"The Danger of Money"
Notes
Transcript
If you think earning a lot of money will make you happy, don't hold your breath. One of the richest people in the world says otherwise. Brin, co-founder and board member of Alphabet and the eighth-richest billionaire with a net worth of $97.8 billion, said, “You always hear the phrase, 'money doesn't buy you happiness.
No amount of money will make up for a lack of contentment. John D. Rockefeller once said, “I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness.” Cornelius Vanderbilt added, “The care of millions is too great a load … there is no pleasure in it.” Millionaire John Jacob Astor described himself as “the most miserable man on earth.” Despite his wealth, Henry Ford once remarked, “I was happier doing mechanic’s work.” And John D. Rockefeller commented, “The poorest man I know is the man who has nothing but money.”
Love of money and contentment are mutually exclusive. As a Roman proverb put it, money is like sea water, the more you drink the thirstier you get (Barclay, The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, 132). Ecclesiastes 5:10 sums it up, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money.” MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1995). 1 Timothy (p. 252). Moody Press.
10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.
Proposition - In invite you to join me as we discuss “the danger of money” we will see 1) the love of money breads discontentment, 2) the love of money is temporary, 3) the love of money breads complexity, and 4) the results of the love of money.
Interrogative question - Where and what do you find your satisfaction in?
The Love of Money Breads Discontentment - vs. 6
The Love of Money Breads Discontentment - vs. 6
1 Timothy 6:6–10 (NASB95)
6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
“is” - (eimi) - verb, present, active, indicative, third person, singular - finite verb - be
Sense: to be (quality) - to have the quality of being
“A means of gain” - (porismos) - noun, nominative, singular, masculine - predicate nominative - means of gain
Sense: expedient - a means to an end; especially a financial one
Notice the progression of gain from vs. 5 to 6 -
“Great” - (megas) - adjective, nominative, singular, masculine - attributive adjective - great; loud
Sense: great - remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree, magnitude, or effect.
1 Timothy 3:16 (NASB95)
16 By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
“Godliness” - (eusebeia) - noun, nominative, singular, feminine - subject - piety; godliness
Sense: piety - the devout practice for, and appropriate beliefs about, God.
“when accompanied by” - (meta) - preposition - preposition of association - with; affter
Matthew 26:47 (NASB95)
47 While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Mark 14:43 (NASB95)
43 Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
“Contentment” - (autarkeia) - noun, genitive, singular, feminine - prepositional object - sufficiency; enough
Sense: adequacy (contentment) - adequacy especially that results in satisfaction with one’s situation in life.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (NASB95)
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
1 Timothy 6:6 (NASB95)
6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
CONTENTMENT—a state of mind in which one’s desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be (1 Tim. 6:6; 2 Cor. 9:8). It is opposed to envy (James 3:16), avarice (Heb. 13:5), ambition (Prov. 13:10), anxiety (Matt. 6:25, 34), and repining (1 Cor. 10:10). It arises from the inward disposition, and is the offspring of humility, and of an intelligent consideration of the rectitude and benignity of divine providence (Ps. 96:1, 2; 145), the greatness of the divine promises (2 Pet. 1:4), and our own unworthiness (Gen. 32:10); as well as from the view the gospel opens up to us of rest and peace hereafter (Rom. 5:2). Easton, M. G. (1893). In Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature (p. 158). Harper & Brothers.
CONTENTMENT Internal satisfaction which does not demand changes in external circumstances. The NT expresses this with the Greek word arkeo and its derivatives. Hebrews 13:5 summarizes the teaching in advising believers to be free of the love of money and to depend on God’s promise not to forsake His people. Food and lodging should be enough for the godly (1 Tim. 6:6–10; cp. Matt. 6:34; contrast Luke 12:19). The believer can be content no matter what the outward circumstances (Phil. 4:11–13). Believers are content to know the Father (John 14:8–9) and depend on His grace (2 Cor. 12:9–10; cp. 2 Cor. 9:8–11). Contentment. (2003). In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 335). Holman Bible Publishers.
To be content means to be satisfied and sufficient, and to seek nothing more than what one has. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1995). 1 Timothy (p. 251). Moody Press.
Money in and of itself is not bad -
18 “But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
The “Love” of money that is sin -
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
The Character of False Teachers is “love” for money -
2 Peter 2:1–3 (NASB95)
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Like a gun, there is nothing inherently wrong with money. But like a gun, money can be used for good and evil purposes. Thus, the issue is not money, but one’s attitude toward it. The sin in view is the sin of greed. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1995). 1 Timothy (p. 249). Moody Press.
When asked the secret of contentment, the Greek philosopher Epicurus replied, “Add not to a man’s possessions but take away from his desires” (cited in William Barclay, The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon [Philadelphia: Westminster, 1975], 129).
The Love of Money is Temporary - vs. 7
The Love of Money is Temporary - vs. 7
7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
The Love of Money Breads Complexity - vs. 8
The Love of Money Breads Complexity - vs. 8
8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
“If we have” - (echo) - verb, present, active, participle, plural, nominative, masculine - conditional participle - to have
Sense: to have - to have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense.
“with we shall be content” - (arkeo) - verb, future, passive, indicative, first person, plural - finite verb - be satisfied; be content; be sufficient
Sense: to be content - to be satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are.
The Results of the Love of Money - vs. 9-10
The Results of the Love of Money - vs. 9-10
9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
Tempting - vs. 9a
“want” - (boulomai) - verb, present, either middle or passive, participle, plural, nominative, masculine - wish; want
Sense: to desire - to feel or have a desire for; want strongly
1 Timothy 2:8 (NASB95)
8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.
1 Timothy 5:14 (NASB95)
14 Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;
1 Timothy 6:9 (NASB95)
9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
Titus 3:8 (NASB95)
8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.
Consuming - vs. 9b
Judgment - vs. 9c
10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Paul Learned the importance of “contentment” -
Philippians 4:11–13 (NASB95)
11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,
The Psalmist understood -
Psalm 63:1–5 (NASB95)
1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. 4 So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. 5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.
2 “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.
11 “And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
For the believer, then, contentment is more than a mere noble human virtue. It is based on the sufficiency provided by God the Father and Jesus Christ. Loving money deprives one of that contentment, thus ignoring the true gain provided by true godliness. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1995). 1 Timothy (p. 251). Moody Press.
So What?
How are you finding your satisfaction?
What is the source of your satisfaction?
In what ways are you not be content with where the Lord has you?