Poverty

In our Study of Discipleship we are modeling it after a day in the life of Jesus as recorded in Luke 9.

Today i want to look closer at the concept Jesus taught when He said:

Luke 9:57–58 BSB

57 As they were walking along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

Jesus here is introducing us to part of the cost of following Him as a disciple:

That a disciple must embrace christian poverty.

What do we mean by “christian” poverty?

Christian poverty is NOT defined by a LACK of material goods, but by FREEDOM from material goods.

Paul summed this up beautifully:

Philippians 4:12–13 BSB

12 I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

In other words we are speaking about Coveting.

A person who covets is not free from money.

So dangerous is coveting that the Apostle wrote 4 specific instructions to young Timothy about its terrible dangers - A lesson Timothy AND ALL OF US need to learn!

1: Wealth does not bring contentment

1 Timothy 6:6 BSB

6 Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.

The word contentment means “an inner sufficiency that keeps us at peace in spite of outward circumstances.”

Paul used this same word later.

Philippians 4:11 BSB

11 I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.

In other words it all boils down to the question of sufficiency.

Sufficiency for who? Sufficiency for what?

Well that's exactly the point!

For something to be sufficient, the user must be satisfied.

“Was your meal sufficient?” Means: Did the portion satisfy your hunger?

So the real question therefor is:

How much is sufficient to satisfy you?

I am reminded of the simple-living Quaker who was watching his new neighbor move in, with all of the furnishings and expensive “toys” that “successful people” collect.

The Quaker finally went over to his new neighbor and said, “Neighbor, if ever thou dost need anything, come to see me, and I will tell thee how to get along without it.”

Henry David Thoreau, the naturalist of the 1800s, reminded us that a man is wealthy in proportion to the number of things he can afford to do without.

True contentment comes from godliness in the heart, not wealth in the hand.

A person who depends on material things for peace and assurance will never be satisfied, for material things have a way of losing their appeal.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 BSB

10 He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

It is the wealthy people, not the poor people, who go to psychiatrists and who are more apt to try to commit suicide.

2: Wealth is not lasting

1 Timothy 6:7 BSB

7 For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it.

I like to translate this verse: “We brought nothing into this world because we can carry nothing out”.

Job 1:21 BSB

21 saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

When someone’s spirit leaves his body at death, it can take nothing with it because, when that person came into the world at birth, he brought nothing with him.

Whatever wealth we amass goes to the government, our heirs, and perhaps charity and the church.

We always know the answer to the question, “How much did he leave?” Everything!

3: Our basic needs are easily met.

1 Timothy 6:8 BSB

8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.

Food and “covering” (clothing and shelter) are basic needs; if we lose them, we lose the ability to secure other things.

Food is energy; clothes are protection: Without these a person end us in a situation that spirals down.

But if a person has food (energy) and clothing (protection) they can with God, diligence, hard work and skill acquire more “luxury” things like: Cars, TV’s, the internet etc.

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But if food and clothing are so basic, why do we find people even without those things?

Can we square the reality of people without those basic needs with the truth of:

Psalm 37:25 BSB

25 I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.

Is it possible for a person to even lose the basics and if so how?

Yes, absolutely a person can be so impoverished that they don't even have food and clothing.

How?

Well obviously I’m not including unavoidable external mitigating circumstances like a natural disaster, being robbed or deliberately being kept poor by a government who knows how easy poor people are to control and buy....

Out side of things beyond your control: what is the quickest and most garanteed way to be poor?

Alchahol - and by extension: Any substance abuse.

The bible is clear:

Proverbs 21:17 BSB

17 He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.

I took a look at all my counselling records this week. I have over 400 files, 400 people I’ve counselling in my 15 years so far.

Every single one of those who came to see me about financial problems had a substance abuse problem with more than 90% being alcohol.

Financial contentment begins with spiritual contentment - and you cannot be content in your spirit with an addiction.

4: The desire for wealth leads to sin

1 Timothy 6:9–10 BSB

9 Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

“They that want be rich,” is the accurate translation.

That word “want” in Greek is “Boo-lo-mai” and it literally means “intend or plan”

Its the same word in:

2 Corinthians 1:15 BSB

15 Confident of this, I planned to visit you first, so that you might receive a double blessing.

Now what is the problem of planning or intending to make a living?

Absolutely nothing!

This verse is NOT speaking about good, diligent business practice that leads to profit.

The word “Rich” does not refer “profitable supply” it means “Excessive greed”.

And Greed is something Jesus specifically warned us about!

Luke 12:15 BSB

15 And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

The result Paul described very vividly:

1 Timothy 6:9 BSB

9 Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

It is the picture of a man drowning!

He trusted his wealth and “sailed along,” but the storm came and he sank.

Conclusion:

Wealth does not bring contentment

wealth is not lasting

our basic needs are easy

desire for wealth always leads to sin.