The Christian Response to Money
The Missing Messages of the Modern Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 0:03
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Introduction:
We have been discussing messages that are missing in the modern church. We concluded that there are topics that we aren’t as eager to address, because they are not popular.
But, we determined that we want to know truth so that we can obey God and bring Him glory. Therefore we will not skip the hard parts, but examine them all.
Today’s topic is avoided in church and is almost a hands-off issue. Some would say that the church has no business bringing it up. It is off the table for discussion. But the Bible speaks much about money. The New Testament mentions money, wealth, and possessions in roughly 2,300 verses. 15% of Jesus’ teaching addressed the same. We won’t attempt to look at all of these references this morning but we will look at several. Our key text today will be 1 Timothy 6:3-10.
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. 6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Paul is writing to Timothy in Ephesus to straighten out some false teachers that had rose up. Now, Christianity was flourishing in Ephesus. People were coming to Christ, burning their witchcraft books and repenting. This is nothing short of a revival. And believe it or not some saw this widespread movement of Christianity as an opportunity to become rich. They wanted to capitalize on the popularity of Christianity in Ephesus.
John Piper in his book “Desiring God,” says this about the text in 1 Timothy 6. Paul writes to Timothy a word of warning about slick deceivers who discovered they could cash in on the upsurge of godliness in Ephesus. According to verse 5, these puffed-up controversialists treat godliness as a means of gain. They are so addicted to the love of money that truth occupies a very subordinate place in their affections. They don’t rejoice in truth. They rejoice in tax evasion. They are willing to to use any new, popular interest to make a few bucks.
Within this warning about the lovers of money at Ephesus, we see the type of attitude that Christians should take towards money and riches. Our greedy world would say there are two kinds of people when it comes to money, those who have money and those who want it.
In Christianity, I would say there should only be one type of person regardless of the size of their accounts. THOSE WHO DELIGHT IN GOD AND DESIRE TO GLORIFY HIM WITH EVERYTHING THEY HAVE. So, how should Christians respond to money?
We Should Respond with Caution
We Should Respond with Caution
The overarching theme in this text is the dangers of riches.
Not just the danger of having riches (v. 17) but the danger of desiring riches (v. 9).
The love of money is the source of all sorts of evil (v. 10).
What is the ultimate danger of desiring money?
A growing desire for money leads to a diminishing delight for God. (v. 10)
Jesus warns in Matthew 6:19-21 that what we treasure will own our hearts. What we desire is what we will delight in.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Where we invest is where our hearts are. Our hearts are either on the eternal or temporal.
Jesus goes on to say that money has the potential to master us. That we must beware of worshipping riches Matthew 6:24
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
As Christians our grand and glorious desire is in God. Not only do we trust Him to sustain us but we delight in Him, treasure Him, worship Him, and seek to glorify Him with our lives and resources. Listen to Hebrews 13:5-6
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
The Lord’s presence and the Lord’s help is more precious than the desire for wealth and earthly gain.
Scripture seems to indicate that God will test our hearts when it comes to what we treasure.
Abraham in Genesis 22:2
2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
And then in Genesis 22:12
12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
Luke chapters 18 and 19 records the last three encounters that Jesus had on his way to the cross. The rich young ruler, Blind Bartimaeus, and Zacchaeus.
The rich young ruler boasted of keeping the command to love God with all of his heart and Jesus put that to the test. He commanded him to sell all of his good and give the money to the poor. In Luke 18:23 the scripture says that he went away sorrowful because he was very rich. He didn’t love God with all of his heart. He loved riches!
23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
Blind Bartimaeus is an interesting story. It is no coincidence that it fall next in Luke’s Gospel. He cries out for mercy and Jesus heals him. He immediately begins to follow Jesus. Mark give a detail that Luke leaves out in Mark 10:50
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
Why is this significant? That dusty garment was the most valuable possession that Bartimaeus had and he cast it away because he had discovered something more valuable. The treasure of Jesus Christ!
