer to hit a nail, I’m not going to be let down
if I expect a hammer to paint a picture, I am going to be let down
if you expect food, or money, or praise of others, or fame to make me happy, I’m going to be let down.
If I expect food to fuel my body
Money to support people to advance ministries (similar to food)
“fame” is just a bigger platform for giving God glory
APPLY
Identify the tools you have
Remind yourself who gave the tools and who can take them away
Develop biblical expectations for these tools and enjoy them
Find an example:
This is the current “treasure”: _____________
This is what I want it to do: _______________
This is why it’s a tool: ___________________
This is what it should do: ________________
THEN, it’s not wrong to enjoy when the tool does what it’s supposed to, enjoy it!
Just don’t make it your treasure
AND praise God, give Him glory, thank Him, for giving you the tool and designing it to work the way that it does
SO, FOLLOWING PAUL’S TRAIN OF THOUGHT
we’ve established what not to treasure
we’ve established what to treasure
we’ve established how you should view your tools
NOW, Let’s look at how to use your tools...
EXPLAIN
18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Do good, be rich in good works
Be generous and ready to share
Store up treasure in heaven (take hold of that which is truly life)
Use your tools to obey God
Use your tools to love others
Remember, your treasure is in heaven, you’re striving for that, so you want to use everything you have, every resource you have access to, in order to attain that treasure
this is how you use the tools to achieve your treasure
EMPHASIZE
If your treasure is God, then you’ll want to use your tools to get that treasure
if your treasure is buried in the ground, you’re going to use the tool you have (the shovel) to get that treasure
If your net worth is $5,000, but someone said if you spend all of the $5,000, you can buy something that makes your net worth $5,000,000, that’s a no brainer. I’m not a mathematician or a financial advisor, but that makes sense to me.
As a believer, your treasure of infinite value is God and everlasting life with Him. The Christian life is NOT about saving up treasure on this earth—quite the opposite really, you’re SPENDING your treasure here, but it’s in order to store up treasure for eternal life.
LET ME SAY THIS, PLEASE LISTEN TO ME.
If you don’t treasure Christ, this isn’t going to work for you. You’re going to be frustrated and feel like it’s pointless.
Digging in the wrong areas
Digging to find, More Shovels!
You’re not going to dig for long because you have and love your shovel.
Someday, someone’s going to come back and take that shovel from you, ask you if you found any treasure, and if not, you’re kicked out, never welcome back, and you don’t have your shovel.
If you’re treasuring things that God gave you as tools and resources, be warned. Some day, God’s going to take that stuff away and ask you if you have Christ. If not, you’re kicked out (into hell), never welcome to dwell with God in a loving relationship for eternity, and you don’t have the stuff you loved so much
BUT, for those of you who do treasure Christ, let’s talk. You’ve found your treasure, you’ve been given your tools, you’ve been told how to view the tools, let’s talk about how to use the tools...
APPLY
Using your resources to obey God
technology
time
Bible/ability to read
giving as act of worship (helps the church)
Using your resources to love others
8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
providing for those in need
video games to build relationships and push deeper
books/Bible studies
Summary
Summary