INTRODUTION- Two views of slavery: God’s and the World’s.

I remember when I first became a Christian that I opened my bible to see what God’s official position on slavery was. Now I expected to see something of this effect, “I am the LORD thy God and slavery is an abomination before my sight. Thou shalt not own any man nor shalt thou allow anyone to live in servitude in the land I give you.” Oh the surprise I felt when I found statements like the one here in I Timothy 6:1! Things like, “Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor” had caused me problems. How could a loving God condone something as hideous as slavery? Not only does The Bible say this, but it also at times gives instructions of how slavery is to be instituted. Here in verses one and two of the portion of scripture that we are looking at today Paul is instructing young Timothy to teach his flock how to be good slaves. My intention for mentioning these first few verses (which are not directly in the scope of the message this morning) is not to explain slavery in the bible, because I hope the message will make the questions pertaining to slavery a mute point.

I must admit that this may be troubling to you if you are looking at this from a twenty first century worldview, but keep in mind that we are to look at things from God’s viewpoint. I am taking the risk of someone leaving here troubled, but I hope I have calculated the risk properly. I am not going explain why slavery is in The Bible per se, but please do not tune me out. If you began to think about any thing else but the message, then you possibly will leave here troubled about why is slavery in the bible; but if you listen to the message prayerfully, then slavery in the bible will be explained along with many other things that may have been a problem to you.

TRANSITION- The real problem: God’s will or your will be done?

If you do have a problem with slavery being mentioned in The Bible, then may I ask you why? What is the motive for your emotions? If you do not have any problems with this issue, then why don’t you? I guess the best question to ask is, “Do you believe the Bible is God’s word?” If you believe that the Bible is God’s word, then who knows better: you or God? Who do you want to live for: you or God?

Paul says in verses three through five, “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” He is warning Timothy of those who do not teach the doctrine of God, and he gives a couple of the reasons of why they do not. He explains that they have been blinded by their pride, and they know nothing but sickness in the mind. The Word of God even goes further to show the results that these false teachers have on the church. Because of the morbid speculations and irritating arguments they emit, the church has envy, strife, blasphemy, greed, and a lack of the truth (among other things). Timothy is instructed to stay away from such Teachers.

I. DEFINITIONS- Godliness and contentment: formula for a complete life.

Picking up on this thought in discussion (reasons others disregard biblical teaching), here the true meaning of great gain is developed. Instead of riches and wealth, godliness and contentment are put forth as the true way to have great gain.

GODLINESS

Godliness has two things involved in it: a right attitude towards God and a righteous lifestyle. Don’t misunderstand me. These things are not separate things done to have godliness, but rather a righteous life springs forth from your attitude towards God.

CONTENTMENT

Contentment in its very basic definitions means, “a state where you are not depending on external conditions to be grateful.” Being satisfied has an idea of accepting what has happened from without; things that happen may still affect it. Yes, if you’re content you’re satisfied, but this sufficiency is from within one’s self, knowing that God’s grace has supplied all our needs. This allows a content soul to keep his wants and desires in check, because his wants and desires are absorbed in his trust in God’s judgment and ability to give him life necessities.

TRANSITION- Concentrate on your attitude towards God: it’s the start of it all.

Instead of trying to make your self to be content, why not focus on your relationship with God. Just as a righteous life flows from it, contentment will also be a natural byproduct of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Don’t just spend time with him on Sunday; spend time with him every hour of every day.

II. PERSPECTIVE- Worldly possessions: you don’t have any. (Ec. 2:17-20)

Another thing is a benefit of a sanctified attitude; you can put things in perspective. The perspective we have set before us is common sense, but few realize it. Turn your attention to verse seven. It says, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” You don’t own anything. Just ask old man Solomon about the possessions gained in this world. He was one of the wisest men to born to a woman. As he was drawing close to the end of his life he decided he was going to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven. With his powerful intellect and command of a vast empire, he too truly owned nothing. It troubled him greatly, because he labored hard all the days of his life. I turn our attention to this point not for any to have an excuse to be lazy, for if a man will not work then he should not eat; I bring this point up in order to put things in perspective.

Here in the 17th verse you see that Solomon was not boasting of the labor of his life. On the contrary, He hated life.

17Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.  19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun

He came to a troubling realization; the day he died some one else was going to take possession of the fruit of his life’s work. What really bothered him is the fact that he had no control over preventing a fool from being that man who will take control of everything. This led him to this conclusion in chapter 12 verse 13: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man

TRANSITION- Job: shall we not receive evil?

Do you recall the words of Job when he was devastated and lost all of his possessions? His wife was of the attitude that she was no longer satisfied with the hand that life had dealt her. I wonder if she was in the habit of cursing God when they had plenty? I wonder if she wanted Job to die when he was providing for her and her children? She instructed Job to curse God and die. She even had the nerve (putting it in my own words) to say, “ well, you still think you need to put up this act like you so good. C’mon, Job, put yourself out of your misery. Curse God and die”

I can imagine the pain that Job must of felt. Again in my own words, Job said to her, “Look here, woman, we’ve been blessed all this time. What do you expect from God? I don’t think I even know you; you sound like you done lost your mind! Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?”

What do you need to be content?

III. THE NECESSITIES- Food and clothing: two things needed for the body to function.

As you turn back to our text in I Timothy you will also see what it shown as the worldly possession to go after. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. When we make a list of needs and wants we often have on the top of our list Shelter. I noticed that housing was missing from this list. I can see that there is an obvious for food being on the need list, and I can see two for clothing. The body needs food for fuel. Lack of food will cause the body to cease from living. God felt clothing was important enough that he gave it to us to cover our nakedness. The body can also stop functioning if it temperature drops to low because insufficient clothing. This condition involves the shutting off of blood flow to the body's surface. Out side of these two items there is nothing else I can think of nothing else required for physical life.

TRANSITION- Jesus had nowhere to lay his head: will you still follow him

I think about the time when Jesus had healed many of their sicknesses; he was about to leave, and a scribe said, “Master I will follow you where so ever you go.”

Jesus looked at him and said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nest; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” Jesus let him know that to follow would not mean a life in the lap of luxury. On the contrary, he let this man know that it was one of poverty. Most likely this man who was so eager to follow Jesus when he thought it would mean worldly gains went away sadly. He spoke to quickly. He did not sit down and count up the cost. What are you willing to endure for God? How much are you expecting from the hands of God? Will you too turn back if following Jesus means you might have to live in poverty?

CONCLUTION- For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain: I have learned to be content.

My mind goes to that great apostle while sitting in the midst of the jail cell. Like Job he did not get into a pity party. Instead he said, ”20According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Also said in another place, “11Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”

Can you say that? I have Learned how.

May God Richly Bless Your Soul.