What of Zacchaeus? When he met Jesus, he gave half of his wealth to the poor and restored fourfold what he had taken by falsehood.
Money is one of those things that has the potential to own our heart, consume our desire, capture our delight and then pierce us through with many sorrows, drowned us in destruction, and destroy our lives.
Do we know what owns our hearts? We can discover that quickly. What do we have that is off-limits to God. What do we hoard and protect for ourselves? What is not available for God’s service and use? What satisfies us most even if the satisfaction doesn’t last?
Each morning I read a Psalm to initiate my prayer time. Psalm 107 was the one for Thursday. Its a psalm of thanksgiving with a recount of God’s faithful works among the Children of Israel. After each account there is a repeating verse. Following the repeating verse there is a summarizing verse. The first repeating and summarizing verse spoke to me and to this subject. Listen to Psalm 107:8-9
8 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.
Oh that we would desire God over everything else because only He can satisfy our longing and fill our soul with what it longs for. Our response to money is caution because our delight is in God.
We Respond by Seeking the Longest Happiness and Greatest Gain
We Respond by Seeking the Longest Happiness and Greatest Gain
The scripture doesn’t say that money is evil, but rather the love of money leads to all sorts of evil.
It doesn’t say that there isn’t a gain to be sought from money.
The warning is not to cheat ourselves by trading the lesser for the greater. Notice the contrast between 1 Timothy 6:5-6
5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. 6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
The lovers of money are seeking gain when godliness with contentment brings great gain.
The idea is the Christian is not living like this world is it. They live of reasonable means and are content with a moderate life and then invest their money in the eternal.
The great deception is we think that is sacrifice, but its not. David Livingstone left everything to live in Africa and share the Gospel on that continent. His words were, “I have never sacrificed a thing.”
Jesus talked of this gain in Luke 18:28-30
28 Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.” 29 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Was Jesus exaggerating, lying, or telling the truth?
Listen there is a great imbalance in Christianity when it comes to money.
The total global church member annual income is approximately 28.8 trillion.
Of this total, 513 billion (1.73 percent) is given to Christian causes.
87% of this 1.73 percent goes for work among those already Christians, and 12% goes for work among already evangelized non-Christians. That leaves 1% for unreached people groups, which make up nearly 30% of the world’s population.
It would appear that the average Christian’s heart is not on the kingdom. I fear we have traded great gains for temporary pleasures.
Can you imagine the joy on this side of eternity knowing that our hearts and lives are aligned with God’s plans and purposes? Can you imagine the unending joy in heaven as we meet those whom we gave up what we couldn’t keep anyway to reach?
Our response to money should be to seek the longest joy and greatest gain.
We Respond by Seeing Money as a Tool for God’s Service.
We Respond by Seeing Money as a Tool for God’s Service.
Notice he talks of the futility of desiring riches for mere earthly pleasures.
Its like wasting your money on collecting disposable goods. 1 Timothy 6:7
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
We were born with nothing and only received what our parents had when we arrived. In the same way you die and only receive what you have invested there. What we collect here has no permanent value because its impossible to take with us.
The best things in this life are free. We can’t buy the truly lasting things, and money can’t build the lasting things. In fact, it typically destroys it. Love, Relationships, beautiful landscapes, the affection of your children and grandchildren.
We have limited resources and limited time in this life. The goal is to maximize the eternal by living wisely in the present.
First, discover the greatest joy. That is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Then, live an abundant life. Things can’t give abundance, but faithfulness to Christ can. Give all of you fidelity to Him and you will find joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Finally, enter into the joy of the Lord. When the race is run you will receive a crown. Let’s pray!
Response
Response
You know there has always been a passage that I found intriguing. 2 Corinthians 8:9
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
Its in the context of giving, but its a reminder that Jesus doesn’t ask of us what he himself has not done. He gave up the riches of heaven, so that we could gain the riches of heaven.
